Disabled While Black, new book on being disabled in America and navigating ones way around the world from a wheelchair

(Black PR Wire) STERLING, VA - Tracee Lydia Garner, a Virginia native, and award-winning author debuts her new and fifteenth titled book, Disability: An Anecdotal Field Guide for the Rest of Us. 

Dealing with her share of obstacles and adversity, Garner, who has Muscular Dystrophy, transposes everyday struggles and life's obstacles through her characters that ultimately and always triumph. "This book is different," Garner says, "it's for people with disabilities, self-advocates (youth and young adults, plus newly disabled) navigating a complex maze of rights and still lots of inaccessibility, physical and mental barriers put up by others to impede progress and reduce inclusive practices." The book will speak to parents whose children may have received new diagnoses or having sustained injury, trauma, and etc. “This time in particular is when supporters of the person with a disability must make a conscious effort to operate with the belief that disability doesn’t define all they are.” The special section for parents of children with special needs, “The Parent to Disabled Child Manifesto” has a contract to honor their children with disabilities, ensuring they are offered a type of life experience, as close as humanly possible to that of their “typically functioning” peers without comparison, striving for inclusion, dignity and respect. 

"I feel many parents could use the ideas and advice as they work to understand best practices for their child and realize that their child, too, has ideas and thoughts and could feel a sense of empowerment when encouraged and even pushed by parents. Many parents rise to meet challenges confronting them head-on or become frustrated with what is and is not available. Moreover, some parents can become inactive and resigned on advocacy and other fronts. Parents' response to a child's diagnosis has a profound effect on that child's ultimate success." 

Ms. Garner maintains her heart is in the many fiction titles she's penned, writing several romantic suspense novels under her full name. However, as a person with a disability, she feels it incumbent upon her to highlight the issues, her personal experiences and to discuss them candidly with openness, patience, humanity, and humor.

The book, volume one, covers a total of nine topics, including employment, mental health, physical health, travel, recreation, caregiving, and more, through the purview of disability and how that will play out in one's ability to reach their goals.

Garner has a form of Muscular Dystrophy: Spinal Muscular Dystrophy [SMA], a degenerative neuromuscular disease and has used a wheelchair for more almost 41 years. She continues to maintain full-time employment at an area nonprofit and is the former president of the Washington Romance DC Chapter. Disability: An Anecdotal Field Guide for the Rest of Us is available now. Garner is currently working on narrating all book chapters through her forthcoming, limited-edition podcast for her friends, colleagues, and fans with disabilities, using her voice to bring her story to life.

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