Grace Dow
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gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Grace Dow
@gracedowwrites.bsky.social
140 followers 110 following 670 posts
I am a writer who has cerebral palsy. Please visit my blog at https://gracedowwrites.com/
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gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today’s blog post is about the disability service crisis in America. gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/10/u...
Unseen and Undervalued
Disability service providers across the United States are warning of more cuts to essential programs that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. the financial strain on th…
gracedowwrites.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:01 PM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about loneliness as a disabled person.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/09/t...
The Loneliest Lessons I Learned Growing Up Disabled
CW: Mental Health Loneliness is not just a fleeting feeling. It is a constant reality for many disabled individuals. In a recent opinion piece for the Cincinnati Enquirer, Alen Amini, the executive…
gracedowwrites.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:36 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how cerebral palsy impacts my self-esteem.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/08/w...
Worthy With Every Step
CW: Mental health Living with cerebral palsy means constantly navigating a world that was not built with me in mind. It is not just about overcoming physical obstacles. It is about facing the emoti…
gracedowwrites.com
November 8, 2025 at 12:17 PM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about Medicaid cuts impacting disabled people and their families.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/07/w...
Work or Health: A Cruel Choice
CW: Mental Health Medicaid cuts are threatening the stability and independence of disabled people and their caregivers. In Connecticut, the proposed rollback of MED-Connect could force thousands of…
gracedowwrites.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:22 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how my spasticity is affected by the weather.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/06/t...
The Forecast I Feel: Spasticity and the Seasons
I have spastic cerebral palsy. This means my muscles are often tight and hard to control because of how my brain and spinal cord communicate with my body. As a result, movements like walking, reach…
gracedowwrites.com
November 6, 2025 at 10:54 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about record workforce gains for disabled people in the United States.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/05/a...
Ability at Work
CW: Discrimination Workforce participation among disabled people has reached a record high. This milestone reflects decades of advocacy, cultural change, and evolving workplace practices. For too l…
gracedowwrites.com
November 5, 2025 at 10:11 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about Prematurity Awareness Month and the challenges premature babies and their families face.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/04/i...
In the Shadow of 37 Weeks
CW: Premature Birth In the United States, November is Prematurity Awareness Month. The World Health Organization defines premature birth as a birth that occurs before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Birth w…
gracedowwrites.com
November 4, 2025 at 11:49 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about All Souls' Day.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/03/l...
Love Never Leaves: Honoring Those Who Shaped Us
CW: Death Yesterday was All Souls Day. In the Catholic faith, it is a time to honor those who have passed on. These people, whether they were publicly celebrated or quietly lived, left behind a leg…
gracedowwrites.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:44 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about supporting family caregivers in America.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/02/a...
America’s Caregivers: A Patchwork of Support and Strain
Nearly a quarter of U.S. adults care for disabled, ill, or elderly family members. A new report finds that their challenges differ greatly depending on their state. This information comes from a re…
gracedowwrites.com
November 2, 2025 at 8:14 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about finding gratitude while grieving.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/11/01/s...
Struggling with Gratitude
CW: Death November is a month that is typically associated with gratitude. Thanksgiving is when people get together with friends and family to reflect on what they have to be thankful for. It is ab…
gracedowwrites.com
November 1, 2025 at 7:14 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about valuing all kinds of work and the people who do it.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/31/t...
The Value We Overlook
On Wednesday, I saw a post on Facebook that matched the theme of today’s post: work. We are told to work hard from an early age. We should get good grades in school so we can go to college and get …
gracedowwrites.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:03 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how the government shutdown is impacting special education.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/30/s...
Special Ed, Special Risk
The ongoing government shutdown, which is now in its fourth week, has led to increased layoffs across various federal agencies. The U.S. Department of Education is one of the major targets of these…
gracedowwrites.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:20 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today’s blog post is about how the federal shutdown is affecting disability services.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/29/l...
Left Behind by the Shutdown
The federal shutdown is proving detrimental to organizations providing disability services nationwide. They are struggling since federal funding has been suspended.  Many of these organization…
gracedowwrites.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:11 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how toxic positivity impacts disabled people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/28/p...
Positivity Isn’t a Cure
CW: Ableism When I was growing up, I heard the same message again and again. If you want something badly enough and never stop trying, you’ll get it. I saw this message everywhere. It was in commer…
gracedowwrites.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:21 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how toxic positivity impacts disabled people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/28/p...
Positivity Isn’t a Cure
CW: Ableism When I was growing up, I heard the same message again and again. If you want something badly enough and never stop trying, you’ll get it. I saw this message everywhere. It was in commer…
gracedowwrites.com
October 28, 2025 at 7:15 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about Walmart being sued by the EEOC.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/27/a...
A Job Lost and a Law Tested
CW: Discrimination The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s recent lawsuit against Walmart has sparked a nationwide debate about disabled people’s rights and companie…
gracedowwrites.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:27 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how the shutdown endangers SNAP access for disabled people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/26/d...
#Disability #SNAP #DemolishDisabledPoverty
Disabled, Hungry, Forgotten
CW: Food Insecurity & Poverty   SNAP benefits, formerly called food stamps, will be halted in several states if the federal government shutdown continues for much longer. Politico reports …
gracedowwrites.com
October 26, 2025 at 6:33 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how the shutdown endangers SNAP access for disabled people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/26/d...
Disabled, Hungry, Forgotten
CW: Food Insecurity & Poverty   SNAP benefits, formerly called food stamps, will be halted in several states if the federal government shutdown continues for much longer. Politico reports …
gracedowwrites.com
October 26, 2025 at 6:30 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how my disability impacts my self-worth.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/25/r...
Redefining Worth
CW: Loneliness Worth is a quiet truth that stays hidden beneath the noise of expectation. The world often tries to define worth in limited ways. It measures value by physical ability, independence,…
gracedowwrites.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:32 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about how disabled people often rely on the internet and social media for connection and access.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/24/w...
When Offline Isn’t an Option
Social media and the internet are often seen as distractions, but for many disabled people, they are a lifeline. Disability advocate Andrew Gurza captured this perfectly when he wrote, “When a disa…
gracedowwrites.com
October 24, 2025 at 2:26 PM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's post is about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s mistreatment of disabled people.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/23/i...
ICE vs. the Disabled
CW: abuse & neglect  On a Saturday evening earlier this month, troubling footage surfaced from Portland, Oregon. It showed federal agents detaining Guinn Haberl, a blind man known for his …
gracedowwrites.com
October 23, 2025 at 11:40 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today’s blog post is about why disabled people shouldn’t have to be strong just to live.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/22/s...
Strength Is Not the Goal
Disabled people are often forced to be strong. Living with a disability often means every day is a challenge. There is no reason why disabled people should have to fight so hard to live. Strength i…
gracedowwrites.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:37 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about the need for affordable, accessible, and inclusive housing.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/21/t...
Together, Under One Roof
In a world where housing often reflects division rather than unity, Micaela Connery offers a powerful counter-narrative. Her “Brief But Spectacular” take on building inclusive communities, featured…
gracedowwrites.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:43 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today's blog post is about caring about others every day.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/20/e...
Everyday Care
Most people know how to show up for the major milestones in life. Birthdays, weddings, graduations, and baby showers are events that mark significant transitions. These occasions are planned with c…
gracedowwrites.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:41 AM
gracedowwrites.bsky.social
Today’s blog post is about the exploitation of disabled employees.

gracedowwrites.com/2025/10/19/u...
Unseen Work
CW: Exploitation Frances Boyd’s account of her autistic son’s experience at Waitrose & Partners in Cheadle Hulme, a suburb of Manchester, England, reveals a serious failure in the treatment of …
gracedowwrites.com
October 19, 2025 at 8:51 AM