Resisting Depression Through This Week’s Job Applications
I’ve been trying to resist my depression ever since I wrote my column on disability, mental illness, and my inability to pretend that everything in my life is OK. When…
The Wolf Finally Frees Itself
— Brianna Albers
Brianna Albers (she/her) is a crip-cyborg storyteller living in Minneapolis-St. Paul. She was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type 2 in 1996 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 currently writing “An Angel in the Garden,” an adult space fantasy with #OwnVoices disability representation. Find her online at briannahopealbers.com and on social media @briehalbers.
Featured Post
‘A tricky stick’: The challenges of getting blood drawn with SMA
The clock ticked accusingly on the wall. A lab technician had been inspecting my arm for the better part of 10 minutes, all in search of a vein that would put out a nominal amount of blood. Normally, I…
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Where Disability and Mental Illness Meet, Silence Isn’t an Option
I’ve been depressed on and off for over a decade; I’ve what is called persistent depressive disorder or “dysthymia.” I still feel hopeless, I still lack productivity, I still…
I Broke Up with Apple, and Here’s Why
I’ve been an Apple user since my senior year of high school. And before that I was an iPhone user — and before that, an iPod user, and by iPod I mean the literal…
Harsh Flu and a Wake-up Call: Let’s Go, Seize the Day!
Guess who spent the last several days in the hospital with the stomach flu! I think I mentioned in a previous column that I haven’t been sick in — well, years.
Five Reasons You Should Know #CripTheVote, a Rising Political Force for the Disabled
#CripTheVote sprang up during the election campaign of 2016 to make sure disabled people vote and to try to influence public policy on disability. Founded by Alice Wong, Andrew Pulrang, and Gregg Beratan, it achieved…
The Aftermath of My Amtrak Residency Trip, Part 1
I’ve been home for over a week now from my Amtrak residency, and while I wish I could say it’s been a relaxing couple of days, it hasn’t. I always forget how many things…
The Train Rides End and the Great Work Begins
We won’t die secret deaths anymore. The world only spins forward. We will be citizens. The time has come. Bye now. You are fabulous creatures, each and every one. And I bless…
Stoked About an Amtrak Residency That Will Let Me Write While Traveling by Train
On Saturday, May 27, I’ll be boarding an Amtrak train at Union Depot in St. Paul, Minnesota, at some god-awful time in the morning. You can tell my mom was the one in charge…
Video Games, but at What Cost?
I don’t want to spend too much time talking about video games — mainly because I know some of my readers have never played one. However, for my last installment (for a while, at least),…
Disabled and Proud of My ‘Cyborg’ Self
Game developers will never embrace accessibility — unless they realize how much the medium means to disabled people. So, continuing with the theme of last week’s column, I want…
Video Game Platforming, But from a Wheelchair with a Mouse
I want to talk a bit more about game accessibility this week. But, unlike last week, I’m going to offer up some actual, concrete experiences that will hopefully make it easier…
Why Can’t Games Like ‘Battlefront’ Be Bit More SMA Friendly?
I don’t really consider myself a gamer these days. I enjoy video games, and will occasionally take the day off to play the newest Star Wars: The Old Republic expansion, but it’s not…
