Posts by: Brianna Albers

Brianna Albers

Brianna (she/her) is a crip cyborg storyteller living in Minneapolis-St. Paul. She was diagnosed with SMA Type II at 9 months of age and lives with co-occurring physical and mental health conditions. By day, she works as an advocate, bridging disability and mental health awareness to empower people to live their best lives; by night, she dabbles in imagination, and is in the process of making the book of her heart, “#WaningCrescent,” the best it can be. Find her online at www.briannahopealbers.com and on social media @briehalbers.

January 25, 2021January 21, 2021

I’m Learning to Embrace a New Shoe

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

I’m notorious for despising new wheelchairs. It’s not just the discomfort. It’s the painstaking process of calibration — tweaking and experimenting and grumbling under my breath, because my head ... Read more

January 18, 2021January 15, 2021

In ‘Care Work,’ Grief Is the Garden of Our Dreams

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

Many, many weeks ago, I said I was going to read “Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice” by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. In a month. Reader, I was wrong. I was ... Read more

December 29, 2020December 29, 2020

This Year, I Want to Be Brave

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

Inspired by Susannah Conway, I’ve started to assign a word — yes, a single word — to the upcoming year, as a kind of landmark. Something to focus on ... Read more

December 21, 2020December 16, 2020

I Can’t Get Evrysdi Yet, Thanks to a Broken Healthcare System

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

I may have thrown a fit about genetic testing, but at the end of the day, it was easier than most things. The genetic counselor sent me the test ... Read more

December 14, 2020December 10, 2020

Yes, Actually, Smart Tech Is Integral to My Quality of Life

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

The two most common words in the Albers household are probably “Hey, Google.” (That’s not strictly true. I tell my parents I love them more than I should, because ... Read more

December 7, 2020December 2, 2020

Living With Disability Can Be a Small ‘t’ Trauma

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

Content warning: The following contains discussions of trauma and death. Sometimes I forget that I have, like, an actual degree in counseling. People come to me for advice, and ... Read more

November 30, 2020November 23, 2020

My Period Reminds Me of the Inevitability of Disease Progression

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

Once every few weeks, I’m reminded of my own mortality. A lot of folks dread their period. It’s a definitively unpleasant time between the cramps and the blood and ... Read more

November 23, 2020November 19, 2020

I’m Disappointed, and That’s OK

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

Can I be real for a minute? Totally honest? Maybe even a little bit of a downer? I’m disappointed. 2020 was supposed to be my year. I had all ... Read more

November 16, 2020November 12, 2020

Hope, Uncertainty, and Shooting for the Stars

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

I’m lucky in that, for the most part, I don’t have trouble falling asleep. I am, of course, perpetually exhausted, which probably plays a role, but I like to ... Read more

November 9, 2020November 5, 2020

When It Rains, It Pours

Columns, The Wolf Finally Frees Itself - a column by Brianna Albers

We all know the saying. It can never just sprinkle. It can never just be a gentle spring rain, with sprouting blades of grass and birds twittering about new ... Read more