Three Domino-Like Aspects Which The Disability Community Face

Imagine a world where we all have equal opportunities and are not placed in minority communities. As a member of the disability community, I have both experienced and written academically about the topics I will be talking about today. In the speech I will be educating y’all about three aspects the disability community face on a daily basis. These three issues are transportation, lack of friends, and isolation.

Let’s begin with transportation. 

We have all seen these busses. They are part of the wave transit bus system. It takes me around fifty minutes to get from my apartment over by UNCW to the bus stop by the learning lab. Normally, it takes fifteen minutes if you were driving a car. For example, to be here on time, I need to leave my apartment around eleven forty. 

There is also this door to door service which passengers could ride but they have to book it in advance. The door to door service could be an alternative option but almost every time I have used it I end up waiting for forty five minutes to an hour and then depending on the schedule, one might have to ride the bus while other passengers are either picked up or dropped off. One time I rode that bus for an hour and a half before being dropped off. This destination is typically a fifteen minute drive away from my place. 

I am not the only person who has this type of experience. My friend who also has cerebral palsy recently texted me and said, “The other day I was late for my internship - I thought I had done everything right by scheduling an hour in advance. When I got on the bus - there were two people on there that the computer determined had to be dropped off before me in Castle Hanye. And the driver was like yeah, you don’t really know when you’re going to be dropped off.” While my friend’s employers are understanding about how the bus operates, there are other individuals whose lives are probably affected by the poor quality of service. 

In addition to this, the fact that the bus stops at 9 pm means I am unable to experience the night life and possibly make friends. I do, on rare occasions, go out and grab a margarita or two with friends at pre planned celebratory events for maintaining good grades at the end of each semester. While these evenings are fun in the moment, reflecting on them feel like my worth and their desire to be around me are directly linked to my good grades and not me as a person. Also I am unable to come downtown and go clubbing, go to Wrightsville and hit the bars, or go to Carolina Beach and experience night life. As a result, I am unable to meet people and connect with them. Thus expanding my friend circle. Mary Dolan, in, “The State of the Nation’s Disabled,” writes individuals with disabilities get out half as much on a weekly basis when compared to their able bodied peers. As Dolan hints, this problem isn’t just a singular issue but a communitywide problem. I have friends with disabilities who are constantly doing Instagram live from their houses at all hours of the day. This is a result of them not having friends to hang out with and being stuck at home. They, like me, do not have friends hitting them up spontaneously on the weekends asking if they want to hang out and grab a drink or two. As a result, a lack of friends often leaves me feeling lonely and depressed. I spend day after day here in my apartment. I mostly spend my days watching TV shows, movies, the news, YouTube videos, etc. After a while it weighs on me and I begin to wonder if anyone cares or if I am worth anything to people. This takes a toll on me physically and mentally. I often find myself more sluggish and congested when I am cooped up in my apartment for extended periods of time. And I want to give up at times.

Unfortunately my experience is not unique. This is the reality for most adults living with disabilities. In the video entitled, Matt and Evan Best Buddies Indiana, Matt’s parents talk about him having highs and lows in life and it was contributed to the fact that he didn’t have any friends before joining Best buddies. Best buddies is an organization which pairs individuals with and without disabilities together for the purpose of building friendships. Similarly other groups of people face isolation which cause health issues. One of these groups is veterans. According to an article published on open access government, researchers have found that loneliness is commonly experienced by veterans, with one particular study finding that almost half of its 2025 respondents were reporting it. later in the article it says, Loneliness and social isolation were linked to suicide attempts, with loneliness being the most common trigger for veterans reaching crisis point and turning to a crisis hotline. While it’s evident we all experience isolation and loneliness, the disability community experiences it on a greater level. Today, I endeavored to give you information concerning issues unique to the disability. These issues are transportation, lack of friends, and isolation. While you can’t wave a magic wand and fix the issues people with disabilities face, You can be the change in someone else’s social interaction, physical, and mental wellbeing. Thanks for your time.