Several months ago I was invited to Albany for a screening of Among the Giants, a documentary by Adaptive Design. Adaptive Design is an organization that works to create adaptive technology for children with disabilities, and I was featured in the film. The New York state legislature was scheduled to attend, and I was honored to be a part of the festivities. I felt like I’d be representing all the children and families that have been touched by Adaptive Design, and I wanted to communicate the needs of organizations like Adaptive Design and to the state government.
The journey to Albany was my first trip beyond New Jersey. I was eager to see the scenery on the way to Kingston (first stop—picking up filmmaker Cory Tomascoff) and then Albany. The accessible van arrived almost an hour late, and I was nervous that we wouldn’t make it on time. I reminded myself that there are always setbacks and moments that are out of our control, and I decided not to let this detail deter my mission (even if it meant arriving after the event began). As we drove, I thought about what it would be like to have a car of my own.
As we got further and further away from NYC, I saw plush trees and grass, farms, and deer. My perspective began to grow the closer we got to Albany. I never expected, in my wildest dreams, that I’d be given this kind of opportunity. If I knew anything at all in that moment, it was that I was thankful and blessed. I was about to advocate for people with disabilities and the organizations that support them. I also wanted to communicate the idea that we are our brother’s keepers; I wanted to let the legislature know that they have responsibilities.
The conversations that took place after the event continued for so long that we were finally asked to leave the conference room. I’m hoping that our presence will get Adaptive Design (and the people they serve) more support, funding, and acknowledgement.
Tamara Morgan is an art therapist and social worker in the South Bronx and a graduate of NYU’s Steinhardt School for Art Therapy. Diagnosed at birth with osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that makes her bones abnormally fragile, Tamara writes about conquering NYC as an individual with a disability.
