Including the Next Generation

I was swiftly making my way to my seat to see the exciting production “Hamilton.” In the busy lobby of the Fox Theatre, I heard my name being shouted. Now, Marcella is a fairly uncommon name. Confused, I whipped my chair around seeing if I misheard it. Lo and behold one of my friends, Brittany, was standing there with her husband JT. I screamed when I saw her and we ran towards each other like in a slow motion movie. I gave her the biggest hug and didn’t want to let go.

Brittany was one of my first Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) in college and we remained friends throughout the years. I went to her wedding while I was in college and she had graduated. Brittany has a beautiful two-year-old girl and a newborn baby boy. Brittany told me her daughter, Amy, constantly reads and asks for the butterfly

book I got her. When Brittany was pregnant, I wanted to send a gift because she and JT lived far away from me. So, I sent “Butterfly on Wheels” written by a disabled author along with some other requested items.

The next day, and I’m not kidding you, one of my amazing friends Caitlin, told me her two-year-old daughter, Camila, is now talking and asks for her “Cor Cor” book every day. Caitlin texted me saying how Camila will lay with their dog and flip through the pages. An avid traveler, I thought Caitlin would love the book “Let’s Explore with Cor Cor” for her daughter.

“Let’s Explore with Cor Cor” is about a man with Spinal Muscular Atrophy who uses a power wheelchair and travels the world. Also written by a disabled author, I thought it was the perfect baby shower gift. Caitlin was also one of my first PCAs and worked during the same time frame as Brittany. Both with two sassy, loving, two-year-old girls who happened to be exposed to disability inclusion at an early age.

These two PCAs were simply college girls looking for a job back in the day. I am so honored and touched that we have remained friends nearly ten years later. I get to be in my friends’ lives, and now their kids. Not only that, but I get to share disability awareness with them. How cool of a role is that?

If my former PCAs didn’t ever work for me, they wouldn’t have learned about disability inclusion during their college years from me. And neither would their children.

I used to think that my PCAs always took from me. It was simply a transaction. They would help me out, I would pay them, and they’d be on their way. Now seeing how much they still care for me and how I’ve played a pivotal role in their lives, I see how full circle it is. I’ve celebrated major life accomplishments with them and vice versa. It’s not a transaction. I have the privilege of sharing my life with my PCAs and now their future kids. I give back to them and they give to me. We’re still genuine friends (it’s not just a job to them) and just by being me, I spread awareness to multiple people. How lucky am I that I get to be in my friends’ lives for all of these incredible moments?

This past weekend, I attended Sara’s baby shower. Sara is a lifelong friend of mine and coincidentally enough, also a former PCA in college. She is also having a precious baby girl. Sara and I went on spring break together, graduated together, I went to her wedding, and now she’s having her first baby.

So of course, I gifted Sara disability inclusion books as well. It’s now my new tradition. It’s something that most parents won’t ever even think of. How important it is to have representation of different children. Disability is not something “weird” or “abnormal.” It is simply one part of a person. Just because that child doesn’t have a disability themself, doesn’t mean they won’t benefit and learn from the book.

Inclusive books teach children to include and not limit others. It brings lessons, happiness to kids, and shows kids that disabled people are not all that different. I hope with more inclusive media being published, that more kids and parents will start having conversations with their children about disability. It’s something that is desperately needing awareness and what better way than through a fun, kid’s book?

The impact of it all hit me after the shower and I just started crying happy tears. It was such an inspiring and awe-striking realization. I had no idea how my presence affected my PCAs, their friends and family, and now their kids. And now their children will include all children and be a friend to those with disabilities. Just by impacting one person, I am now touching the lives of a child, who is then touching the lives of hundreds they come into contact with. The ripple effect of one book. One job. One friend.

I hope more people will start to teach the future generation about disability and inclusivity. It doesn’t have to be this big conversation. It can simply be a book that shows different people are really cool and have talents and strengths. They may look a little different, but it’s not scary or weird. The more people that do, the more inclusive the world will be.

This is Miller. Her mom told me that she’s so grateful her daughter has a role-model like me to look up to and that just about melted me.

Another disability inclusion book I like is No Such Thing as Normal. When purchasing books, please buy from a disabled author as there is a huge lack of disabled creatives being paid for their outstanding work.