On Tuesday, April 2, ETSU students gathered online to have an open discussion about disability. The meeting was led by students and offered students a better understanding of disability.

The meeting was led by Madison Huffine, an ETSU Public Health undergraduate student, and Hannah Smith, an ETSU Speech-Language Pathology graduate student. Both students have disabilities and spoke about their experiences living with disabilities and the achievements they have.

Huffine and Smith both took the time to describe their disabilities and how they have impacted their lives. Huffine was diagnosed with several mental health disabilities at the start of her college experience. Smith was diagnosed with Achondroplasia Dwarfism shortly after birth.

Both speakers were very active in campus life, being involved in groups such as the National Academic Greek Society, Preview and Orientation Leader Organization and the East Tennessean as well as having outside jobs such as being a firefighter.

Smith described the difference between visible and invisible disabilities and how that has impacted them.

“I have to be mindful, I may not be well received at first, because sometimes people judge off of first appearance,” said Smith.

For Huffine her disabilities are invisible, and people can’t see them upon first meeting. Because of that people often look past her disabilities or even ignore them altogether.

(Contributed/graduateprogram.org)

Huffine and Smith also discussed how their experiences differed a lot based on when they were diagnosed with their disabilities.

For Huffine, she lived most of her life without knowing she was living with disabilities. Once she learned she had them, things in her life began to get easier as she understood herself better and became more forgiving of herself.

“I grew up in a household where grades were very important. I was always stressing about them and constantly struggling in class. I know now that it’s ok to have a bad test. It’s not the most important thing anymore,” said Huffine.

For Smith, she grew up with her disability and wished she could be like everyone else for a long time. These days she is proud of who she is and uses her disability to help inspire others with disabilities.

Huffine and Smith were asked to present the Lunch and Learn after participating in the Equity and Inclusion Conference which was held in October 2023.

For more information, visit etsu.edu/students/ds  and etsu.edu/equity.

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