The Voiceless Minority

  In September 2024, GemmoAI and the University of Limmerick launched the MoveMuse chatbot—a tool designed to help adults with Autism become more physically active. Through the application, it utilizes a method called “WOOP” - Wish (what you want to do), Outcome (how you’ll feel), Obstacle (what might stop you), and Plan (how to overcome the problem).   When I read this article, I found it interesting because I’ve seen applications that use different methods for weight loss. However, I hadn’t quite seen an application like this - one that provides this level of encouragement or planning. Many applications I see offer general exercises and diets that may help with weight loss, but they don’t necessarily have something that works for me.   If you know me, you know that I hate exercise. When I was in college, I lost roughly 70 pounds; however, I was too caught up in the number on the scale. I had anxious thoughts about what I was eating, how much I ate, and how often I exer...

  I hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday, that you slept well, and are ready to tackle the day. Advocacy never stops, nor does a good writer. When I was thinking about today’s post, I originally wanted to cover another topic; however, something came into my inbox, and it was as if God and the universe were telling me to pay attention, because here was something special. On July 21 st , which happens to be the day after my 39 th birthday, PBS will premiere a documentary entitled “The Ride Ahead” about a young boy named Samuel Habib, who has a rare genetic disorder that challenges him daily. He uses a communication device as well as a wheelchair and other assistive technology. I first read about this documentary in an article written by Shaun Heasley. I do not know much about Samuel yet, but I am eagerly awaiting the documentary. The reason I’m writing about it today is twofold. I am not only interested in it from a journalistic perspective, but also from a personal one. As...

            Black and white image of a sign that reads sign 504 now. The "O" is made up of a wheelchair.  In “America in Danger of Going Backwards: If We Forget Our History, We Are Doomed to Repeat It” by Jason Hahr and Samantha Lebron, the authors discuss the lawsuit involving 17 states that attempt to overturn Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In today’s article, we will discuss what Section 504 is and why it’s crucial to maintain this legislation.   For those unaware, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a landmark piece of civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. The core provision of Section 504 states: “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall, solely because of their disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to di...

  My name is Gizelle Koontz, and I am a woman in my fifties currently residing in Belleview, Florida, a small town outside of Ocala. I was born in Canada and moved to Florida as a child. I graduated high school in Florida and eventually became an American citizen. I have worked in healthcare for a few decades, mainly as a Phlebotomist and Laboratory Technician. However, I have also worked as a Medical Assistant and have had employment outside of the medical field, such as working for the post office as a mail carrier. I am currently studying medical billing and coding and working in home healthcare, which is how I met my current client (and friend) Jason, for whom I am honored to write this article. Many of Jason’s blogs discuss the physical side of disability; however, this piece will discuss a hidden disability. I am an individual who has struggled with depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. When I first started experiencing depression, I was a teenager. Needless t...

  The emphasis on science and technology is more critical than ever before. The earlier children are exposed to science and technology, the more likely they are to develop a love for it later in life. However, in my experience, if you are a student with a disability, there is a lot less emphasis placed on these subjects. Late last year, the state of Pennsylvania joined an ongoing effort to bring students with and without disabilities together in a new way. Thanks to Andrew Fee, the vice president of strategic partnerships for Pennsylvania Special Olympics, students in Western PA not only got the chance to build cool robots but also worked together to create a robot with a student with a disability. According to an article published last September by Disability Scoop, which I will link at the bottom of this post, several counties in western Pennsylvania participated in a robotics program developed by Unified Robotics. The program partnered students in science and technology clas...

Okay, so anyone who has read these past few blogs I've written knows that my brain tends to explode every once in a while. Earlier this month, it was my inner theater kid, and now it is my inner advocate slash nerd. I was checking my email today when I came across Thursday’s Disability Florida Rights podcast (August 8, 2024). This podcast was a gift from the universe because it talked about something I have been dreaming of for a while. It discussed the organization called the Disabled Journalist Association. Cara Reedy founded this kickass organization. As she states in the podcast, she is a light-skinned African American woman and a little person. Throughout the podcast, it is clear that she doesn’t let her disability slow her down even though she says, “…being a dwarf does change the perception in people's head.” She outlines her reasons for starting the disabled journalist association throughout the interview. Ms. Reedy felt that there weren’t enough disabled journalists ...

Mostly everyone, regardless of their age, is familiar with Legos. Some were obsessed with them as a child, owning every kit and every expansion set; however, some may be unfamiliar with what exactly a Lego is. According to their website, Legos are a series of interlocking plastic blocks that can be assembled to form buildings, characters, vehicles, and other objects.   The Lego company was founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen in 1949. Since Lego’s founding, the company has always been at the forefront of the latest trends, whether it’s a hit movie, TV show, or, more recently, the concept of inclusion and universal design.  Words You may ask, what is universal design? According to the University of Washington, universal design is the process of creating products accessible to people with a wide range of abilities, disabilities, and other characteristics. Now that we understand the universal design (UD) concept, we can apply it to a new product that the Lego company unveiled in the ...

Hello again, I hope that everyone who is reading this had a great weekend and enjoyed the posts from last week.  On Friday, I wrote about privacy and setting boundaries when you have a disability. This post will examine boundaries also but this time from a different angle. In this piece, we will look at the idea that some people with disabilities tend to rarely find themselves in long-term relationships, because of their inexperience with romantic relationships sometimes they end up unknowingly losing themselves in the relationship and neglecting other parts of their life.  This piece will provide some helpful tips to ensure that any romantic relationship you have as well as the other relationships in your life are balanced.   Anyone who either knows me or reads this blog regularly will be aware of the fact that I am now in a relationship with a little alien by the name of Samantha. What you may not know is Samantha is the first disabled person I have dated and my fi...

            What a disgrace! These are the first three words that came to mind when I read an article on the social media giant known as Facebook recently. The report detailed how KFC, a chicken place famous in the U.S. A turned a little girl away because Pit bulls had recently mauled her. According to the article, "She has turned out because other patrons may be scared by her face and injuries. The link to the full report can be found at the end of this post.             When I first read this, I couldn't believe that it could be true. However, since I read the article in the day and a half, I have read other people's posts about the incident, which leaves me to believe that it is true. Not only do I feel bad for the little girl who is most likely going to have psychological damage for a long time, but I feel bad for society.           ...

What does it mean to teach? In simple basic terms, according to the dictionary, it is a verb. It means to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in, and impart knowledge or skill to; instruct to. We all understand the basic definition of teaching. The question is, how do we define teachable moments or teachers themselves? I recently graduated with a Master's in education. Still, my institution told me that I could not get a teacher's certification, according to Pennsylvania, because I was too disabled to teach. At first, this statement, to put it nicely, perplexed me. What did it mean I was also disabled to teach? How could they judge me without allowing me to try? As time has gone by, I have begun to understand their position. I disagree with it, but I understand it now. They look at disabled people in a traditional box. Due to my physical limitations, they could not look past my lack of physical capability and see the great deal of knowledge that I c...

CONTENT WARNING! READER DISCRETION STRONGLY ADVISED. So something is bugging me. I’ve been watching a lot of political television lately, and a lot of the conversation has been about how my generation does not know how to communicate because of their reliance on technology. This is an interesting topic, but it also got me thinking about other issues and the way my generation views them. As someone in his late twenties, I find myself every once in awhile craving stability and a family. I feel this is a natural thought process for anybody who is on the other side of 25. The only difference with me is that I am disabled. Disability and intimacy don’t usually go together. Perhaps that is why I feel the need to write this blog. I’ve written a lot about funny stuff, serious stuff, but never an issue that affects me so deeply. What I am about to say may come off as controversial or different, so if you choose not to read further I understand. Understand however that i...

Late last year, I brought up an issue that was not discussed very much in the disability community, disability and mental health. As I thought about this blog, I remembered a recent email that I got, and it inspired me to revisit the issue. In the email was a story about how colleges are flunking mental health treatment.             The article described a young boy, Dan, who had mental health issues and made a wrong choice one night in an attempt to overdose. To summarize, he did not overdose. He was having trouble dealing with a new medication, and once his medicine was adjusted, he was fine. However, his college did not treat him appropriately.             His health center referred him to a hospital, which they should have done, but the administration's actions were incorrect.  Instead of recognizing a student in trouble, they treated Dan as if he wa...