I always feel such inspiration when I hear about a person who has managed to write their own book.
Then I hear about Jennifer Smith, who decided to write a book at 12 years old, publishing at 16 years old and I am flat out in awe.
Let’s just add in that she is dyslexia and my brain just exploded.
You can buy Jennifer’s book here. In 2009 Jennifer started Jenny’s Wish Foundation. A portion of proceeds from her book sales go towards the foundation, and as it has developed it has become a source of help and support for those living with disability.
I think the strongest message she puts out is that if you live with disability, you are not dumb. You just learn differently. Anyone who has worked with, taught or spent time with someone with disability you already know this. But it’s a message that we have to keep spreading widely and enthusiastically.
The foundation is fantastic, offering $300 scholarships to link kids in with tutoring, technology or other assistance they need to learn and, even better, learn well.
It’s amazing to me that for less than $500 we can completely redefine a person’s experience in the education system.
Jennifer has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has learnt to SCUBA dive. Now she is a published author and runs a foundation to aid people with disability.
What a bloody legend.
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As you would all know by now, I am ever so slowly creeping my way towards a law degree. One of the things about the legal system that I find fascinating is the way children are represented in matters impacting them, and how this has changed over time, and is likely to change moving forward.
In cases of family separation, it makes sense that a child will have a view on their desired outcome, who they wish to live with, who takes them to school each day, where they feel safest etc.
In cases of abuse, children should be treated with the utmost of understanding and kindness, but they still have every right to justice and deserve to have their voices heard in a way that protects them, their remaining innocence and their sense of identity.
Linking these two thoughts together, I love the idea of a person living with dyslexia writing about that experience, and even better, while they are still in a development stage rather than looking back as an adult.
Understanding how we influence children and the way they experience our world is essential.
Thank you to the following sites:
Immskar 