And that is exactly why I want to share them with others . If I hadn ' t seen nuanced , full , complicated , dynamic stories of disability in the world , that means a lot of others hadn ' t had those stories either . I want to throw these stories in the world to insist that we are real and alive and part of this world . My hope is that we could fill the world with real stories of disability until the collective cultural narrative shifts and expands .
You are also an educator with an interesting philosophy of teaching . Tell us about that .
I haven ' t been teaching in the traditional classroom since 2020 , but it was my world for the previous eight or nine years , and that way of being in the world is in my bones . Teaching for almost a decade gives you so much perspective on the messy , vital work of learning . You have both a front row seat and a spot in the arena to look at the mechanisms of learning – what conditions allow that process to flow freely and what barriers impede it . Over and over again I observed two patterns :
1 . learning is a risky , vulnerable endeavour and best cultivated in a safe community and 2 . collaborative , active classrooms foster challenging , productive learning spaces . Every time I lead a workshop , sit on a stage to speak , bring my insights as a consultant , or sit at my computer to write , I operate from this way of thinking . It ' s incredibly difficult to get to deep , lasting learning when we feel judged , defensive or ashamed . And conversely , there is so much potential for growth when we ' re actively engaging each other with respect and curiosity .
What can we expect to see from you in the near future ?
I ' m so excited about the children ' s book I ' ve been working on . It ' s coming out in 2025 . I ' ve been dipping my toe in the world of film and television writing , which has been a fun challenge . As my son
Rebekah , Summer 2018
gets a little older , I ' m becoming acutely aware of just how swiftly each day is passing , and I ' m trying to find ways to tether myself to each tangible moment . Lately that has meant less time on the very app that has given me so much . I ' m looking for new ways to create , connect and collaborate that don ' t rely so heavily on keeping me glued to my phone screen . Maybe a substack ? A podcast ? I ' m curious and open .
What advice do you have for other people with disabilities looking to become a writer or journalist ?
If I were to chart my path onto an actual map , it would loop all over that terrain . I ' ve gotten
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