It goes without saying that a person living with a disability faces challenges. As a woman with a disability, you're faced with twice as much. The struggles that come with checking two minority boxes; being a woman and being a PWD. It takes grit; it takes having the right people who genuinely love you; above all, it absolutely takes God's undeserved grace and mercy to surmount the stumbling blocks and reach the prize.

On a day where the world chooses to celebrate us and our struggles, I choose to encourage myself and other PWDs, especially women, to rise above the weird looks, the misconceptions, the unfortunate (sometimes silly) questions and all other hurdles, and keep pushing forward, having our eyes on the ultimate prize.

As we continue the fight for accessibility and inclusion, let's fight the self-sabotage too, it's far more cancerous. Shake off the feeling of not being enough, because you actually are enough. Rise above the negativity, embrace yourself wholly and brighten the corner you are.

Anytime you feel too tired to continue, remember those who look up to you and forge ahead!

Don't give pessimism a chance to take your smile away, but whenever you feel overwhelmed, please have a good cry, wash your face and start smiling again (able-bodied people do that too sometimes😃).

Be firm with, but not too hard on yourself. Live your life to the fullest, the best way you can, most importantly, keep God at the center of it.

And oh, whether you have a braille challenge, or your caliper, your wheelchair, your prosthetic leg, your crutch(es), or your hearing aid is being mean today, remember that won't last either. Because guess what, the sun comes out everyday and it will definitely come out again tomorrow.

Happy IDPD 2021!