Disabili-T's

I was born with a rare genetic condition that slowly progressed as I got older. Ultimately, I lost the ability to do simple things I used to enjoy like play instruments, draw, write, and eventually, even walk. As my health declined, humor became a cornerstone of how I coped. Laughing about life with a disability and joking about the struggles that I face on a daily basis was the way I stayed sane. Thanks to technology I was slowly able to start drawing and designing again, with the aid of adaptive software. Now I want to share my jokes with the world, and also share the lessons I've learned about disability. I want to create products that people can buy and relate to. I don't want to create another line of 'awareness' ribbon shirts or 'somebody I love has X disease' clothing. I want to make something you can wear, be proud of, show off. I want to create products that make a point, and that hopefully bring light to people's bad days. Some of my products are intended to be humorous, some intended to educate others on the type of things that those of us with disabilities have to live with on a daily basis, and others still I hope will encourage people to think beyond their physical limitations. I am always thinking, planning, and forming new designs in my mind, and I hope these designs will make people smile, think, and learn. I hope they will bring together the community, make people ask questions, and help folks accept their bodies regardless of its idiosyncrasies. These designs are my message for the disability community, by a girl in a wheelchair who is trying to change the way the world thinks about people like me. Oh, and of course, I'm also embracing the pun "Disabili-T's." I hope you can laugh with me.