Introduction

My name is Sarah and this is my story. There are so many out there, but this one is special to me. I want to record the daily struggles I have with accessibility. The beginnings of this blog will be part of my Partners in Policymaking project, which is sponsored by the Virginia Board for people with Disabilities. Even though it's sponsored by the VBPD, this blog is my opinions and not necessarily theirs. After I graduate from Partners, I hope to expand it to an adoption blog and just daily life.. The first thing I have to do is explain what accessibility means to me. Accessibility means that everyone has access to buildings, favorite foods, attendant care, travel, marriage, parenting, and medicine. Yes, I know they're in random order. Even if you physical access to something, other people's perceptions may block your emotional accessibility.  Emotional accessibility is when other people's opinions affect your confidence or the belief that you are able to do things on your own, even though they always say that other people's opinions don't matter. You can block out the negativity for many years, but eventually one day, it will get to you.    This affects the way that you eat, sleep, breathe, and socialize. I am hoping to open people's eyes through this blog so that they understand what accessibility truly means and break down some of the barriers that now exist. Just because we live in a developed country, does not mean that everyone has access to everything they want or need.