Advocacy and Writing: A New Chapter in My Life
A New Chapter
I didn’t deliberately set out to blend my advocacy and writing, but after eight years and a lot changes both personally and professionally, I am excited to share this new chapter of my life with all of you. So many of my readers have kept in contact. I enjoy our interactions and value your thoughts and comments.
It all started with another bout of pneumonia and that set a series of health issues into play that have been difficult to deal with, but through it all I have not given up on writing. It looks different, I know, and some of you may have been wondering at the long gaps between posts. All of the health issues combined have resulted in a severe decrease in the amount of energy I have to use each day.
It’s been a long adjustment, but I haven’t given up. I am still working on my Christian fiction trilogy and my poetry book. The process has been humbling, but I’ve come to accept that I must keep my writing blocks very fluid from one day to the next. This takes on a new level of importance because I really sense that God wants me using my voice as well as the written word, which is way outside of my comfort zone. Can anyone relate?
Open to Speaking Engagements
2024 & 2025 brought many impromptu virtual speaking opportunities. This was something I didn’t see coming, but it has been both rewarding and empowering. In saying “yes,” I’ve seen people have another thought, and realized that my lived experience is valuable, so I want to expand visibility across all my platforms and open more opportunities to speak on a variety of topics.
I love speaking about my award winning Christian contemporary novel, Sister Lost, and I am open to legitimate podcasts and book clubs. Please know that I will be carefully vetting both, as my inbox receives a lot of scam emails from imposters.
Advocacy Needs a Voice
I have been advocating for adults with Cerebral Palsy and other disabilities for many years with my writing. It’s time now to use my voice to convey the reality of the challenges we face in so many aspects of our lives. Accessibility and accommodation barriers across the wide spectrum of disabilities may seem daunting but they are not insurmountable.
Taking it a step further, these things impact everything including: habitation, employment, transportation, medical and dental care, social interactions, relationships, leisure activities, and travel. In my 58 years, some things have changed, but on the grand scale, it falls far short of inclusion, let alone integration. So, I will use my lived experience and knowledge to both educate and advocate for a world where universal design is the norm, and people are seen for who they are. Where space is made to allow persons with disabilities to grow and develop their gifts, which this world desperately needs.
An Invitation
When you open the new website, you will notice the Invite Me to Speak button in the top right corner of the website. A click on that button will link you with my schedule to book a free 30 minute call so we can explore the possibility of working together.
I encourage questions, so please don’t be shy about using that button and scheduling a session. I view each conversation as a building block to a better future for all of us.
Podcast TBA
In the early fall, I plan on releasing the first episode of a new podcast that is still taking shape. Check the Articles page or subscribe to my newsletter, to stay updated.
Please leave your comments under this post. I read them all. May the rest of your summer be spent making memories you can cherish for years to come.
