What It Feels Like to Grow with a Disability

“Not only are bloggers suckers for the remarkable, so are the people who read blogs.” - Seth Godin

Introduction:

I was educated and entered the workforce long before there what ever laws that guarantee people with disabilities rights. The general attitude of society at the time was that there was no such thing as a disability. People with disabilities were hidden away and never acknowledged as existing, therefore, it's not unusual for people with disabilities to be mistreated in general.

It wasn't until the latter part of the 20th century that society began to acknowledge people with disabilities and also recognize that place in society. I was lucky to have the opportunity for an education, but because I was the only person in the school system with a disability, I was often ostracized and bullied because I was different.

I have cerebral palsy, otherwise known as spastic hemiplegia, because it only affects one side of my body. What you don't see is that it affects how the brain processes information. In my case, it got into short-term memory but didn't always get into long-term memory, therefore, my grades never show my true capabilities. The only reason for my success in life, is because when ever someone told me I couldn't do anything, I wanted to prove them wrong. In spite of the odds, I not only graduated college with a Bachelors and Associates degree, But I also have credits towards a Masters in rehabilitation counseling( employment counseling for people with disabilities).

When I graduated college there were few opportunities for employment for someone with a disability. When I lost my job with the state and couldn't find a job, I looked for opportunities as an entrepreneur. There were many challenges and hurdles to overcome with few agencies that understood my special needs. Therefore, I often did odd jobs to earn an income while working towards building my own business. Because I didn't have the best paying jobs, it was a struggle to keep the roof over my head, while at the same time building a business.

It really wasn't until technology advanced to the point that I can build my business online. That made it an equal playing field when competing for clients. Society still isn't as advanced as it should be in guaranteeing people with disabilities the right to employment, or accessibility within the workplace.

Life is full of challenges, whether you have a disability or not, but until people with disabilities but truly integrated into society there was still be prejudice and people with disabilities will struggle to get the foot in the door. The only other opportunities available is entrepreneurship which has its challenges as well. We have come full circle from where we were a century ago. At that time, small businessman, sold their wares on street corners; but today an entrepreneur Celsius products and services from a website on the Internet. Therefore, opportunities for people with disabilities abound when it comes to entrepreneurship.