When looking back at 5-year-old me, I didn’t think I would be where I am today. Throughout my life, some individuals and physicians have told my parents that I would struggle within society as an individual with a disability. Not being able to walk, as well as having medical complications. I was also in speech therapy at a very early age, since I was having trouble with talking and punctuation.

It’s hard to believe that the same 5-year-old who was in speech therapy for not being able to talk properly, is now giving presentations to over 1,000 employees and organizations each year. Has created and built a Workforce Development Department, a business owner and a published author.

It is always important to know that you can overcome your fears, no matter how difficult it can be. Never let anyone tell you that you are not able to do anything. Be your own cheerleader, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to!

These last few months, I had to advocate for accessibility challenges that have occurred within travels for work. One thing I realized, is that it is important to not back down from situations that need to be corrected. As a person with a disability, I take a responsibility not only for myself, but for others with disabilities, when it comes to paving the way for accessibility. It is important to feel confident in being your own advocate. To know that one “No” from someone doesn’t mean it’s time to back down.

A few months ago, I had a situation occur while I was traveling to Denver, where the airline damaged my wheelchair. Of course the first thing the airline says is that the damage is “personal wear and tear.” At that time, my wheelchair was not even 24 hours old. It was brand new and had just been delivered to my house the day prior. It is frightening to see the wheels on your brand-new wheelchair come out scratched when it is given back to you at the gate. Especially when you know that there wasn’t any scratches when you handed the airline your wheelchair before boarding the plane. The first thing I did when I got my chair was call the airline’s customer service department, as I felt that I deserved some compensation for the damage they had done to my wheelchair. After a few phone calls, the issue was escalated and I received compensation for the damage.

Most recently, while traveling to Pennsylvania, I had to encounter my hotel room not being ADA-compliant, with not being able to reach the shower handle and having cold water. The hotel was adamant that the room was ADA-complaint, in that the architects that designed the ADA rooms made sure it was up to “code.” Or having the general manager at the hotel telling you that I should be able to reach the shower handle with no problem, even though he was six foot tall… After many phone calls and emails, including to the President/CEO of the major hotel chain, I received a full refund for my hotel stay.

The moral of the story is that it is important to Let Your Voice Be Heard. As a black, disabled female, I am characterized as being vulnerable to others. Situations where sometimes people feel they can take advantage. Instances where individuals think that you are less educated or do not know what you are talking about because you have a disability. Be your own Self-Advocate in these situations, do your homework and do not back down from situations that you know need to be corrected. I have never focused on my disability. In all situations throughout my life, good or bad, I have always focused on my “abilities”!

Princess Tiana has always been my favorite Disney Princess. I am deeply inspired and determined by her character to achieve her goals. Her perseverance encourages me to pursue my own ambitions with unwavering dedication and passion.

In the movie “The Princess and the Frog,” Princess Tiana dreams of opening her own restaurant in New Orleans. However, she faces obstacles when she meets Prince Naveen and is turned into a frog by Dr. Facilier. Despite these challenges, at the end of the movie, Princess Tiana marries Prince Naveen and uses her hard-earned money to open her restaurant.

Looking back at Princess Tiana’s story, I realize that it mirrors my own journey. Like her, I have achieved significant personal goals, including homeownership, Creating a workforce development program for a national nonprofit organization, and Becoming an author, each of these accomplishments came with unique challenges. When purchasing my first home, I navigated the financial hurdles of being a young adult in my twenties. In establishing a successful workforce development program, I had to demonstrate my expertise and credentials to others. As an author, I grappled with writer’s block while telling my life story. These obstacles were integral parts of the process of pursuing and achieving my goals and aspirations.

Princess Tiana’s unwavering determination as she established her own restaurant serves as a constant reminder for me to strive for excellence every single day. No challenge or obstacle should deter you from pursuing your aspirations. As Princess Tiana states, “Sometimes the only way to get what you want in this world is through hard work.” I can attest to this firsthand and the gratification of attaining your goals makes the hard work entirely worthwhile.

“Trials and tribulations, I’ve had my share
There ain’t nothing gonna stop me now
‘Cause I’m almost there” (Princess and the Frog-2009)

These last few weeks, I have had the great pleasure of collaborating with multiple employers/organizations. During these conversations, we had discussion on “What is Disability Awareness?” Between giving a presentation to over 70 employees on defining Disability Awareness, and having 1-1 meetings, Disability Awareness can be defined as the practice of knowing, acknowledging, and accepting individuals’ experiences as they relate to disability (Disability Network, Capital Area: Disability Awareness). Disability Awareness is also part of becoming educated on disabilities or terminology that may be new to you. Many employers/organizations state that it is a challenge to bring up the conversation of “Disability” within the workplace, due to how others may perceive the subject. In addition, questions have come up on how to best support individuals with disabilities within our personal lives and in the workplace. Is it okay to offer to hold the door for a wheelchair user? Would they be offended?

With some of the challenges and experiences that I needed to overcome being a professional with a disability in the workplace, I enjoy having conversations that will help organizations best support their staff on disability awareness and providing resources and services to their employees who have disabilities. If you are an employer/organization wanting to learn more about Disability Awareness and provide training/resources on Disability Awareness, contact TMPR Disability Consulting to schedule a meeting to learn more!

Trenaya Michele Reid, MPA, is a champion for ADA Rights and Advocacy for those with disabilities. Being a person with a physical disability, Trenaya has been an advocate and mentor for those with disabilities since she was younger. Within her career, Trenaya has been in the space of disability advocacy for over eight years, conducting over a dozen presentations on disability advocacy and etiquette. 

Trenaya attended Temple University and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a certification in Spanish. In addition, she has attended the University of Central Florida and holds a Master’s in Public Administration. 

Trenaya is a Workforce Development Manager, where she was able to build out two, Workforce Development Programs, for a not-for-profit organization, assisting adults and youth with disabilities with obtaining internship and employment opportunities.

Trenaya is also a published author, in which she published her autobiography Life Rollz On. Trenaya has written her autobiography to encourage readers who have disabilities, parents who have children with disabilities and professionals who work with those with disabilities that no matter the challenges and obstacles that occur within our lives, we can still move forward to pursue our dreams.