NOTICE: Throughout this exhibit, I will be using person-first (i.e., person with disabilities) and identity-first (i.e., disabled person) language interchangeably to reflect the diverse preferences of people in the disabled community. Some people within the disabled diaspora prefer to be referred to as "person with disabilities" because it highlights their personhood over their disability, while others prefer "disabled person" because it reflects the inability to separate one's self from their disability. In order to respect everyone's preferences as fully as possible, this research project uses both terms synonymously.
ABOUT THE RESEARCHER: I believe it is important to note my identities to pre-emptively address the ways they may influence the work that I do. I was born and raised in Alaska, am a mixed white and Indigenous, Autistic + ADHD, nonbinary, queer person with an unstable spine from a lower-middle class background. I earned my Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from the University of Northern Colorado and am currently in the process of earning my Master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Social Justice, Human Rights, and Education from George Mason University.