Hawk’s-Eye View – a Column by Hawken Miller

Hawken is a recent graduate from the University of Southern California and a young journalist with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. He has previously worked for the Washington Post, Sacramento Bee, KTLA 5 News and at USC Annenberg Media. When not writing columns, he’s reporting on rare disease-related news for the publisher of this website, BioNews.

October 5, 2020October 1, 2020

Removing Barriers to Employment for People With Disabilities

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

As a journalist and person with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, I have a dual purpose. I want to inform people and hold those in power accountable. I also want to show ... Read more

September 21, 2020September 17, 2020

The Value of Having Friends With the Same Disease

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

Over the last couple of years, I’ve had opportunities to meet and befriend more adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Whether we’ve found one another through CureDuchenne events or a common ... Read more

September 14, 2020September 10, 2020

Overcoming the Idea of Being a Burden

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

As I’ve started relying more on people for things I used to do on my own, it’s become easier to ask for help without feeling like a burden. This toxic ... Read more

August 24, 2020August 20, 2020

Why It’s Important to Be Still Amid the World’s Chaos

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

The world can be overwhelming thanks to the deadly coronavirus pandemic, especially for someone dealing with muscular dystrophy. On top of the daily struggles — lack of mobility, physical exhaustion, ... Read more

August 10, 2020August 7, 2020

Losing My Ability to Walk Won’t Stop Me

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

When I was younger, I couldn’t imagine losing my ability to get up from the ground, run, or play soccer. Now I can’t imagine losing my ability to walk. At ... Read more

July 20, 2020July 16, 2020

A Good Sense of Humor Makes my Duchenne Diagnosis Easier

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

I like to think I’m pretty funny, at least that is until I work up the courage to say something in a conversation. A lot of my humor has to ... Read more

July 6, 2020July 3, 2020

Don’t Feel Bad About Calling Me ‘Inspiring’

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

In the disabled community, many people discuss the negative implications of being called “inspiring.” Some have said it’s objectifying, reduces our humanness, or congratulates us just for being disabled. I ... Read more

June 22, 2020June 18, 2020

Creativity Allows Me to Surpass Any Physical Limits

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

For a long time, I didn’t think journalism was a creative endeavor. I viewed the craft from an analytical perspective. After all, I was just recounting my firsthand experience publishing ... Read more

June 15, 2020June 11, 2020

Duchenne Has Forced Me to Reflect on My Own Mortality

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

My parents tried to shield me as long as they could from data that revealed the average life expectancy of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Once I grew older ... Read more

June 1, 2020May 28, 2020

What I’ve Learned from Starting a Twitch Channel

Columns, Hawk's-Eye View - a Column by Hawken Miller

When I started my Twitch channel in February, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I became quite familiar with the video game streaming platform through journalism, and finally worked up ... Read more