Wow! I cannot believe the summer in DC has come to an end. There are so many areas of our lives that have been affected by this one summer, and now it is time to take these lessons back home with us. For the longest I knew I was not alone in being a person with a disability, but I felt lost on how to accept what it meant to me- Keri Gray. I felt I didn’t have an example or people to talk to who have struggled with the things I’ve struggled with. That left me to figure things out on my own, which I was doing in a slower pace than necessary and with many relapses.
Then the opportunity to work in DC happened. Over the course of the summer I interacted with people who have such passion in obtaining equal rights for all. They visibly showed their scars as marks of beauty, and that’s all I desired to do. I gained strength and motivation this summer to never hide. Further, a gained doorway into a community that will always support me in direction I have taken in life. AAPD and Capitol Hill connected me to two communities that built on me personally and professionally, and I am forever grateful.
So what’s next for me? This will be my senior year in my undergraduate study at Abilene Christian University. I am very excited to graduate in May 2012 with B.A.’s in Political Science and Communications with a minor in Public Service. I am as well preparing to take the LSAT and apply to law school in the DC and Texas area. I am excited for all our futures! Though it is the final chapter of this summer, it is the beginning of a connection with many many people. I am excited to say I feel a part of the disability community, and hope to give back as much as they have graciously given me!
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