If you’re a disabled person not reaching society’s standards
Then suddenly you don’t matter…
To the government’s or the bosses, to the people in power
They say I don’t matter – But I’m speaking my truth
I’m reclaiming my story
It’s about being allowed to make mistakes
And mistakes not being tied to my worth as a person
It’s about being able to fail and not live up to my
expectations without that being a reflection of my value
It’s about not living up to society’s standards without
losing my status as a human being
Value is not about how much money you can make
for yourself, a company or anyone else
Our value is in existing as we are
In the relationships that we form
In the love we have for others and that they have for us
We do not have to reach the world’s expectations
Or achieve someone else’s dreams
Our worth is in being – and being ourselves
It’s hard to remember that when things get bad
When I make mistakes – When I feel like i’ve failed
I get thrown back – To the bad times
When every mistake was an excuse to abuse me
When I was told I was not a human being
So the mindset of that time takes precedence
Steps forward
I am thrown back in time
Lost in an old way of perceiving the world
All of the things I hold of myself – rebuilt and renewed
with love and years – are gone
And it’s just the fear and self-hate and anger
I lose myself in it
When I’m pulled back into that mindset
I am not allowed to dictate my own existence
And when I’m there
I need an outside voice to bring me back
I need to find my way home
And remember the things I’ve learned AND unlearned
So this is the reminder I need…
I am allowed to make mistakes
I’m allowed to fail
I am allowed to not be able
Being treated as a person, a human being,
Is not tied to certain standards
The power is mine
To come back to myself as I am
Back to knowing I have agency
Back to cultivating self-love
Back to claiming my value as my own
perfectly imperfect self
Artist Statement
This vibe is part of my trauma recovery. I’ve always been very perfectionistic and very, very hard on myself. And the people who’ve hurt me in my life, school systems, capitalism – they all reinforce that perfectionism. They have used my lack of perfection to dehumanize me – to strip me of my own value of myself. They’ve used my imperfection as an excuse to abuse me.
I’m reclaiming my story
Our value is in existing as we are
This is the reminder I need
The power is mine
I’ve been reclaiming myself from this – learning to pull back when I’ve been triggered by something – to bring myself back into the present moment. This is my reminder to reclaim myself in this moment.
