.png)
Celebrating Black Individuals with Dyslexia
- Navya Rao
- Jun 19, 2020
- 2 min read
In honor of Juneteenth and the Black Lives Matter Movement, I will dedicate today's blog post to amplifying the inspirational stories of black individuals with dyslexia. Intersectionality is the concept of a person's different social categories (race, religion, ethnicity, class, gender, etc.) intertwining, resulting in an overlap of discrimination and privilege. As an organization committed to empowering all students with dyslexia, addressing intersectionality within the dyslexia community has been especially important. While dyslexia does pose emotional challenges for nearly all individuals with the learning difficulty, it is crucial to distinguish between unique experiences. A student who is white, wealthy, male, and dyslexic will have a drastically different experience than a student who is black, poor, female, and dyslexic. There is no one dyslexia story. There is no one dyslexic student. Understanding the complexities of intersectionality within the dyslexia community helps us listen and empathize with each other.
Individuals who are both black and dyslexic face social-emotional struggles on (at least) two fronts, making their journey to personal confidence all the more inspiring. Today is about highlighting their immense accomplishments despite setbacks. Below you will find short features of three incredibly successful and inspirational black individuals with dyslexia.
Daymond John
Shark Tank investor, Daymond John, didn't know that he had dyslexia until after he gained media attention for his entrepreneurship. After struggling to write long emails, read from teleprompters, and navigate maps, John was finally diagnosed with dyslexia. As a child, John consistently struggled with reading and writing while excelling in math, science, and business. His parents attributed his difficulty reading with a bad attitude and criticized him for slacking off. However, John's dyslexia led him to pursue business, and he is now an accomplished businessman, writer, investor, and motivational speaker. John believes that his dyslexia has been a blessing, allowing him to view the world in ways that others cannot. (image via abc news)
Whoopi Goldberg
American actor and television personality Whoopi Goldberg was often misunderstood by her peers as a child for her difficulty reading. They labeled her as lazy or unmotivated regardless of Goldberg's constant efforts. However, her mother always stood by her. She helped her realize talent and creativity that later led her to the world of showbiz. Today, Goldberg is known for being one of the first people to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award. (image via biography.com)
Muhammad Ali
Famous boxer, activist, and philanthropist Muhammad Ali had dyslexia, although he wasn't diagnosed as a child. Despite his difficulty reading, he was an incredibly bright student. Ali found his passion for boxing and speaking up for those with disabilities, allowing him to significantly impact millions around the world. Along with his wife, Ali partnered with Scholastic to release the book series Go the Distance to foster a love of reading among students who struggle with literacy. Ali used dyslexia as his superpower to change the lives of thousands of dyslexic students. They would have otherwise grown up without the joy of reading. (image via biography.com)
Today, make an effort to learn more about black individuals with dyslexia, whether they are famous or not. We all need to do our part in recognizing intersectionality and sharing stories such as the few above with our communities to spread encouragement and recognition.
Sources:
Comentarios