Let me introduce myself.  I'm Angel and I have had a disability since birth; however, it does not define who I am.

I take immense pride in sharing that I am a mother to two incredible adult daughters, and a stepmother to three wonderful adult stepchildren - a stepson and two stepdaughters.  Additionally, I am a Nan to nine absolutely amazing grandchildren who mean the world to me.

I am married to a loving man, and together with our beautiful blended family, and our most beloved pup named Holly, we navigate the world of disability as an inter abled couple, doing our best to live life to the fullest.

Beyond my family, I have various passions; I am a chef, an artist, a photographer, and a writer.  I am deeply involved in animal welfare and conservation efforts, as well as dedicated to supporting the homeless community, especially those with disabilities who are either at risk or homelessness or are already experiencing it.

I will delve deeper into my journey with disability in my upcoming blogs, but for now,  let me share the purpose behind launching this blog platform.

My motivation is quite simple.  i aim to candidly present the raw, unfiltered realities of life within the disabled community.

While celebrating the remarkable achievements of many disabled individuals, I also acknowledge the every day struggles that are often overlooked.  From the extraordinary accomplishments to the seemingly mundane tasks like just getting out of bed or spending a few hours outdoors, there's a wide spectrum within the disability community that deserves recognition and inclusion.

This naturally leads us to the topic of education.  Educating the able-bodied population should not involve sharing memes on social media that aim to make the audience feel guilty for not grasping something outside of their daily experiences.  It is not about confronting someone in person and engaging in a heated argument simply because, as a person with a disability, you felt slighted or left out.

Education revolves around guiding others through leading by example, explaining the various disabilities, demonstrating the correct approach to including individuals with disabilities, and illustrating how to make spaces genuinely accessible,
You can make a significant impact by sharing your authentic stories.  Let's delve into the realm of disability without any language barriers.  You don't need foul words; honesty and raw emotion suffice.

Share your experiences, express your feelings in various situations, narrate how you patiently taught others without anger, and reveal your tales of survival, failures, and near-successes.  Open up about your disability and what defines you.  Don't hold back or be shy.  Only your first name will be shared, or you can give us an alter ego, just give us a name we can converse with.  No other personal details will be disclosed.  Feel free to include a photo by visiting our "Contact Us"page and sending us an email.

I am thrilled to read your stories, as I am sure others will be too!  Please aim to keep them concise, within 500 words.