The Wolf Finally Frees Itself – a column by 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.

March 1, 2021February 25, 2021

My SMA Friends Remind Me That It’s OK to Rest

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

You already know that for the longest time, I didn’t want friends with SMA. I was young and desperate to be seen as “cool” (whatever that means), but more than ... Read more

February 22, 2021February 18, 2021

How a Head Cold Saved My Life (Figuratively)

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

We all know that I hate getting up early. Just like I hate adjusting to a new wheelchair — I’ll do it if I have to, but that doesn’t mean ... Read more

February 15, 2021February 11, 2021

‘Don’t Tell Me What I Can’t Do’: How ‘Lost’ Navigates Disability

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

When it comes to “Lost,” you either hate it, love it, or don’t get why people feel so strongly about it. I’m in the second camp, which is to say ... Read more

February 8, 2021February 3, 2021

For the Love of Frozen Breakfast Food

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

For the longest time, winters were a joyful occasion. It wasn’t that I liked the snow, or the sickness, or the slog of self-isolation. I didn’t want to stay home ... Read more

February 1, 2021January 28, 2021

Who I Am: My Journey From Internalized Ableism to Belonging

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

I didn’t have many friends growing up. Part of it was the disability. Part of it was the mental illness — social anxiety, depression, and a dash of trauma for ... Read more

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 needs ... 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 busy ... 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 as ... 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 in ... 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 I’m ... Read more