S1E3 — We Want More Than Access: The Emotional Side of Disability

2025-06-09

If you’re disabled, you know what it feels like to be seen only for what you need—not for what you feel. Yes, ramps matter. Captions matter. Accommodations matter.But what about joy?What about belonging?What about the emotional kind of happiness that doesn’t come from a checklist—but from simply being seen and valued? I wasn’t born deaf. I lost my hearing overnight after the COVID shot, and suddenly I became “the guy who needed things.” Helpful things, yes—but I started feeling invisible beyond those needs.

If you’re disabled, you know what it feels like to be seen only for what you need—not for what you feel.

Yes, ramps matter. Captions matter. Accommodations matter.
But what about joy?
What about belonging?
What about the emotional kind of happiness that doesn’t come from a checklist—but from simply being seen and valued?

I wasn’t born deaf. I lost my hearing overnight after the COVID shot, and suddenly I became “the guy who needed things.” Helpful things, yes—but I started feeling invisible beyond those needs.

That’s when I looked at an accessibility sign and grabbed a Sharpie. I scrawled the words: “Let’s Make Happiness Accessible!”
That graffiti moment became the spark that started this entire brand.

This episode is about that spark—and why this message goes deeper than products or slogans. It’s about the quiet truth no one says out loud: Disabled people want happiness, too. Not just support. Not just inclusion. Joy. Contentment. Recognition.

If you’ve ever wished someone understood the emotional side of disability—what it’s like to feel both strong and overlooked—this episode is for you.

You're not wrong for wanting more than just access.

Let’s make happiness accessible—together.

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