I am an African American woman with minor cerebral palsy (CP)—-three different kinds of diversity! The last condition has created the most structural change in me and my life. The minor spastic (very tight muscle) type means my muscles have too much control; which changes the way I literally move myself around in space. There has always been more swing-around on the right side (leg) than the left. I was born with CP and the way I walk is one feature that makes me unapologetically me. I have learned to incorporate its mobility and balance issues into the reality of how I do my life. “I can’t” is a cop-out to me. I have learned it means: “ I don’t know how yet” and/or “I may need some more time, but I WILL find a way to do it!”

However imperfect or wrong I might seem to others, nothing is broken about a camera lens. I am aware when others notice the qualities of my movement, like background music. I use photography to track the environments of how I see the world in detail. It is a tool to notice what other people miss while they are watching me like a science experiment. Writing about my own physical experience and feelings is a weakness for me. I have always assumed viewers of my pictures, or poetry readers know I have a disability and thus doubt my skills. To challenge that, I would rather be so perceptive and accurate in my imagery descriptions that the reader may be able to ‘see’ exactly what I am evoking. Like my poems where I use language to illustrate an image, I use photography to directly capture the image memory I wish to treasure. The photo cards and poetry are not about me, but sharing my perceptions with others to enhance their lives.