Disability Capitol Action Day

California is awesome because there are many Independent Living Centers here that serve people with disabilities everyday.   One of the Independent Living Centers, SCRS,  located in Downey, California,  has a fanatic youth group and the coolest  event we attended is Disability Capitol Action Day.  Disability Capitol Action Day happened on May 30, in Sacramento, California, and it was such a great way to learn about self advocacy. First, thousands of youth with disabilities marched down the street and in front of the state capitol, shouting, “What do we want?  A fair budget!  When do we want it? Now!!!'' It felt incredible to send the message to the law makers that funding for programs that serve people with disabilities is just as important as any funding for other governmental programs.  After the march, we all congregated in front of the capitol building where we listened to a bunch of speakers, including the secretary of state who talked to us about the importance of voting and letting our voices be heard.  Hearing the secretary of state speaking to a group of young advocates with disabilities was one of the most empowering and powerful experiences of my life.  Then, after a short lunch, my SCRS friends and I ventured into the capitol building for our meeting with the assistant to legislature.  There, we explained to her how important it is for people with disabilities to be able to choose their own,  even if In Home Support Services are the ones paying for the aides.  Advocating on behalf of myself as well as countless others with disabilities made me feel prouder than I've ever felt before!  On Disability Capitol Action Day I realized that it takes a lot of politics to change the world, so we need to be better informed about politics if we really want to make a difference!  

Coolest Guy I Know

I know that i've been talking a lot about heroes lately, but I'd liked to think that this next one is the coolest person I know.   His name is Andy Arias, and I saw him do stand up comedy at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, California, on July 15, 2012.  However, the catch is that he CAN'T stand up because he has Cerebral Palsy and is a freaking wheelchair user.  Andy is a hilarious comic who makes cracks at the challenges that he faces with dating other guys  while in a wheelchair.  Oh my god, Andy is the expert in pushing  the boundaries in every way possible, and that's what I LOVE MOST ABOUT HIM!!!  So, let's change the standards of comedy and take the stand up out of stand up comedy, because someone's ability or inability to stand up doesn't equal their talent to entertain a crowd!

My Friend Brent Michelle

On July 22, 2012, at the Orange County Fair in California,  I saw a wonderful singer songwriter, and friend, Brent Michelle preform. Being at the OC Fair on a beautiful summer day and listening to Brent Michelle's awesome tunes made me feel so happy that I felt free of the daily challenges I face with having a disability.  Just like the counselors at Rocky Mountain Village, Brent Michelle is a  hero to me because she devotes her life to making people happy through her music, and as a byproduct, she is making the world a better place.  In one of her biggest songs, she says, "I'm a lover.  I'm a fighter.....I fight for what I love and I love that I fight for it.  This song inspires me to fight even harder to achieve my dream of opening up a creative arts program for young kids with disabilities.    Anyway, Brent Michelle is incredible, so look her up on youtube and I hope her music can brighten up your day.

Rocky Mountain Village

Most people would argue that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, and as much as I love this magical park, I believe that Rocky Mountain Village Easter Seals Camp in Colorado is absolutely 100% the greatest place in the entire world!!  Each summer, a group of the most loving, caring, compassionate, people who volunteer three months out of their time to make sure that people with disabilities can enjoy a wonderful experience at camp.  To me, those are the true heroes of the world.  I personally have rubbed shoulders with these amazing peeps as I have gone  to camp for five years, usually during the week between July 29 and August 3; they offer us the incredible opportunities to go horseback riding, swimming, fishing, and zip lining.  Ah zip lining...something I never thought someone in a wheelchair would   be able to do, but let me tell you, flying so high in the beautiful forestry I feel so free and far from society's judgments. However, that's not even the best part of camp.
What I love most about Rocky Mountain Village is something extremely rare to find.  It's a certain type of attitude that everyone shares where we all accept, care about, and love each other as individuals, though everyone has varying levels of disability. Yes, camp is all about 100% acceptance and 0% judgment of people with disabilities.  So much so that camp proms are the only dances in my life where I don't feel like a lonely wall flower, because there, I do have real sincere friends.  To put icing on a fabulous cake, this year at prom, my beautiful best friend Hope won prom queen!!!  Needless to say, I  LOVE CAMP, and for all the parents of sons and daughters with disabilities out there, your kids will love Rocky Mountain Village too!! Check it out on Google and I promise your kids will be happy you did!

Is a Superhero Really a Hero?

It seems I've been unfairly biased by putting out content mostly aimed at women, so this post is about something you GUYS go crazy for...SUPERHEROES!!!  Is a superhero really a hero?  I understand that this may appear like a riddle, but I think it's a valid question.    A  lot of Americans are obsessed with superheroes, such as Batman or Spiderman, but I don't understand how having the ability to fly or having a spider web grow out of one's hand constitutes someone as a hero.  I'll admit that I'm no expert in superheroes but I don't get how a character that smashes up cars,  climbs up onto buildings, and battle a fictional enemy, becomes a world famous heroic icon;  based on the terrible tragedy that happened earlier this summer, in Colorado, where twelve people were murdered at the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises, it appears extremely clear to me that these superhero  movies promotes violence.  In my personal opinion, this is NOT heroic at all.  That's why I have decided to share with all of you the stories of some of my personal heroes in my life.  Some of them are abled bodied and others are disabled, but the one common thread that they all share is their mission to make the world a better place

American Girls

Besides TV, toys strongly influence children's growth and identity. The American Girl dolls and book series are extremely popular, and I believe, rightfully so.  One reason is that they teach American History in a fun, entertaining, upbeat, way (i. e. learning about the Industrial Revolution in Samantha's story or the colonial days in Felicity's story.)   Another aspect of the American Girl tales that I love is that they impress upon kids the value of  community service.  Two examples are when Samantha rescues her friend Nellie out of a horrible orphanage and when Kit took food to the poor house.  Now, I have an idea to write an American Girl story about a young girl named Anna Plumly who is disabled and in a wheelchair; Anna would be attending high school right after the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed and she would need to fight the school district to be in the school play.  I want to do this not only to shed light on yet another minority group in the American Girl collection, but also to show kids with disabilities that they CAN be and do everything that abled bodied children can!!! In my junior year of high school, at Mira Costa High School, I was not permitted to audition for the school production of Beauty and the Beast; I remember feeling completely defeated that my disability got in the way of a huge  dream of mine and I never want anyone to feel that way again!  So...does anyone out there want to help me write the first American Girl story about a star on wheels?