Hope for the disabled

Photo of the lower half of a wheelchair

Image by BeatriceBB from Pixabay

Everywhere I go, I motivate a lot of people that are disabled and not disabled. It’s not only about me, it’s about all the vendors, too. 

Street Sense inspires me to keep busy and lot of people are glad to see me out there, telling me that I’m doing a good job. 

I’ve been homeless in the past. I’ve slept in the street, I’ve got robbed three or four times. A guy robbed me while I was sleeping in a sleeping bag and took my shoes off my feet. When I was laying back in the corner with a broken wheelchair, my Washington Wizards hat was stolen off my head. 

When you are in a wheelchair it’s a difficult time, because you gotta find a place to sleep. I’ve slept at a bus stop, in the alley, in the corner between the government buildings. Security will come around and tell you to leave the premises and you have to take all your luggage with you. Also, my apartment got flooded like I wrote about before. So it’s been really rough in the past.

It doesn’t matter because I fight to push my story for people to hear. My brother-in-law and my sister call me and check on me to make sure how I’m doing. I feel I got somebody that at least can cater to me. My social workers, Miss Aiesha and Miss Watts, they check on me, make sure I have everything I need. My caregiver, Missy, she comes to work and makes sure I got everything I need. 

I feel good that I’m getting all this, that I will get more resources. 

Selling the Street Sense newspaper inspires me to get more resources, more help, more things I need for my apartment. 

I feel good when I’m out there, I feel comfortable. And I feel very independent when I’m out there. I strive to survive, to inspire people, to encourage people. I don’t let my disability hold me down.


Issues |Disability

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