Mikelle and I feel compelled to write about life with a disability, not just the challenges but the opportunities, the friendships, the innovations, and the brilliance of our communities in action as we share our everyday life living with a disability. With a little more information, motivation, we hope to share how our life is shining beautiful and maybe help you to shine beautiful, too.
When Compassion Feels in Short Supply: The Human Cost of a Government Shutdown
Disruption The shelves may look full for now, but beneath the bright grocery store lights lies a quiet unease. The latest government shutdown has done
Mikelle’s Employment Journey—One Bracelet, One Podcast, One Dream at a Time
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)—Mikelle has been working since she was sixteen, and every year we recommit to creating inclusive opportunities for
Lessons from September’s Emergency Preparedness Month.
Be Ready September came and went with its quiet reminder: be ready. The world seems to tilt a little more each year—storms stronger, systems shakier,
When the Lights Flicker Out: Government Shutdowns, Disability, and the Unseen Cost on Families.
It is Oct 1, 2025—another government shutdown. In the quiet hours before dawn, when the world still clings to hope, a mother sits on her
Stories as Shields: The Art of Advocacy in an Uncertain Time
We live in a season of unsettled skies. The winds from Washington carry whispers of reconsideration—of HB-1 and the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, with its
The Power of Storytelling: Advocating Through the New ColoradoCommunity First Choice Program
Stories. Stories, when told truthfully, have the power to turn bureaucratic walls into open doors. They make the invisible visible. They remind us that behind
The Art of Living: How Creativity Shapes Mikelle’s World—and Ours.
Where does Art Live? Some people think art hangs quietly on a wall, waiting to be admired. But in Mikelle’s home, art hums in the
When Stories Open Doors: Families, Resources, and the Lessons of Viki King
The Unexpected Moment It was a late spring day, and the snow was wet and heavy. The kind of storm that makes you want to
Seasons of Change: August Reflections at Shining Beautiful
Transition Time August is a month of transition. The sun still lingers, but the shadows are growing longer. Back-to-school sales pop up in every store,
The Calendar at the Center of Care
At the heart of our home is a calendar. Not the kind that counts the days, but one that holds the rhythm of Mikelle’s life—steady,
Pretty in Pink and Perfectly Included: Mikelle’s Night at Red Rock
Girl’s Night Out Some nights just sparkle—and our evening at Film on the Rocks watching Legally Blonde was one of those unforgettable nights. Mikelle and
Voices Shining Beautiful Mikelle’s Beam+ Mini-Documentary and Its Premiere at The People’s Theater
A Story of Advocacy In a new short documentary from BEAM+STORIES Season 2, Mikelle steps into the spotlight—not just as a storyteller, but as a