Put the Able in Disabled

I can speak for myself yes I know right from wrong But as a person with a disability growing into these phases Experiences Chapters is so much more I am a work in progress kids with disabilities grow up to become adults with disabilities. Sit us down and embrace us.. comfort us I have overcame some issues but still struggle with the most especially at medical appointments, case mangers meetings etc Since I turned 18 years old and can do things with my home attendant. life was all on me. to face fears allowed especially hear doctors speak there words.. tell me what I do not need when I know what benefits my life. Doctors words can overwhelmed me.. lower my confidence

  An Unique promise letter to myself! By Ketrina P- Push Potentials  R- Resilient Rainbows   O- Opportunities  M- Motivation  I- I matter  S- Shine E- Empowered  ---- L-Love  E- Encouraged  T- Truth T- Trust E- Effort  R- Rainbows  ___ To --- M- Move Mountains   Y- You  S- Succeed  E- Enlighten  L- Let go     F- First

On June 16. 2020 I officially graduated from Kingsborough Community College with my associates degree in liberal arts degree. This June 2020 This day turned less expected then I imagine due to situations happening in the world but it didn't change anything about me getting my degree on that day my degree was conferred. I knew I was free and empowered to tell my  college journey story! Now it's my time to shine! Many may have viewed my time in college as totally a success story but trust me I faced lots of struggles that I truly never shared in my college struggles because it felt odd for many reasons "What IF I fail??? but what if I fly???  Growing up for the past 18 years and have been apart of the special education system. I remember my mom sharing with me in the beginning of me going into the public school system a school physiologist came to evaluate me and because I didn't respond to her she assumed I didn't know my colors and made a decision th...

 I am a women of color who just happen to use wheels for mobility. My parents are black my sister and brother is black too my cousins and so many more dear are  too. Growing up as a kid I never really focused on the lot of things that now I see intersects with me personally despite having a disability. I was also born and raised until this day in Brooklyn, East NY. They say we live in the hood the ghetto and known for violence. Which raises fear? I am black and have a disability that requires me to use a wheelchair.  My biggest question is how can I defend myself? Just imagine the double fear my parents has.. knowing their children are a target because they are a person of color and even more for me with my double magics, abilities and areas where I will need support forever  A woman, a person of color and use a wheelchair how would I know which one is creating a barrier for me or being discriminated against for.. let alone when you are from the so called hood ...

I graduated with with honors from community college Kingsborough Community College. it was a success of course but a road mix with lot. ASK ME How? But I have a story to tell.. This all started in 2013 This was a true journey but I made it I made it! During this college journey from the beginning it was draining.Many times I wanted to give up!! dealing with unreliable transportation such as Access A Ride and needing to set my schedule around my home attendant. They were days I got to school 10 minutes before my class ends.. some days I only had one class so it was just enough time for me to wait for my Access A Ride to return home I spend most of my day traveling from time to time it was 2 hours to go to college and 2 hours to come home so most of my time in class was 4 hours for 2 classes My home attendants went to school with me to support me with my personal needs so I have them for 8 hours a day and needed to make sure I am home in...

To the girl who was told she could not be a lot things.. told college was not possible told job supports was not possible because i need to be able to transfer out my wheelchair.. never hard back from a job interview i went to to support individuals with disabilities on their college campus classes.. to the educators and school team who simply saw me through my wheels as if i could not get very far is graduating college with my associates degree in a few weeks. .seeing studen ts with disabilities face obstacles with remote learning and is falling behind even the last to start this process.. i am ready to rewrite how a school looks like for students with uniqueness as i call it.. i am going higher not only about starting a non profit but to create school for child with disabilities.. i don't have it but i am going all the way up to my masters degree slowly but for sure! they need my voice better yet the passion and vision that i have♥ ❤ .. especially in those le...

Life in quarantine as person with a disability is nothing new it's often our reality in some cases. Before this current situation I feel like I once lived in aspect of quarantine in high school for 4 years. It never really hit me to make such connection to the new reality until today.  In 2009 the beginning of my high school journey On the first day of school when the school bus came to pick me up the diver inform my mom  that the school i was in route to go to was not wheelchair accessible.. I never really talk out this experiences in my speeches but a few weeks ago I was ask to share my journey with college students majoring in education ask me if I had the opportunity of going to same schools as  my peers and neighbors if wanted too and that was when the light went of in my head to share this experience. very few of my neighborhood schools are wheelchair accessible so again my parents and I didn't have many choices on placement of school. Once I got the okay to...

April 20.2020  I went into this journey of life with an open book and many unexpected blessings and miracles. When my parents received my diagnoses  they had no idea what a disability was let alone "Cerebral Palsy" . My parents were born and raised in the Caribbean where disability is invisible  and a scene of shame so of course they went in to not only adapting to a whole new world better yet raising me with an open book. Their is no instruction to taking care of a child with a disability. So an open book is needed.  To be honest growing up I always talked about how I wanted to become a lawyer and write my own book. Most of my life I heard about the things I can't do instead of sharing bright possibilities with me. I heard as a kid doctors said you will never be able to talk,walk, see, hear and play like other children. My favorite thought after these statements is what is normal anyway. Despite feeling invisible during my time in public school.  In my senio...

Wow! I am writing this on the day the world around us is going through so much. We are kept at home most of the time due to the corna  virus was are mostly on lock down. To keep my thoughts/feelings on the right path. Yes it got me worried at times but I am focusing on the light. First this plan, dream and goal of perusing a college degree was not possible due to me having a physical disability Cerebral  Palsy. Yes I may do things a little slower than others but that does not mean it's not possible! My disability is limit less. I spent my 18 years in the NYC public school in between the special education and mainstream courses just because i needed to be in a smaller class size to focus better on my learning that was the only benefit I needed honestly. Instead they focused on the fact that I am a little girl in a wheelchair that's it! Besides being forgotten for school trips,award ceremony and more. I got to high school. My mom was told that it's best for her to hav...

As I sit back and reflecting.. Two days before Christmas I got a text from one of my why's mom saying that he was in the hospital in the ICU.. He has Cerebral Palsy and other related medical condition. A few years ago when I really realized what I do is my purpose. I personally adopted this family for my personal mission of giving back during the holidays.  Since I was introduced to this family.. giving gifts is what makes my Christmas special  each year. My heart never feels complete without my providing to this family or giving during the holidays..  The joy on kids face. Makes my day. I myself have Cerebral Palsy but to be honest.. I am thankful i am healthy considering  my Cerebral Palsy. On my journey many families of children with disabilities are in contact with me i follow their journey as well. It really touch my heart to see families write they can't plan for the holidays etc because they did not weather they will end up in the hospital. and i j...

When I said there was no more turning back believe me↑ At a young age.. the start of my high school journey..Hearing my mom encourage me to speak up because if not people will not see me.. 14 years old.. a month into my first year of high school journey i heard the word Ketrina is scheduled for major scoliosis surgery. Both had my heart pretty blank for many reasons. This all happened in 2009. By 2011 I was ready to find a way to share my story and connect with OTHERS. I started a my own an website www.trinafightforrights.com   where I truly discovered my voice was strong in many ways even through my written stories. At the age of 14.. when i enrolled in a school that as a student with a disability with mobility needs i felt invisible.. those who were in special education self contained classes like myself only had classes on the first floor of the school building. Plus one of my classrooms was the size of a closet with no windows    all of these unfair treat...

Mental Health issues has truly been on the rise. May was Mental Health Awareness Month.  I just recently started to bring my attention and awareness towards mental health.  For many years my main focus was related towards disability but when I was looking into concentrations I decided to pick Behavioral and mental health.. Yes it is still a shock to me and other who know me. I wanted to expand my knowledge and field of interest to be able to support others and acknowledge more about myself. Mental Health is real.. Depression, anxiety and isolation is real.  During my years in high school I struggled with  accepting my disability. I struggled with a lot as a teenager never real spoke about.  I always was trying to find  away and fit in with the others, how my disability was develop is disappointment I would never forget but I have let it go and grew a lot more within.I remember breaking down into tears almost every night saying why me and wishing that one da...

Society has set a frame definition for the world disability as completely unable.   They have the one size fit all mind set that for many places and individual I am trying to change that I eye perception that I have. How Pre Judging the disability world impacted the confident of people with disabilities and caused indivduals to have lack of confident? This is some ways of how people with disabilities can be affected by the pre-judging of the disability society: It lacks awareness limit their dreams\potential/knowledge Hope Effort Drive   Individual often get stuck in their comfort zone. Becomes doubtful  Limit Opportunities  Never be afraid to venture out   Take on the world like a champion and run after your dreams- Trina Happy and Healthy New Year! Looking forward to sharing more for 2018

In September 2016 I took part in Ms wheelchair NY 2017 pageant for the first time although it was not the first pageant I took part in, it was the second time. Last year I took part in Miss Amazing Pageant where from then I became interested in pageants because their is when I started realize beauty is not just defined beautiful in terms of looks. Beauty in your own way that what beautiful means. It simply shows your talent and abilities. As I took part in Ms Wheelchair NY 2017 I learn that this pageant was geared towards advocacy. It was not only about the crown and the title because despite being the first runner up, without earning the title or crown I was still going to continue the advocacy and carry on my platform. While taking part in Ms wheelchair NY I developed a sisterhood and team that I never had before.    A wonderful group of young ladies that was passionate about a specific subject to seek change or make a difference in. The best experience I had is that when we...

Perception of disability is peoples opinion and judgments which creates labels and stereo types. I realize people have an imagine of person with disabilities is only in a wheelchair. Not all disabilities are visible, Disability doesn't only is a wheelchair, walker,  canes and crutches etc. Just because someone maybe high function intellectual physically there life can have barriers especially if its not a recognize disability. Why? I have no idea. Awareness is the key. Your perception is your opinion.    

Back in 2011 I have decided to start a website. I know I created a website to share my story with the world in order for me not to feel alone in this situation. I was just  simply overcoming the dark side to my life as a teenager, at that time I considered my disability a "struggle"  because through those moments I had in the past I felt like my disability was a struggle that I couldn't win. Now I learn after coming out of a shell and box that I kept myself in for a while until graduating high school with no plan to my future I had no choice but to push myself and speak up before I was put in a place where my knowledge, talents, abilities and passions would be used and put to work and not only as a stereotype that my disability is not a struggle as I begin to grow into a world of opportunities after deciding to take my advocacy beyond behind scenes. Using the word struggle to me is a sign of pity and to be sorry for but to me Cerebral Palsy is not a struggle its a challe...

Progress made. I am laughing at those who tell me my Cerebral Palsy is chronic and it will not get better or worse so I get ask the question why waist you time with getting Physical therapy huh is that how you fill someone with hope. Thank god I am stronger than what they believed.  Occupational therapy I graduated from because I have accomplish all what is possible. I worked very hard.  Back to the physical therapy that I don't need according to a professional but I left from were I use to have physical therapy because I felt that I was not accomplishing anything. Moving forward.. I started to attend an the Axis Project where it has open me up to abilities I never knew I had.  I never be able to walk on my own without assistance but the least I want to earn is to have a gait trainer yesturday I did 30 minutes of the Motor med and over 30 minutes in the standing frame ✔✔ two days this week yes the more the better I will ge t  ...

My niece means the world to me  not only because she is my niece but she amaze me with her understanding towards her aunt with a developmental disability called Cerebral Palsy. On the day she was born we had a special bound with each other. When we want to the hospital the day after she was born and when me and my dad started leaving she started crying that what made us have a special bound. I started to think how would I be able to show her that I care about her. I was not able to lift her up. Hold her in my arms to comfort her. But I shown her a different way of being an aunt and loving her... She learn how to adopt to me. At a very young age she would step up on my foot plate an hug me and to give me a kiss to show that she love me.. She helps me take off me shoes..ect.. I tell her thank you she says okay. Going to be sharing more to this blog in the up coming days hope you enjoy it so far.  

Motivation is the key.   No excuses. No limits.. Your disability is your abilities.. Determination is the key to unlock the world.. Doctors you use to fear me now you build me..You told me "no" many times but I am doing it anyway.. I believe in miracle. I still imagine myself walking or using a walker.. In my wheelchair I feel like I am lock in box.. When I am out I am so happy with a smile.. I went through process after process to almost giving up to finding a place that I will benefit from and give my body motivation and to see steps in a way I will get to use a gait trainer again  Yesterday I did leg cycling for over 45 minutes and then I was in the stander for a half hour it truly was a great work out  I don't think this will happen over night but I will keep going Yesterday was an awesome  day.. This only the beginning follow my new journey.. 

THE  most challenging thing about having an obviously disability is when young children stare at you because you are in a wheelchair and comes up to you and ask you why you are a wheelchair? How do you respond to this especially when it’s a child? They often ask me what happen..Did I break my legs and I respond no I use to say I was born like this, they look at me like born in a wheelchair so now I just don’t answer because it's so unexpected. I want to be thoughtful about so I can respond with an honest educated statement because it does so well to educate children at a young age about people with disabilities. Advice to parents: If you make your child aware of people with disabilities it will an increase amount of awareness. It will stop the way people pity us. They will be educated on the language to use towards people with disabilities. Which I believe should start at an young age as well. Ignorant statements towards people with disabilities will decrease If you ...