Hi my name is MariaNicolette! — Scope | Disability forum
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Hi my name is MariaNicolette!

MariaNicolette
MariaNicolette Community member Posts: 25 Connected
edited March 2021 in Start here and say hello!
Hi all,

I am Maria Nicolette. I connected with Scope as I have a life long health condition and asked for support due to my disability being a barrier in my career. I very much didn't feel included at work and found the diversity aspect to be lacking.

I was born with kidney failure and am on dialisys. In 2020 I gave up after 14 years struggling in office work. I found the office environment to be largely unfair towards people like me. I packed it in, did some soul searching, followed my dream and now am a (poor and unpaid!) writer.

I contribute for The Everyday Magazine and write a lot about diversity and inclusion with disabilities. This is my most prominent piece: https://theeverydaymagazine.co.uk/opinion/invisible-disability

I also have a pen name, Elaunda Rox and I write short stories currently though I am applying for an MA in Creative Writing to hone on my skills and hope it will lead me to a debut fantasy novel by 2022!

Meanwhile, I am a strong believer in the health benefits of gaming for people with illness and disabilities. I started game streaming under a pseudoname on twitch and I find it very relaxing and helpful to my physical and mental health.

I am here to connect with others, discuss interesting topics, take part in making lives of people with disabilities easier in a society currently requiring 'teaching' around inclusion and diversity, and just want to have a purpose.

Thank you for having me and looking forward to connecting! Please say HI! <3

Many thanks,

Maria Nicolette
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Comments

  • Sandy_123
    Sandy_123 Scope Member Posts: 46,734 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @MariaNicolette welcome, I also love creative writing, I'm writing a book at the moment but lately don't have time to sit down in the evenings and do it, I will look at your link later.
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,488 Disability Gamechanger
    Welcome to the community @MariaNicolette :) Thanks for joining. 

    I'm sorry to hear that you struggled with feeling accepted in the workplace, but am glad you're now doing what you're passionate about. Hopefully better pay will increase with time, as you raise your profile. I'll give your article a read later :) 

    The MA sounds good! How are you finding the application process? A book would be very exciting, what sort of fantasy writing are you into?

    I was going to point you towards our big thread on video games, but I can see that you've already found that, which is great. I hope you saw Ross' reply to you on the Gaming for Good thread too. 

    You're absolutely welcome to do all of those things, so we look forward to seeing you around. Please continue to jump in on any discussions that interest you. 

    National Campaigns Officer, she/her

    Join our call for an equal future.
  • Tammyjane33
    Tammyjane33 Community member Posts: 765 Pioneering
    @MariaNicolette Welcome to the scope online community?
    I'm Tammy one of the volunteer community champions here on the platform. I'm sorry you've been though so much difficulty at work, I've experienced similar things and I know it's not nice. 
    You appear to be a fantastic, inspiring, hard working individual and any company would be lucky to have you. I'd would be great for us to connect! I have a rare disease and people seem to judge because they don't understand.
    Hope to speak to you soon, kind regards, 
    Tammy 
  • MariaNicolette
    MariaNicolette Community member Posts: 25 Connected
    Sandy_123 said:
    Hi @MariaNicolette welcome, I also love creative writing, I'm writing a book at the moment but lately don't have time to sit down in the evenings and do it, I will look at your link later.
    Hi Sandy,

    Thank you for coming to welcome me here. I would love to read your work. I don't know how it works here in the forums, I wouldn't want to overstep any barriers but feel free to read my short stories on: https://www.elaundarox.co.uk - however I am mostly interested in reading your work too. If there is any way I could do that just let me know. I am on plenty of FB groups on writing and just love supporting the writers community. 

    Maria
  • MariaNicolette
    MariaNicolette Community member Posts: 25 Connected
    @Tori_Scope

    Thanks for welcoming me here! It's great to be here. 

    We have a long way to go still even in 2020 and I am gobsmacked to have come to the realisation over time that the first ever disability act came into action in 1995. I was in my teens! How is that right there there hasn't been something in place since the LAST century to protect/support/promote people with disabilities? And the newly replaced one was 2010? I graduated in 2006! I had a lot of adversity thrown in my face. I don't feel enough is done, and it's far too little far too late in my honest opinion. 

    Fun fact: did you know that the first United Nations Disability strategy was launched in 2019 and it's first report was released in October 2020? Why are we still living in a world that only now people with disabilities are slowly (and begrudgingly in my opinion) being included in society?

    The application process isn't problematic for me up to date. All I need is to send in 20 pages of work. I have done so much since last year when I decided to become a writer, the issue is to pick the work which highlights me most! 

    The bigger issue is financing it. I don't know where to go with it all. I already have a BSc Economics from City Uni and MSc Management from Cass Business School. I am now htting my 40s and have decided to become a mature student? Where do I finance something like that without a job? It's dire. But I have to do it, I can't live like this anymore not reaching my potential, not having a purposed, and not following my passion in writing.

    Yes yes yes! All the video games thread I have followed. I am so passionate about learning the connection between gaming and health benefits. It is my new topic of passion in my writing right now. Game Therapy! I am so gutted I didn't respond in time for the Gaming for Good, but I just wasn't aware of it before thats all.

    Looking forward to connecting more. I hope you dont get bored of my posts! I talk alot, and write alot and am a social butterfly so... my posts are pretty long. 

    Maria 
  • MariaNicolette
    MariaNicolette Community member Posts: 25 Connected
    @MariaNicolette Welcome to the scope online community?
    I'm Tammy one of the volunteer community champions here on the platform. I'm sorry you've been though so much difficulty at work, I've experienced similar things and I know it's not nice. 
    You appear to be a fantastic, inspiring, hard working individual and any company would be lucky to have you. I'd would be great for us to connect! I have a rare disease and people seem to judge because they don't understand.
    Hope to speak to you soon, kind regards, 
    Tammy 
    Hi Tammy,

    Oh my GOD don't you hate that when they judge because of their shortcomings of not educating themselves?! How is that our fault right?

    So, in my situation nobody sees anything. I am just Maria. I got through uni without asking for extra time or special circumstances. I never told anybody and swore my personal tutor to secrecy. So in an emergency I had his help, but didn't want it shared. In my final year I got sick with flu and pneumonia and being low immune I was knocked out. I had to go to the course director for an extension. She didn't believe me (not her fault!). When she was made aware by both me and my personal tutor (whom is a highly regarded lecturer) of my underlying condition she was devastated. She said 'how did you go under the radar for 3 years?'. I told her that it is not hard if you want to keep it quiet. I didn't do it at all out of embarrassment or feeling uncomfortable, but actually because I was pig headed and determined to get top grades on equal terms with others to prove to myself I could do it!

    A nurse just yesterday said 'you come here laughing and smiling, so bubbly and energetic, I didn't know you were a patient here!'. We had a disagreement about something and she said this. I opened up to her and splurged out all the **** I feel on the inside about disabilities, discrimination, 14 years struggles, being highly capable and yet not being valued... all that. And finally I told her I smile and laugh because I love life. I can not live my life miserable, crying and moaning everyday. I put those feelings in a box and try to enjoy life, otherwise what will happen to me if I don't?

    Some people say I am 'lucky' my disability doesn't show. But when a firm/director/person in power finds out later, what hurts is their instant change in tone and reaction to me. I hate it.

    I think it's good to know instantly who is respectful and who isn't. It is NOT nice to be instantly judged at all, and I wouldn't know what your experience is like. If I had to help myself get through it like you have to, I would just say to myself 'well, its better I know the poop from the diamonds instantly than waste my time with people'. That's how I dealt with relationships, disclosed early and if it was a problem, next. Now I am married and I am glad I didn't waste time on people who just couldn't cut it. Always remember, your time is precious and if someone isn't strong enough to cut it, just cut them off. I don't know what your rare desease is and in all honesty I don't need to because what you deal with with yourself doesn't define who you are. I hope to get to know you, learn your passions, your interests, what your dreams are etc. We might have a lot in common! Oh, and by the way I also love fashion which I didn't mention yet.... what do you love?

    Sorry for the long post. But yeah, I am so glad to be here and to know you. Thank you for responding!

    Maria 

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