Cerebral Palsy Consciousness Month: Meghan Forte on Breaking Obstacles and Altering the Narrative in Media

March is Cerebral Palsy Consciousness Month, a time to lift consciousness and rejoice the lives of people dwelling with cerebral palsy (CP). It’s a possibility for all of us to raised perceive the situation, problem misconceptions, and work towards a extra inclusive society. As we mirror on the lives of these dwelling with CP, it is very important acknowledge their achievements, power, and resilience. One such particular person is Meghan Forte, an achieved author who lives every day with cerebral palsy. Via her work in literature and media, Meghan challenges the stereotypes surrounding CP and advocates for a world the place disabled individuals are represented precisely and inclusively.

Meghan’s Journey: Power, Resilience, and Group

Meghan Forte’s story is one in every of perseverance. “I’ve a bodily incapacity and neurological dysfunction known as cerebral palsy, which impacts motion, together with each effective and gross motor abilities,” Meghan explains. “For me, which means utilizing my legs and decrease physique muscle groups can generally be difficult.” Like many individuals with CP, Meghan’s journey includes a mixture of ongoing remedy, resilience, and self-advocacy. “To take care of my mobility and muscle power, I attend bodily remedy periods every week as a part of my ongoing therapy plan,” she shares.

Although the bodily challenges of CP are actual, Meghan’s outlook on life has at all times targeted on the connections she has made and the alternatives she has seized. “One facet of my journey that I at all times cherish is the social connections I’ve made inside the incapacity neighborhood,” Meghan notes. “Rising up, I appeared ahead to attending summer season camps particularly designed for folks with disabilities. The camp counselors’ essential aim was to make sure that we, as campers, had enjoyable whereas being protected. These experiences allowed me to take part in actions I may not at all times have entry to at residence—issues like singing, dancing, camp-wide scavenger hunts, and, most significantly, forming lifelong friendships.”

Via her school years, Meghan’s willpower to succeed remained sturdy regardless of the bodily calls for. “School was an excellent expertise for me. It was actually bodily demanding, however I additionally wished to push myself to proceed and obtain a better schooling,” she remembers. At present, she proudly works in her neighborhood, utilizing her schooling and experiences to advocate for incapacity inclusion.

A Profession That Breaks Obstacles

Meghan’s profession as a author additional challenges societal views of individuals dwelling with disabilities. “I studied at a small college in New Jersey. Initially, I wished to deal with working with youngsters, so I majored in Instructing with English Literature. I nonetheless work inside the schooling trade, and I’m additionally honored to be a author,” she shares. Meghan’s work spans a number of genres, from contributing to Social Way of life Journal to authoring youngsters’s books. “My hope is that the youngsters’s guide I wrote will encourage academics to advertise kindness and friendship amongst all youngsters,” she explains. “All of us have completely different pursuits or talents after we are nonetheless studying at an elementary or preschool degree. Nonetheless, with the best instructing instruments, we are able to additionally study kindness and empathy on the similar time.”

Her deal with inclusivity additionally extends to her work in leisure. As somebody deeply invested within the media, Meghan is captivated with the way in which incapacity is portrayed on-screen. “I really feel just like the illustration of individuals with disabilities in right this moment’s leisure trade has grow to be far more optimistic in comparison with after I was rising up,” Meghan says, acknowledging the progress made lately. “Extra folks now acknowledge disability-related consciousness months, and people with disabilities are more and more being featured in commercials, films, and even in merchandise like Barbie dolls.”

Nonetheless, she additionally highlights areas the place enchancment is required. “One factor I’d personally change is the frequent portrayal of disabled characters experiencing tragedy or demise,” Meghan observes. “Whereas I perceive that these storylines could be legitimate and reflective of some folks’s experiences, it usually seems like characters with disabilities are disproportionately given tragic endings. For instance, in Simon Birch, Simon passes away, and in Of Mice and Males, Lennie is shot. Why do these characters so usually meet such unlucky fates? I’d like to see extra tales the place folks with disabilities thrive, succeed, and lead fulfilling lives—simply as they do in actuality.”

Meghan believes the answer lies in providing extra alternatives for folks with disabilities in media. “Extra individuals who have and stay with incapacity ought to be solid and/or work behind the scenes extra in movie and literature,” she advocates. “I respect exhibits like Speechless and Breaking Unhealthy, together with fashions like Ellie Goldstein—the primary mannequin with Down syndrome to be featured in British Vogue—as a result of they’re making an actual impression. It’s inspiring to see this shift as a result of, after I was youthful, I didn’t usually see folks with disabilities in mainstream media. Now, youthful generations can develop up seeing themselves represented and dreaming large.”

Empowering Change Via Consciousness

Cerebral Palsy Consciousness Month is a name to motion—an opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of people with CP whereas advocating for a extra inclusive world. Meghan’s private {and professional} journey demonstrates that individuals with disabilities not solely have the potential to succeed but additionally to make important contributions to society.

As we mirror on this month, think about how we are able to all assist the incapacity neighborhood:

Amplify the voices of people like Meghan, whose experiences problem and encourage.
Advocate for illustration in all types of media—on display screen, in literature, and past.
Help insurance policies and initiatives that foster inclusivity and accessibility for all.

The world of leisure is shifting, and as Meghan Forte’s story exhibits, folks dwelling with disabilities can thrive in each space of life when given the chance. Let’s proceed to vary the narrative, guaranteeing that every one folks, no matter their talents, are seen, heard, and valued.

Unique Interview:

1. Please share a bit about your self, your incapacity, and your journey!

Meghan Forte: “I’ve a bodily incapacity and neurological dysfunction known as cerebral palsy, which impacts motion, together with each effective and gross motor abilities. For me, which means utilizing my legs and decrease physique muscle groups (gross motor abilities) can generally be difficult. Positive motor abilities contain hand actions, and after I was youthful, I labored with an occupational therapist to strengthen my arms and enhance abilities like tying my footwear and writing with a pencil.

Primarily, my gross motor actions are extra affected. To take care of my mobility and muscle power, I attend bodily remedy periods every week as a part of my ongoing therapy plan.

One facet of my journey that I at all times cherish is the social connections I’ve made inside the incapacity neighborhood. Rising up, I appeared ahead to attending summer season camps particularly designed for folks with disabilities. The camp counselors’ essential aim was to make sure that we, as campers, had enjoyable whereas being protected. These experiences allowed me to take part in actions I may not at all times have entry to at residence—issues like singing, dancing, camp-wide scavenger hunts, and, most significantly, forming lifelong friendships.

School was an excellent expertise for me. It was actually bodily demanding, however I additionally wished to push myself to proceed and obtain a better schooling. So, right this moment, I can be extra concerned in my neighborhood.”

2. With consideration to your earlier response, would you inform us about your profession as a author? Elaborate in your knowledgeable deal with leisure & share your guide/different profession accomplishments!

Meghan Forte: “Thanks once more, Bridget for pondering of interviewing me right this moment. I studied at a small college in New Jersey. Initially, I wished to deal with working with youngsters. So, I majored in Instructing with English Literature. I nonetheless work inside the schooling trade, and I’m additionally honored to be a author.

I’ve additionally been studying about extra industries for writing for Social Way of life Journal, and I’m additionally a youngsters’s guide writer. My hope is that the youngsters’s guide I wrote will encourage academics to advertise kindness and friendship amongst all youngsters. All of us have completely different pursuits, or talents after we are nonetheless studying at an elementary or preschool studying heart. Nonetheless, I really feel that with the best instructing instruments, we are able to additionally study kindness and empathy on the similar time.”

3) How do you are feeling about the way in which folks with disabilities are represented in right this moment’s leisure trade? What do you want?/What do you dislike? – What would you alter and the way would you alter it?

Meghan Forte: “I really feel just like the illustration of individuals with disabilities in right this moment’s leisure trade has grow to be far more optimistic in comparison with after I was rising up. Nonetheless, there are nonetheless sure well being situations, ranges of severity, and talents that most of the people could also be much less aware of. Some of the precious classes I realized at camp was the significance of empathy—understanding that each particular person’s expertise with incapacity is exclusive.

Every household’s expertise with incapacity is completely different. Skills fluctuate from individual to individual, and what works for one particular person may not work for one more—and that’s okay.

I’m happy with how a lot consciousness has grown over time. Extra folks now acknowledge disability-related consciousness months, and people with disabilities are more and more being featured in commercials, films, and even in merchandise like Barbie dolls.

Whereas I like movies and all tales that discover the incapacity perspective and expertise, one factor I’d personally change is the frequent portrayal of disabled characters experiencing tragedy or demise. Whereas I perceive that these storylines could be legitimate and reflective of some folks’s experiences, it usually seems like characters with disabilities are disproportionately given tragic endings.

For instance, in Simon Birch, Simon passes away, and in Of Mice and Males, Lennie is shot. Why do these characters so usually meet such unlucky fates? I’d like to see extra tales the place folks with disabilities thrive, succeed, and lead fulfilling lives—simply as they do in actuality. To alter the narrative, I feel extra individuals who have and stay with incapacity ought to be casted and or work behind the scenes extra in movie and literature.

I additionally respect that extra tv characters with disabilities are being represented within the media. Reveals like Speechless and Breaking Unhealthy, together with fashions like Ellie Goldstein—the primary mannequin with Down syndrome to be featured in British Vogue—are making an actual impression. It’s inspiring to see this shift as a result of, after I was youthful, I didn’t usually see folks with disabilities in mainstream media. Now, youthful generations can develop up seeing themselves represented and are dreaming large!”

Thanks! Meghan Forte https://socialifestylemag.com/writer/meghanf/