Relentless Pursuit

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination

Albert Einstein

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning disorder characterized by difficulty in reading, writing and comprehension. Even though it is known as a disorder, this does not affect someone’s intelligence or capabilities of becoming successful educationally. Roughly 1 in 5 individuals have dyslexia and only 3% of people understand dyslexia as a strength. There are many well-known famous individuals who have dyslexia, yet have been successful in their careers. Some of those people include:

• Albert Einstein
• Orlando Bloom 
• Leonardo Da Vinchi 
• Walt Disney 
• Steve Jobs

So, why write about dyslexia? In 2015, I was diagnosed with dyslexia. Throughout my childhood, I didn’t struggle majorly with reading but did have a hard time with spelling, memorization and comprehension. As I got into high school and the workload increased, I started to have a more difficult time trying to be successful with the classes I was taking. After becoming aware of my reading disorder, I started to learn about dyslexia and how to be successful as I begin college. It was brought to my attention that I could receive accommodations to help me be able to fully understand and comprehend the material for all my courses. With the help of my undergraduate program I was able to graduate Magna Cum Laude, and get into graduate school. 

Dyslexia at first appears as something that will hold you back from achieving your goals but I’ve come to realize that it is truly a gift and even a superpower. Individuals with dyslexia are specifically good at the following skills: 

• Visualizing 
• Imagining 
• Communication 
• Reasoning 
• Connecting 
• Exploring 

I truly believe that individuals have areas in their life that may appear as a weakness but can be used as a strength. Dyslexia is an inevitable and genetically implemented part of many lives that can be used to illuminate and strengthen schools, workplaces and communities. My hope is to inspire other individuals with dyslexia, and to remind them that they are unique, capable and able to achieve anything they aspire to be.