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This trailer gets me every time, so the trailer is this this physical trailer that they park in the parking lot of
of this small private school and it's only for me. And I'm dying! I am dying
at this one little thing
and the come and pick me up and the take me from spelling class
"Elizabeth it's time to go to the trailer"
I can't stand this trailer! It is this dank, grey room, no windows, its a prison.
I was actually diagnosed in kindergarten. I... my parents
realized something was up when I had to do for homework, I had to write my name 5 times
it look me like three hours to do.
There was screaming and yelling in the house
uh, I was crying my parents were crying
I was complaining that John Muran had a lot less letters in his name.
and they were apologizing for me having such a long name, it was like a really bad situation.
I got tested and from there
I started working with a specialist. Everyone knows I'm different, now they think I am getting a different test.
Then I start doing a little better.
"Oh she's doing better because she is getting a different test"
No, not the case, obviously we all know that.
I upheld the same standards just got extra help.
My kids, I teach them what accommodations are and self advocacy, and they know it,
they may not know how to spell it, like I may not know how to spell it either, but they embody it, they know it and
they know they have to speak up
and be empowered
and know all these great things about themselves to do better.
I think that is one of the most important things they,
they get so much from it.
and like I get a lot from it seeing how much they get from it.
It doesn't mean that you're not going to graduate high school
or your not going to graduate from college, you're not going to get a great job
you know it's how people see the strengths and see that is a learning difference.
not necessarily a disability that is to hinder you,
and define you for the rest of your life.
You see kids who don't know
that there are other people
they don't have the
way to get too
a hundred other people
who look and act, are just like them.
and we can bring that to them and bring that to their parents and bring that to their school
and see immediate change you know in that kids eye when you say
you know I have a learning disability too and I am in college,
when they have been told their whole lives that that is not possible.
This is what LD/ADHD looks like
this is what I look like.
You see these kids who are not only defying statistics but they're thriving.
They are creating new statistics, becoming leaders and throwing out the stereotypes
saying this is real
this is what the LD students today are capable of,
and if you think anything else, you need to re-educate yourselves.
The reason why we're there is because it to make sure they
understand that
their not alone, that they can
succeeded in settings where they might not think they can.
Like in high school, if I didn't have extra time
I would have flunked out. But I went from that to getting into Brown Univerisity.
If you would have asked me six years ago to stand up here and say I have a learning disability
there is no way I could do it
I just finally got up the nerve to say it out loud and say it out loud again and again.
I was able to really succeed academically because of that
and I feel I was really lucky to get that and not everyone does get that.
If everyone could, I feel there would be a lot more success stories like that.
I love myself, I love what I do, I love who I became and I am glad I am who I am.
And I think a lot of people can learn from me. So this is what success is!