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You can be doing everything “right” and still be treated like you don’t belong. That’s why my chat with Michelle hits so hard. She’s lived the reality of a learning disability from kindergarten, through bullying and repeated grades, into adulthood where the stigma doesn’t magically disappear just because you leave school.

Michelle takes us through the practical details people rarely talk about including visual perception issues that made driving unsafe, limited hand dexterity that was misread as “bad handwriting” and the exhausting pressure of being labelled lazy or careless. We also dig into what actually helps, not just inspirational slogans but disability accommodations like extra time, note-taking support and having the confidence to introduce yourself to lecturers and clearly ask for what you need. Along the way, she shares how reading and writing became a lifeline and why finding a community outside school can be the difference between isolation and belonging.

Now, Michelle works as a teacher’s aide paraprofessional with seventh graders, using her lived experience to teach self-advocacy, respectful behaviour and how to speak up without shame. She also writes publicly through her blog Michelle’s Mission, pairs disability storytelling with photography and steps into disability policy advocacy, including a legislative visit focused on improving access to school counsellors through a counselling compact.

If you care about inclusive education, disability rights, or raising kinder kids, press play. Subscribe, share this with a mate, and leave a review so more people can find these stories.

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Music Credit: Cody Martin - Sunrise (first 26 episodes) then custom made for me.

Disclaimer: The views, opinions, experiences and stories shared by guests on the Everyday Warriors Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Trudie Marie, or the Everyday Warriors Podcast.

Guests are responsible for the accuracy of the information they choose to share and speak from their own personal experiences and perspectives. While every effort is made to provide a respectful and supportive platform for open conversation, the host accepts no responsibility or liability for the statements, opinions, advice, claims or recollections expressed by guests during a...