I'm a blind poet, musician, and English instructor, living in Jacksonville, FL. I enjoy reading, writing, gardening, singing, and cooking. When I'm not involved in academic pursuits, I work with blind and visually-impaired people and their families, teaching self-advocacy and independent living skills. I advocate with humor and compassion.
Recently I wrote a short post for social media that included five facts about guide dogs. I wanted to share these facts as responses to common misconceptions that people have. People often ask me, “Does your dog EVER get to play?” or “What is he like when the harness comes off?” I did not expect … More 5 Facts about Guide Dogs
This morning I spoke with Charleen Shirk on WJCT’s First Coast Connect. We talked about Neoteny: Poems, the importance of mentorship, and cultivating a poet’s awareness. I explained that disability alone is not an angle or a superpower: it is a cultural identity. Listen to the full interview here. My segment starts around 35:30. You … More My spot on First Coast Connect
Originally posted on The Brevity Blog:
Submissions are now being accepted for Brevity’s upcoming special issue, “Experiences of Disability,” to be published in September 2020. You can submit your flash essays here. For this issue, we invite brief nonfiction submissions (750 words or fewer) that consider all aspects of illness and disability: what it is, what…
I’m thrilled to announce that nine of my poems are included in the Fall 2019 issue of Nine Mile Magazine! This special double issue was guest-edited by Diane Wiener, and it features the work of disabled, D/deaf, and neurodivergent poets. My poems in this issue are “Faith,” “A Phenomenology of Blindness,” “Ajeen,” “Patronage,” “Anniversary in … More Nine poems in Nine Mile!
Dr. Carol Dweck’s research on fixed and growth mindsets applies to accessibility. A fixed mindset is when someone assumes that a situation cannot be changed or improved while a growth mindset moves forward with the belief that a situation can be improved. So if I am in a meeting and someone hands me a document … More Fixed vs. Growth Mindset: Accessibility
This weekend, I was thrilled to be a guest on Scribbler’s Corner at River of Grass, a local podcast featuring interviews with Florida writers. My hosts, Darlyn Finch Kuhn and Brad Kuhn, welcomed me into their home studio for a warm and engaging conversation about writing, mentorship, and the habits of a creative life. We … More Guest on Scribbler’s Corner at River of Grass
The September issue of Wordgathering: A Journal of Disability Poetry and Literature is live! This is a very special issue for all of us who have worked on Wordgathering over the years: the last issue edited by our kind and capable Michael Northen. In 2013, my first published poems appeared in Wordgathering. Since then, Mike … More My work in the latest Wordgathering
Today I talked about Neoteny: Poems on News4Jax’s Morning Show. I got to discuss my love of teaching and the process of writing a book. Here’s the video. Thank you to everyone who has ordered a copy of my book – and to all who have liked and shared my posts! I am so encouraged … More Catch me on The Morning Show
As a writer, I often reread my own work. You might think this is out of pride or self-importance, but it really isn’t. I reread my own work to see if it holds up to the passing of hours, days, years. I write as much for myself as I do for a more public audience, … More Finalist for the 2018 Atlantis Award!
Poet, editor, and teacher Jill Khoury interviewed me for Issue 54 of Rogue Agent, a journal of embodied poetry,. You’ll remember Jill from when we discussed the importance of online poetry workshops. I also reviewed her book Suites for the Modern Dancer, and we participated in a dialogue about blindness and writing. So what is … More My interview in Issue 54 of Rogue Agent!
This is a compendium of articles, interviews, and videos that offer insight on accessibility. Design of Physical & Virtual Spaces Autistic Access Needs: Notes on Accessibility “Design with the blind in mind,” a TED Talk by Chris Downey Development of the AASPIRE Web Accessibility Guidlines for Autistic Users How to caption a YouTube video “Paralympics … More Perspectives on Accessibility: A Resource Page
I have enjoyed some local press this week, and I can’t wait to share it with you. On Friday, I met with a student reporter from UNF’s newspaper The Spinnaker. She came to my office on campus and we talked about poetry, teaching, disability in the arts, and, of course, York! Here’s the profile she … More NEOTENY in the News!
I am excited to be featured on the front page of today’s Florida Times-Union! Last week I was interviewed by the TU’s Matt Soergel, and my feature came out today! The article appeared with the headline “Poet write about far more than blindness,” and it was also published on the TU’s website here.
I am excited to announce that my first book, Neoteny: Poems, is now available for pre-order! Click on the lovely book cover below and you’ll travel to Finishing Line Press’s website, where you can order your copy! Why Pre-Order? The next two months are my advance sales period. The number of pre-orders for Neoteny during … More Pre-Order NEOTENY, My First Book!
Are you ready for some great news? I am thrilled to announce that Finishing Line Press is publishing my first book! Neoteny: Poems is a poetry chapbook (a collection of about 35 poems) — and it’s my first solo book! Neoteny will be released at the end of this year! Here is my beautiful cover, … More Announcing My First Book!
On the Blink 