What I Should Have Told My Friends About Cerebral Palsy in Elementary School
Looking back at my childhood and going to school, it was always easy for me to make friends. But I do have some regrets when it comes to explaining my cerebral palsy to my friends over the years. As I’m about to turn 23, I begin to think about what I should’ve told my friends about my cerebral palsy back when I was in elementary school.
I should have told my friends having cerebral palsy doesn’t make me anything different from them.
I should have told my friends that cerebral palsy doesn’t stop me from enjoying what I love to do.
I should have told my friends that just because I have cerebral palsy, it doesn’t mean that my feelings are going to be hurt if I don’t win at a game of UNO. Please don’t let me win.
I should have told my friends that cerebral palsy isn’t a sad condition to have — it’s a blessing.
I should have told my friends that just because I have cerebral palsy, it doesn’t mean you can’t invite me to your birthday parties because the water park isn’t accessible. I could find a way to swim.
I should have told my friends that cerebral palsy doesn’t define me as a person. I’m just Tylia.
Tylia L. Flores is a twenty-eight-year-old born with Spastic Cerebral Palsy. Despite her condition that affects her mobility, she does not allow it to affect her will and determination to make a difference in the world. Through her many life challenges and obstacles, she discovered her passion for writing. Tylia’s goal in life is to share her stories with the world. In doing so, she hopes to help others with disabilities realize that they, too, have the potential to make their dreams come true. Tylia is not only an author. She’s a radio show personality and a disability activist. Tylia has written about disability-related topics for Yahoo Life, Your Tango, The Mighty, ReadUnwritten.com, Words Between Coasts Project, Wednesday, Spilwords, and Goble Thrive. Worth Living Among her other appearances are Disability on the Spectrum and Why I was Afraid of Sexuality. Previously, Tylia was nominated to Diversabilities list of the most influential Disability Impacts of 2022. Additionally, Tylia holds the position of chairman in the creative director role for the North American Association Of Cerebral Palsy Advocates. She serves as a mentor for the Disability EmpowHer Network as well. Tylia also works for Write It Up Publishing as a sensitivity reader focusing on disability representation. Tylia has also been involved in many movie press releases for Samuel Goldwyn Films Come as you are Piece of me which was the short film directed and written by award winning filmmaker Bruna Cabral as well as the film adaptation of the book Calvin can’t fly by Jenifer Burnes Tylia is also a keynote speaker at 2020’s Cerebral Palsy Awareness conference. She has also been a guest speaker at Northeastern State University Broken Arrow where she talks to college students about disability and inclusion in education. She has also been a guest speaker at Plantation Middle School, where she discussed inclusion and disability with classmates. Tylia is fully certified in Education for All: Disability, Diversity, and Inclusion through Cape Town University. She’s also certified in Understanding Diversity and Inclusion through Purdue University. She’s also certified in creative writing at the University of East Anglia. Tylia hosts the Stomping On cerebral Palsy radio show with DJ Ty on Asheville FM with DJ Mouse during the Come On In the Kitchen segment once a month she also helps the staff behind the scenes, help bring awareness to disability awareness and inclusion within the radio broadcasting industry .
tylialflores