About Me

My greatest strength is what most would consider my greatest weakness. It has been my toughest adversity, but also the reason why I am pursuing a career in student affairs. It is my disability.

I was born with a rare eye condition called, "Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous," which is a detached retina causing permanent blindness in my left eye. Throughout my childhood and young adolescent years, I hid my weakness. I created an articial veil of normalcy that covered any trace of what I considered "abnormal." I never wanted to be defined by something I could not control. It was not until I entered college that I realized the imperfection I hated became the opportunity I needed.

We may not be able to change our situation, but we have the ability to change our response.

And so I created "Beyond the Blind Side," a program and philosophy of re-envisioning disability as a distinctive trademark rather than a definitive label. In doing so, I defied every doctor who told me my blind eye would be a "dead eye." I renamed my disability a “Powerful, Heavenly, and Purposeful Vision,” which came from my strong Christian faith. No longer is it about disability vs. ability, but sight vs. vision. With my right eye, I have sight, how I and others physically see who I am. With my left eye, I have vision, which is what I believe who I am. The choice of going beyond my blind side has led me to different positions and experiences that have challenged me to become a transformative advocate of change. To bring unseen opportunities into physical realities.

I graduated SUNY Cortland (Cortland, NY) in 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in Selected Studies, which gave me the freedome to participate in various disability advocacy initiatives. After three and a half years of coursework in Special Education, I realized I did not want to become a school teacher. As a Resident Assistant and Summer Orientation Assistant at Cortland, I was drawn into the world of students affairs--along with professors and supervisors who became my mentors. Working alongside individuals with disabilities will always be a part of my professional identity. But I knew my calling was on a college campus, to create more accessible and inclusive opportunities for the world's largest minority group.

Currently, I am pursuing a Master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Administration at SUNY Buffalo State in Buffalo, NY. I am also a Graduate Residence Director at Medaille College. Both of these experiences have motivated me to keep using my voice instead of remain silenced by a label.

We become memorable to others when we are able find meaning in the most challenging situations. It prevents us from conforming to the crowd, and pushes us into an unconventional level of creativity. Our purpose is found in our position - how we respond to ourcircumstances - not in our vocation. We all have a blind side. For me, it is a physical impairment that I have progressively accepted; for society, it is an anomaly that is persistently avoided. The challenge lies in understanding we cannot change what we refuse to confront.

So, I will leave you with this question. . .

Are you ready to go beyond your blind side?