#dsps

Winners don’t go around assuming everyone is just as privileged and healthy and well rested as them

Winners don’t shame others for whatever accommodations they might need to maintain a decent quality of life

I feel my most creative at night

But I've been so heavily shamed for it that I feel ashamed to admit it's not all bad.

I spend so much time wishing I could just be normal, but is the fact my circadian rhythm is naturally delayed an inherently bad thing? Would it be seen so negatively if we didn't live in a world where work starts at eight and all appointments at nine? Would it be a sore spot for me if I weren't treated as though I were lazy for simply being?

Nonspeaking artist Jeremy Sicil-Kira on the traits he looks for when interviewing support staff.

Happy people are essential to my well being because life is greatly difficult when you dearly have a body like mine, that does not respond to your wishes. Belief in my ability to frankly realize my dreams is important. I need to feel that the support person feels I am capable.

During the interview, truly the most important aspect is the candidate’s ability to listen to what my needs are as described by me. They must be able to understand what my mom tells them that I have said I want in terms of qualities. The most important quality I look for is the ability to learn how to be a good communication partner in supporting my style of communication. I have motor differences and sensory integration challenges that make it hard for me to initiate and get nicely moving and they need the ability to understand about this.