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Culture May 3, 2023
Photo via Possessed Photography on UnsplashIn a winter wonderland, a freckled girl with a cane wanders around, evoking play and wonder. She revels in the soft ground and her playmates’ laughter as they skip in circles. She is joy and sweet innocence, unacquainted with the cruel reality of a world cloaked in division and inequality.
Once the bright-colored figures disappear into the school building, the freckled girl is alone, feeling her way along the familiar path, cane in hand and the other outstretched. In her haste, she runs headfirst into a chain-linked fence pole, colliding with the sharp metal. Blood stains the ivory ground a deep crimson as the world swirls around her in a dizzying blur. That was the first time Molly Burke felt vulnerable.
As Molly grew older, her eyesight deteriorated, causing the world around her to become like a thick blanket of fog. Opening her eyes each morning was a painful reminder of the darkness that awaited, the outside world forever shrouded in shadow.
Her peers’ cruel taunts followed her like ravenous wolves, accusing her of faking her disability for attention. They made her world grow duller until even the brightest days felt as dim as dusk. Trapped in a world of shadows and cruelty, Molly’s vulnerability concealed a strength she didn’t know existed.
Molly’s heart raced as she followed her peers into the dense woods beyond the school grounds. With sadistic glee in their eyes, they led her deep into the heart of the forest, away from prying eyes. The quiet atmosphere was broken only by leaves and twigs crunching underfoot, intertwined with whispers and giggles from her classmates, who were tasked with guiding her to the cafeteria for lunch but had no intention of doing so. Struggling on her crutches, Molly stumbled over the rough terrain.
Exhausted and in pain, Molly rested her crutches against a nearby tree and caught her breath. Footsteps approached nearby, stealing her crutches. Then a sheer clashing of metal to the tree broke the silence. The wood splintered, and fragments flew in all directions as the crutches’ metal joints bent under the force.
Molly began shaking as she tried to stand, desperately reaching for something to grab onto. But as she bore weight on her ankles, she collapsed face-down onto the grass. Her chest tightened, and a lump formed in her throat. Her eyes welled with tears as the laughter faded in the distance.
Molly’s mom later enrolled her in a blind school where teachers helped her gain independence and navigate her visual impairment.
“I realized I was not weak because I was blind,” says present-day Molly.
After two years, Molly was determined to succeed in the outside world that may not always accommodate those with disabilities. With newfound confidence and her head held high, she returned to public school and graduated.
Yet Molly felt the weight of discrimination as she walked through the streets with her cane or guide dog. She sensed them stepping back as if her blindness were contagious, whispers like icy barbs stinging her ears. Some called her “special” or “inspirational” with patronizing tones that made her stomach turn.
“I had a choice: be a victim filled with anger and resentment towards society for not understanding me or actively educate society and change the ignorance and discrimination that disabled people face,” said Molly.
So, she traveled the country, telling her story and educating thousands within a year. “When people refer to me as ‘differently abled,’ they overlook difficulties my community encounters. Focusing only on the positives of disability avoids acknowledging the negative realities, and dismissing the challenges faced by disabled people prevents solutions from being developed and us from living full and independent lives. By learning and gaining understanding, we can create change,” said Molly.
Molly has found unique ways to use her storytelling to inspire a more inclusive society. Growing up with limited audiobook options, she invited readers into her world through audio. In 2019, she released “It’s Not What It Looks Like” exclusively on Audible. The collection of short stories, narrated by Molly herself, offers an intimate experience to listeners. Molly also captivates a diverse audience on her YouTube channel, where her vulnerability transports them into her world beyond blindness.
Molly has even influenced beauty brands to create inclusive products and services for visually impaired individuals. She collaborated with Smashbox Cosmetics and CoverGirl to design products with tactile markings and makeup tutorials that exemplify inclusivity.
For Molly, the journey is not about regaining her dignity. It’s about showing the world that she never lost it. Disability is not a tragedy but a part of the human experience. Molly is a strong, resilient, and determined woman everyone should know.
About Sophia Nevaeh Munoz: Sophia Nevaeh Munoz is a soon-to-be graduate student from the University of Texas at San Antonio, holding a bachelor’s degree in English with a focus on Creative Writing and a minor in Public Administration and Policy. She is passionate about creating positive change for marginalized and vulnerable individuals, particularly children, by fixing current broken policies and improving social services and programs through her writing. Sophia’s aspirations don’t stop there, as she is also working towards achieving recognition as a prominent author and is interested in exploring opportunities to adapt her written works into feature films, series, and video games, potentially contributing to their screenwriting.
About Stories Matter: A mentoring program founded by writer Leslie Zemeckis, and co-sponsored by the SBIFF and ENTITY Magazine, for young female writers, nurturing and inspiring the next generation of writers to tell their stories. A weekly intensive with published female author’s giving their time to encourage greatness and share their writing process. The theme was “A Woman You Should Know.” These stories are the best of the bunch, some remain works-in-progress, some will (hopefully) take these stories and turn them into longer pieces.
