To Live Life or Not to Live Life – Ableism Is Not My Friend

To live life or not to live life, that is the question. Why can’t I live life? Why do I have to fight against ableism to achieve my hopes and dreams? Why are people socially distancing themselves from me? These questions pertain to ableism. Ableism is discriminating or social prejudice against a person with a disability. People with disabilities have a lot to deal with in their life than to add on ableism. I am a person who has always had dreams and goals. However, now I am a person with a disability. People with disabilities have been struggling to live life for a long time. Ever since the 70s when the disabled community has fought against ableism and still deals with this today. Now, I must protest ableism with them for us to live life. I must keep doing what I am doing because if my kids or grandkids ever become disabled, I want them to keep going toward their dreams and not give up. A person’s disability does not define who they are, their ability does. This is a battle we must win.  

When I was a teen, I did not go out before I had a disability. I would watch TV. I observed people on TV doing the things that I longed to do. In the beginning, I thought my first love was singing, but I discovered much later it was fashion. Watching celebrities walk the red carpet, taking photos, music videos, and runway models inspired my love of fashion. I wanted to be like them, dancing, singing, acting, and modeling while looking stylish in my clothes. I could not wait to graduate high school. I had made plans to start in the Air Force after my dreams. Well, God had other plans. I became mobility impaired before completing high school. I had four strokes. Now, I must deal with my challenges and the challenges in the outside world. Who knew the outside world would soon be a problem for me (wow)?

However, many things have changed tremendously, including my dreams and goals that had to be modified. I am pursuing a career as a professional actress with a fashion line. To me, acting and fashion represent life. My fashion sense came before acting. My eyes were opened to fashion at an early age. Whenever one of my cousins saw me, all she ever talked about was when I helped her pick out her clothes in elementary school. I do not remember that per se. One thing that sticks out to me is that in junior high, my classmate bragged about my fashion sense. I was so stunned that they mentioned it. I was wondering how I could dress stylishly, and then from that day forward I made sure that I looked cute because this meant people were watching me. The first time I became interested in acting was in my eleventh-grade English class. My teacher gave the students an assignment to read a play aloud in the classroom. It was as if something vibrated inside me when it was time to read. I stood up in class, slammed my book on a student’s desk, and recited the words that were in the book. My English teacher’s mouth dropped, and she said these exact words “YOU SHOULD BE IN THE DRAMA CLUB” and that is when I knew I wanted to act. I figured if I could get her attention, I could get anybody’s attention. This teacher picked on me; I thought they did not care about me.   

After the stroke, I had no choice but to learn how to adjust. I had to find out what I could do with my transformed life. I was introduced to vocational rehabilitation. Later, I was introduced to the Tennessee Rehabilitation Center (TRC) in Smyrna. I returned to college to pick up where I left off in pursuing my dreams and goals, focusing on acting, fashion, and marketing after being introduced to Tennessee Rehabilitation Center. 

During my education, I signed up with a modeling agency. I was the first disabled model at the agency. I have been on local talk shows, in a newspaper, and in a magazine. I earned a Bachelor of Professional Studies Degree in Fashion Merchandising with a Minor in Marketing while juggling school and modeling.  

When I graduated from college with a fashion degree, I tried to pursue a career in fashion. However, I failed because I did not know what I was doing. I did not have a fashion design degree but a fashion merchandising degree. Where I am from, the closest that I could get to a fashion degree was fashion merchandising. They did not offer fashion design programs.  

A few years later, I felt an urge deep down in my stomach to come to Atlanta, so I came. I thought to myself that I was a performer before the strokes. So, why stop now? I started performing in elementary school but I’m still pursuing acting. I ended up leaving my hometown of Memphis to move to Atlanta in pursuit of my dreams. Upon arriving I did a Google web search of organizations that helped people with disabilities in entertainment. I came across an organization called Showability and they introduced me to Lights! Camera! Access! In Atlanta, Georgia. I am a member and volunteer with numerous organizations like Women and TV Atlanta (WIFTA), and Showability among others. I am a Social Media Ambassador for Showability. I have completed a Script Supervisor Workshop and attended an open mic night expressing myself in whatever I choose to do. In addition, I was chosen as a cast member of a show that has yet to be picked up called Single Mothers ATL from Cassell Productions. I work online with Lights! Camera! Access! (LCA) Newsletter/Marketing Team is in Los Angeles, CA. They assist with building your resume, adding more experience and skills needed. They teach you the things needed to survive in the workplace. They will also work with you and your vocational rehabilitation counselor if you have one. I was one of the speakers at a Disability Expressionist Café Event that we had, participating on a production team. 

Recently, I participated in the Bender Leadership Foundation #Notashamed campaign through LCA. I just started with LCA in October of 2022, and I am already doing so much with LCA in such a short time. I love it! It takes me back to when I was in college. Lights! Camera! Access! (LCA) is the place for any person with a disability who wants to be in entertainment.  

Previously, Showability had emailed me about people with disabilities, and this was one of the most valuable things they did. This makes me happy. When anyone leaves this world, they should want to leave this world happy. Who would not want to enjoy life rather than just exist in it? 

To achieve my dreams, I keep calling myself boss-bound rather than wheelchair-bound. Tyler Perry is a perfect example of being a BIPOC entrepreneur, who came from poverty but climbed his way in Hollywood. Seeing Tyler’s success motivates me to dream big as an entrepreneur with my own fashion brand and professional actor. I will not let this disability dictate how I want to live my life. I want to experience life, not just exist in it. 

What is your life like? Are you living or existing? Please do not let your dreams pass you by. So, take charge, now. 

Contact Information:

Facebook: MzDanaK (FB); IG:@mzdanak; Twitter:@mzdanak