Hey! So Glad You're Here.

I was born with a congenital spine disability that we discovered when I was 16 years old. At that point in time, I was at risk for paralysis and needed a series of surgeries to reconstruct and stabilize my spine. My spine is now stable, yet due to the surgeries and spine condition, I live in chronic pain and neuralgia which has severely limited my ability to join in many activities. While working toward obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, I had to take a leave of absence to undergo spine surgeries and recover - that was 2008. In 2020, when everything became remote due to the pandemic, I went back to the same university to finish my B.A. degree, and a Minor in Architecture. Most of what you read here was written during the period of returning to school after the leave of absence. I graduated and transitioned right into a M.S. program. As I continued with my education, I have also continued to research and write. 

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When I returned to school, I noticed a gap; there were no aspects of any of my classes which included disability as a portion of the curricula. Furthermore, there were no Disability Studies classes - Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary approach of the experiences, portrayals and social treatment of people with disabilities. I used each assignment as an opportunity to link a Disability Studies theme to the assigned topic and thus taught myself some interesting intersections. I also realized the importance of continuing to elevate these topics and so I created this blog as a culmination of research papers I've written for school over the years. 

 

When I began my own research into this body of literature, I felt at home as though my experiences weren't isolated. There were others who experienced some of the same things as me even for very different reasons. It was comforting. The disability I was born with has defined much of my adult life especially in educational, work based, and social spaces. Much of my response to the challenge had been to isolate myself, but with Disability Studies' scholars, I found connection. I hope to create a sense of connection for someone else who may be experiencing a disability. 

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If you see something you like, here's the citation information:

Klepper T (2022) Thoughts on Disability: A collection of past papers. www.disabilityeverywhere.com

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If you see anything you'd like to chat about, please email me, I'd love to connect!

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