Why I Started the 'Unstoppable' Social Media Campaign for People with Developmental Disabilities
I began volunteering through a local developmental disabilities agency when I was 12. I served as a friend and mentor in a program called Circle of Friends at my school. For six years I would spend my summers assisting with an Educational and Recreation program. Through these experiences, I got to know and build friendships with dozens of students growing up with developmental disabilities. One thing I found through both experiences is that others in our schools and our community knew little about people living with developmental disabilities. People were always shocked when I would tell stories about my friends and all they were doing.
I was told once that to make a difference I had to find something that makes me angry. I didn’t quite understand that until a guy in high school told me that “God never wanted kids with special needs. That’s just not how people should be.” That statement hit me in a way nothing else had before. It was at that moment a spark ignited in my heart. The anger I felt quickly turned into a passion, a mission to show the world people are not defined by their disabilities, nor are they a tragedy. They are individuals just like you and me who deserve the quality of life we expect. It is time the world sees everything they can do.
This has inspired me to share a message about the talents, passion and pizazz that make those I care about “Unstoppable” in all they do.
For Developmental Disability Awareness Month this March, I kicked off a social media campaign to help share stories about those we care about who may be living with a disability, but they’re not letting it hold them back from their dreams. This campaign will continue, as it is a message that needs to be heard.
I have been sharing pictures, stories and videos posted on my Facebook and Twitter pages and encouraging others to share mine and their own with the hashtags #IAmUnstoppable and #BeUnstoppable.
I already have a few supporters in surrounding states, and we hope to take the idea coast to coast. It is time to highlight those who are important to us and change society’s perspective. It is time to remove the definitions, destroy the stereotypes and be unstoppable.
Learn more about Krystian’s campaign on her website, Be Unstoppable.
The Mighty is asking the following: Share a conversation you’ve had that changed the way you think about disability, disease or mental illness. If you’d like to participate, please send a blog post to community@themighty.com. Please include a photo for the piece, a photo of yourself and 1-2 sentence bio. Check out our Submit a Story page for more about our submission guidelines.
Krystian Alisha Fish, a Wichita native, is a passionate advocate for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although she has grown up around those with disabilities, her true passion for these individuals sparked when she began volunteering for The Arc of Sedgwick County’s YESS Program. In 2015, Krystian created the Be Unstoppable Campaign, empowering those with disabilities, and educating our community about the importance of inclusion. The campaign features ambassadors, each with their own story and message to share. In March, the campaign released a series of photos with messages, the most famous being “labels are for soup, not kids”. As the campaign continues to grow, she has made national connections, catching the attention of disability communities and agencies across many states. The campaign has been featured in Parents Magazine, Apostrophe Magazine, The Mighty, and various radio and tv stations in the past year, continuing the message of being unstoppable. You can follow her journey at Krystianalisha.weebly.com or contact her at [email protected]
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