From a young age, my congenital disability has shaped my understanding of resilience, empathy, and community value. This has driven me to pursue a Master of Social Work at Boston University to become a dedicated therapist and advocate for people with disabilities, a greatly underserved population. Born with ADHD and a rare connective tissue disease called Larsen’s Syndrome, I grew up isolated, spending much of my childhood in hospitals and recovering from surgeries. Lacking the language and tools to cope, I pretended my disabilities didn’t exist. Success while disabled had never been modeled for me; the narrative of overcoming disability was deeply hurtful. After being diagnosed with ADHD at 22, I lost my ability to walk three years later. These experiences made me seek therapy and realize the scarcity of specialized therapists for non-elderly disabled individuals, fueling my desire to bridge this gap. With a Bachelor of Arts in Photojournalism, I developed skills in communication, research, and storytelling, instrumental in my “Portraits of Persons with Disabilities” project. Interviewing and photographing over 40 individuals with disabilities, I uncovered common challenges, including isolation, inadequate healthcare, and the need for supportive spaces. Their narratives provided insights into the disabled community's struggles and the importance of spaces where they can articulate their needs and thrive. In parallel, I engaged in academic research on disability justice, care work, and anti-ableism. Influential works by Mia Mingus, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, and Rebekah Taussig reinforced the importance of interdependence and community care. This research, combined with my lived experience, shaped my understanding of social justice and anti-oppression and my vision for an equitable future for disabled people. As an active member of Detroit Disability Power, I translated these insights into practice, advocating for systemic change. My efforts include speaking before the Detroit City Government for increased funding for disability services, educating my community on voting rights, and researching polling sites to ensure equitable access to democracy. These efforts reflect my dedication to mental health and creating environments where disabled individuals can thrive. They illustrate my passion for uplifting disabled voices and ensuring autonomy over their futures. Pursuing a Master of Social Work is equipping me with the necessary skills to advocate effectively and support my community, fulfilling a critical need for specialized therapists with first-hand experience.

From a young age, my congenital disability has shaped my understanding of resilience, empathy, and the value of community. This has driven me to pursue a Master of Social Work at Boston University to become a dedicated therapist and advocate for people with disabilities, a greatly underserved population. As someone born with ADHD and a rare connective tissue disease called Larsen’s Syndrome, I grew up incredibly isolated. Until recently, I had never met another person with this Larsen's Syndrome and all of the people with ADHD I knew were boys. My childhood years were spent in and out of hospitals, recovering from surgeries, strapped to orthopedic corrective devices, all while trying to keep up with my peers. I lacked the language and tools to cope with what was happening to me. When you don’t have language for your experiences, you have no choice but to pretend they don’t exist. Success while disabled had never been modeled for me; however, the language of success despite disability was a common narrative. As I grew older, I saw how this narrative was not only unhelpful but deeply hurtful. After finally gaining an ADHD diagnosis at 22, I lost my ability to walk three years later. Following these experiences, I could no longer pretend that I was not disabled. I sought therapy to help me during this troubling time. When searching for a mental health therapist, I was confronted with the lack of specialized therapists for non-elderly disabled individuals. This realization fueled my desire to bridge this gap and become a therapist with first-hand experience who advocates for the disabled community. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photojournalism, I have honed my skills in communication, research, and storytelling, which have been instrumental in my “Portraits of Persons with Disabilities” project. Through this initiative, I have interviewed and photographed over 40 individuals with disabilities, documenting their stories and uncovering common themes in our experiences. Their narratives have provided insights into the common challenges we as disabled people face, including isolation, inadequate healthcare, and a pressing need for supportive spaces where disabled people can articulate their needs and thrive. Parallel to these interviews, I have been engaged in academic research, reading extensively on topics related to disability justice, care work, and anti-ableism. Works by Mia Mingus, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, and Rebekah Taussig have been deeply influential, providing wisdom and reinforcing the importance of interdependence and community care. In an effort to support myself and my disabled peers, I have become an expert researcher, going to great lengths to discover solutions to problems typically dismissed by the medical industrial complex. This research, these stories and my lived experience have profoundly impacted my understanding of social justice and anti-oppression. Moreover, they have shaped my perspective on what an equitable future for and by disabled people looks like. As an active member of Detroit Disability Power, I have translated the insights of my experience and research into practice, embracing the tenets of disability justice while advocating for systemic change. These efforts include speaking before the Detroit City Government for increased funding for disability services, educating my disabled community on voting rights, and performing polling site research to secure equitable access to democracy. These efforts reflect my dedication to mental health and creating environments where disabled individuals can thrive fully in society. Furthermore, they illustrate my passion to uplift disabled voices and ensure autonomy over their futures.

From a young age, my congenital disability has shaped my understanding of resilience, empathy, and the value of community. This has driven me to pursue a Master of Social Work at Boston University to become a dedicated therapist and advocate for people with disabilities, a greatly underserved population. As someone born with ADHD and a rare connective tissue disease called Larsen’s Syndrome, I grew up incredibly isolated. Until recently, I had never met another person with this Larsen's Syndrome and all of the people with ADHD I knew were boys. My childhood years were spent in and out of hospitals, recovering from surgeries, strapped to orthopedic corrective devices, all while trying to keep up with my peers. I lacked the language and tools to cope with what was happening to me. When you don’t have language for your experiences, you have no choice but to pretend they don’t exist. Success while disabled had never been modeled for me; however, the language of success despite disability was a common narrative. As I grew older, I saw how this narrative was not only unhelpful but deeply hurtful. After finally gaining an ADHD diagnosis at 22, I lost my ability to walk three years later. Following these experiences, I could no longer pretend that I was not disabled. I sought therapy to help me during this troubling time. When searching for a therapist, I was confronted with the lack of specialized therapists for non-elderly disabled individuals. This realization fueled my desire to bridge this gap and become a therapist with first-hand experience who advocates for the disabled community. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photojournalism, I have honed my skills in communication, research, and storytelling, which have been instrumental in my “Portraits of Persons with Disabilities” project. Through this initiative, I have interviewed and photographed over 40 individuals with disabilities, documenting their stories and uncovering common themes in our experiences. Their narratives have provided insights into the common challenges we as disabled people face, including isolation, inadequate healthcare, and a pressing need for supportive spaces where disabled people can articulate their needs and thrive. Parallel to these interviews, I have been engaged in academic research, reading extensively on topics related to disability justice, care work, and anti-ableism. Works by Mia Mingus, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, and Rebekah Taussig have been deeply influential, providing wisdom and reinforcing the importance of interdependence and community care. In an effort to support myself and my disabled peers, I have become an expert researcher, going to great lengths to discover solutions to problems typically dismissed by the medical industrial complex. This research, these stories and my lived experience have profoundly impacted my understanding of social justice and anti-oppression. Moreover, they have shaped my perspective on what an equitable future for and by disabled people looks like. As an active member of Detroit Disability Power, I have translated the insights of my experience and research into practice, embracing the tenets of disability justice while advocating for systemic change. These efforts include speaking before the Detroit City Government for increased funding for disability services, educating my disabled community on voting rights, and performing polling site research to secure equitable access to democracy. These efforts reflect my dedication to creating environments where disabled individuals can thrive fully in society. Furthermore, they illustrate my passion to uplift disabled voices and ensure autonomy over their futures.

From a young age, my congenital disability has shaped my understanding of resilience, empathy, and the value of community. This has driven me to pursue a Master of Social Work at Boston University to become a dedicated therapist and advocate for people with disabilities, a greatly underserved population. As someone born with a rare connective tissue disease called Larsen’s Syndrome, I grew up incredibly isolated. Until recently, I had never met another person with this condition. My childhood years were spent in and out of hospitals, recovering from surgeries, strapped to orthopedic corrective devices, all while trying to keep up with my peers. I lacked the language and tools to cope with what was happening to me. When you don’t have language for your experiences, you have no choice but to pretend they don’t exist. Success while disabled had never been modeled for me; however, the language of success despite disability was a common narrative. As I grew older, I saw how this narrative was not only unhelpful but deeply hurtful. After losing my ability to walk at 25, I could no longer pretend that I was not disabled. I sought therapy to help me during this troubling time. When searching for a therapist, I was confronted with the lack of specialized therapists for non-elderly disabled individuals. This realization fueled my desire to bridge this gap and become a therapist with first-hand experience who advocates for the disabled community. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photojournalism, I have honed my skills in communication, research, and storytelling, which have been instrumental in my “Portraits of Persons with Disabilities” project. Through this initiative, I have interviewed and photographed over 40 individuals with disabilities, documenting their stories and uncovering common themes in our experiences. Their narratives have provided insights into the common challenges we as disabled people face, including isolation, inadequate healthcare, and a pressing need for supportive spaces where disabled people can articulate their needs and thrive. Parallel to these interviews, I have been engaged in academic research, reading extensively on topics related to disability justice, care work, and anti-ableism. Works by Mia Mingus, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, and Rebekah Taussig have been deeply influential, providing wisdom and reinforcing the importance of interdependence and community care. In an effort to support myself and my disabled peers, I have become an expert researcher, going to great lengths to discover solutions to problems typically dismissed by the medical industrial complex. This research, these stories and my lived experience have profoundly impacted my understanding of social justice and anti-oppression. Moreover, they have shaped my perspective on what an equitable future for and by disabled people looks like. As an active member of Detroit Disability Power, I have translated the insights of my experience and research into practice, embracing the tenets of disability justice while advocating for systemic change. These efforts include speaking before the Detroit City Government for increased funding for disability services, educating my disabled community on voting rights, and performing polling site research to secure equitable access to democracy. These efforts reflect my dedication to creating environments where disabled individuals can thrive fully in society. Furthermore, they illustrate my passion to uplift disabled voices and ensure autonomy over their futures.

From a young age, my congenital disability has shaped my understanding of resilience, empathy, and the value of community. This has driven me to pursue a Master of Social Work at Boston University to become a dedicated therapist and advocate for people with disabilities, a greatly underserved population. As someone born with a rare connective tissue disease called Larsen’s Syndrome, I grew up incredibly isolated. Until recently, I had never met another person with this condition. My childhood years were spent in and out of hospitals, recovering from surgeries, strapped to orthopedic corrective devices, all while trying to keep up with my peers. I lacked the language and tools to cope with what was happening to me. When you don’t have language for your experiences, you have no choice but to pretend they don’t exist. Success while disabled had never been modeled for me; however, the language of success despite disability was a common narrative. As I grew older, I saw how this narrative was not only unhelpful but deeply hurtful. After losing my ability to walk at 25, I could no longer pretend that I was not disabled. I sought therapy to help me during this troubling time. When searching for a therapist, I was confronted with the lack of specialized therapists for non-elderly disabled individuals. This realization fueled my desire to bridge this gap and become a therapist with first-hand experience who advocates for the disabled community. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Photojournalism, I have honed my skills in communication, research, and storytelling, which have been instrumental in my “Portraits of Persons with Disabilities” project. Through this initiative, I have interviewed and photographed over 40 individuals with disabilities, documenting their stories and uncovering common themes in our experiences. Their narratives have provided insights into the common challenges we as disabled people face, including isolation, inadequate healthcare, and a pressing need for supportive spaces where disabled people can articulate their needs and thrive. Parallel to these interviews, I have been engaged in academic research, reading extensively on topics related to disability justice, care work, and anti-ableism. Works by Mia Mingus, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, and Rebekah Taussig have been deeply influential, providing wisdom and reinforcing the importance of interdependence and community care. In an effort to support myself and my disabled peers, I have become an expert researcher, going to great lengths to discover solutions to problems typically dismissed by the medical industrial complex. This research, these stories and my lived experience have profoundly impacted my understanding of social justice and anti-oppression. Moreover, they have shaped my perspective on what an equitable future for and by disabled people looks like. As an active member of Detroit Disability Power, I have translated the insights of my experience and research into practice, embracing the tenets of disability justice while advocating for systemic change. These efforts include speaking before the Detroit City Government for increased funding for disability services, educating my disabled community on voting rights, and performing polling site research to secure equitable access to democracy. These efforts reflect my dedication to creating environments where disabled individuals can thrive fully in society. Furthermore, they illustrate my passion to uplift disabled voices and ensure autonomy over their futures.