Danielle works for a medical supply company and was photographed as part of the Essential series last spring. During that shoot Danielle said, “I help provide medical equipment to individuals who are in need of things like CPAP machines, wheelchairs, etc. Being considered an “essential worker” has been an interesting experience, because people with disabilities are rarely considered essential.”
Danielle manages her own YouTube channel ‘Daniellability’ to help people see what living with a disability is like. “Although there are many variations of what that looks like, and I can only share one perspective, my hope is to help others see just how human the disabled community is.”
This spring, I circled back to Danielle. She (unsurprisingly) shared insightful thoughts about her perspective on the pandemic.
“Over the last year, I’ve been thinking a lot about what life must have been like for those with disabilities 100 years ago (or even for some people in today’s world who live in less developed countries). They rarely left their homes because of the lack of accessibility, or were maybe even placed in an institution of some kind - separated from the rest of the world. So in a way, I feel like I’m getting a small taste of what that would have been like. I think in some ways it’s been easier for me to adjust to COVID life than my non-disabled friends. Having to miss out or not being able to participate in certain social things isn’t new to me. Over the years I’ve cultivated hobbies that I can do at home that are fulfilling and enjoyable. We’re all in the same boat right now, and soon we’ll be able to go back out into the world. Until that happens, I encourage you to think about your time at home (especially if you aren’t a wheelchair user), and how restricting it feels. For some people, that’s all they’ve ever known because of lack of accessibility.”
Danielle is doing well! She went back to working in the office, rather than from home. She said it feels good to get out of the house regularly again.
