Dear Mom, Here is what makes our relationship special.

I am not the only person in the world who thinks they have the world’s greatest mom. But I am the only one who is right. There are so many reasons why you are a great mom. Growing up, you showed up at every dance recital, soccer game, graduation, and field trip. You did my hair as a little girl, even though you had to chase me around the house with a brush and a bow in hand for 20 minutes to do so. You took me to The Plaza for tea time and to restaurants in the city for lunch dates. And you have supported every dream I have ever had. While I cherish all those moments and memories, what really makes you the best mom is that you have never let me cry alone.

In my worst moments, Mom, you have always been there to listen to, encourage, and give me advice. As a little girl, when I was upset about school or a boy and couldn’t sleep, you would sit in my bed and talk to me until I felt better. To this day, when I am sad or stressed or just need a friend, you are my first phone call. From my first breakup to my assault to the passing of my ex-boyfriend, you have held my hand, wiped my tears and. And somehow, you always make me feel better.

Your warmth, consistency, and wisdom make you a cut above the rest. And as a result, I move through life feeling very loved. You make hard times more bearable and good times more meaningful.

I am so lucky to have you, the best mom in the world.

I love you with all my heart,

Your daughter,

Usually, when one writes a cover letter, one details the education and related experiences – what “qualifies” them for the job. I did not; I told a personal story of how my life experience is more important than any bullet point highlighting my work skills and accomplishments.

The position I applied for is working with a media company as a fellow. With diversity as a critical component that the company is looking for, I figured I was qualified for the position because of two letters I closely associate with, “CP.” Cerebral palsy is its full name, but someone or something which is well-known or we are close to will often get a nickname.

I can’t take credit for the shortened version. I presume that goes to Dr. John Little (the bearded one who discovered the condition in 1853).
Even though in my letter to the company, I did include bullet points about how my disability enables me to diversify the content taken in by audience members, I avoided the most powerful reason as to why I am a journalist in the first place.

After countless hours of work, making sure every T crossed and I dotted, the application page refreshed. Seeing the blank text boxes got me thinking of the text in my cover letter. Each failed attempt to turn it in turned into another attempt to fix the darn thing. Finally, I decided to call it a day with the dome of negative thoughts destroying me, one thought bubble after another.

My mom could see the displeasure on my face – the eggs I had the morning before were not sunny-side up. She suggested asking a family friend in our apartment building for guidance.

I went over with my mind made up: “I am sending what I have; I’m only here so he can help me submit what I have!” That did not happen, of course, and it turned into a whole family affair — I knew it had to be somewhat good because non of the three dogs ate the printed copy.

After much deliberation, we concluded that – you guessed it, rewrite it over again. When the post-memorandum finished, the plan of action was to really hit the ball on the bat, explaining how I ended up in a field where talent is often overlooked and substituted for one’s looks, and even though I have dabbled in some Adaptive Fashion Modeling, the way I saunter along is not exactly cover of Sports Illustrated worthy.

I mention all of this to convey that the thing you wish people would walk by might not be a clear path, but it will eventually get you to your certainly straight purpose.

As my mentor, Jason Benetti, said when asked if he minds talking about his CP.
“It’s part of me; so many people travel this world and don’t know what’s unique about them. I already have one built-in!”

Whether yours is built-in or not, I hope you find YOUR STRAIGHT PURPOSE.

Much love

Dear World,

I will admit sometimes I complain. Some days, I am grumpy and exhausted and feel the world’s weight on my shoulders. When I am knee-deep in those moments, I often go for a walk or rollerblade by the beach, where I look around and take a breath, and I am quickly reminded of how lucky I am. There are so many reasons I have to possess tremendous gratitude for my life.

I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the country, with a roof over my head and food for every meal. A few years ago, I discovered my purpose and was able to start and pursue a business that speaks to my soul. I am, knock on wood, healthy and happy. Also, I have the most amazing people in my life.

My mom calls me daily to check in, asking, “What are you doing? How’s your day.” She always wants to make sure I am happy and at my best. Throughout the week, you can catch my father sharing all my business social media posts, bursting with pride, and doing whatever he can to support my dreams. My big brother, Andrew, is my lifeline. He gives me the best advice, personally and professionally. He has a way of looking at my life challenges through a clear and logical lens and can always guide me. My friends are loving, supportive, and just a phone call away. Some proofread my writing, give me business tips, or listen to me for hours talk about whatever I need to get off my chest. They want nothing more than to see me live my best life. And my boyfriend is the kind of partner that will surprise me and bring back my favorite meal. He will play with my dog and have dinner with my parents on nights when I know he has a ton of work to do. His thoughtfulness makes it clear that he genuinely cares about me.

All the people in my life make me feel loved, supported, and joyful. My circle is the source of my strength, as I am flooded with positive energy and kindness. I know that my family and friends will never let me fall too far or hard. So while the universe has blessed me in so many ways, what I love most about my life are the people I am fortunate enough to share it with.

Love,

Dear Walt Disney,

Like you, I am both a creative and an entrepreneur. Your legacy inspires me beyond measure.

See, this weekend, I visited Walt Disney World, a collection of theme parks named in your honor and developed based on many of your ideas and creations. It’s the second time I have been there just this year and the sixth time in my life. Each time I go to Disney World, I leave amazed. The parks are enormous, and yet they are so detail-oriented. On average, 58 million people visit Disney World and its parks yearly. Each day, the average revenue for Disney World is $82 million. The parks at Disney World are unlike any other amusement park in the world. And the amount of joy you have brought to people’s lives through these parks and your films is never ending and not quantifiable.

When I look up at the castle at Magic Kingdom or the ball at EPCOT, I can’t help but think about how this entire empire started with just a vision and a simple cartoon, and that cartoon is now an American icon known as Mickey Mouse.

While I don’t know how to draw and have no ambition to go into the theme park business, my visions are bigger than anyone else can see. And my starting point is simple. It’s not a mouse like Mickey, but rather a letter – written from one human to another.

Through letters, I want to inspire people, unite different cultures, and catalyze productive conversations on critical social issues that impact our society. My business is still small – in its infancy. But my vision is clear and so big.

Mr. Disney, you give me so much hope and fire to keep marching forward.

For me, Disney World is not just a place for rides, shows, and good food. And your legacy is so much more than the drawings you created. Both are reminders of what is possible with a simple concept, a big vision, and a determined spirit.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Dear Unsealers,

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!

Proud to be part of this MAGNIFICENT group of writers and PEOPLE! Keep on INSPIRING OTHERS to BE THEIR BEST AND DO THEIR BEST!!

With Love

I remember when I first learned of misogyny, racism and pure hate
I had thought long ago it all reached its expiration date

Clearly, I was wrong
As many are still dancing to an old song

As a young girl, they told me playing sports is a microcosm of adult life
But in the real world, the refs try to prevent me from winning at any
role except mother and wife

They do so by attempting to lower my ceiling
While reducing my existence to what I do when I am lying or kneeling

When it comes to civil rights, I may have never seen a noose
But the concept of racial equality is definitely still a ruse

I know I am not black and I can’t understand racism through what I
hear on the news or read in a book
But I am human and I know a young innocent boy should not be shot
because of the way he looks

In love, we still can’t all marry the person who makes our hearts feel
cared for or protected
Instead we must worry and live in fear that our connection won’t be
accepted

In careers, many of us don’t receive opportunity based on ability
Instead, we are held back because of our complexion, sexuality or
femininity

The solution is in our own evolution

We are fighting old battles in a modern form
A new movement where we all stand for each other needs to be born

Men must stand up against rape and be leaders in its elimination
Women need to speak up when different races or sexual orientations
receive any kind of discrimination

Our voices would have so much more power if we sang as a choir
Going against the establishment as separate acts just lead us to tire

Whether you’re black, white, female or LGBT
People need to stand for people if we are all going to be set free

Our past should not still be our reality
It’s time for injustice to be the latest fatality

Our children deserve a world where hate doesn’t consistently rise
above
Instead, I want them to experience the best of life, by living in a place
where they can feel hope and universal love

Dear Dad,

I can’t remember the exact day or even the precise year that this memory took place. At the time, I was working for MSG Varsity, a high school sports network in the New York metropolitan area. I was probably about two years out of college and maybe 23 or 24 years old. That job was a breakthrough. It was my first steady on-air job. Before getting an offer to work for MSG, I must have been rejected by 100 stations. I was pursuing what many thought to be an impossible career as a TV sports reporter. So many naysayers told me I was wasting my time and my education. But not you, Dad. You told me never to give up on a dream. You told me you believed in me and tried to provide any resources possible to help me succeed.

That’s why this moment, which I am about to share, meant so much to me.

See on this day, I walked into work and everybody was buzzing about Emmy nominations. I was a young reporter in the number one market in the country, so my expectations were low. Then, just as I was about to start writing a script, one of my coworkers told me to check the Emmy nominations. They said they were almost sure they saw my name listed. I don’t remember if I read a hard copy or if I looked at the nominations on my computer or someone else’s computer, but I got a hold of the list, and sure enough, my name was printed twice. In my first year as a reporter, I received two Emmy nominations in the number one market in the country. Before saying anything to anyone, I went into the stairwell and started to cry as I called you to tell you the news.

That’s the moment that is etched in my memory forever. That’s the moment I will never forget. I remember how I felt overwhelmed with emotion and how I could barely even get the words out to tell you. I remember how happy you were to hear the news and how you told me to stop crying.

It wasn’t so much the recognition from the industry or that I got to go to the ceremony and wear a pretty dress that made that moment so special. Don’t get me wrong. All that was great too. But at that moment, I felt I had proved that your unwavering support and belief in me were worthwhile. That you didn’t waste your time or money investing in my dreams.

A decade and change later, I have yet to win an Emmy, even though I was nominated five more times after that. But that moment in the stairwell means more to me than any trophy. That five-minute phone call celebrating with you and hearing the pride in your voice were and are the only prizes that ever mattered to me.

I love you, Daddy. Thank you for always believing in me.

Not a Second Apart

Not a second apart… born 1lbs and 13oz, you were there with me from the second I was born. You were there when I was first put on oxygen — not getting to see where I lived until Three months after May 23, 1996.

You were there when I first cried through those doors, it was you who lifted my head, letting me familiarize myself with what must’ve looked like a jungle… our house; a place you saw just a week before the Jewish holidays.

You were there when I had my first seizure at 2… the same time I was diagnosed with CP, which must have been somewhat of a bitter-sweet moment…after all those doctors I went to, or should I say we went to.

You were there when I first rolled over – which must have seemed like the first night of Chanukah, not knowing how many candles (activities of daily living skills I could do or how many key milestones I could reach).

When I wanted to go to college, it was you that I confided in and we made it through, fast-forwarding to now, when I timidity crawl through the process of finding a job, it is you that always reminds me, to keep being you, no matter how awkward you walk… never stop running to your dreams and jokingly or not jokingly saying, “ if you fall, you know how to get up!”

You are me and I will always love you!

Jake

Dear Mom,

Growing up, I didn’t always appreciate you as I do now. I didn’t fully understand you as a child because our dreams were so different. At ten years old, I was outspoken and already very career driven. You always liked working and wanted to do well, but you never had a burning desire for a promotion or more responsibilities. For a long time, I thought you were less ambitious than me, but as the years passed, I learned that that’s not exactly correct.

Mom, you are the backbone of our family. When a crisis hits, you are the one we all turn to for comfort, support, and wisdom. You have this incredible ability to calm us all down while providing logical advice. When I got rejected by my crush in elementary school, you were the one who sat in my bed and told me I was beautiful. When I decided to go to private school 40 minutes from our house and then play for a travel soccer team 40 minutes away in the opposite direction, you (and dad) spent hours in the car, driving me back and forth. When I was worried about getting into college, you were the one who told me you were proud of me regardless of which school accepted me. When I opened up about my assault, you were the one who told me my response was normal and OK. When my ex-boyfriend passed away, you were the one who held my hand at the funeral. And when I started my business, you spent days on end sending out emails for me.

Mom, I have come to realize that you were and are very ambitious. You wanted, more than anything, to foster a loving family and you did whatever it took to make that happen. As a family, we have endured difficult situations together, and you have handled each with strength, grace, selflessness, and love. Every day, you have made our family a priority. To this day, you help us persevere through the most challenging moments of our lives, while also supporting us as we chase our wildest dreams.

Mom, you may not have wanted to be a boss in a boardroom, but you were/are one heck of a CEO in our household.

I am proud to be your daughter, as I admire and love you more than you’ll ever know.

With love,

Mentor: what do the last three syllables of that sound like? TOUR, a guide, and in the word MENtor, it’s MEN who are guided along for the tour of life: not literal men, people.

I remember it like it was yesterday, the place, middle school, the time, 2009, I was only 11 but, oh, I hear that rhythmic bell blasting right now;

it was the very first day of sixth grade when That final bell rang, it was time to go home!

I had an aide whose job was to help me with everything I needed. We walked downstairs, she at my side, making sure I did not get clobbered by all the rascals passing by me. We ended up “in the clear”. What came next was clear as day, forever seared into my memory…

“I learned more from you in one day than you can ever teach me,” she said. Her name? Ms. Rossi, and at the time. I remember thinking whoever this Ross guy is, (her boyfriend) he is a lucky man, and he eventually put a ring on it!

Anyway, excuse my diversion, As I was saying.. that compliment meant and still means something that even a Picasso painting can explain and anytime I need a jolt of motivational coffee, I envision my 11-year-old self hearing that endearing comment and smiling ear to ear; however, that statement, “I learned more from you in one day than you can ever teach me,” could not have been further from the truth!

A couple of days went by, and my mom’s best friend, a second mother to me, and my Occupational therapist, (OT) came into school for what seemed like an eternity! She taught me how to properly sit in this “special” blue and red chair.

Ms. Rossi did not blink an eye, as she was swallowing it all the instructions given to her up. As for me, I was swallowing it all up, then regurgitating it all right back out. Hey, can you blame me? My OT has a strong tone and after all, she is like my second mother.

I sat there like a flight attendant and only moved when my OT told me to.

She was the one who taught me how to do my daily activities in life which I was ignorant of and would have rather watched paint dry.

When my OT left, I took a deep breath of thank goodness this is over. Then, I remember taking one more breath – this time with excitement because Ms. Rossi whispered in my ear, “I promise you, I will NEVER be as hard on you as she was.”

Let’s just say, it was Ms. Rossi that did not remind me to take my binder to the next class and forced me to go back to retrieve it. That boy who thought her boyfriend was lucky to have her, now saw a different side, a fierce side.

I must say that if we played the Newlywed game, she would know every answer before the questions were asked.

I vividly remember having a gag reflex, and she could tell if it was an itch on my back or because I failed a test; It was like she could see into the future. one day, I was in class without a care in the world and thinking I was disrespected by my other teachers by them not having the same expectations Ms. Rossi did! she whispered in my ear, saying “I know YOU don’t want to have an aide and want to go to college: I don’t want to be an aide; I want to be a Headteacher.

it turns out that that whisper spoke as loudly as anything I’ve heard in my entire life, Propelling me to ignore all the whispers about me not being able to succeed, and not only getting an undergraduate degree but in turn, a masters degree.

As for the now Mrs. Candel, she has two children, she is a Headteacher and yes, it is at that same school, teaching english and social studies.

All I know, whatever lesson plans she has for her students, nothing will EVER compare to the LESSONS she TAUGHT ME!

Photo Credit: MenTOR

MIKAELA LAUREN TICK!

I WRITE A DAY LATE. YOUR BIRTHDAY was yesterday: LITERALLY, I AM a DAY LATE.

On July 27, 2014, you passed, PHYSICALLY; it was a rare HEART CONDITION. YOU HAVE A RARE HEART. A golden HEART. Check that, a 💜! (your FAV COLOR) and an attitude akin to an 🐘 with its tusks ⬆️. You had those up EVERYWHERE

EVERY SINGLE PERSON feels a DAY LATE, A DOLLAR SHORT occasionally and it was those moments that you INFUSED YOUR SMILE to LIFT THEIRS UP!

That SMILE FEELS PRICELESS to EVERYONE; it IS PRICELESS EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY SINGLE DAY, FLOWING WITH GENUINE and PURE LOVE no MATTER WHAT, BUT, LIFTING people’s TUSKS up is YOUR SUPERPOWER!

YOU LITERALLY took the OCCUPATION out of OCCUPATIONal therapy: VOLUNTEERING at St. Mary’s, and ALWAYS HOLDING HANDS with EVERYONE!

KALS LOVES HOLDING HANDS -especially for people with DIFFERENT ABILITIES: Camp HELPING HANDS is where it started!!

So PLEASE put YOUR “HAND IN THE JAR and give ANY AMOUNT of MONEY AND/ OR TIME

LY, ALWAYS!!

Until we meet again,

🐘 ⬆️

Jakey!

Credit: Picture from MLT’s Instagram Page

What’s INspiring about me? Before I answer, I want to be clear that this answer is like the chance of Amazon not selling any packages tomorrow, 0% of arrogance!

This question is like asking me to jump on a 24-inch box and land it, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE!

As a person with cerebral palsy, a physical disability. One might think I’m going to write this grand story about how I “built Rome in ONE DAY”, paraphrasing John Heywood. The truth is: I can NOT tell you what is INspiring about me, others can.

They might say, Jake won a New York State Broadcasters Association Award for a feature he did on Disability Awareness Month, he has his masters degree in Sports Journalism, he was the president of his high school, etc. All that is GREAT; it does NOT hold a candle TO ME compared to EXternal achievements.

EXternal achievements only ASSIST with SELF-SABOTAGE.

To use a boxing analogy, “Your “cornerman” can ONLY LIFT YOU UP, NOT KNOCK YOUR OPPONENT DOWN.” – Jake April

So, to answer the question, I’m INspirational because hopefully, I conveyed the importance of being your OWN “cornerman”, and that comes from the INside!

To Those Who Doubt Themselves,

Most people never discover how far their talents can take them.

Instead, it is so easy to let doubt hold you back. It’s so easy to ponder if you are smart enough, good enough, or have the stamina to climb the mountain you see ahead. And, of course, it doesn’t make it any less daunting when you have naysayers – people who say you can’t do it. But what I want you to know and what my journey thus far has taught me is that you’re in control of your destiny.

There are so many instances in life where I was scared to pursue a challenge. When I got accepted to an Ivy League school, I didn’t think I was smart enough to attend. When I decided to start a business, I didn’t know if I had the experience or resources to pull it off effectively. And when recently, I decided to start learning how to code websites, I honestly didn’t know if my brain could absorb a computer language.

As I questioned my abilities in those circumstances, other people also doubted me. Here are just a few comments I heard from people:

“You’re not as smart as the other kids who go to Columbia. You won’t do well there.”

“Do you know how many people fail at starting a business? You’re wasting your time.”

“How are you going to learn to code on your own? There are so many levels to it. You’ll never be able to be proficient in it.”

Despite my doubts, and the doubts of others, I pursued each challenge anyway.

I repeatedly told myself, almost like a religious mantra, “If someone else can do this, I can do it too. If someone else can do this, I can do it too.”

I made the dean’s list every semester during my last two years at Columbia(I think). My very first post, when I started my business, went viral. And with computer code, I found a cheap course online, and I am enjoying learning to code. It’s actually coming to me pretty easily so far.

So, don’t listen to any of your doubters. They are projecting their fears onto you. Always have confidence in yourself because right now, you have no idea what you can accomplish in your life. But I promise you, if you take a chance, if you have a little faith in yourself, and never give up, you just might be one of the lucky ones to find out.

With Love,