Columns

I recently started my internship at The Washington Post in Washington, D.C. Getting to this point was a culmination of blood, sweat, and tears throughout all levels of education, and it’s not going to get any easier in the professional world. Establishing myself…

This column is a particularly nice one for me to write because of my love of bicycle riding. I began to bike in 1988. I was 29 years old and looking for a better way to stay active while enjoying the months of nice weather in Chicago. Stationary bicycles are…

My early years in this world were spent being a girlie girl. Along with my stash of crowns and fake pearls were things like brightly colored nail polish and some mini lipsticks bought at Sally’s Beauty. Little did I know that as I grew older and my mitochondrial myopathy…

Watching YouTube videos allows me to simultaneously learn something new, laugh out loud, and connect with the gaming community. I never thought I could start a YouTube channel on my own. With the small number of videos I’ve produced on the…

Last week’s column, “Uniting to Effect Positive Change,” focused on the bigger picture of advocacy. This form of advocating is about a larger movement and changing the society we live in. I have heard from many people wanting to get more involved. I cherish this because the time is…

Combining medical appointments with school, work, and finances can sometimes overwhelm me. My mom used to be the keeper of my schedule, but now it’s all up to me, and the pressure is on. The best way for me to reduce stress when everything seems to happen at…

I promised you that Sammy would be back. He came to this column on April 18 (see: “True Accessibility for All: No Roadblocks, Please“), and because he is my alter ego, I figured we’d be talking again at some point. The last time Sammy caught up with me, I…

Having Duchenne muscular dystrophy is hard because of its progressive nature. I can no longer participate in activities the way I have in the past. As the disease advances, it is important for me to select friends carefully. Not everyone sees past the wheelchair and my weakness…

Many people love to travel. The issue of wheelchair accessibility on airplanes is important. Just as important for those of us who don’t use a wheelchair but are looking for better ways to get around is how we augment the strength we have with assistive technology.

Prior to my diagnosis, my family spent much more time traveling than we do now. Even though I’ve never traveled outside California, I still have memories of long, scenic car rides across the state to our vacation destination. I miss those winter days spent in a snow-covered cabin in the…