Author: Shari Cooper

Sesame Street, the beloved children’s program, is helping to educate the street on a tough subject matter. A new character named Karli, who joined the cast of Sesame Street earlier this year, was first introduced on the street as a child in the foster care system.  Karli will now share the circumstances of why she’s... Read more »

I love pizza! Matter of fact, I love it so much that I have it every Friday.  If the urge hits me, I may have it twice a week. My favorite is a deluxe from Dayton’s very own Cassano’s. My love for pizza is so bad that even my dog Tiny understands that I may... Read more »

Do you work in a diverse work environment? I do and I love it. Working in a diverse work setting with people from all walks of life, brings a certain excitement to everyday life. Where I work, people celebrate different holidays, speak different languages, eat and cook different food and have an array of disabilities. ... Read more »

When you find “the one” you’ll know it. No matter what anyone says, when you find that person that makes your heart flutter as if you have butterflies, that’s your one. It’s sad when others think just because you have a disability you’re incapable of being in a loving relationship. Not only do we have... Read more »

A question most people always ask me is, what disability do I have? I have Cerebral Palsy, CP for short. Since its World Cerebral Palsy Day, I decided to share some insight on my disability, Shari style if you don’t mind. According to the dictionary, Cerebral Palsy is a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination... Read more »

Football season is upon us and I’m excited. As you should know from previous blog posts, I’m a huge Cincinnati Bengals fan but after hearing of Andrew Luck’s story, I’m now a fan of his too. Luck, who was the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, announced he’s retiring from the game. The very successful player,... Read more »

There have been many people who have helped me on my path to advocacy; including my family, school members, friends, and a very important mentor in advocacy, David Zwyer! I first met David in my early thirties when I became involved with the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council. David was a tall man and very well-spoken.... Read more »

It’s festival time again and you know what that means “Festival Girl” is hitting the streets! I love attending festivals especially when I get the chance to try good food, good drinks, and learn about other cultures. Although I’ve attended the Italian Festa before, this time was even more exciting! My friend/co-worker, Cindy, personally invited... Read more »

I love voting! I’ve been doing so since I turned eighteen.  I vote in every election rather it’s general, primary or special. When I was younger, I would go to my polling location to cast my vote. It was just something about the hustle and bustle that got me hyped. To see all the people... Read more »

Did you have that one neighbor?  The one who became the surrogate mother to all the kids in the neighborhood? I did and she was a wonderful woman named, Pearl Cook. The grown-ups called her, Cookie. Mrs. Cook walked really fast and stood around four foot four, but she was a powerhouse and all the... Read more »