My name is Taylor Schindley, a senior here at Ohio State studying Child and Youth Studies with a focus on Special Education. Post graduation I plan to pursue my masters to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst working with children on the autism spectrum.

My passion for disability equity and advocacy began as I grew up alongside my brother who is on the autism spectrum. Seeing the world through a different lens taught me a lot about the tragedies individuals with disabilities and their families face due to their differences. Access to things like healthcare, education, social experiences, and so much more are difficult for this population due to societal norms creating barriers. Their differences make them an outlier and society expects these individuals to conform to society standards, where in reality society is who should be making this access more equitable.

I currently have the pleasure of working with the neurodiverse population within a hospital setting. I have seen first hand how the inability to access healthcare for this population and their families raises extreme concern for their overall development. Because of this experience, I have chosen to raise money for health promotion and healthcare parity specifically for individuals with developmental disabilities. Through the Nisonger Center, whose mission os to empower and support people with developmental disabilities and their families, this fund will work towards advancing healthcare literacy, healthcare access, reduction of health disparities/inequities, and also support families through the transition of pediatric to adult services.

My brother is the reason for my passion and the reason that I will devote every step of my career towards advocacy and disability awareness. This population deserves to have equitable access to all things rather than trying to live their lives conforming to the standards created by society. Society causes barriers and makes things inaccessible for individuals with developmental disabilities, however, with this fund we can take a step towards breaking this divide and creating a more accessible society. Healthcare is a necessity that all people should have access to and we must work together to ensure all individuals have this access. Remember to give yourself the reminder that developmental disabilities are a different way of seeing the world, not a problem that needs to be solved. These differences do not mean less, so we must always remember to empower equity and inclusion to create an accessible society for all. Please join me in creating equitable healthcare for the population of individuals with disabilities and their families