Animated Lesson Plan on Disability

This year has been incredibly amazing and BUSY!!! One of the projects I have worked on is a disability lesson plan based on characters created by Fairmore  & Friends and animated by @UMBC. The lesson is great for elementary and middle school students, as it teaches them the importance of understanding and accepting differences. Perfect as a resource for teaching character education in school or personal conversations with the kiddos at home. Contact @TheOddballz on Twitter or download the Fairmore & Friends app from the Google Play Store to get a copy of the visual lesson plan!

ReDefining Our Norms

I ran across this picture on Instagram and I was just blown away! First of all, I remember a time when modeling was extremely rigid, often brutal in the way it defined beauty. Second, I was overwhelmed at the prospect of our society's evolution. We are slowly embracing the differences that make us unique.

Our ability to see each other as individuals remains a work in progress, but we are getting there. I didn't read all of the comments posted with the picture because I know that there are many negative people whose sole purpose is to dissent every chance they get; but I was completely in awe of what this picture represents for so many people, particularly those who do not fit into the "molds" or "standards" or "norms" in our society.

Kuddos to those who embrace differences! Let's keep redefining our "normal."

Let's Kick Things Into Shape

I've said it before. We can't just sit back and wait for others to take action. It's up to each and every one of us to push for what is right, what is fair and what is just.
When my children were diagnosed,  I realized the importance of advocacy when I started to question their respective places in our society. Ideas like acceptance and awareness began to take shape and I understood, for the first time in my life, what it truly meant to fight.

So I'm fighting for all children,  all individuals with autism...with different abilities. I'm fighting for a society where the word normal is not used to describe human beings. A society where acceptance is not optional. A society where my children are not outsiders standing on the outside looking in.

Things don't have to be the way they are. We can kick things into shape...

Making a Difference: Disability Awareness

Let's make a difference in the coming new year to raise awareness and support acceptance of all disabilities. The simple fact that people with disabilities have to ASK to be understood says a lot about our society and the emphasis we place on " normal", "regular", and "typical".

So, as 2015 winds down, let's all make a commitment to take up the cause,  whether it's autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc. No matter how small, we can make changes happen! Looking forward to this next chapter of raising awareness!

Alex Bean, Boy Wonder

Alex Bean is a little boy who does not let his disability stand in the way of his work as a superhero. Like my previous characters, I created Alex as a way of raising awareness about disabilities and supporting acceptance of individuals who are different, not less.

Check out Alex and his world of super-heroism @ https:// www.mystorybook.com/books/90972.

I See Things Differently

While this is my first attempt at writing a children's book, I hope it isn't my last! My goal was to create a story for my own children in hopes of creating a better understanding for them about differences that make us unique. I look forward to creating more stories to share with others in hopes of raising awareness about disabilities, differences and other individuality in our society. 

https://www.mystorybook.com/books/88670/

Never Compromise

Never compromise who you are in order to make others happy. Our differences are what make us unique and we should embrace them! If we lived our lives with this mindset, there would be no need for labels and ideologies that separate us based on ability.