Two disability inclusion speakers walk into a restaurant: reflections with Chris Ruden

When I first met Chris Ruden a little over 2 years ago, he was already a successful speaker. When I first heard him speak, I was in awe and felt such a connection.

Not because I wanted to be a successful speaker too - when we met, even though we were in the same inspirational speaking competition, I hadn’t thought much past that yet. But because I knew he understood the journey of hiding a disability you were born with, in a way nobody I’d ever met up until that point did. He understood a part of me, in a way I hadn’t realized I’d never felt understood before.

There’s something special about connecting with someone who just gets you that way, even when your disability experiences are different. Cut to 2 years later, I’m now in his speaker mentorship program - learning how to share my journey in belonging, self-acceptance and resilience to reach people who need to hear it, the way I needed to hear his.

Yesterday, we got together during his barely 24-hour trip to my hometown of Brampton, ON, and it felt just as special again to connect. Now that I’ve stepped into being a speaker, I feel super lucky to have our paths crossing again.

It’s wild to think that if I’d never started talking about my rare muscle disability, I never would’ve found the people like Chris who relate. Which is forever one of the lessons that I hope people take away from my talks - that even if you feel alone in your experience, there are others out there who understand you.

We all have things about ourselves that we’re afraid to share. But it’s through sharing them, that we finally - finally - find our people. ✨