Meet Michelle Steiner: Conquering Disabilities, Inspiring Many!

Michelle Steiner is a disability writer, speaker, photographer, and paraeducator who lives with invisible disabilities including dyscalculia (a math learning disability), limited hand dexterity, and visual perception issues. Diagnosed in kindergarten, she has spent her life finding alternative ways to learn and live. She works in a school with students who have disabilities and writes about her experiences to encourage, empower, and educate people with and without disabilities. Her articles have been published on The Mighty, the Non-Verbal Learning Project, Dyscalculia Blog, and other outlets. She had three stories published in the anthology Rediscovering Your Story. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two cats.

Host: Richard Lowe | Guest: Michelle Steiner

Interview Transcript

Richard: Tell me a little about yourself.

Michelle: I live in Pennsylvania with my husband Ron and our two cats, Jack and Sparrow. I’m a disability writer with my own blog called Michelle’s Mission, where I combine photography and writing to explain what life with a math learning disability is like. I also work as a paraeducator in a school for students with disabilities — we see learning disabilities, dyslexia, autism, emotional support needs, visual and hearing impairments, and students who just need a little extra time and attention.

How Writing Started

Michelle: When I was really young, writing was one of the things I was good at, because everything else was hard for me. I thought life was always going to be difficult and that I couldn’t learn. Then I wrote a story about a dinosaur, and my dad read it and said, “This story is pretty good.” That sparked something — oh, I can do something, I’m good at something. I wrote a bunch after that.

As a teenager, I joined an adult writing group with people a couple years older. I wrote some really bad poetry and cringe-worthy things. A friend told me I should write about having a learning disability. I said no — it was too personal. I wanted to pretend it didn’t exist. It took years and a lot of going back to school and discouragement before I finally took her advice.

Writing About Invisible Disability

Michelle: I have limited hand dexterity in both hands — we didn’t find that out until I was an adult. I was struggling to open a lock, so I wrote a piece for The Mighty about that struggle. When it got published, it was one of the most healing things I ever did. People came to me saying, “I didn’t know I struggled with that too. I thought I was the only one.”

One person told me they were on a three-way phone call with family, using my article to explain what they struggle with. That encouraged me to write more. I started my blog, expanded it to include a store with my photography, and created a Disability Forum where people with disabilities can connect and respond to questions.

Photography from the Passenger Seat

Michelle: Because I can’t drive with my disability, I get to pick up on details other people miss from the passenger seat. I’ll be in the car with my husband and say, “Did you see that?” He says, “I’m focused on the road.” If I’m out walking, I’ll find a flower and take a picture, then combine it with a nature metaphor on my blog that describes my experience with disability.

The Gaslight Problem

Michelle: People with invisible disabilities get gaslighted a lot. I’ll tell someone I have a math learning disability and they’ll say, “Other people have it worse” or “You don’t look disabled” or “You got your bachelor’s degree, so you can’t have a disability.” Yes, I do. Having a disability that people can’t see doesn’t mean it isn’t real.

With my visual perception issues, I can see escalator stairs but can’t tell when to get on and off. So I use elevators. Once at a mall, there was a sign saying the elevator was only for wheelchairs and strollers. There are other disabilities and other people who might need it.

The Hidden Sunflower Program

Michelle: I took my first solo flight to exhibit at a Down Syndrome conference in Florida. I looked into resources and found the Hidden Sunflower Program — a lanyard that indicates a hidden disability. Staff know that maybe you need pre-boarding, or might struggle with a seatbelt, or might be wandering the airport looking lost. They can come up and ask if you need help. It’s so simple — a lanyard they can mail to you. Train the staff and that’s really all we need. I’d love to see it in every major airport and bus station.

Turning Disadvantage into Advantage

Michelle: Being diagnosed young meant that having a learning disability became a lifestyle. If we can’t do something one way, we find a way around it. My parents taught me to advocate from a very young age. I was the “shyest girl” in fifth grade — bullied, an only child for 13 years with mostly adult interaction. I wanted to talk, I wanted to be involved and accepted. It took a long time and good friends who worked with me to bring that out. We’re still friends 20-some years later from that writing group. They made a big difference in my life.

Advice

Michelle: I would encourage people with learning disabilities to know what they want, say it, and find a way to do it. And for people who support them — listen, and help give them the tools and resources they need. Everybody has something they’re good at and something to share. It’s just people working together on what they are good at.

Find Michelle Steiner at michellesmission.blog.net.

Find Richard Lowe at TheWritingKing.com.

Video edited by Bonnie Dillabough.