I'm not into Awareness. Here's why.

I’m not into promoting awareness days because of my belief that we need more disability acceptance than awareness. But at the end of the day, community counts, and there is power in numbers. So, I’m doing my part. Schizencephaly is a rare brain malformation that is present at birth. It is caused by abnormalities and clefts in the brain's cerebral hemispheres. Some of the signs and symptoms of this condition are slow development, seizures, and trouble with how the brain and spinal cord talk to each other. People with schizencephaly may also have an abnormally small head (microcephaly), hydrocephalus, an intellectual disability, partial or complete paralysis, and/or poor muscle tone (hypotonia). The severity of the symptoms depends on many factors, including the extent of the clefting and whether or not other brain abnormalities are present. However, the exact cause of Schizencephaly is unknown. My defects are mainly in the frontal lobe. What is the primary function of the frontal lobe? The frontal lobes are essential for voluntary movement, expressive language, and managing higher-level executive functions. Executive roles refer to a collection of cognitive skills, including the capacity to plan, organize, initiate, self-monitor, and control one's responses to achieve a goal. Ha-ha! The joke’s on them! People in society have ignored me and written me off throughout my life. These include doctors, peers, teachers, and people in general. I have been undermined and treated as if I have nothing to contribute, and my future has been predetermined by others who have seen me as less. I have learned to take charge of who gets a say in my life. This hasn’t stopped ignorant thoughts or comments, but I tell them I’m in charge. One of the most significant barriers is education. Professionals think they have all the education they need to know I’m incapable. I have realized that these professionals are trained to deal with the non-disabled, and customization and equity are such foreign concepts that it’s incomprehensible. My overall life goal is to let people know they are wonderfully made, loved, and have a purpose. Even though there are many problems and obstacles in the way of my goal, I will keep trying to reach it. All lives matter! I want to ensure everyone is given the same chance and opportunity to live their best life, regardless of physical or mental abilities. I’m passionate about people with disabilities having real lives, jobs, genuine relationships, and making real decisions. That is why I am determined to reach my goal and create an inclusive and welcoming world for everyone. I work to advocate for all people’s human and civil rights and equality for people with disabilities, especially in employment. I have spent the last five years working professionally as a Social Media Content Developer. When I began my self-discovery career in social media, I was amazed that people were fighting the same issues I’d been fighting for myself all my life. Seeing how social media can unite people to fight for their rights and create a sense of belonging has been inspiring. Surprisingly, I wasn’t alone in this fight for equality and equity. I generally didn’t know that other people were fighting the same battle on a large scale. It wasn’t until 2018 that someone recognized my talent and passion. That person was the founder of Progressive Abilities Support Services, which focuses on building a community dedicated to bringing action to the ideals of equality and equity in our society. They worked with me to create a platform where I could network and interact with others fighting the same battle. This organization, which I'm proud to be a part of, gave me the opportunity to understand that my own personal struggle was part of something bigger. Just for research and giggles, I googled this question: Can you survive without a frontal lobe? Technically, you can live without a frontal lobe. However, you would experience total paralysis of your cognitive abilities and motor control. In short, you wouldn't be able to reason or form simple thoughts, and you also wouldn't be able to move. Even though you would still be alive without a frontal lobe, life would become so limited that one might question whether living is possible.

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