Feature Stories
weren ’ t alone , and that they were capable of doing whatever they dreamed .
Will there be other books ?
Yes ! I definitely plan on writing a sequel to Your Beautiful Mind , although nothing is set in stone yet . As of now , I can share that I am thinking of writing a follow-up children ’ s book about other learning disabilities than those in math . Seeing that Your Beautiful Mind only really addressed math-based learning disabilities , I think writing about other ones could help a lot more students with a different set of disabilities .
What more needs to be done about inclusivity and representation in the school system ? What was your experience ?
I think my experience in Special Education was quite rare when compared with most students ’. I was privileged enough to have attended a school system that had a well-funded and employed Special Education Program and I know that is not the case for many schools .
" My fellow people with disabities , don ' t give up on yourself ."
~ Zoe
Even with this support though , I did find my experience pretty isolating . Being pulled out of my classes or having to sit next to my Resource teacher only reasserted for me that I was different from my peers . It is a complicated thing — because learning disabilities are so subjective , and what works for one student might not work for the other . So , although I personally did not feel like I benefited from the isolation , other students may have felt differently .
On a broader scale , I do feel that disabled students are severely underrepresented in school systems . Not only is it increasingly harder for schools to find the funds needed for a comprehensive and equipped Special Education Program , but there are other schools yet to have proper accommodations for students . Elevators and other means of transportation are completely dependent on the money available to the school — and the school ’ s willingness to use it for their disabled students .
I also think there is the problem of representation that continues to harm the disabled community . One of the main things that pushed me to write is because I felt there was a lack of disability representation in the books I read in school . Without this , it made me feel even more distanced from my peers — like I could not find myself anywhere . This is why I ’ m a writer , because I know that , by writing these books , I could help with the lack of diversity when it comes to disability representation . And as a senior who is applying to colleges currently , I have also recently become aware of the lack of accommodations at universities and colleges . A big factor in my college decisions continues to be if I will feel welcomed as a disabled student and have the accommodations I need . It is surprising how many schools do not offer this , and I think this is something that needs to continue to be improved , especially because , without the right accommodations , disabled students are effectively barred from higher education .
Your work as a disability advocate is inspirational . What would you say to others who are hesitant to use their voice ?
I think it ’ s a lot easier to become an advocate than some may think — and many people may already be one without realizing it . If you support your friend with a disability — physical , mental , or otherwise — you are an advocate . But if you want to get more involved ( which is always a great thing !), I think starting out with any local or school organizations is the best place to start . If there is a disability support group you know of around you , try participating in that . If you are disabled and like writing , art , or photography , try submitting work to magazines that are looking to increase disability representation — like this magazine !
If you are an ally , getting involved with disability justice groups is great and an awesome way to get to know people with disabilities and expand your knowledge on the disability community . Especially if you are a student , there are usually organizations / clubs / groups around you that you can join , so reach out to people you know and see if you can find some opportunities
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