Michigan
Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC)
Her Pride, Her Power, Her Voice Letters
Elizabeth's Experience
I am sending you this letter regarding my daughter Elizabeth's experience [at Her Power, Her Pride, Her Voice]. Elizabeth is a 19 year old girl with sensory processing disorder. She is friendly and has no problem going up to someone to introduce herself and tell them how she is doing on that particular day. I wanted more than anything to give Liz the opportunity to meet and socialize with other young women her age. I wanted to show Elizabeth that there is a whole world of people out there, some with varying degrees of challenges, both visible and invisible and regardless of anything, ALL of us still have feelings, emotions, and the want and need to be cared for!
I just wanted Liz to realize she wasn't alone and there are so many opportunities out there for young women to utilize. Liz had a wonderful time, and truthfully I was impressed with ALL of it!
The volunteers and the young women compared their bodies to Barbie dolls. Liz learned that if Barbie was a "real" woman she would be seven foot tall and have to crawl to get any where due to her disproportionate upper half. The theme for this event was Power, Pride, and Voice. ... What a great idea to teach these girls that these are the qualities EVERY woman must embrace to be truly happy! I am so impressed!!!
I spoke with many parents on the last day. So many of them had stories that moved me to tears. One woman said her daughter would wait by the bathroom door any time she needed to use the facilities. As we were talking this woman glanced around and her child wasn't there. She asked a volunteer where she was and was told "Oh she went with a couple of the other girls down to see the animals." This woman turned and said to me "She would have NEVER done that before we came here." Another woman was clearly impressed with the fact her daughter wanted to feed herself independently. The girl told her mom "I can do it, I don't need any help." There were countless stories like these that further proved this event was successful both with the girls and their parents.
I realize that the state of Michigan is in a terrible situation with funding and budgets. I know that every time we turn around there is another cut being made in some program or organization. However, this event empowers these young ladies to be independent. It shows them that they can depend on their own decisions, and it is OK to be "different" and to embrace those differences with grace and confidence! Many of the parents and young women I spoke with expressed a need to have this particular experience last a week instead of just a weekend. Imagine the difference two or three more days would have made in our daughters lives!
Thank you so much for allowing my daughter to participate in this experience that a month later she is still talking about on a daily basis. Hopefully, she will get the chance to attend next year ... and be there, singing and telling stories at the camp fire, and laughing with all of her new girl friends.
Thank you again,
Jessie
Maddy's Experience
I am writing to tell you how much I appreciated the girls' event that my daughter Madeline attended recently. Please pass along my thanks to all the wonderful young women who joined you in making this weekend possible.
Maddy was very apprehensive about being away from home, but you made her feel so comfortable that she had very few problems. She has told me a lot about the activities she did and the great counselors that she had. The purpose behind this [event] was very well thought out and I think that Maddy got many positive things out of the experience. I appreciated the fact that she could mix with her peers and feel comfortable being herself. We have tried many other types of camps and she always ended up feeling isolated.
I do hope that you can offer this type of activity again in the future. It was amazing that you were able to keep the fee so low, which made it possible for almost any girl to attend. ... Again we really appreciated all the hard work and care that went into this weekend. Be sure to tell all the volunteers how much Maddy enjoyed meeting them and that she had fun.
Sincerely,
Traci