Audio in video:
“Disabled, adjective: crippled, helpless, useless, wrecked, lame, mutilated. Antonyms: healthy, strong, capable. I was born into a world that perceived someone like me to have nothing positive whatsoever going for them, when in fact today, I’m celebrated. It’s not just about the words, it’s what we believe about people when we name them. It’s about the values behind the words. Our language effects our thinking and how we view other people. What reality do we want to call into existence, a person who is limited, or a person who is empowered? Everyone has something rare and powerful to offer our society. The human ability to adapt is our greatest asset. People have continually wanted to talk to me about overcoming adversity. Implicit in this phrase is the idea that success and happiness is about emerging on the other side of a challenging experiences unscathed or unmarked, when in fact we are changed; we are marked. Adversity isn’t an obstacle that we need to get around, it’s part of our life. The question isn’t wether or not we are going to meet adversity but how you’re going to meet it. Our responsibility is not simply shielding those we care for from adversity and out desire to protect those we care about by giving them the cold hard truth about the medical prognosis we have to make sure we don’t put the first brick in a wall that will actually disable someone. All you really need is one person to show you the epiphany of your own power and you’re off. Which potential do we want to bring out? The only true disability is a crushed spirit. If instead we can bolster a human spirit to keep hope, to see beauty in themselves and others, then we are truly using our power well.”-Aimee Mullens
The audio quality of this speech is a little echo-ey, but the added background music helps. The intended audience of this speaker is anyone who has a disability, or anyone who has faced adversity.
Emily 