“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” -William James
My platform is something that I truly feel like it was something I was meant to do. Disabilities Not Impossibilities is something that I will stand by the rest of my life. This empowering message isn’t something I will stop spreading once my reign is done. Showing that anyone can do anything is so important to me. I was born with learning disabilities. I have three different types of dyslexia, comprehension issues, and ADHD. When I was just 18 years old, I was diagnosed with Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, Otherwise known as Guillain-Barre Syndrome. This is very rare and only affects less than 20,000 people in the United States.
Disabilities Not Impossibilities movement is to show how common disabilities are. No matter if they’re visible or invisible. 1 in 8 do/will develop a disability in their life. 1 in 5 have a learning disability. I, myself, have invisible disabilities. It’s important to understand that invisible disabilities do not have to be obvious and evident. People that have invisible developmental disabilities may suffer from bullying and being misunderstood. They may seem like they don’t have a disability. It’s good to note that you should never assume if something does or doesn’t have a disability. Just because the disability is not evident does not mean it does not exist.
One of my missions is to show the world how common they are. I know not everyone has a disability. The odds that you know or encounter someone who does have a disability are high. I am educating my community by keeping things in perspective. I know it’s hard to understand what it’s like having a disability if you don’t have one. I had no idea what it was like having a physical disability until I got diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. It made me realize how much I was taking something, like walking, for granted. Being paralyzed for a part of my life is something I am glad I got to experience. It made me feel more blessed for the life I was given and that gave me an itch to spread my message Disabilities Not Impossibilities.
The other part of my mission is to empower the ones with any disability. We all have goals, whether they’re big or small. Sometimes we set goals that are challenging. Some of us want to go pro/olympics, run a successful business, or even be a great politician. These goals have barriers in the way of achieving. They’re not impossible, just difficult to reach most times. Imagine if a challenging goal is for you to open a door, write a paper, or even read a paragraph. Without the support from the people around you, you feel defeated. I know I did, and still do sometimes. With that being said, when I do have those moments where I feel like I’m comparing my intelligence or that my body is being difficult, I remember who I am. I am someone who is as strong as their community, is loved and supported by the ones around me, and empowered and believed in just like I feel towards the people in the world. Showing that disabilities truly are not impossibilities.
Nothing is impossible,
LeAnne Brydl
Miss North Dakota International 2020
