My Silence Roars

In this fascinating memoir, Tina Jackson writes about her life as a woman with multiple disabilities. Born with cerebral palsy in Appalachian Eastern Kentucky, Tina was raised by parents who encouraged her to be self-sufficient and to value education. Her childhood was marked by numerous therapies, a move from town to country, and insecurities about her ability to fit in and to succeed in life. After graduating from college and an adventure in California, she found what she thought would be her dream job working as a social worker in Eastern Kentucky helping families that included children with disabilities, but her insecurities returned and overwhelming stress intervened. Her disabilities grew more limiting from causes never fully determined and she lost her voice, much of her mobility, and eventually the ability to eat. She went back to school twice to be retrained for other jobs. Despite her difficulties communicating, Tina decided to devote her energies to advocating for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in American society. This is a story of persistence and passion with a few twists and turns along the way. Somehow, even an episode of Family Feud is involved. As as a senior citizen who has lived through many setbacks, Tina hopes her story will help someone who is facing their own road bumps in life, especially young people. She wants to help the next generation to be strong, creative, and productive.