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I take this time to do a video for the Stronger Than I Knew Project. From the University itself,
thank you guys for doing such an amazing campaign. I'm honored to be a part of it.
My name is James Geiger. I'm a 27 year old graduate student in the instructional technology
program. I'm going to share a little bit about my story. Obviously I am disabled. But what
you don't see is that I am gay. This combination has made life extremely, extremely difficult
for me to live at times. With my voice, I get judged at. I get judged
and picked on and mocked and all kinds of things. Laughed at. People think I'm stupid
or retarded. That would get anyone down. What stinks is that they don't know that I'm
a photographer and working on my master's. All people want to do is judge me. And that's
really tough, especially when it comes to dating. Dating is extremely difficult because,
again, people judge me. People joke will go to judge. And that's not cool.
When I was younger, I did attempt suicide. But ever since college, I have had such an
amazing, amazing group of friends who I can call on at any time to say, Hey, I need to
talk. Let's meet up for coffee. We can talk this out.
And they bring me up. They say, James, you're better than that.
My friends have shown me that I have the ability to overcome whatever cruel things people pass
my way. And they have shown me that I do have the confidence, I have the skills to emotionally
overcome the depression and overcome all the mean and hateful things people say or do towards
me. Yes, it's tough sometimes. But having that
nudge from a friend saying, Hey, Buddy, cheer up! That really helps. That really helps.
So my friends mean the world to me, and I thank each and every one of my friends for
being in my life. So that is how I am stronger than I knew.