About Me

I am a graduate of Guilford College. While earning a degree in History, I won numerous leadership awards and scholarships, wrote for The Guilfordian, and worked as a Diversity Coordinator.  I currently write twice-weekly for a Huffington Post blog entitled “Observations From Below,” and I’m a board member at The Adaptables Center for Independent Living in Winston-Salem.

I have cerebral palsy, and I am an advocate for people with disabilities.  I began advocating from a young age, earning state and national awards by high school, including the Yes I Can award in assistive technology from the Council for Exceptional Children and the Matthew Graziadei Achievement Award.  I participated in the Youth Leadership Forum and numerous youth groups, including the National Youth Leadership Network and the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD).  I chose to focus on the history of the disability movement as an academic subject because of these experiences.  I completed the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities Partners in Policymaking program in 2014.  I actively participate in the Advancing Strong Leadership in Developmental Disability Initiative, NC Post-Secondary Education Alliance, Disability Rights NC and speak at numerous educational and disability advocacy events.