Living with Cerebral Palsy and Intersectionality

I'm the first one on the left (this was 20 years ago)! Not a picture of the events below, but a similar setting.   Intro I’m torn between telling the story in my heart and the story brewing in my head.  When the smoke settles, you can decide for yourself. Is this story A or story B? I can hear you talking from a distance because I’m always on alert. Put me in a full room of people talking at the same time and I hear noise. It’s not a hearing thing, it’s a sensory thing. I’ll illustrate this in an experience that goes from a meeting to a meal. Precise concentration turned upside down. Story I’m torn between telling the story in my heart and the story brewing in my head. One of the invisible challenges I live with has to do with sound intake. I don’t know if this is a physical condition or a trauma response. I’m not trying to answer that here, however, one side of it works as a skill at work and the other works as a challenge. Recently, I experienced both the strength and challe...

Intro  I was laying on the stage of the church, unable to move.  A tremendous back spasm left me temporarily immobilized.  The same stage that I:  Played Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen for a live audience for the first time.  Sang Amazing Grace, I Saw the Light, and Amazing Love all in the same set.  Did a live show of originals called Special K at the Army.  I learned how to do public speaking through preaching.  Played the bass guitar on Christmas Eve for a packed house.  Fused music, worship, dating, and drama.  I had the best time playing live music with the first person I fell in love with.  Watched my mentors teach me how I wanted to do ministry.  Learned lessons in leadership, love, resilience, and what would be the building blocks of my professional life.  On this day, I was carried out, and carried home to be on bed rest for several days after.  At that point, I didn't have back spasms that often and didn't thin...