PinnedMember-onlyI Have Cerebral Palsy, and Anthony Bourdain Pushed Me to See the WorldA few weeks ago, a Parts Unknown episode brought me to tears. An emotional reaction isn’t all that surprising when it comes to a production led by Anthony Bourdain — be it curiosity, elation, and most understandably, envy. But those feelings weren’t what I was experiencing when I finished the…Travel5 min readTravel5 min read
Nov 23Member-onlyNot Doing This Zero-Effort Writing Trick Is Costing You MoneyYears ago, when I was starting out as a writer, I was preoccupied with one thing and one thing only: scale. I was single-handedly focused on writing as many stories as possible as fast as I could, simply because I thought that was the track toward a stable career. As…3 min read3 min read
May 1Member-onlyThis Is the Easiest Way to Become a Better Writer, Starting TodayYears ago, when I was a college journalism student, I entered a classroom and became instantly terrified. “Pop quiz, everyone,” my professor boomed to a handful of bright-eyed peers. “Take out a piece of paper, rip one out of a notebook if you need to, and here we go.” He…Freelancing3 min readFreelancing3 min read
Apr 24Member-onlyThe 4 Main Reasons Why You’re Failing as a Freelance WriterIf there’s one question that strangers often ask me online, it’s this: “How did you become a successful freelance writer?” I began freelancing more than a decade ago, as a supplement to many office jobs and then as a full-time commitment once I had worked as an editor for a…Freelancing4 min readFreelancing4 min read
Jul 13, 2021Member-onlyThese 5 Mistakes Are Costing You a Successful Freelance CareerThankfully, these things can be fixed. — When you’re a freelance writer, it almost feels like you can do no wrong. There’s no one above you to say otherwise, and no performance reviews to consider. Instead, there’s freedom. Sweet, you-are-your-own-boss freedom. Let’s say you want to work in a coffee shop one afternoon, only to finish typing…Freelance5 min readFreelance5 min read
Apr 29, 2021Member-onlyAn Open Letter to Parents Who Use the Term “Special Needs”The majority of the disabled community wants you to just…stop. I’ve always loved advice columns. I remember reading the Dear Abby series in the local paper after my mom was finished, re-reading American Girl how-to books from cover to cover, and getting (questionable) tips from magazines as a teen. Advice…Disability5 min readDisability5 min read
Published inGay Mag·Nov 5, 2019Member-onlyThe Cost of AccessibilityIt can be expensive to live life with a disability — Three old pairs of shoes cost $125.87 to be made “new” again. The total is routinely surprising, even though I’ve spent it many times, and I always try not to let the surprise show on my face. Instead, I carefully inspect the shoes my shoe guy holds up for me…Disability9 min readDisability9 min read
Published inReach Up·Aug 2, 2015The Quest To Belong And The Need To ParticipateThe Special Olympics World Games LA2015 highlights athletes whose stories exemplify the diversity of the human experience. But that experience is shared by all, and we need more action to make it inclusive. — For the past eight months, I’ve been learning the stories at the heart of the Special Olympics World Games. These stories were told to me by excited athletes ready to compete, proud parents remembering the early days of training and coaches remarking on the hard work of their teams. This…Disability4 min readDisability4 min read
Published inReach Up·Jul 28, 2015Going With The Wind While Striving For The GoldMichael Crofton and John Kirkland will work hard for Team U.S.A. in the World Games, but they’re doing so with laid-back attitudes. — When Michael Crofton and John Kirkland compete in the Special Olympics World Games on July 30, there will be plenty of challenges on the horizon. This will be their first World Games as a team, and their first time to Los Angeles. While they have sailed in the ocean, they’ve…Special Olympics3 min readSpecial Olympics3 min read
