This First Person article is the experience of Alex Lytwyn, who lives with cerebral palsy and is a disability advocate, writer and small business owner of Willpower Media.
Has there ever been a time when you wanted to raise an issue but were not sure how?
Was there something that you wanted to advocate for, but the thought of not being taken seriously or heard overwhelmed you?
I have been there and done that.
Growing up, cerebral palsy stopped me from having the will — and more importantly, the want — to embrace myself. I was just going to float through life like a cloud.
During my school years, I began to feel comfortable in my life's 'bubble.' From the beginning of the day to day's end, I conformed to the 'disabled thought process' by just going through the motions.
Nothing much was expected of me — just going along with life and not asking questions was all that I was really concerned with.
This does not happen.
Starting to live on my own was a different story.
Home care staff would not help with the most basic of tasks, like changing a burned-out light bulb or killing a fly. If I was going to survive my two years at college, I was going to have to sit up tall and be my own advocate.
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