Author: Sephira

Born and raised primarily in Northern Virginia, my family and I moved to North Carolina in 2006. Married for over 20 years, my husband and I have two boys and a gaggle of cats. For me, writing is a great stress reliever. I can let my mind wander and let my emotions run free in a way that is generally not possible in my normal everyday life. My writings run the gamut in terms of style and genre – for instance my first novel is a historical romance set in the Civil War, but some of the other things I have in the works are fantasy or thrillers, among other things. It probably goes without saying, but my poetry is somewhat eclectic in nature, and again while some may feel the need to stick with a particular form, I tend to write just whatever comes to mind. Let the winds of inspiration lead me on… I’m always interested in comments and feedback. So please feel free to share your thoughts with me!
~ Sephira ~ Leave a comment

Q: Why is disability history important to all Americans, but Americans with disabilities in particular?

A: History gives us the tools to think about us—whoever that us is—as being part of something bigger; we have a past, which means that we have a present and a future. Because disability has been ignored for so long, it’s important for the general public and people with disabilities to learn that it played an important part, not just because of a few important people who defined a movement, but also for how we think about things like productive labor, our healthcare system, the impact of war and how our nation establishes various hierarchies. By understanding how disabled people are defined by these experiences and often helped define them is tremendously empowering both individually and collectively.

from Why Disability History Matters, an interview of Cathy Kudlick by Alice Wong of the Disability Visibility Project (via longmoreinstituteondisability)
~ Sephira ~ Leave a comment

aromaleigh:

In just a few days, our new eyeshadow shade, “Neurodivergent” will be available for purchase with 50% of sales benefitting Autism Women’s Network! Aromaleigh’s founder and formulator, is herself a woman on the Autism Spectrum, diagnosed late in life at age 41. Although you probably know her under her professional name of Kristen Leigh Bell, she’s not just our favorite cosmetic formulator and creative director- she’s also an advocate for Autism Acceptance and Neurodiversity, writing about her experience as an Autistic woman, single parent and avid homeschooler- on her blog, Sonnolenta. 

It’s through the support and the acceptance of the Autism Community that she’s felt the confidence and strength with which to go public about her Autism diagnosis and begin creating gorgeous colors to raise funding for groups such as The Golden Hat Foundation as well as Women’s Autism Network. “Feeling as if I had a safe place within the Autism community to just be myself and go public about being an Autistic woman has given me such great relief. It was as if an overwhelming weight was lifted from my shoulders. In the last two months, I’ve felt both my creativity and my spirits soar… and a big component of it is that I am no longer feeling trapped, and unable to express myself. The neurodiversity community is something I feel so passionate about, and I’m proud to be a part of it” ~ Cristiana Calderan Bell/Sonnolenta 

This eyeshadow will be available at http://www.aromaleigh.com on April 1!