Antonio Tapia: It’s not that I can’t, but how can I?

Antonio Tapia, a student in my English 1A, fall 2015, tells us what it is to be a student and a man who uses technology in a way many of us don't. His essay is worth reading. Antonio, thanks for sending this to me and allowing me to share it with others.

A Reflection by Antonio Tapia

I have always had physical limitations, and as a teenager it bothered me a bit. One thing that always helped me overcome this feeling of being dependent on someone else was being able to go to school. We can learn something new every day if we put our effort into it. My mother always taught me to believe that everyone is equal to each other, but I have seen not everyone has this belief. Due to my disability I have been judged by what I can and cannot do,  but for me it’s not that I can’t, but how can I? I still do have limitations, but I always try to do my best at the things that I can do. I’m good at using a computer, and it is something I can use on my own. Technology is a tool that has allowed me to efficiently do some of my daily tasks. For now, technology has not made all things completely accessible, and sometimes I become frustrated when I can’t physically do something without someone helping me out.

Two of the devices that I use daily are my power wheelchair and respirator. I wouldn’t know what I would do without these devices. The respirator aids with my breathing, and the respirator is something I can’t live without. The wheelchair lets me go most places, and I say most because not everywhere is wheelchair accessible. Most people who do not use a wheelchair do not consider this, and sometimes I get invited somewhere that is not accessible for me, including a friend’s house or very old public buildings. Until I am able to get a wheelchair that can climb stairs, I am limited to where I can go. Some buildings have backdoors as the only accessible entrance. One of my friends calls it the VIP entry. It's his way of making me feel better as I can't always go through the front door like everyone else.

I feel that most people do judge me when we first meet, but eventually they see that they shouldn’t. That I always find a way to do the things that I want to do. Sometimes it just requires a different way for me to do something, and of course I am still human. I, too, require to socialize and have fun with others. Please don’t take this as me asking for pity, but to just recognize that I can do a lot more just in a different way.