Introducing The Disability Download
We’re taking it back to our roots in the early aughts where web-logs (blogs) were all the rage. Because sometimes social media just feels too noisy and soundbite-y and we think there’s still a space for thinkers and creators to express oneself through the art of the written word.
Quick pulse-check: are blogs even a thing anymore? Like, will people read what we write if it’s not attached to an 11-second video that took an hour to make? We’re not really sure, but we’re going to write out hearts out anyway.
The Disability Download will house our stories, our experiences, musings, and reflections on life with cerebral palsy. Most times, we’ll keep it short and sometimes sweet, but we won’t shy away from the messiness of navigating the everyday with a physical disability.
Whether it’s pursuing our passions, exploring new hobbies, making career moves, daring to date, dabbling into self-help, wellness, or taking a stand for advocacy and inclusion, we’ll dive in deep to particular topics and their intersections with disability — because everything in life overlaps when you grow up disabled. The messiness we mentioned? Yeah, we’ll probably get into things like (internalized) ableism, (lack-of) access to healthcare, and the struggle to normalize disability in a world that often fears the word itself.
This blog will always be a work-in-progress but it will exist with a clear intention to serve as a space for self-expression, celebration, lamentation, and more. There’s so much power in reflecting on our own past, present, and future, and curating a story or simply recalling a moment in time — so we hope you feel inclined to share yours.
Maybe at this point, you’re wondering, “wait, what is cerebral palsy, anyway?” we’ll eventually unpack all of that (in our own words) but for now, we suggest you pop on over to our friends at Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation for more info.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physical disability in the world — millions of people globally, and nearly 1 million more just in the US alone have CP and so, we hope this blog can begin to reflect the many experiences that we share in our diverse community.
Want to become a contributor or pitch a topic you’d like to see on The Disability Download?
