Shelley Dacoste is a self advocate who is leading a campaign to change the word “disability” to “diversability”. Here she writes about her experience presenting at INcommon.tv’s Interconnected – an evening of live storytelling on March 6, 2014.
The evening of March 6th was hosted at the Roundhouse Yaletown, Vancouver. It was different to be on a stage setting with cameras and lights. It wasn’t a typical interview.
I told a story about employment, of course. It was the one about the failures of employment and another was on a success and then I did another bit about just how to think outside the box and how to prove yourself. Like when I worked at KFC and watching my boss make salads. One day she had to leave and grab the phone. I found my opportunity to take over and show her that I could do it. Unfortunately, people with diversabilities need to prove more things to more people to get more opportunity.
I talked about my independence by being away from my parents for the first time ever when I went out East. I had never left Fort St. John ever to live on my own but I had packed up and went across Canada to prove a point that I can be on my own. I moved back to BC and had a great life getting a job and making a difference in the world. Hoping to make a difference. One story at a time.
