Graciela and I just started reading Life in Letters by Lia Asssimakopoulos. Graciela was interviewed for the chapter on sibling relationships and she knows many of the other self advocates who participated in this project. Contributions made to the first chapter titled “Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover” were made by a young boy named Calvin. Here are Graciela’s reflections….
The things that I experience without the really magnificent understanding that I need from others have had the most devastating impact on me. It is hard to make the world think differently about having the awesome mind that I have with a hard to handle body in control. I think that many people should see through the facade of the crazy body to the thinking, intelligent, interesting to know girl that lies inside. I need to see that we think of the really important need that each one of us has which is the need for human connection.
Hopefully she will choose to share more of her reflections as we continue to make our way through the book!