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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 9h

Today's post is about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s mistreatment of disabled people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/23/i...

ICE vs. the Disabled

CW: abuse & neglect On a Saturday evening earlier this month, troubling footage surfaced from Portland, Oregon. It showed federal agents detaining Guinn Haberl, a blind man known for his …

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 1d

Today’s blog post is about why disabled people shouldn’t have to be strong just to live.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/22/s...

Strength Is Not the Goal

Disabled people are often forced to be strong. Living with a disability often means every day is a challenge. There is no reason why disabled people should have to fight so hard to live. Strength i…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 2d

Today's blog post is about the need for affordable, accessible, and inclusive housing.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/21/t...

Together, Under One Roof

In a world where housing often reflects division rather than unity, Micaela Connery offers a powerful counter-narrative. Her “Brief But Spectacular” take on building inclusive communities, featured…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 3d

Today's blog post is about caring about others every day.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/20/e...

Everyday Care

Most people know how to show up for the major milestones in life. Birthdays, weddings, graduations, and baby showers are events that mark significant transitions. These occasions are planned with c…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 4d

Today’s blog post is about the exploitation of disabled employees.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/19/u...

Unseen Work

CW: Exploitation Frances Boyd’s account of her autistic son’s experience at Waitrose & Partners in Cheadle Hulme, a suburb of Manchester, England, reveals a serious failure in the treatment of …

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 5d

Today's blog post is about communication as a disabled person.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/18/c...

Communication in Every Form

For me, language has been a lifeline. One of my earliest memories is captured in a home video. I am sitting in my high chair, proudly announcing when my third birthday is. I repeat “Momma” again an…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 6d

Today's blog post is about recreational activities for disabled people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/17/c...

Celebrating Ability Through Recreation

Recreation supports health, connection, and joy. Yet disabled people often face barriers to participation. However, programs are changing that by offering adaptive sports, accessible nature activit…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 7d

Today's blog post is about independence as a disabled person.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/16/i...

Independence and Disability

In a world that values autonomy and self-reliance, independence is often portrayed as the ability to do everything on one’s own. This narrative is deeply embedded in cultural ideals and reinforced …

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 8d

Today’s blog post is about difficulty sleeping when you have cerebral palsy.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/15/s...

Still but Not Resting

Cerebral palsy affects movement, posture, and muscle coordination. Most people recognize the physical challenges, but fewer understand the quiet and persistent struggle that happens at night. For m…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 9d

Today's blog post is about aging with cerebral palsy.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/14/u...

Unchanged Diagnosis, Unfolding Life

CW: Mental Health I have lived with cerebral palsy for 26 years. It is the most common cause of childhood disability in the United States. It affects movement, muscle tone, and posture due to brain…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 10d

Today’s blog post is about the psychological impact of cerebral palsy.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/13/t...

The Tender Weight of Cerebral Palsy

CW: Mental Health Cerebral palsy is often described in terms of movement and muscle control. It affects coordination, posture, and mobility. But what is rarely talked about is the emotional weight …

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 11d

Today's blog post is about headstones.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/12/w...

Written in Stone

CW: Death Last week, I was asked what should go on someone’s headstone. It is a deceptively simple question. Just a few lines carved into granite or marble, yet it carries the weight of a lif…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 12d

Today's blog post is about showing people you care.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/11/s...

Showing Up with Heart

Cerebral palsy means that showing up can be challenging. Fatigue, pain, and accessibility are all factors in my daily life. I still try to show up for my family and friends as much as possible. I l…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 13d

Today's blog post is about wanting to do everyday tasks.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/10/t...

The Mundane

There is a strange kind of longing that comes with being disabled. It is not for adventure or excitement but for the mundane. I have never been able to shovel snow, change a lightbulb, or rake leav…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 14d

Today's blog post is about my thoughts on cerebral palsy.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/09/t...

The Thoughts That Follow Me

Living with cerebral palsy means constantly navigating a world that was not designed with my body in mind. I use a walker and a power wheelchair. While these tools give me mobility and independence…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 15d

Today's blog post is about World Cerebral Palsy Day.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/08/c...

Cerebral Palsy, What’s Unseen

Monday was World Cerebral Palsy Day, a day to raise awareness, promote inclusion, and honor the lived experiences of millions around the world. It is a moment to recognize not just the medical real…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 17d

Today’s blog post is about World Teachers’ Day.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/06/t...

Thank You, Teachers

Although World Teachers’ Day was yesterday, I am still reflecting on the incredible impact teachers have had in my life and countless others. It feels important to keep the appreciation going beyon…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 18d

Today's blog post is about the feelings associated with grief

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/05/t...

The Ache That Defies Reason

CW: Death Within grief, there are many emotions. People often feel sad, angry, confused, guilty, and numb. These feelings come in waves and often arrive without warning. One of the most commo…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 19d

Today's blog post is about phone calls.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/04/t...

Ten Years, Two Calls, One Heart

CW: Death In 2011, my parents told me a dog had been found for me. I was elated. The news felt monumental, like a door opening to a new chapter in my life. Without hesitation, I picked up the phone…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 20d

Today's blog post is about being mentioned in an obituary.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/03/t...

The Quiet Honor of Being Named

I wasn’t expecting it. I was reading through the obituary of someone who shaped my life in quiet and enduring ways. Then I saw it, my name. It was tucked into a sentence, a small mention, but it st…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 21d

Today's blog post is about the lasting impact of reaching out to someone.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/02/w...

When a Text Becomes a Treasure

CW: Death When my former paraprofessional passed away last week, I found myself going through the hundreds of text messages we exchanged over the years. As I grew up, we sometimes went months…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 22d

Today's blog post is about being there for people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/01/t...

The People Who Show Up

In a world that often celebrates grand gestures, there is a quieter, more enduring kind of love. There is the love that simply shows up. It is the kind of love that is there during the good times a…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 23d

Today's blog post is about boundaries as a disabled person.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/09/30/l...

Lines Blurred

As someone with cerebral palsy, boundaries can be difficult to control. I’m required to allow others into places and situations most people consider private. I need help using the restroom and taki…

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 24d

Today’s blog post is about being present.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/09/29/t...

The Moment Is Now

CW: Death For the past few days, I’ve been reflecting on a lifetime worth of memories with my former paraprofessional. She met me when I was a preschooler. At 26, I can’t remember a time where she …

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Grace Dow @gracedowwrites.bsky.social · 26d

Today's blog post is about my family and friends.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/09/27/a...

A Life Carried by Love

I was born in Kolkata, India, and came to the U.S. on June 29, 2000, when I was nine months old. From the day I arrived, it was clear that I was cherished deeply. Numerous family members were eager…

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