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So with July being “Disability Pride” month, I’m sure some people might be wondering “where the “meeeep” is DisabilityPride.net, and where the “meeeep” is Gerianne?” With those being very good questions, here’s the scoop.
While appearances may seem like we are M.I.A., nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, for me, disability pride is a daily thing. It’s something I hold true every day in simply living and going about my life. In one sense I am affirming my disability pride just by doing all I do and being me.
In addition, June and July have been very difficult months for Mary and I. I had an attendant unexpectedly quit at the beginning of June. I considered her one of my main attendants, as she was putting in 20-30 hours a week. So all of a sudden, having her gone was a huge loss.
Luckily, a former attendant came back on a temporary basis, but I knew all along it was temporary. She just graduated from Dal, and in between figuring out what her next steps would be, she came back for a few weeks, which I was thrilled to have her back for any length of time.
Shortly after that, a second staff left. Honestly, I wasn’t as devastated by that staff leaving, as that person only did a few short shifts per week, and there were a few “essentials” that the person didn’t want to do. This in itself created enormous stress for me, as well my other staff.
Luckily Ayesha applied and we were presented with another gem. She first applied as an attendant, but in getting to know her a little bit, I discovered she has many talents. It became a natural next step to offer Ayesha the hybrid role of attendant and business growth assistant.
With Ayesha assisting Mary and I, we were able to launch my “Ask Gerianne” series. The first episode went online July 19th and will air every Tuesday, @ 12 noon. People can see the episodes on DisabilityPride.net.
So, even though DisabilityPride.net hasn’t been publicly front and center, we have been working a lot behind the scenes. The immense value and legacy of the Disability Pride movement will always be paramount to us.
