The loudest voices told Michelle Steiner that college wasn’t an option and meaningful work wouldn’t be in reach. She proved them wrong, and then turned that hard-won confidence into a career helping students with disabilities claim their voice, their tools, and their future. We sit down with Michelle, writer, photographer, and paraeducator, to unpack how perseverance, accommodations, and everyday advocacy can transform doubt into durable progress.

We explore the practical side of equity: using Vocational Rehabilitation to graduate debt-free, requesting extended time and note takers, and replacing shame with strategy. Michelle breaks down the myths around accommodations (“cheating” vs. leveling the playing field) and offers clear, repeatable scripts for disclosing needs at school and work without oversharing. For parents and caregivers, we map how to partner with teachers, IEP teams, and pediatricians, and why a strengths-first mindset builds accountability without crushing a child’s spirit.

Michelle also shares how her hidden disability reshaped her creativity. Walking instead of driving became a pathway to photography; journaling became a way to process stigma and educate others. Inside the classroom, she teaches seventh graders the advocacy habits that fuel independence: ask early, be specific, and celebrate what you do well. If you’re navigating learning differences, supporting a neurodivergent student, or rethinking your own path, this conversation offers tools, hope, and a fresh definition of success that fits real life.

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