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“Storytelling is a chance to know ourselves better, to really question who we are, where we've been, and who we want to be." – Alice Wong
Power is built through storytelling. When we elevate authentic stories, we can disrupt myths and build authentic connections. In this edition of Storytelling with Disability Lead on the cusp of Disability Pride Month, Members Laura Issacs, Chaitanya Manchanda, and Tina Lowry shared their stories. We thank them for sharing because finding the right words requires labor and vulnerability, but the results can be a catalyst for change.
Laura Thompson
"Real love is choosing each other again and again, even when it’s hard."
Laura Thompson (Fellow, 2023) is a mental health advocate and storyteller who bravely shared her journey with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Her story brought together childhood memories of material privilege and emotional deprivation, revealing how unresolved trauma shaped her struggles with relationships and how it is a challenge she continues to overcome.
Laura recounted childhood moments and how the curated image of a "spoiled" child was an incorrect portrayal to the fear, criticism, and emotional negligence she felt inside. "I didn’t feel spoiled," she said. "I felt terrified." The tumultuous relationship with her mother led to a confused state of mind where she constantly struggled to find validation, this unmet desire impacted all her future relationships. After her BPD diagnosis, Laura embraced Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to reclaim her life. She learned to honor her sensitivity and navigate with better communication. Her story culminated in hope, a rekindled connection with a high school classmate who chose to love her through the storm. "I now feel loved and safe," she shared, "not just because of him, but because I trust myself." Laura’s vulnerability underscored a universal truth: healing isn’t linear, but it’s possible when we refuse to give up on ourselves.
Watch Laura’s story at 3:06.
Chaitanya Manchanda
“Let them stare endlessly to their heart’s content. Not their first time and won’t be their last.”
Chaitanya Manchanda (Fellow, 2017) is a global advocate for accessibility and inclusion, drawing from his lived experience as a Deaf individual navigating education and career across India, Canada, and the U.S. During his senior year at university, a single moment in a class became a turning point in his journey toward self-acceptance.
Chaitanya described the isolation of being unexpectedly outed by a professor who publicly requested a note-taker for him, singling him out in front of peers. “I felt like I committed a crime,” he shared. The stares that followed brought back his old fears such as the exhaustion of lip-reading, the weight of societal stigma in India (where Deafness was seen as an unfixable ‘flaw’), and years of hiding his hearing aids to avoid judgment. Yet, when he confronted the professor, the response surprised him: “Your hearing loss will always be part of you. What matters is how you navigate life.” This moment became a turning point. Chaitanya learned to restructure his identity as a disabled individual and embraced visual communication, facial expressions, gestures, and cultural empathy as tools that helped him “listen beyond ears.” His story aims to highlight a beautiful message: inclusion begins with self-acceptance. “Unless I embraced myself, I couldn’t demand it from others.”
Watch Chaitanya’s story at 14:09.
Tina Marie Lowry
“I am not a problem to be solved. I am a person to be understood."
Tina Marie Lowry (Member, 2023) is a passionate advocate for neurodiversity and self-authorship. In her powerful story, she looked back on a lifetime of being defined by ‘The Book’, a metaphorical record of others' labels, diagnoses, and expectations that overshadowed her brilliance, autonomy, and humanity.
From childhood, Tina was a contradiction to those around her due to her impressive intellect yet chastised for her intensity, sensitivity to noise, and unwavering honesty. "What I called focus, others called obsession," she shared. School files documented every perceived shortcoming such as, “flinch at a loud sound”, “a plea to work alone”, while her academic and extracurricular achievements were simply footnotes. Adulthood brought new iterations of T”he Book” in the form of workplace performance reviews that labelled her as "not socially savvy, bulldozes priorities". Yet, tina beautifully shares her journey of reshaping her narrative and taking back her power. She says: "I’ve spent years trying to shrink myself to fit," she said. "Now, I’m expanding." This is a story about not being defined by ‘a book’ and taking the pen in your own hand when it comes to defining yourself.
Watch Tina’s story at 29:35.
Watch the entire event on YouTube by pressing play below!