Living Dreams

I'm an aspiring social worker, song writer/composer, drummer, social justice proponent, environmentalist, and disability rights activists. Writing about the important things in life, changing the world and smashing stigma one word at a time!

[chimponpurpose]

Nina Sheere, Street Feet Society: Where is the goodness in the community? In the schools, with the youth, with people who actually still care and want to see positive change happening because sometimes it gets pretty dark.

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[smile-shine-dream89]

This is a great initiative, making sure the money goes to those who actually need it!

[whatshouldwecallgradschool]

WHEN I FINALLY CLOSE ALL THE TABS I HAD OPEN FOR A LIT REVIEW

credit: Rachel

[smile-shine-dream89]

So close!

[smile-shine-dream89]

Stop Fearing Disability

Today is International Persons with Disabilities Day (UN), and it’s been a long time since my last blog post, so I thought it would be fitting to share some thoughts I’ve had for quite some time now.

As a social work student, I have been inundated with messages of ofthe importance of diversity, “cultural competency”, and social equality for the past six years of my life. Given this, you would think my courses would have covered various populations who experience marginaliization due to race, ethnicity, culture, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and disability. However, the term “diversity”has seemed to encompass race and culture (with some reference to the LGBTQ community at times) and typically only addresses class in conjunction with race. Very rarely has disability or ability come into conversation without me bringing it up myself, and if it does, it is in the context of mental illness. Just recently, a friend Identifying as a racialized woman living with a disability shared that she feels overwhelmed with the focus placed on race within the classroom and as though the intersectionality of having a disability is completely ignored. Now, I am not trying to advocate that any of these groups are more important or marginalized than the others, but I do strongly feel it is almost impossible for a social worker to never serve at least one individual living with some type of disability. So why is this topic not included in our curriculum?

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a Deliberative Dialogue with many insightful Individuals. One such person,  Dr. Peter Rosenbaum, happened to bring up this question of mine. He asked, “Why do we not discuss matters of disability more often and openly?”In the same breath, he provided this simple answer, people are afraid of becoming disabled themselves. This made so much sense to me since anyone can develop or acquire a “disabling” condition at any point in their lifetime. With the exception of class, this cannot be said of any other marginalized group of people. Regardless,I am not content with this answer because it highlights an even bigger problem.

Why are people so afraid of acquiring a disability? Put simply, many have the perception that our lives are not worth living. Who could ever be happy being unable to dress themselves, communicate verbally, or understand social conventions? Honestly, millions of people. So many of us around the world live with such limitations (and way more) and we are happier and more fulfilled than many “able-bodied” people i know.This being said, there are plenty of individuals with disabilities who are not happy, but I believe this has much more to do with the conditions in which they live and their personal perspectives than their limitations. For those who identify with this group of people, and those of us who are content but still have really bad days because of disabling social conditions such as physical, technological, financial, and attitudinal barriers; quality of life could be improved greatly if the rest of society would just Just engage in conversations about disability with us. Imagine how much ignorance and discrimination could be eradicated through simple conversations and knowledge sharing.

I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I am a very happy person who is leading an extremely meaningful and fulfilling life. Yes, I need help with many tasks most people take for granted, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. I have met so many amazing people and developed invaluable friendships, and these wouldn’t be in my life if I hadn’t needed help with something. So stop being afraid and start talking regardless of your background or area of study. You won’t only improve the lives of those of us with disabilities, but you could be saving yourself from a lot of pain and turmoil in the future.

[smile-shine-dream89]

Better be extra cautious if you plan on having any meat pies in the near future... #SweeneyTodd #DemonBarberOfSeville #timetogovegan

[smile-shine-dream89]

Privacy: A Right or Privilege?

Recently, there was an incident with actor Ian Somerhalder, most famous for his roles on “Lost” and “The Vampire Diaries”, where he was allegedly rude to his fans. What I see is him respectfully ask people to not follow him and his new wife Nikki Reid (most famous for her role in the Twilight Saga) while they enjoyed their honeymoon. In the video, there is no sign of any disrespectful behaviour or of Ian taking his fans for granted. What I do see is a lot of people demonstrating a feeling that he has an obligation to interact with them on a constant basis.

Now, although Ian is one of my favourite celebrities and I admire him immensely, this post is not just about him and this one occurrence. Rather, I feel the need to comment on society’s apparent feeling that famous people owe us all their free time and energy. Don’t get me wrong, without fans, we would not have celebrities, and therefore I do find it frustrating when they treat their fans poorly. However, I think there is a huge difference between giving back to those who created your fame and dedicating every waking moment to appeasing those same people. Everyone has good and bad days, and everyone just needs some alone time. So, what makes celebrities any different? 

I have never met Ian, but I see how he interacts with his followers on social media. He always appears to respond to as many people as possible, runs contests to let fans meet him, and constantly thanks everyone for their support. I know people can put on a public face and be completely different when they are out of the spotlight, but I do not get the sense this is the case with this guy. I think it took him a lot of courage to ask fans to back off a little and that he did it in the kindest way he knew how.Additionally, I have friends who are celebrities, and I have heard first-hand how difficult it can be to find the balance between managing a personal and public life. It can really take a toll on a person’s mental health, which we, as fans who are supposedly unconditionally supportive of our chosen celebrities, should be concerned about.

Therefore, I implore everyone to take a step back and treat people the way you would like to be treated. I truly believe privacy is a right we all deserve, especially those who seem to live under a seemingly endless spotlight. The press away to show them love and admiration for someone is to give them the respect and dignity they deserve! Plus, imagine how much we could change the world if we put all that energy we spend obsessing over celebrities toward productive matters, it would be amazing!

[smile-shine-dream89]

Transgender or not, she’s a person... just like you!

*** I want to begin by openly acknowledging that I am a cisgender person, who is inherently privileged due to this factor. As such, I do not have full understanding of what it means to be, nor what it is like to live as a transgender individual.***

Like many people, I have been following the transition of Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner. However, unlike most, I have been more fascinated by the response on social media than her actual transition. I find it intriguing that so much attention has been placed on this event, especially when it is the reality of so many ordinary (non-famous) people. I think it is wonderful that Caitlyn is now able to present herself as she always knew she was, as well as that the spotlight is opening a conversation about issues surrounding those who identify as transgender. However, I question if society’s infatuation with Caitlyn is a sign of our inability to merely allow people to live their lives their way.

Now, I am not saying that curiosity is a bad thing or that people should not endeavor to learn more about those who are different from them. However, I have not seen many people asking Caitlyn, or any transgender people for that matter, about their own experiences, Rather I have noticed people passing judgment on Caitlyn’s character. Many of those who wish to demonstrate support have characterized her as brave and inspirational, while those who disagree with her decision to come out as a transgender woman deem her immoral and a liar.This is problematic because they are solely basing their judgments on her gender identity and nothing more. This would be equivalent to saying all women of great people and all men are horrible... which is outright ridiculous. Furthermore, some people have used Caitlyn’s transparency of her identity as the butt of cruel jokes.  

Possibly one of the worst cases of this so far is a ploy to strip Caitlyn of her 1976 Olympic gold medal. As a prank started by a user of the popular trolling site 4chan.org, a petition was created claiming that since Caitlyn competed in the male portion of the Olympics, but states she has always identified as a female, she broke the “same sex competitors only” rules,and therefore should relinquish her gold medal. To most, this is probably one of the most illogical thought processes ever and we probably just laughed it off. However, as of the last time I checked, the petition had 12,441 signatures and many twitter followers. This goes to show how ignorant many social media users are to the realities of transgender people. 

So, I would like to help change this. I think we all need to learn how to be curious and respectful at the same time. This means asking questions that we, ourselves, would be comfortable answering. For example, you probably would not want someone to question what your genitalia looks like, so why would you ask someone out about theirs? Additionally, let’s remember everyone is different and, as such, experiences life differently, so Caitlyn cannot be the spokesperson for every transgender individual on the planet. Therefore, before falling into the trap of overgeneralization, avoid stereotyping this group of people based solely on how she presents herself or her experiences. And for those who want to dialogue about Caitlyn’s transition, here are some great guidelines from GLAAD on how to do so respectfully.

In short, we are all human and we all want to be treated as such. Keep this in mind the next time you are talking to, or about, anyone who is different from you, and you’ll be fine!

[smile-shine-dream89]

You Call THAT Protesting?

Recently, there has been an increase in people exercising their right of civil dissent globally. I personally find this inspiring and exciting, and have become increasingly involved in the activist community. Unfortunately, the efforts of peaceful protesters are consistently being undermined by violent rioters.

Currently I am watching coverage of the riots in Baltimore, which resulted in mass destruction, arrests, and several injuries. Many people who engaged in the violence defended their actions by stating the police pushed them to do so. Similarly, I noticed a number of people disrespecting police officers at the Bill C-51 demonstrations while officers actively supported the event. They were calling them “pigs” and, at one point, someone tried to physically assault an officer. Maybe people seem to think this is a valid way to express discontent and push for pain. However, I want to challenge such beliefs and behaviours.

I understand emotions run high and law enforcement practices leave much to be desired, but rioting and disrespectful behaviours do nothing to rectify social justice issues. If anything, these actions only prove that officers need to act aggressively and governments need to implement ridiculous policies in order to manage their uncivilized civilians. If we actually hope to achieve the goal of a just world, we need to stand in solidarity and demonstrate the peace we wish to see in the world. I implore you to consider this the next time you protest an injustice.

[smile-shine-dream89]

Sing in the Rain!

It’s April and, in Canada anyway, that means lots of rain. You know, April showers bring May flowers, right? To me, this means we should embrace the water falling from the sky since it literally brings life to our planet. Yet, I’ve noticed that few people feel this way.

About a week ago, I was sitting in my school’s cafeteria during a major downpour. I decided to sit by the door so I could watch the rain come down, a welcomed sight after the brutal winter we had. I was unaffected by the numerous people running in from the wetness and complaining about the “awful weather” we were having because this behaviour is typical on rainy days in London. It wasn’t until I saw two young women nonchalantly walking together outside, laughing and fully embracing the downpour, that I began to wonder why we despise the rain so much.

I understand that being wet and cold can be inconvenient and sometimes uncomfortable, but I also know that dancing, singing, playing, and just plain being in the rain can be a magical experience. I say this as someone who uses an electric wheelchair that can become damaged or difficult to drive during wet weather, so I feel as though if I can fall in love with the rain, anyone can!

So, what is my point? We should all try to be grateful for the rain, as it provides us with life and nourishes much of our planet’s breathtaking beauty. Take a minute and embrace the feeling of rain drops falling on your head, reflect on how you can give back to Mother Nature, and belt out a tune! After all, isn’t it more fun to find the joy of a rainy day rather than using it as an excuse to be miserable?

[studentlifenetwork]

We’re giving away a meet and greet and concert tickets to Billy Talent for you and three of your friends. Ten dates across Canada = ten winners!

Register at http://luckie.st/meet-billy-talent!

YOU’VE WATCHED.  YOU’VE WAITED.  IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING:  THE BILLY TALENT CONTEST.

ENTER NOW.

I know, I know.  You’re thinking, “Concert tickets PLUS a meet and greet experience for me and 3 friends? Sign me up!  … No, literally.  Sign me up.  Now.”  Lucky for you, securing your entry is precisely that easy.

Enter here: http://luckie.st/meet-billy-talent

The anticipation for this contest has been positively palpable, y’all.  The Dead Silence Tour starts in March 2013 and features Sum 41, Hollerado & Indian Handcrafts, and obviously, headliners Billy Talent.  Your love for this band is intense, and it looks like they love you back, because they want to meet you.  And guess what?  Your chances just got better (what? You didn’t even do anything yet! Well, this contest is just that good).  We’re drawing TEN winners — one for each show on this list.  There’s plenty of Billy Talent to go around.

WE’LL DRAW A WINNER FOR EACH OF THESE SHOWS

MARCH 14 – PACIFIC COLISEUM – VANCOUVER, BC

MARCH 20 – STAMPEDE CORRAL – CALGARY, AB

MARCH 22 – SHAW CONFERENCE CENTRE – EDMONTON, AB

MARCH 26 - CREDIT UNION CENTRE – SASKATOON, SK

MARCH 28 – MTS CENTRE – WINNIPEG, MB

APRIL 3 – BUDWEISER GARDENS – LONDON, ON

APRIL 5 – AIR CANADA CENTRE – TORONTO, ON

APRIL 6 – MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM – KITCHENER, ON

APRIL 8 – SUDBURY ARENA – SUDBURY, ON

APRIL 12 – SCOTIABANK PLACE – OTTAWA, ON