Disability Doesn't Mean Inability: Debunking Myths About Blindness and Autism

WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.000
You are bold, you are fearless, you are ready

00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:44.119
It's time to unlock the diamond from within And

00:00:44.119 --> 00:00:46.619
welcome back to the BFF Empowerment Podcast.

00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:51.700
I am your host, Black Diamond. And today's episode

00:00:51.700 --> 00:00:56.420
is all about Disability Pride Month. So celebrating

00:00:56.420 --> 00:01:00.539
all the multitudes of disabilities, both physical

00:01:00.539 --> 00:01:05.140
and invisible. And a lot of people don't like

00:01:05.140 --> 00:01:09.439
the term Disability Pride Month. And so before

00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:11.640
I jump into the episode, I just want to kind

00:01:11.640 --> 00:01:15.099
of explain a little bit about why I don't see

00:01:15.099 --> 00:01:18.000
anything wrong with using the terminology disability

00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:21.359
pride, because it's not that we're saying that

00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:25.299
we're proud of having a disability. It's acknowledging

00:01:25.299 --> 00:01:30.000
that we are proud of who we are despite. Despite

00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:32.780
the limitations that people try to place upon

00:01:32.780 --> 00:01:36.980
us, despite what people think of people with

00:01:36.980 --> 00:01:40.060
disabilities, we are proud of who we are. We

00:01:40.060 --> 00:01:43.159
are people first. Our disability is a characteristic.

00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:48.180
It's not who we are. It's not everything that

00:01:48.180 --> 00:01:52.489
we are. It's a part of... who we are as a person,

00:01:52.670 --> 00:01:56.209
but it does not encompass all that we can be

00:01:56.209 --> 00:01:59.109
and all that we are capable of. So for me, Disability

00:01:59.109 --> 00:02:04.290
Pride Month is every day. It's, you know, 12

00:02:04.290 --> 00:02:09.629
months out of the year, 365, sometimes 66, when

00:02:09.629 --> 00:02:12.889
there's a leap year. So Disability Pride month,

00:02:13.210 --> 00:02:17.409
year, day, it's my everyday reality. For the

00:02:17.409 --> 00:02:21.110
past 21 years, I've been a part of the disability

00:02:21.110 --> 00:02:24.250
community after becoming blind at the age of

00:02:24.250 --> 00:02:30.030
15. So prior to becoming blind, I had never really

00:02:30.030 --> 00:02:36.080
experienced anyone disabled. that I can really

00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:40.099
think of. I remember as a child, maybe in maybe

00:02:40.099 --> 00:02:44.039
third grade, there was a girl, she was in a wheelchair.

00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:49.719
um and i actually just naturally was kind to

00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:51.740
her like i never even though that was like my

00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:53.900
first time experiencing someone with a disability

00:02:53.900 --> 00:02:56.620
like i didn't look at it as there was something

00:02:56.620 --> 00:03:00.500
wrong with her or i was just naturally kind to

00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:03.900
her not realizing that you know later in life

00:03:03.900 --> 00:03:07.560
i would also join the disability community but

00:03:08.139 --> 00:03:12.020
It was natural to me, I guess, because just naturally

00:03:12.020 --> 00:03:15.099
I am a kind person. I look at people for who

00:03:15.099 --> 00:03:19.020
they are, not what their inabilities or their

00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:23.879
capabilities are. And so I've always been just

00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:27.659
a naturally kind person. And as a child, kids

00:03:27.659 --> 00:03:31.110
can. be the most brutal they can be the most

00:03:31.110 --> 00:03:35.169
unfiltered and basically yeah they can hurt you

00:03:35.169 --> 00:03:37.189
when you're a child and you have a disability

00:03:37.189 --> 00:03:40.669
um and so for me that was the only time i can

00:03:40.669 --> 00:03:43.289
think of that i've actually witnessed a person

00:03:43.289 --> 00:03:47.250
with a physical disability now of course there's

00:03:47.250 --> 00:03:49.789
people who disabilities are invisible so they

00:03:49.789 --> 00:03:53.080
may look like you know they're just quote unquote

00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:57.120
normal, but they may have a disability. You just

00:03:57.120 --> 00:03:59.400
can't see it. You know, whether they have a chronic

00:03:59.400 --> 00:04:02.319
illness or they have a mental disability or they

00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:04.960
have a speech disability, you know, just there's

00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:08.139
different things. So disability isn't always

00:04:08.139 --> 00:04:13.120
a visual thing that can be seen, you know. And

00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:19.709
so today's episode is all about basically. unpacking

00:04:19.709 --> 00:04:24.990
myths surrounding um disabilities and in particular

00:04:24.990 --> 00:04:29.149
blindness and autism so because i'm blind myself

00:04:29.149 --> 00:04:32.550
of course i you know had the experience lived

00:04:32.550 --> 00:04:35.829
experience of someone who's blind but because

00:04:35.829 --> 00:04:42.220
i am the parent of a child with autism I am basically

00:04:42.220 --> 00:04:44.899
on the outside looking in, but through my child,

00:04:45.019 --> 00:04:48.379
I am getting to experience what it's like for

00:04:48.379 --> 00:04:51.319
someone with autism. So I have two different

00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:54.139
perspectives on two different disabilities, one

00:04:54.139 --> 00:04:58.339
physical and obvious, one not so physical and

00:04:58.339 --> 00:05:03.019
obvious. And so I have five myths for both. that

00:05:03.019 --> 00:05:06.680
I'm going to talk about today. So starting with

00:05:06.680 --> 00:05:12.720
blindness. So the first myth that is related

00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:19.480
to blindness is that all blind people see only

00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:25.300
darkness. Which is not true. So I am considered

00:05:25.300 --> 00:05:29.860
totally blind, but I do have light perception

00:05:29.860 --> 00:05:33.300
in my left eye. My right eye, I see nothing.

00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:37.160
Left eye, I have light perception. It's not any

00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:41.019
usable vision, but in the right lighting, I can

00:05:41.019 --> 00:05:45.360
see shadows. You know, I can see sunlight. I

00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:48.300
can see when lights are on or off, things like

00:05:48.300 --> 00:05:51.639
that. So being outside for like long periods

00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:54.860
of time when it's like sunny outside and I come

00:05:54.860 --> 00:05:58.779
back in, like literally, I see nothing but black

00:05:58.779 --> 00:06:01.560
for a while. So my eyes still have to adjust

00:06:01.560 --> 00:06:06.139
to... you know, being able to see inside with

00:06:06.139 --> 00:06:09.220
the light. So no usable vision, but I am not

00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:15.529
pitch black darkness. So definitely that all

00:06:15.529 --> 00:06:18.329
blind or at least totally blind people see nothing

00:06:18.329 --> 00:06:22.170
but blackness. It's definitely a myth. There

00:06:22.170 --> 00:06:24.910
are blindness is a spectrum, just like autism

00:06:24.910 --> 00:06:27.550
is a spectrum. Blindness is a spectrum. You know,

00:06:27.569 --> 00:06:30.029
you have people from totally blind to low vision

00:06:30.029 --> 00:06:33.750
to high partial. So, you know, there's just so

00:06:33.750 --> 00:06:35.810
many. And then even within the totally blind,

00:06:36.069 --> 00:06:38.829
there's total blackness. There's light perception.

00:06:39.230 --> 00:06:41.629
There's shadows. There's people who can still

00:06:41.629 --> 00:06:45.750
see color but can't see. physical feature. It's

00:06:45.750 --> 00:06:51.050
just so many variations of vision that even though

00:06:51.050 --> 00:06:55.170
one, two, five people may identify as being totally

00:06:55.170 --> 00:06:59.750
blind, they all may have different spectrums

00:06:59.750 --> 00:07:02.509
of vision, what they can see. What one person

00:07:02.509 --> 00:07:05.610
can see, the next may not. So someone who also

00:07:05.610 --> 00:07:08.170
may be totally blind like I am may not see anything.

00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:11.240
Or may have the same type of vision I have or

00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:14.120
better visions, you know, so it's not one and

00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:17.339
all the same. So it's not, there's definitely

00:07:17.339 --> 00:07:20.220
different avenues and different ways to look

00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:23.879
at it. And so if you want to know exactly how

00:07:23.879 --> 00:07:28.040
much a person can see, just ask. No, don't assume

00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:31.379
that, you know, because somebody identifies as

00:07:31.379 --> 00:07:35.199
blind or totally blind, that they should or should

00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:39.939
not be able to see this amount. So my next myth,

00:07:40.180 --> 00:07:43.879
so myth number two, is going to be that blind

00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:48.439
people are helpless. Now that one is definitely

00:07:48.439 --> 00:07:51.699
funny because if I was helpless, I wouldn't be

00:07:51.699 --> 00:07:53.959
recording this podcast to you right now. I wouldn't

00:07:53.959 --> 00:07:55.819
be talking to you through this podcast because

00:07:55.819 --> 00:07:58.300
if I was helpless, I wouldn't be able to do this.

00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:02.879
That is the biggest misconception that people

00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:08.920
have about blindness. There's no point in living.

00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:11.279
If you're blind, there's nothing you can do.

00:08:11.339 --> 00:08:14.000
There's no way to have a fulfilling, successful

00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:17.240
life. Like there's just no way. Vision is the

00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:20.300
avenue of the world. It's how you achieve and

00:08:20.300 --> 00:08:23.120
do everything. But that is definitely a myth.

00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:26.860
You know, I'm able to do so many different things,

00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:30.139
not have any vision. Like I am who I am today,

00:08:30.279 --> 00:08:35.399
a public speaker, a 15 times self -published

00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:39.029
author, a poet, you know. I'm a podcast host.

00:08:39.149 --> 00:08:42.929
I'm a pageant title holder. All of these things

00:08:42.929 --> 00:08:46.769
do not symbolize that I'm helpless. So if I'm

00:08:46.769 --> 00:08:49.909
helpless, do I have a personal care assistant?

00:08:51.190 --> 00:08:53.490
There's no way someone can do all of this for

00:08:53.490 --> 00:08:56.830
me. So how am I able to do this alone? I cook.

00:08:57.320 --> 00:09:00.659
I clean. I raise my son as a single mom. I work.

00:09:00.820 --> 00:09:04.220
You know, I go out. I go shopping. I do everything

00:09:04.220 --> 00:09:08.039
myself. So being blind does not mean you're helpless.

00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:12.179
And no, I'm not one in a million. There's millions

00:09:12.179 --> 00:09:14.840
of blind people out here who live successful

00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:18.460
lives. When you've met one blind person doesn't

00:09:18.460 --> 00:09:21.080
mean you've met all blind people. Now, don't

00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:23.960
get me wrong. There are some blind people who

00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:27.990
do choose. to be helpless independent but there's

00:09:27.990 --> 00:09:30.909
more of us out here living and being independent

00:09:30.909 --> 00:09:34.149
and living our lives to the best of our abilities

00:09:34.149 --> 00:09:38.509
than there are those who you know aren't so just

00:09:38.509 --> 00:09:41.799
because someone is blind don't assume That there's

00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:45.259
things they can't do. Yes, we all have our different

00:09:45.259 --> 00:09:48.179
challenges, our obstacles, our barriers. You

00:09:48.179 --> 00:09:51.159
know, life is not perfect. No, everything doesn't

00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:54.340
go the way we want it to go. There's inaccessibility

00:09:54.340 --> 00:09:58.019
issues. There's, you know, just different discrimination,

00:09:58.139 --> 00:10:00.799
different things we go through. But that does

00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:04.940
not make us helpless. Yes, we may need help in

00:10:04.940 --> 00:10:07.659
some things, but needing help does not make you

00:10:07.659 --> 00:10:11.159
helpless. Everyone in this world needs help.

00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:16.240
No one is immune to needing help. That's what

00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:21.429
being... an interdependent person is. And a lot

00:10:21.429 --> 00:10:23.470
of people don't know what interdependency is,

00:10:23.769 --> 00:10:27.870
but it's basically you being independent and

00:10:27.870 --> 00:10:31.370
also needing someone. So no one is totally independent.

00:10:31.509 --> 00:10:34.730
No one is totally dependent. So you put those

00:10:34.730 --> 00:10:38.129
two together, you have interdependency. So you

00:10:38.129 --> 00:10:42.690
are independent up to a point. Until then, it's

00:10:42.690 --> 00:10:46.049
necessary for you to need help. And we all go

00:10:46.049 --> 00:10:47.710
through that, whether you have a disability or

00:10:47.710 --> 00:10:51.309
not. You know, no one in this world can say that

00:10:51.309 --> 00:10:54.129
they've never needed anyone for anything or never

00:10:54.129 --> 00:10:58.269
needed help for something. So be interdependent.

00:10:59.370 --> 00:11:03.789
So please stop thinking that blind people are

00:11:03.789 --> 00:11:07.710
helpless because we are far from it. So myth

00:11:07.710 --> 00:11:11.440
number three is going to be. So blind people

00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:17.039
cannot have successful careers. So I have already

00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:19.379
kind of touched on that a little bit with, you

00:11:19.379 --> 00:11:22.639
know, all that I do. But there are, like I said,

00:11:22.700 --> 00:11:25.379
millions of other blind people who do things

00:11:25.379 --> 00:11:28.309
outside of what I do. There are blind people

00:11:28.309 --> 00:11:31.330
that are lawyers. There are blind people that

00:11:31.330 --> 00:11:35.509
are farmers. There are blind people that are

00:11:35.509 --> 00:11:42.809
therapists, are nurses, are doctors. And I'm

00:11:42.809 --> 00:11:45.850
not saying when I say blind, I don't always mean

00:11:45.850 --> 00:11:49.230
someone who is totally blind. Like I said, there's

00:11:49.230 --> 00:11:52.450
a spectrum of vision. So someone can be a high

00:11:52.450 --> 00:11:54.830
partial. Somebody can be low vision and still

00:11:54.830 --> 00:11:59.320
have these careers. Their visual disability doesn't

00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:02.299
stop them from doing the careers that they want.

00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.679
I mean, probably outside of driving, but we all

00:12:04.679 --> 00:12:07.940
know they're working on that. So we will be driving

00:12:07.940 --> 00:12:11.429
ourselves probably the next five years. With

00:12:11.429 --> 00:12:13.429
no problem. So we'll be able to check that off

00:12:13.429 --> 00:12:16.350
the list as, you know, something that blind people

00:12:16.350 --> 00:12:19.610
are not capable of doing. Thank you, Tesla. I

00:12:19.610 --> 00:12:22.289
definitely appreciate it because I will be one

00:12:22.289 --> 00:12:26.769
of the ones as soon as I'm able to go out here

00:12:26.769 --> 00:12:28.850
and get me one of my self -driving Teslas. Because

00:12:28.850 --> 00:12:32.870
that's one of the main things that I struggle

00:12:32.870 --> 00:12:35.649
with, with being blind, is being dependent on

00:12:35.649 --> 00:12:37.950
other people for my source of transportation.

00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:41.799
I'm a very punctual person. I hate being late,

00:12:41.820 --> 00:12:45.240
and I definitely hate being late due to someone

00:12:45.240 --> 00:12:51.100
else's negligence. So, yes, if I am able to purchase

00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:54.320
my own self -driving car, have it parked in my

00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:57.740
parking space, ready to go when I need it to

00:12:57.740 --> 00:12:59.980
go, whenever I want to go, because this girl

00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:04.750
loves to travel. If I have a whim idea that I

00:13:04.750 --> 00:13:06.330
want to just go somewhere, I want to be able

00:13:06.330 --> 00:13:07.830
to go when I want to go. I don't want to have

00:13:07.830 --> 00:13:10.129
to plan. I don't want to have to prep, which

00:13:10.129 --> 00:13:12.789
I mean, still some of that requires that. But

00:13:12.789 --> 00:13:15.350
the fact that I don't have to sit around and

00:13:15.350 --> 00:13:18.070
wait for somebody else to take me. So, yes, bring

00:13:18.070 --> 00:13:20.950
on the self -driving cars because I would definitely

00:13:20.950 --> 00:13:24.549
be first in line to get mine. All right. So we're

00:13:24.549 --> 00:13:29.289
going to do myth number four. So blind people

00:13:29.289 --> 00:13:36.259
are inspiration. simply for existing. Now, that's

00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:42.740
one that definitely irks my nerve. I am not an

00:13:42.740 --> 00:13:45.220
inspiration just because I rolled out of bed

00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:50.440
today. I am not an inspiration just because I'm

00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:53.740
recording this podcast on my own. I'm not an

00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:56.320
inspiration because I take care of my child.

00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:58.919
I'm not an inspiration because I have a job.

00:13:59.059 --> 00:14:04.919
I'm a person, a normal human being with normal

00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:11.220
human desires, expectations, all of that. So

00:14:11.220 --> 00:14:14.960
because I do my normal day -to -day activities

00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:17.940
does not make me an inspiration. Now, when I

00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:20.340
get on the stage and I talk to you about, you

00:14:20.340 --> 00:14:22.659
know, my journey and things I've done, yes, yes,

00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:27.000
that's inspiring. Inspiring you to overcome obstacles

00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:31.019
and, you know, empowering you to be the best

00:14:31.019 --> 00:14:34.519
version of yourself. Yes, that. itself is inspiration

00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:38.179
me helping you to see yourself for who you are

00:14:38.179 --> 00:14:40.820
the beautiful person that you are that's inspiration

00:14:40.820 --> 00:14:44.080
not the fact that i got up and got dressed this

00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:46.200
morning that's not an inspiration that should

00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:49.120
not be inspirational to you the fact that i was

00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.679
able to cook dinner should not be something that

00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:54.960
you're inspired by It's a normal thing. We all

00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:58.559
have to eat. There's nothing special about being

00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.139
able to cook your food, being able to get yourself

00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:03.519
dressed. You know, whether I had a disability

00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:06.980
or not, I would still have had to do that. You

00:15:06.980 --> 00:15:10.139
wouldn't have found it inspirational if a person

00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:13.460
with no disability cooked. You wouldn't say that's

00:15:13.460 --> 00:15:16.500
an inspiration. Oh, you inspired me so much because

00:15:16.500 --> 00:15:20.279
you made spaghetti. No. So because I'm blind,

00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:23.700
it's something to be inspired. like it's something

00:15:23.700 --> 00:15:27.480
that inspires you no now if something i do inspires

00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:31.820
you to do something like okay oh wait a minute

00:15:31.820 --> 00:15:34.659
she does a podcast you know what i've always

00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:37.519
wanted my own tv show you know maybe i can do

00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:41.759
that then yes use me as your inspiration because

00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:44.159
i'm doing something that you've always wanted

00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:47.019
to do or you've thought about doing but not The

00:15:47.019 --> 00:15:50.100
simple day -to -day tasks that everyone does.

00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:52.899
I don't want to be looked at as an inspiration

00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:56.240
for that. And I'm sure other blind people do

00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.460
not as well. So please stop being inspired by

00:15:59.460 --> 00:16:02.279
the simple things that we do every day because

00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:05.200
it's not something to be, you know, a source

00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:09.029
of inspiration. Day to day, we're living, we're

00:16:09.029 --> 00:16:12.870
surviving, we're thriving, we're being normal

00:16:12.870 --> 00:16:17.009
human beings with normal human desires and expectations

00:16:17.009 --> 00:16:19.850
and responsibilities. There's nothing inspirational

00:16:19.850 --> 00:16:25.029
about it. And so my last myth for blindness is

00:16:25.029 --> 00:16:28.389
going to be, so myth number five is going to

00:16:28.389 --> 00:16:32.690
be that blind people have supersonic hearing.

00:16:32.990 --> 00:16:36.620
Now this is the one I love the most because whenever

00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:40.000
I encounter somebody who's never met a blind

00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:44.039
person before and we get to talking that's the

00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:47.480
first thing they say oh your hearing must be

00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:49.940
you know you must have supersonic hearing and

00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:52.480
I'm like you know and I always laugh because

00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:56.779
I love busting this myth and once I explain to

00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:59.539
them and they're like oh you know what I never

00:16:59.539 --> 00:17:02.840
thought about it like that so no blind people

00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:06.359
do not have supersonic hearing it may seem that

00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:11.220
way only because we have no choice but to rely

00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:16.099
on our hearing our hearing our our eyes we hear

00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:20.079
with our ears nothing has changed just because

00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:23.160
we lost the ability to see the same capability

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:26.559
of hearing that we had prior to vision loss is

00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:29.680
still going to be there the only thing is it's

00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:32.720
not a problem the only thing is we rely on it

00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:36.559
more now that the ability to see is no longer

00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:40.039
there so it doesn't mean hearing magically improved

00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:43.380
just because you have to rely on it it's still

00:17:43.380 --> 00:17:46.220
the same that it was before and i've always used

00:17:46.220 --> 00:17:48.980
this example for people to so that they can see

00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:51.740
and it's like the light bulb goes off oh you

00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:55.559
know what she's right so so let's say for instance

00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:59.599
you have 20 20 vision and For whatever reason,

00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:02.539
something happens, you develop some kind of illness,

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:05.339
something happens to where tomorrow you're totally

00:18:05.339 --> 00:18:09.680
deaf. You lose all sense of hearing. Now, don't

00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.440
forget, you already have 20 -20 vision, but now

00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:15.599
you can't hear. So is your vision going to improve

00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:18.859
because you can no longer hear? No. Why is that?

00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:21.259
Because you already have 20 -20 vision. There

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:26.750
is no vision past or better. than 20 20 vision

00:18:26.750 --> 00:18:31.210
so no your eyesight does not magically get better

00:18:31.210 --> 00:18:35.829
because you can no longer hear same thing if

00:18:35.829 --> 00:18:38.609
you were a person that could walk and all of

00:18:38.609 --> 00:18:41.609
a sudden for whatever reason you lost the ability

00:18:41.609 --> 00:18:44.950
to walk do you think your sight is going to get

00:18:44.950 --> 00:18:48.170
better is your hearing going to get better nope

00:18:48.170 --> 00:18:51.240
that has nothing to do with it Is your sense

00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:54.380
of touch going to get better? No, that has nothing

00:18:54.380 --> 00:18:58.279
to do with it. Your arms may get stronger. Why?

00:18:58.420 --> 00:19:01.720
Because you have to rely on your upper body strength

00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:05.440
to get you through. That doesn't mean now you

00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:10.039
have supersonic arms or something, or that you

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:13.460
have some inhuman super strength now because

00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:16.900
you can't walk. No, it simply means you have

00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:19.640
to rely on your arms now, so you have to be strong.

00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:22.660
Build up that upper body strength to be able

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:25.819
to get you through. And once I explain to people,

00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:30.920
they're like, oh, I never, yeah, yeah, you never

00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:33.880
really think about that. But you're right. It's

00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:38.819
not, it does not improve. So please stop thinking

00:19:38.819 --> 00:19:42.259
because someone cannot see that they automatically

00:19:42.259 --> 00:19:47.200
have some type of inhuman super hearing. No,

00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:50.049
we just rely on our hearing. more because the

00:19:50.049 --> 00:19:53.990
ability to see is no longer there but the hearing

00:19:53.990 --> 00:19:56.990
we had before is still the same unless for whatever

00:19:56.990 --> 00:20:00.710
reason you start losing your hearing but that

00:20:00.710 --> 00:20:03.369
it doesn't change and the same can be said for

00:20:03.369 --> 00:20:06.210
someone who goes deaf and blind so what's going

00:20:06.210 --> 00:20:08.549
to improve because they're deaf and blind their

00:20:08.549 --> 00:20:13.230
what ability to walk their arms what's going

00:20:13.230 --> 00:20:16.720
to improve if they can't see or hear So that

00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:21.339
is definitely a myth of all myths. Blind people

00:20:21.339 --> 00:20:23.720
do not have supersonic hearing. And if someone

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:26.160
tells you they do, they're lying. Or they just

00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:30.720
want you to be inspired by them. But no. It's

00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:33.599
not true. So now we're going to switch gears

00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:37.440
and we're going to jump into the five myths about

00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:41.720
autism. So my first one for autism is all autistic

00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:45.180
people are the same. And that's basically the

00:20:45.180 --> 00:20:47.579
same thing how people feel about, you know, blind

00:20:47.579 --> 00:20:50.059
people. You met one blind person, you met all

00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:52.299
blind people, which is not true. And just my

00:20:52.299 --> 00:20:56.200
experience was raising my child with autism.

00:20:57.240 --> 00:21:00.279
Being around other people and children with autism,

00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:05.759
they are so dramatically different. It's so amazing

00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:09.200
how the same exact diagnosis can affect people

00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:13.019
in so many different ways. So on paper, my son

00:21:13.019 --> 00:21:16.200
is the textbook autistic child, but then he's

00:21:16.200 --> 00:21:22.809
not. It's... crazy how a lot of the characteristics

00:21:22.809 --> 00:21:27.269
or symptoms or you know just behaviors that are

00:21:27.269 --> 00:21:31.450
typical in autistic children he exemplifies but

00:21:31.450 --> 00:21:34.789
on the other hand there's things he doesn't like

00:21:34.789 --> 00:21:37.269
with stimming he doesn't do anything stimming

00:21:37.269 --> 00:21:41.640
no flapping no spinning no None of that. But

00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:44.740
there are things that he does do, like, especially

00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:47.859
in the behavioral and the social aspects of autism.

00:21:47.900 --> 00:21:51.619
When it comes to textbook symptoms and, you know,

00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:55.839
different behaviors, he meets all of those. So

00:21:55.839 --> 00:22:00.980
definitely no autistic person. is the same. My

00:22:00.980 --> 00:22:04.519
son is considered high functioning, um, level

00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:08.500
one, but I think he's more kind of, well, they've

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:11.079
actually kind of taken away the whole level thing

00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:15.259
because yeah, people can improve or they can

00:22:15.259 --> 00:22:18.480
regress. And that's one thing my son does go

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:21.240
through a lot of improvements and then regressing,

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:24.220
especially depending on the stress level and

00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:27.500
anxiety level, because he also has other underlying

00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:31.259
conditions. so it can impact his regression or

00:22:31.259 --> 00:22:35.220
his improvements, you know, with those, um, conditions,

00:22:35.319 --> 00:22:38.420
you know, may have some impact on what he's able

00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:44.119
to do. Um, so yeah, no two autistic people are

00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:46.500
the same, no matter if they're both high functioning,

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:49.359
they're level two, they're level three, they're

00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:53.519
verbal, nonverbal. There's just so many because

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:56.960
like blindness, it's a spectrum. You can pick.

00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:00.319
pieces from this category and that category and

00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:02.640
this category and put them all together and then

00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:04.680
find the next person and then they have this

00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:08.519
but they don't have that it's a lot so no two

00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:12.819
people who have the diagnosis of being autistic

00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:18.079
are the same so let's see myth number two autistic

00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:23.079
people don't have oh gosh i love this one emotions

00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:30.339
Whoever came up with that, I just, that is one

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:33.940
of the biggest myths out there. That's one of

00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:36.960
the biggest challenges that people on the spectrum

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:41.440
have is how to express their emotions. Now, there

00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:43.720
are some people dependent on, you know, their

00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:47.359
level of autism and their different, you know.

00:23:48.349 --> 00:23:52.130
abilities that, yes, they may not have emotions,

00:23:52.230 --> 00:23:58.170
but most people that I have experienced or have

00:23:58.170 --> 00:24:01.509
been around that are on the autism spectrum,

00:24:01.690 --> 00:24:05.549
they have very, very big emotions. And that's

00:24:05.549 --> 00:24:08.490
what they have to learn how to cope with and

00:24:08.490 --> 00:24:11.210
deal with and ways to regulate those emotions

00:24:11.210 --> 00:24:15.819
because they're too big. Um, so just dealing

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:17.859
with my son, he's seven, you know, he has the

00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:22.400
meltdowns. He has the, um, the rigidity. He has

00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:27.380
the defiance. He has all of that where he just

00:24:27.380 --> 00:24:31.579
gets sad and just, it's a lot. So definitely

00:24:31.579 --> 00:24:35.660
emotions are something that people on the spectrum

00:24:35.660 --> 00:24:39.809
do have. They just have. Issues expressing those

00:24:39.809 --> 00:24:43.750
emotions, putting words to those emotions. So

00:24:43.750 --> 00:24:46.930
those emotions come out in actions instead of

00:24:46.930 --> 00:24:49.230
them being able to articulate how they're feeling

00:24:49.230 --> 00:24:51.289
and why they're feeling the way they do. And

00:24:51.289 --> 00:24:54.210
that's one thing my son struggles with is how

00:24:54.210 --> 00:24:57.869
to express why he's feeling some type of way.

00:24:57.930 --> 00:24:59.690
A lot of times you'll ask him, I don't know.

00:24:59.829 --> 00:25:01.869
I don't know. I just I just don't know why I

00:25:01.869 --> 00:25:03.509
feel like this. I don't know why I did that.

00:25:03.589 --> 00:25:08.009
You know, so. Emotions, yes. People on the spectrum

00:25:08.009 --> 00:25:13.369
do have emotions. So let's see here. Myth number

00:25:13.369 --> 00:25:18.730
three. So autistic children just need more discipline

00:25:18.730 --> 00:25:27.220
than neurotypical kids. Wow. I have had people

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:30.640
say that. I have heard people say that, especially

00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:34.000
when an autistic child is having a meltdown.

00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:37.099
They're having, you know, just one of their their

00:25:37.099 --> 00:25:39.259
episodes. They're like, oh, OK, you just need

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:41.599
to discipline them more. You're too easy on them.

00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:43.900
You know, you don't discipline them enough. That's

00:25:43.900 --> 00:25:47.559
why they misbehave. OK, so if a child has an

00:25:47.559 --> 00:25:51.180
issue with regulating their emotions. How is

00:25:51.180 --> 00:25:54.299
more discipline going to solve that problem?

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:57.519
If anything, it's going to exacerbate it. It's

00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:59.599
only going to make it worse because they're not

00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:02.720
understanding why they're feeling the way they

00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:05.420
are, why they're having this tantrum, why they're,

00:26:05.420 --> 00:26:07.920
you know, throwing this or doing this or screaming

00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:12.700
this. So what? Disciplining them is going to

00:26:12.700 --> 00:26:16.000
just magically make them all of a sudden understand

00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:21.299
why. No. So discipline. Disciplining them more

00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:24.660
is not going to help. Getting down to their level,

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:27.250
and this is not just for children. I'm speaking

00:26:27.250 --> 00:26:29.829
of children, but this is also for adults as well

00:26:29.829 --> 00:26:32.210
with autism. You have to meet them where they

00:26:32.210 --> 00:26:35.349
are. You have to connect with them on their level,

00:26:35.390 --> 00:26:37.630
things that they relate to. And that's what I

00:26:37.630 --> 00:26:39.950
do a lot with my son. I know things that he's

00:26:39.950 --> 00:26:43.589
into. So I incorporate those things when I'm

00:26:43.589 --> 00:26:46.109
trying to get something through to him, trying

00:26:46.109 --> 00:26:49.109
to help him, you know, do something. So he's

00:26:49.109 --> 00:26:52.009
into Army. So I always try to find ways to incorporate

00:26:52.009 --> 00:26:55.029
the Army. If I need him to do something that

00:26:55.029 --> 00:26:59.000
I want him to, do you know I find ways to incorporate

00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:02.119
things he does like to help him do something

00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:05.539
he may not like like my son struggles with he

00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:07.779
doesn't like baths he doesn't like brushing his

00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:10.640
teeth you know just those things so I find ways

00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:16.660
to quote -unquote trick him or just get him to

00:27:16.660 --> 00:27:20.880
be more willing to do what it is i need him to

00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:23.960
do you know however i have to do it so for me

00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:28.539
discipline is is not the issue um it's the way

00:27:28.539 --> 00:27:31.259
you come across the way you approach it the way

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:35.359
you tackle the issue is what's going to help

00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:40.220
so myth number four is autistic people can't

00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:45.480
live successful fulfilling lives that's definitely

00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:49.779
a myth like i said said spectrum uh autism is

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:53.059
a spectrum so there are people who are of course

00:27:53.059 --> 00:27:57.960
cannot live successful fulfilling lives but those

00:27:57.960 --> 00:28:01.680
there are also people who can't and that's with

00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:04.460
any disability the more high functioning you

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:07.059
are of course that allows you to have the more

00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:09.599
successful life to be able to integrate into

00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:12.720
mainstream you know communities and mainstream

00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:17.220
environments but Those who are less function

00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:20.380
or lower functioning may not be able to, but

00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:23.279
that's with any disability like that. It's not

00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:27.640
autism specific. There are autistic people who

00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:31.059
are doctors, who are lawyers, who are, you know,

00:28:31.059 --> 00:28:34.380
psychologists, who are, you know, very successful

00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:38.690
people. So them having autism doesn't. hinder

00:28:38.690 --> 00:28:41.529
them from having the careers and doing the things

00:28:41.529 --> 00:28:44.710
that they want to do in life it's people people

00:28:44.710 --> 00:28:48.390
thinking that you're incapable of doing and having

00:28:48.390 --> 00:28:51.450
the type of life you want to have because of

00:28:51.450 --> 00:28:55.500
your disability but as long as people keep thinking

00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:58.359
and feeling that way yeah that's going to keep

00:28:58.359 --> 00:29:01.180
people back who have disabilities but as long

00:29:01.180 --> 00:29:05.160
as we're able to express ourselves live the lives

00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:09.220
that we want to live then yeah we can do whatever

00:29:09.220 --> 00:29:11.440
it is we want to do whether we're autistic whether

00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:14.339
we're blind whether we're deaf wheelchair bound

00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:18.220
whatever it is you know as long as we are given

00:29:18.220 --> 00:29:23.019
the tools and the systems that we can to help

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:29.470
us help ourselves and not be helpless. We can

00:29:29.470 --> 00:29:33.589
do anything it is that we want to do, but it

00:29:33.589 --> 00:29:38.210
is a lot of times society. Society is the barrier.

00:29:38.250 --> 00:29:41.569
Society is the obstacle. Society is the one keeping

00:29:41.569 --> 00:29:44.809
us from being all that we are capable of being.

00:29:44.990 --> 00:29:49.190
And so my last myth for autism is going to be,

00:29:49.250 --> 00:29:53.769
so this is myth number five, autism is caused

00:29:53.769 --> 00:30:00.329
by bad parenting. When I saw this one, it made

00:30:00.329 --> 00:30:03.470
me laugh. I'm like, really? Bad parenting causes

00:30:03.470 --> 00:30:07.000
autism. We've heard the myths that, you know,

00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:12.279
vaccines cause autism and taking Tylenol during

00:30:12.279 --> 00:30:15.839
pregnancy cause autism and all of these other

00:30:15.839 --> 00:30:21.880
crazy, just outlandish craziness explaining why

00:30:21.880 --> 00:30:26.420
autism exists and how, you know, it's... it happened

00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:30.000
at infants i mean at uh you know gestation and

00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:33.619
and it happened you know in utero and all it's

00:30:33.619 --> 00:30:41.599
crazy like some people are born with autism well

00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:44.140
i mean it's not even some people all people because

00:30:44.140 --> 00:30:46.380
it's not something that develops later in life

00:30:46.380 --> 00:30:50.279
but what i'm trying to say is if you're autistic

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:54.059
you're going to be born with it. It's not something

00:30:54.059 --> 00:30:57.759
that's going to come after you're six weeks old

00:30:57.759 --> 00:31:01.019
and you get a vaccine or you're two years old

00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:03.440
and get a vaccine. No. Now, a lot of people may

00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:05.859
disagree, but if you're one of those, you know,

00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:08.900
that feel like, oh, autism is caused by vaccines

00:31:08.900 --> 00:31:11.940
and Tylenol and all this other stuff, then I

00:31:11.940 --> 00:31:15.079
mean, you're entitled to your opinion. I'm not

00:31:15.079 --> 00:31:18.099
here to debate what's the cause of autism and

00:31:18.099 --> 00:31:20.809
all of that, but it's definitely not. from bad

00:31:20.809 --> 00:31:23.690
parenting i can definitely say that it's not

00:31:23.690 --> 00:31:26.710
because of the choices you made whether to be

00:31:26.710 --> 00:31:30.869
vaccinated not to be vaccinated to yeah it's

00:31:30.869 --> 00:31:37.549
not um and i just know this just based on knowing

00:31:37.549 --> 00:31:40.609
what I know about my own personal journey and

00:31:40.609 --> 00:31:43.349
experience with dealing with my son and his autism,

00:31:43.569 --> 00:31:47.109
that his autism is definitely hereditary and

00:31:47.109 --> 00:31:50.309
it's hereditary on his biological father's side.

00:31:50.450 --> 00:31:53.450
And I say that because everything my son has,

00:31:53.650 --> 00:31:56.549
every condition he has, everything he deals with

00:31:56.549 --> 00:32:00.839
was inherited from his biological father. Everything

00:32:00.839 --> 00:32:04.339
from him being bow -legged, to him having sleep

00:32:04.339 --> 00:32:11.420
apnea, to him having autism, ADHD, ODD. All of

00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:14.960
these conditions trace back to his biological

00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:19.299
father's genetics. So, it had nothing to do with

00:32:19.299 --> 00:32:22.299
my parenting. It had nothing to do with how I

00:32:22.299 --> 00:32:25.559
raised him, or whether I disciplined him, or

00:32:25.559 --> 00:32:32.180
any of that. It's all in his makeup, his genetics.

00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:35.880
And that's something he or I can't help. You

00:32:35.880 --> 00:32:39.519
know, it's just something we deal with. We manage,

00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:43.920
you know, that we work on on a daily basis. So

00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:48.279
saying that bad parenting is the cause of autism

00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:54.279
is definitely bananas. And I think one of the,

00:32:54.400 --> 00:33:01.190
I would say the biggest misconception that people

00:33:01.190 --> 00:33:06.349
have when it comes to disabilities is that disability

00:33:06.349 --> 00:33:11.630
means dependency. That being disabled means that

00:33:11.630 --> 00:33:16.170
you're dependent and that you are incapable of

00:33:16.170 --> 00:33:20.789
doing something because you have to do it a different

00:33:20.789 --> 00:33:24.390
way. It's not the typical way of doing things.

00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:28.500
And it's far from true. It's all about adaptability.

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:32.000
It's all about, you know, being open minded to

00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:35.180
learn and do things on a different. in a different

00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:37.880
way. Like when I became blind, yeah, my world

00:33:37.880 --> 00:33:41.220
became different. Like I had no choice but to

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:44.240
adapt to my new life. You know, I could have

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:48.240
sat around and just pined away and let life pass

00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:52.339
me by, but I chose not to. I chose to keep going.

00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:56.099
I chose to figure out how I could still do and

00:33:56.099 --> 00:33:58.819
enjoy the things that I loved prior to me going

00:33:58.819 --> 00:34:01.859
blind. You know, my love had always been writing.

00:34:01.980 --> 00:34:04.160
And once I went blind, I thought that was it.

00:34:04.039 --> 00:34:06.180
was over. Like there was no way I was going to

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:08.940
be able to do that anymore. And so I picked up

00:34:08.940 --> 00:34:12.239
Braille. And then I went from Braille to using

00:34:12.239 --> 00:34:15.019
a computer with, you know, accessible technology,

00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:18.239
a text to speech and JAWS and screen readers.

00:34:18.420 --> 00:34:21.780
And I'm like, okay, I still can do this. And

00:34:21.780 --> 00:34:24.300
to this day, I'm still doing it. I've published

00:34:24.300 --> 00:34:28.679
15 books to date. I won five awards to date.

00:34:28.900 --> 00:34:31.420
And that's all because I never stopped believing

00:34:31.420 --> 00:34:33.940
in myself, even though my circumstances has changed

00:34:33.940 --> 00:34:39.460
I adapted I learned how to live and be successful

00:34:39.460 --> 00:34:43.860
and to do the things that I want to do so I just

00:34:43.860 --> 00:34:48.719
think that people and society have to allow people

00:34:48.719 --> 00:34:53.679
to do what they want to do to show themselves

00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:57.119
what they are capable of and if they need help

00:34:57.119 --> 00:35:01.269
don't be afraid to offer it and those who need

00:35:01.269 --> 00:35:04.510
the help don't be afraid to ask for it but ignorance

00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:09.599
or lack of just knowledge is always going to

00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:14.500
be the biggest hindrance for someone with a disability,

00:35:14.840 --> 00:35:17.480
because that is always going to be a barrier.

00:35:17.480 --> 00:35:19.719
It's always going to be an obstacle if people

00:35:19.719 --> 00:35:23.099
are not willing to broaden their horizons and

00:35:23.099 --> 00:35:26.780
educate themselves on what's out there, what

00:35:26.780 --> 00:35:30.980
someone with a disability is capable of. So if

00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:35.019
anyone is listening to this episode, You have

00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:37.480
a disability, whether it's blindness, autism,

00:35:37.920 --> 00:35:41.619
you're deaf, you're in a wheelchair, you have

00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:45.969
chronic illness. You know, use a walker, whatever

00:35:45.969 --> 00:35:50.230
your disability is. Don't stop striving for whatever

00:35:50.230 --> 00:35:53.710
it is you want to do. Don't allow what society

00:35:53.710 --> 00:35:57.409
thinks is your limitation to keep you from being

00:35:57.409 --> 00:35:59.849
the best version of yourself. If it means you

00:35:59.849 --> 00:36:02.409
have to adapt, you have to figure out a way to

00:36:02.409 --> 00:36:05.389
do something you love in a different way, do

00:36:05.389 --> 00:36:08.929
it. Stop doing something just because you can't

00:36:08.929 --> 00:36:10.690
do it the way you're used to doing it. Don't

00:36:10.690 --> 00:36:14.309
be afraid to broaden your horizons and seek out

00:36:14.309 --> 00:36:18.570
different ways to get the same goals and dreams

00:36:18.570 --> 00:36:21.869
accomplished that you want for yourself. As long

00:36:21.869 --> 00:36:26.170
as you allow society to limit you, those limitations

00:36:26.170 --> 00:36:29.530
are always going to be there. There are things,

00:36:29.550 --> 00:36:32.750
of course, that we have no control over. But

00:36:32.750 --> 00:36:35.969
what you do have control over, do something.

00:36:36.110 --> 00:36:38.550
Do something about it. Don't sit around waiting

00:36:38.550 --> 00:36:40.690
for someone else to make that change for you

00:36:40.690 --> 00:36:43.789
or to do what it is that you need to do to be

00:36:43.789 --> 00:36:46.429
able to accomplish what you want to. You have

00:36:46.429 --> 00:36:49.750
to put in the work. You have to do what is required

00:36:49.750 --> 00:36:53.829
in order for you to be successful. Having a disability

00:36:53.829 --> 00:36:57.190
is not easy. It's not an easy life. And not at

00:36:57.190 --> 00:37:00.090
all. You know, I know I may make it look easy,

00:37:00.170 --> 00:37:02.909
but it's not. And people who go through what

00:37:02.909 --> 00:37:06.730
I go through, no, it's not easy. But you can't

00:37:06.730 --> 00:37:09.170
give up. You have to keep fighting. You have

00:37:09.170 --> 00:37:12.429
to keep pushing forward. You have to keep standing

00:37:12.429 --> 00:37:15.409
up for yourself, advocating for yourself, advocating

00:37:15.409 --> 00:37:19.110
for your children, for your parents, for whoever

00:37:19.110 --> 00:37:22.650
in your life who has a disability. Keep fighting,

00:37:22.789 --> 00:37:25.559
keep advocating, and keep pushing. Because the

00:37:25.559 --> 00:37:29.019
only way that change is going to come is that

00:37:29.019 --> 00:37:31.440
we have to fight for that change. And we also

00:37:31.440 --> 00:37:34.460
have to be the change that we want to see in

00:37:34.460 --> 00:37:38.079
the world. We can't just be a sideline person

00:37:38.079 --> 00:37:41.300
watching the change happen. Take part. Whatever

00:37:41.300 --> 00:37:45.239
it does that you are into, whatever it takes

00:37:45.239 --> 00:37:48.320
for you to be a part of the change, do it. Because

00:37:48.320 --> 00:37:51.579
that's the only way things and barriers are going

00:37:51.579 --> 00:37:54.559
to permanently be broken down for someone. with

00:37:54.559 --> 00:37:57.340
a disability. So I hope you guys enjoyed this

00:37:57.340 --> 00:38:00.579
episode today. Don't forget to follow the podcast

00:38:00.579 --> 00:38:04.840
on all major podcasting platforms. Be sure to

00:38:04.840 --> 00:38:07.760
follow us on social media. We are on Facebook,

00:38:08.059 --> 00:38:12.929
Instagram, threads. TikTok, and YouTube. If you

00:38:12.929 --> 00:38:16.110
enjoyed this episode, leave a review on your

00:38:16.110 --> 00:38:19.750
favorite podcast platform of choice, whether

00:38:19.750 --> 00:38:21.929
it's a review or a rating, depending on what

00:38:21.929 --> 00:38:25.610
platform you are utilizing to help others discover

00:38:25.610 --> 00:38:28.389
their next favorite women's empowerment podcast.

00:38:28.530 --> 00:38:32.929
Be sure to check out the website at bffempowermentpodcast

00:38:32.929 --> 00:38:36.960
.com to just keep up. the latest and greatest

00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:39.739
happenings on the podcast and also check out

00:38:39.739 --> 00:38:45.440
the blog. I post articles relating to each episode

00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:48.360
so you can kind of get a text version of the

00:38:48.360 --> 00:38:52.300
episode and also being able to hear the audio.

00:38:52.559 --> 00:38:55.400
And if you would like to be a Women on the Rise

00:38:55.400 --> 00:38:58.360
spotlight on the Women on the Rise segment of

00:38:58.360 --> 00:39:02.440
the bit. BFF Empowerment Podcast, be sure to

00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:06.440
send an interest email to bffempowerment at gmail

00:39:06.440 --> 00:39:10.079
.com. And until next time, guys, thank you so

00:39:10.079 --> 00:39:10.820
much for listening.