Moving Forward One Step at a Time

Friday, September 24th, 2010

I have been thinking that the film is a good way to open up the world to people with disabilities. I have met so many great people since I started my journey with the film. Yesterday I met a wonderful photographer who is working on a portrait project for the Vermont Center for Disability Rights. She interviewed Harvey and I about our work. I told her that having Harvey in my life has kept me going and given me a higher purpose in my life. I have been able to communicate my passion for self advocacy and make change in the world.

Together Larry and I try to invoke hope in people with disabilities. We want people to know our struggles and successes. It is important to share our lives with the world so other families don’t have to go through the dark tunnel of despair that we have travelled. I want young people and their families to know there is hope. It is important to find the right support team to help. I recommend speaking up and moving forward one step at a time. It is a long journey but it is worth it. I hope that folks who see the movie go out and share our story and encourage others to come and meet us on tour. The life-saving tsunami begins in a theater near you very soon.

I will see you on the road or should I say tide.

-Tracy

To the First-Mates on the Ship of Change:

Friday, September 24th, 2010

My orders for my first mates are to stand up and speak out against the discrimination that people with disabilities face every day. I want people to know we have feelings that we experience and we deserve respect just like everybody else. We have rights too. I want my first mates to spread the word about the film so the world knows we are competent. We have dreams that we want to achieve too. We just need more support. That’s all for now.

Take care,

Tracy

All Hands on Deck!

Friday, September 17th, 2010

It’s greatly important to focus on intelligence and possibility so that people given labels have the chance to show what they know and what they can do. Establishing yourself as a competent person in the world is hard enough but with a disability-label, almost impossible.

Sorting through world of peoples’ opinions about disability is a work in progress for Larry and me, it’s tiring but important to man the ship of change. We have set our course, world travelers that we are, and the learning is happening.  This is our movie’s mission.

It is the single most important thing right now to focus on in my life. Yes, I have easily wanted this mission with more gusto than a cheeseburger and fries.  With all of your help and support this is doable don’t you think.  Here is the challenge… with first mates working with Captains Larry and Tracy we are setting out to change the world’s view about intelligence.

-Tracy

Blogging as another forum to advocate

Monday, September 13th, 2010

Hope springs eternal with the showing of our film and satisfaction guaranteed with Larry and my most witty blogs coming to you via the highly-glossed website weekly.

Having yet another forum to advocate dealing out remarks about intelligence versus disability is right time for me.

I look forward to this open forum and possible walls we can knock down together. It is likely that our words will churn up emotions and some will nay-say what they think is not possible and more of us need to tell them this is real.

I think doing the movie and traveling was the greatest gift I could have been given; the many people I met, the many foods I tried and the many opportunities I had to talk with intelligent people was by far the most tremendous gyrating experience ever and now we get to share that with the world.

That’s all for now folks and see you in the funny pages.

-Tracy

Tracy’s thoughts on screening Wretches & Jabberers at the WAPADH Symposium

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

I thought the film was tremendous with cool music, wonderful cinematic presence. More like professional actors from the wretches. It  was interesting from the California laid back beach style to see people get so excited about the film, they really liked it and wanted to have a copy for their own viewing pleasure.

I really encourage people to watch the movie.

Tracy.