divergify

Pride, politics, and disability in ABQ today.

Photos 1-4: I take Ava to Pride every year for two main reasons. It's important for her to see a diversity of families and to learn her role in supporting marginalized communities. She was torn between wanting to march with candidates like (who has been helping our friends in Afghanistan) and just enjoying the parade. Her solution? March in elections years; watch on odd years. She couldn't bear the thought of anti-LGBTQ+ rights candidates being elected (a strong sense of social justice is a common autistic/gifted trait). I don't know how she knew when mid-terms are. Maybe when your mom is a policy wonk, you just absorb this info by osmosis 🤓 After years of attending protests, she knew to request poster board to make her own signs 😂

Photo 5-6: Prepping for a march as a disabled mom with a disabled kid can be a lot. Here's a photo of our setup (taken by the Amazon float crew). We bring a wagon that serves as a space for Ava to feel safe and calm when the world becomes overwhelming and a seat for when my joints hurt or my blood pressure drops. Ava's bag includes a book to make wait times bearable (current read: Small Town Pride from our local indie bookstore ), quiet headphones for noise reduction, snacks, and fidgets. My bag includes a ridiculous amount of water, liquid IV, braces, portable fans, and other first aid items for pain and potential injuries. However, the goal is to prevent rather than respond to incidents - talked to Ava last night about what to expect, wore comfortable shoes and clothes, stayed hydrated, took inflammation reducer ahead of time, stuck to safe foods. No service dog because of the intense heat today (maybe not the safest decision!)

Photo 7: Pride on historic Route 66

Photo 8: Bathroom mirror selfie of an outfit I bought from Target specifically for Pride because I'm a basic straight white woman *Ally(TM)*

Getting the support that neurodivergents deserve and are legally entitled to is HARD. Systemic ableism is real, and we'll never stop fighting. But today, we celebrate 🎉

Nothing about us without us.

What kind of challenges have you faced in getting health care or accommodations?