I am not my label | Lily Sughroue | TEDxLincoln

Summary

In this TEDx talk, the speaker shares personal stories of living with disabilities, challenging societal perceptions and assumptions. She introduces Blake, a high school senior with physical disabilities, who dreams big despite societal limitations. The speaker also recounts her own journey after suffering a traumatic brain injury, which led to misdiagnoses of mental illness before the correct diagnosis. Through her experiences, she advocates for treating people with disabilities as individuals, not labels, and shares her work at Camp Easter Seals, where she empowers others to live barrier-free lives.

Takeaways

• 🎤 The speaker humorously warns against applying to be a TEDx speaker in a fit of rage, as they unexpectedly got selected.
• 👨‍🎓 Blake, an 18-year-old high school senior, enjoys typical teenage activities and has plans for his future, despite having a disability.
• 🔍 A picture of Blake changes the audience's perception of his future, highlighting how assumptions about people with disabilities can be limiting.
• 🚫 The speaker emphasizes that people with disabilities don't want pity or patronization; they want to be treated as people first.
• 🧠 The speaker shares her personal story of acquiring a hidden disability after a series of concussions, which affected her academic performance and mental health.
• 🏥 The correct diagnosis of a traumatic brain injury gave the speaker and her family hope, but she still grappled with the label.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The speaker's journey to recovery included various therapies and treatments, including speech and language therapy and special glasses for double vision.
• 🎓 Graduating high school was a significant achievement for the speaker, who struggled academically due to her disability.
• 🏕 The speaker found empowerment and a sense of purpose through her involvement with Camp Easter Seals, an inclusive camp for people with disabilities.
• 💪 The speaker encourages the audience to interact with people in wheelchairs, emphasizing that they have dreams and goals just like everyone else.
• 🌟 The speaker concludes by sharing her new identity as a TEDx alumnus, demonstrating that people with disabilities can achieve great things.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial reaction to being chosen as a TEDx speaker?

The speaker humorously suggests that one should never apply to be a TEDx speaker in a fit of rage because they might actually get picked, implying that it was a surprising and possibly daunting opportunity.

Who is Blake and how does he relate to the speaker?

Blake is an 18-year-old high school senior who is the speaker's friend. He is described as a typical high school boy who enjoys music, dancing, and going out for wings and funny movies.

What is the main issue the speaker addresses regarding people's perceptions of Blake?

The speaker addresses the issue of assumptions and limitations that people place on Blake due to his disability, which are the only things limiting him, not his disability itself.

What does the speaker want to achieve by sharing her story and Blake's story?

The speaker aims to shift the audience's thinking, perceptions, and emotions about people with disabilities, emphasizing that they should be treated as people first, not pitied or patronized.

What was the turning point in the speaker's life after her brain injury?

The turning point was when the speaker was correctly diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury caused by repeated concussions at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, which provided her and her family with an answer and hope.

How did the speaker's life change after her diagnosis?

After her diagnosis, the speaker started attending programs where she learned coping mechanisms for her memory loss and spatial awareness, underwent speech and language therapy, and worked with a psychiatrist.

What role does Camp Easter Seals play in the speaker's life?

Camp Easter Seals is where the speaker regained her confidence and sense of independence. She loved it so much that she now runs the camp, serving as the director of Camp Resit and Recreation for Easter Seals.

What is the speaker's message about people with disabilities?

The speaker's message is that people with disabilities should be seen as people first, not defined by their labels, and that it's possible to live a life free of barriers if we perceive them as such.

How does the speaker feel when people treat her friends with disabilities differently?

The speaker feels hurt when others look at her friends with disabilities with pity, judgment, or don't engage with them at all, and she encourages direct and respectful interaction.

What is the final message the speaker hopes to convey to the audience?

The speaker hopes that her story will change the audience's perception of people with disabilities and show that it's the barriers, not the disabilities, that set the limits.

What was the outcome of the speaker's journey that she shares at the end of the talk?

The outcome of the speaker's journey is that she has become a TEDx alumni, indicating that she has overcome her challenges and is now in a position to inspire and educate others.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Embracing Differences: The Power of Perception

The speaker begins by humorously acknowledging the unexpected honor of speaking at a TEDx event, despite a fit of rage that led to the application. The speaker introduces Blake, an 18-year-old high school senior with typical interests like music and dancing. Blake, who uses a wheelchair, is shown to have typical aspirations for his future, including graduating from high school and having a family. The speaker challenges the audience's initial perceptions of Blake by showing a picture of him at the speaker's wedding, prompting a reconsideration of Blake's potential future. The speaker emphasizes the limitations that society places on people with disabilities due to assumptions and attitudes, rather than the disabilities themselves. The speaker shares their own experience of living with a hidden disability, contrasting it with Blake's visible one, and advocates for treating people with disabilities as individuals first, not as objects of pity or condescension.

05:00

📚 From Academic Excellence to Overcoming Adversity

The speaker recounts her personal journey from being an academically gifted student to struggling with learning difficulties after a series of concussions. She describes the drastic drop in her IQ and her transition from being labeled as gifted to failing her freshman year. The speaker's memory issues and the inability to follow lessons led to a misdiagnosis of mental illness, with hospitalizations and medications that left her feeling like a zombie. The turning point came when her mother, working at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, had her evaluated, leading to a diagnosis of traumatic brain injury caused by repeated concussions. This revelation provided hope for her parents but initially felt like another unwanted label to the speaker. She began attending programs to regain her abilities and eventually became the director of Camp Easter Seals, a camp for people with disabilities, where she found her life purpose in showing others that everyone can live life without barriers if they are seen as people first, not by their labels.

10:03

💪 Challenging Preconceptions: The Journey to Independence

The speaker concludes by returning to the story of Blake, emphasizing that people with disabilities, like Blake, have dreams and goals just like anyone else. She shares her own achievements, including becoming a TEDx alumnus, and hopes that her story has changed the audience's perceptions about people with disabilities. The speaker encourages the audience to interact with people in wheelchairs, to engage them as individuals with their own desires and aspirations, rather than disregarding or pitying them. She stresses that disabilities should not define the limits of a person's life but that societal barriers often do. The speaker's message is one of hope, empowerment, and the importance of seeing people for who they are, not what their disabilities might suggest.

Keywords

💡TedEx speaker

A TedEx speaker is an individual invited to give a talk at a local, self-organized event inspired by the global TED brand. In the script, the speaker humorously suggests that applying to be a speaker in a fit of rage is unwise because they might get selected, highlighting the unexpected challenges and responsibilities that come with the role.

💡Disability

Disability refers to a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities. The video's theme revolves around challenging perceptions of disability. The speaker uses the example of Blake, who has a visible disability, and herself, with a hidden disability, to illustrate that it's societal attitudes, not the disability itself, that often limits individuals.

💡Wheelchair

A wheelchair is a seated mobility device used by individuals with行走 disabilities. In the script, Blake's wheelchair is mentioned as a visible indicator of his disability, which immediately influences people's perceptions of his abilities and potential future.

💡Pity

Pity is a feeling of sympathy for someone's unfortunate circumstances. The speaker emphasizes that people with disabilities do not want pity; they want to be treated as individuals first. This keyword is central to the speaker's message about the need for a shift in societal attitudes.

💡Telegraphed

To telegraph something is to make it known or obvious in advance. In the context of the video, the speaker uses 'telegraphed' to describe how Blake's disability is immediately apparent due to his wheelchair, setting up expectations and assumptions about him.

💡Hidden disability

A hidden disability is a condition that is not immediately apparent to others, such as mental health issues or certain neurological conditions. The speaker discloses her own hidden disability, which is only revealed when she mentions it, contrasting with Blake's visible disability.

💡Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

A traumatic brain injury is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the brain's normal function. The speaker shares her personal story of acquiring a TBI from repeated concussions, which led to significant cognitive and emotional challenges.

💡Concussions

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, usually caused by a blow to the head. The script recounts how the speaker suffered multiple concussions, which cumulatively resulted in her TBI and subsequent cognitive and emotional struggles.

💡Stigma

Stigma refers to a mark of disgrace associated with a circumstance, quality, or person. The speaker discusses the stigma associated with mental illness and how it was incorrectly applied to her following her injuries, before her TBI was diagnosed.

💡Camp Easter Seals

Camp Easter Seals is a program that provides camp experiences for individuals with disabilities. The speaker shares her transformative experience as a participant and later director, emphasizing the importance of such programs in fostering independence and a sense of normalcy.

💡Ripple effect

The ripple effect refers to the phenomenon where a single action has a series of effects on other things. The speaker describes how her brain injury had a wide-reaching impact on her life, her family, and her community, and how sharing her story might influence perceptions about disabilities.

Highlights

The speaker humorously warns against applying to be a TEDx speaker in a fit of rage.

Introduces Blake, an 18-year-old high school senior with typical interests.

Blake's future plans are discussed, challenging the audience's initial assumptions.

The speaker emphasizes that Blake's wheelchair does not define him.

The speaker shares her own experience of acquiring a disability.

The importance of treating people with disabilities as people first is highlighted.

The story of Lily, the speaker's younger self, is introduced to illustrate the impact of a brain injury.

Lily's academic struggles and memory issues post-injury are described.

The speaker recounts her misdiagnosis and the emotional toll it took.

The turning point of receiving a correct diagnosis of traumatic brain injury.

The speaker's journey of recovery and the role of therapy and support.

The significance of graduating high school despite challenges.

The transformative experience of attending Camp Easter Seals.

The speaker's realization of her life purpose through her work at Easter Seals.

The speaker calls for a shift in perception towards people with disabilities.

Advice on how to interact with people in wheelchairs.

The speaker shares Blake's role in her wedding, emphasizing his capabilities.

The speaker concludes by reflecting on the ripple effect of her brain injury and the importance of breaking barriers.

The speaker proudly announces her new status as a TEDx alumni.

Transcripts

[Music]

thank you Susan for that kind

introduction I am honored to be here I

should probably say here that you should

never apply to be a tedex speaker and a

fit of rage because they may pick you

and then you find yourself uh in a room

full of strangers talking about some

issue of importance to you clearly I

didn't take my own advice so here I

am all

right this is my friend Blake Blake is

18 and a senior in high school he's your

typical high school boy he likes music

and dancing we like to go out for wings

together and we go to funny movies

together

too in the spring Blake's going to be

graduating from Lincoln Southwest High

School and he's got a lot of cool plans

for his life take a minute to look at

this picture and imagine what his future

may look

like this is Blake at my wedding a few

months

ago now does that suddenly change what

you may have thought about Blake in his

future future did you suddenly change

your plan for him to go to college to

live

independently to have a

family don't feel bad you're in the

majority and because this is a problem

is what causes that fit of rage thing

for

me those assumptions and limitations

that people throw on Blake who by the

way has tble paly are the only things

that are limiting Blake he doesn't

doesn't limit

himself he doesn't let sual paly Define

him or put up barriers for his

future it's the attitude of others that

limit Blake not his

disabilities what I want to do today is

shift your thinking your perceptions and

your emotions about people with

disabilities we don't want

pity we don't want to be

patronized what we do want is to be

treated as people first

yes that is right

we unlike Blake whose disability is

telegraphed to you by his wheelchair and

perhaps by the way of his speaking my

disability is

hidden Blake has lived with his

disability as entire

life I acquired mine so while it's

invisible to you it's there and it's

permanent and it has affected my life

and my family's lives so listen to my

story the story of

Lily I am a lucky girl I was born into a

wonderful supportive family with awesome

parents who have always loved me I have

a fantastic older sister and an equally

fantastic younger brother we're all

smart goodlooking fun athletic popular

involved in engaged with the world we

could be in ads were so picture perfect

but there's a little smudge on that

picture of

perfection that smudge which grew into a

giant messy blob started when I was 13

and I was playing competitive

basketball I took a hard uncalled

blatant fowl an elbow to the side of the

head I went down and was unconscious for

several minutes after the game I ended

up in the emergency room they did a

brain scan said I didn't have brain

bleed so don't worry she'll be fine

except I

wasn't I immediately or I I was out of

school for more than a week sorry memory

is an issue I was out of school for more

than a week when I went back I

immediately knew something was

wrong I vividly remember kind of

panicking in my eighth grade algebra

class because I could not follow what

was going on I thought to myself

I am so far behind from being out of

class but no matter how much I tried

nothing was clicking nothing it was if

the words on the board just no longer

could get into my

head what was strange was that I had

been previously labeled academically

competitive and gifted I was in advanced

math in other courses but it was if the

words and numbers had become foreign

symbols I told my mother I hated to read

hated to read reading had always been my

favorite

thing my IQ dropped 40

points I went from gifted to

failing my freshman year was actually

worse if you can believe it I

transferred schools for a semester an

entire semester that I do not remember

at all when I transferred back my uh

things were no better in fact they were

worse I suffered three more

concussions I was in a car accident

where I broke out a window with my head

and two from being hit in the head by

classmates at

school If This Were a mystery novel

here's kind of a red

herring I started exhibiting a lot of uh

Behavior consistent with mental

illness there were two hospitalizations

for suicidal

thoughts I was put on a lot of

medication to manage my various issues

but

mostly they made me feel like a

zombie I was labeled bipolar depressed

anxious manic withdrawing and

suicidal my frantic parents thought that

maybe I wasn't ever going to be able to

live independently or even graduate high

school they started looking at ways to

set up legal protections and Trust for

me they thought maybe I wasn't even

going to live

luckily around the same time my mother

took a job at Madonna Rehabilitation

Hospital there she had a conversation

with one of the lead scientists a brain

specialist she suggested that I come in

and be evaluated and after two of the

most grueling days of my life where I

was asked to do test after test the

diagnosis came back I have a traumatic

brain injury caused by repeated

concussions

this was the turning point for my

parents because it gave them an answer

and a Reason for

Hope for me it just felt like another

label a label that I didn't really

want I used to be

Lily I used to be smart Lily athlete

Lily and then I was bipolar disorder

Lily and now brain injury

Lily but what I really really wanted was

to just go back to being

Lily I started attending some programs

through Madonna where I learned how to

sense my body in space again and cope

with my memory

losses I did speech and language

therapy I did a lot of work with a

psychiatrist and I got special glasses

that eliminated the double vision

um

okay I think for the turning point for

me was actually getting out of high

school one of the best days of my life

was realizing the day before graduation

that I had with the help of many passed

a math course and I would actually get

my

diploma felt

good um after graduation

I A friend of mine suggested that I

check out camp Easter

Seals there people with disabilities of

All Sorts in all ages get to experience

Camp just like their

peers we fish and swim we ride horses is

and we dance this is a week of complete

freedom and

Independence my time as a participant at

Camp e seals gave me back my

Swagger I loved it so much that now I

run

it I am the director of Camp resit and

Recreation for Easter Seals and this is

where I realize my life purpose

showing

everybody showing people that everybody

has the chance to live life in a barrier

free setting if we can just see people

as people and not their

labels

so do you remember Blake from the

beginning of my talk my friend who

my friend who maybe

thought differently about him when you

saw his

picture Blake was an usher in my wedding

in

September all several of my attendants

have disabilities of some sort but I

don't even notice that about them they

are just my

friends people who I cherish and care

for

deeply and because I love love them so

much it hurts me to see others look at

them with

pity with

judgment or who talk to them in baby

talk or don't talk to them at

all sometimes when I'm out with Blake

people ask me what would Blake like for

lunch I say I don't know ask Blake or

Blake what would you like

so here's my

advice if you see someone in a

wheelchair talk to them shake their hand

engage

them it's much better than totally

disregarding them even if they have

someone with them I know these

interactions can be uncomfortable but

they don't have to be

just like me Blake has dreams and

goals and just like me he's going to

achieve

them my brain injury had a ripple

effect to me to my family and hopefully

to

you my hope is that my story has changed

what you may have thought about people

with disabilities and how does the

barriers

not the disabilities that set the

limits I have one more addition to the

story of

Lily I am now a Ted X alumni

[Applause]