Author: Shari Cooper

It’s Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley’s (GESMV) Miracle Clubhouse 10-year anniversary, and it’s time to celebrate! Because of Miracle Clubhouse, many with mental illness are living a more productive life. Like with any disability, mental illness may cause its daily struggles, but people who have it, don’t want it to stop them from having a quality... Read more »

Where do you go to see the beauty of the fine arts? I’m talking about Van Gogh, Black Heritage Through Visual Rhythms, and Norman Rockwell and whose artwork makes you stop in your tracks and marvel at its beauty. I go to the Dayton Art Institute! The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) is a very mystical... Read more »

When hearing the first verse of this song, Sunny days, everything, aye ok, you immediately know it’s the theme song to Sesame Street. I love Sesame Street! My siblings and I grew up watching it as kids. Each character had its own unique look. My favorite by far was, and still is, Oscar the Grouch!... Read more »

We’re finally in the season of Daylight-Saving time and I’m so happy! Although I love the fall and winter season, I especially like it when the leaves change on the trees, drinking apple cider and hot chocolate, wearing my very fashionable boots, and celebrating Christmas; but the fact that it gets dark at 5 pm... Read more »

Celebrate Keep America Beautiful Day with guest-blogger Cindy Carusone by learning of tips to help you do so. Shari Keep America Beautiful Unless you’ve been under a rock for a year, you’ve probably noticed everything is getting expensive these days. We’re all paying more for food, gas, rent, utilities– inflation is rearing its ugly head... Read more »

As a woman, who’s black, and has a disability, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is very important to me. I love to see DEI being represented everywhere I go. Unfortunately, it isn’t, usually I’m the one at the table representing the three characters that make me who I am. When you don’t see people who... Read more »

Every community has its own unique culture and unless you’re a part of it, know someone, or are invited in, you may never understand how one lives. I’ve found the deaf community to be a very private community that often does not invite outsiders. Although I never understood why this was, I respected their culture.... Read more »

In the past, many individuals felt ashamed if they suffered with a bipolar disorder. Matter of fact, until about a decade or so ago, no one even knew what a bipolar disorder was. Living with any disability can cause its own struggles, but it’s the negative judgements from others that often makes it even harder.... Read more »

Happy Women’s History Month. There are many women I admire that have helped shaped me into the strong independent women I am today. Without the mentoring of great women, many girls wouldn’t have the knowledge needed to grow into the women they are today. As a woman with a disability, I admire the pioneers who... Read more »

There’s a saying, you meet people for a reason or a season. I met Tracy L. Craig for a reason. I’ve known her for only a year, but I feel like I’ve known her all my life. Through our journey, I learned Tracy is the mother of an adorable little girl named Rachel, who has... Read more »