Questions You Should Never Say or Ask A Person with a Disability by Tacara Turner

I was born with a disability called Cerebral Palsy. It affects my joints and muscles, so because [of] this I am in a wheelchair. I know that people have questions, and I don’t mind answering them. However, sometimes the questions are crazy. I don’t know what to say to some of them. I have to ask myself, “Did they just ask me that?” and “Can she talk?” I hate this when people ask because they don’t ask me. [They] ask the person with me. If people just ask me, they would get the clear cut answer. Yes I can talk and sometimes talk too much.

Never ask a person with a disability “What happened to you?” Many people are born with their disabilities. A lot more people get their disabilities later in life. When you ask this question, you may bring back bad memories.

“Are you stupid?” That is the most hurting question I get asked. Usually a little kid will ask me that. Sometime I get adults that ask me that too. When kids do that, I just walk away. It’s hard for me to know what to do when adults do it.

Please avoid asking these questions. Here is a good question to ask: Do you need help?

Hostal Jamil by Ivonne Lamazares

On March 12th, in honor of Women's History Month, Miami Dade College hosted novelist Dr. Ivonne Lamazares who left her homeland of Cuba in 1962 at the age of thirteen.

In 2000 Houghton Mifflin published her first novel The Sugar Island. In addition to various published articles, she has also published her stories in Blue Mesa Review and A Century of Cuban Writers in Florida.

After a brief introduction by Josett Peat, chairperson of the English Department at the north campus, Dr. Lamazares provided the audience with a little history and background to introduce her newest short story "Hostal Jamil" published in The Southern Review for 2009.

Although I have known Ivonne for many years, I am always overwhelmed by her calmness, poise and overall presence when she stands before an audience. Her love of words and the creative process quickly surfaces as she begins to read the words. Many who have read her work acknowledge her creative writing abilities but those who know her better also recognize her exemplary abilities as teacher, for she often touches or transforms some one's life in some way.

On this particular evening, she shared with the audience the story of a girl and her grandmother who flee Cuba and arrive in Spain just days after the death of Francisco Franco whose Fascist regime ruled Spain for 36 years. As she began to read the short story, the room grew very quiet and all eyes fixed on the woman standing at the podium under the spotlight. Her voice soft and steady yet clear and overpowering at times began to utter the words that in turn painted pictures in my mind. As the time went by I found myself entangled in the story watching from across the street or hiding in a corner of the room as the scenes unfolded.

An immigrant myself, I quickly understood many of the underlying themes of the story, and at times felt the knot in my throat as I struggled not to cry when I remembered my own grandmother who had sacrificed so much of herself for me and my brother. This story could have been my story or the story of any young immigrant girl arriving in a foreign land where all is strange and different and nothing seems like home. Even when home is a horrible place, it is still home.

When she read the last words of the story "tomorrow we wake up free" and looked up at the audience, my heart and mind which had traveled across the ocean, had now returned to American soil once again. Stories like this one remind me that our words do more than entertain, persuade or inform; our words also serve to remember and honor those we never wish to forget.

Ivonne's achievements serve as inspiration to all women who dream and wish for great things in their life. She has surely left a positive and lasting impression on me.

I urge you to obtain a copy of The Southern Review 2009 and read "Hostal Jamil." You can also read an excerpt from Ivonne Lamazares' novel The Sugar Island in the National Endowment for the Arts.

About The Sugar Island

Virtual Book Tour: Author Maureen Mulvaney

Author and speaker Maureen G. Mulvaney's latest book The Women's Millionaire Club outlines her secrets for building a successful home-based business. Mulvaney surveyed 21 women millionaires who achieved success in their home-based businesses, and in her new book, she shares her discoveries with readers. In essence, Mulvaney sets out to discover why some women make lots of money while others can't.

During the 1980 recession, Mulvaney found herself divorced, without a job, home or money. One would think this would have been a terrible moment to start a new venture, yet this former special education teacher gave up teaching and launched a speaking career. Not long after, her thriving home-based business catered to such well known companies such as AT&T, MCI and Best Western. In addition, she also wrote Any Kid Can Be a Superstar and co-authored Mission Impossible and Chicken Soup for the Teacher's Soul.

Geared specifically for women, Mulvaney's educational website The Women's Millionaire Club provides strategies to building successful businesses at home.

In a recent interview on ABC's KNXV TV in Phoenix, Arizona, Mulvaney tells the audience that her research indicates that self development proves critical. Using what works and discarding what doesn't work serves as a key ingredient to achieving success. When asked by the host to provide suggestions for entrepreneurs, Mulvaney advises people not to participate in the recession and "rise above it" by taking control of their life and their future. (see taped interview)



Maureen Mulvaney's mission is "to help women become millionaires by creating an abundance conscious community to support each other through education, empowerment and energy."

The *Women's Millionaire Club*, by Maureen G Mulvaney, is being offered beginning on March 17th, 2009 at 12:01 am. We invite you to go to this page - http://mgmsuperstar.com/wjtc/exclusive.html - to access the order page and then go back to this page to access the bonus page. On the Exclusive Private Invite page, enter your order confirmation code. That will allow you to gain entry to the FREE Pot o' Gold Bonus Items.




Read How to Become a Natural Networker? by Maureen Mulvaney

Construct by Dr. George Gabb

Promises I’ve made myself

Of Things I would never do

Are but words of virtue

Songs of principles and character

Composed to give meaning to this being

But beneath this wordy pretense

Lies a Lonely soul

Fighting for experiences

Nature describes as being untold

The editors thank Dr. George Gabb, north campus Computer Information Systems chairperson, for his thoughtful contribution.

Unconsummated by Dr. George Gabb

Colors illuminate life’s fantasies

True to uncultured emotions

Premature and parallel they seem

But unconsciously sown seeds they are

Blossomed and born immeasurable a stream

Where sunlight presumably escapes my welcoming waters

But truly embraces my most secret dreams

Man in Chains by Maria Balcelo

Teaching Me to Love by Kiante' Davis

Have you ever learned something from someone younger than you? I never would have thought in a million years that my little brother would teach me how to be a better person and how to love. First of all, my little brother and I never got along as we were growing up. We used to argue and fight all day long. My mother used to say, “Kiante, be the big sister, not the little one.” I used to ask, “How could I if he acts older than me?” So, I never had the thought that I could learn from him.

After a few years went by, I had a baby. My little brother was the first to hold him in this world. I guess that’s the day he changed himself. After arriving home with the baby, my brother, Marquis, began to act differently. He always wanted to help me, go places with me, and do things with me. When I would go to the park, he would beg me to let him go. His demeanor just started to change completely. It started becoming very visible how he was changing into a better person. So, as I began to watch him and notice how he was changing, I realized that watching him made me want to change and become a better person as well. His changes were huge changes. He started going back to church and school. He even started doing community service hours after he would get off of his part time job. When I saw this tremendous turn around, I found myself attending church quite often, and I enrolled at Miami-Dade College and worked two part time jobs. My mom, on the other hand, began to worry about me. She asked several times, “What brought on the change in you?” I replied, “Marquis.” She began to laugh and asked other questions like… “Are you sick? Do you need me to take you to the doctor?” I simply laughed and continued on my path of becoming a better person.

As I journeyed on my path, I often thought to myself that I could never love. I figured that I was made with some kind of defect in my body. But, I came to find out that I just didn’t know how. The way that I now unconditionally love my son and my little brother is unreal and crazy to me. I never knew I had it in me. I never thought I could show so much love to any person. I learned how to love from Marquis. Now, I know the thought of a sixteen year old teaching a woman may sound crazy, but it is real. Ever since I had my baby, Kimari Marquis has changed so much and has done so much for him, that I could never repay him. He did things like play outside with him, teach him his ABC’s, and even how to say mommy. All of the events that I witnessed dragged my emotions out of me. When I watched Kimari’s gestures and emotions when Marquis was around, it made me lose my mind. Kimari smiled so much that his cheekbones would reach from Florida to New York. He would jump up and down and run to Marquis with his arms stretched out in front of him.

After seeing the love that Kimari and Marquis displayed, I felt bubbly inside. I didn’t know what was going on, but it caused serious reactions and emotions from within me. I started playing ball and enjoying hanging out with them. I didn’t even mind going out for ice cream. The more I went with them, the less bubbly I felt. I had become so comfortable with Marquis taking care of Kimari, that I didn’t mind him taking Kimari to places without me. The day Marquis dropped Kimari home from an outing, was the day I knew what I had been witnessing. I had been learning how to love. Kimari dashed out of the car going 100 mph while yelling, “Mommy! Mommy!” He jumped into my arms and held me so tightly that I began to cry. He was bragging about the good times he and Marquis had. Tears started to flow down my cheeks. Everyone started to ask me if I were okay? I snickered, “Yeah!” with a huge grin on my face. Just as I smiled, a fly flew in my mouth. I knew that incident would be significant for the rest of my life. Marquis ran to my rescue and helped me. We laughed and hugged as if we were departing forever. After that moment, I never had the bubbly feeling again because I knew how to love and it was no longer frightening to me.

In conclusion, Marquis may be my little brother, but he is also my teacher. He taught me to be a better person and to love. I know with these two things, I am unstoppable. It’s like them and me against the world.