Jessica Ping

Writer, speaker, and content creator - founder of The Rolling Explorer

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Disability Visibility book in grass
Disability Advocacy English Major Corner

Disability Visibility Book Review – Disability Intersectionality Is EVERYTHING

This book is outstanding. If you are at all interested in learning more about the disabled lived condition, it is simply a must-read. If you’re following me on social media or subscribe to my blog’s mailing list, I am so grateful for your support and interest in my story and experience. That said, my story alone is not going to change the world. Disability Visibility opens up conversations into topics I cannot cover, including cultural, racial, and gender intersectionalities with disability. As a white, average-sized, young, disabled woman, my privileges are vast compared to many others within the disability community. I am grateful for this book because it shed light on perspectives I hadn’t before considered.

a search bar on a red background with the words "ableist language to avoid - 'Cripple'"
Ableist Language Series Disability Advocacy

Ableist Language To Avoid And Acceptable Alternatives – “Cripple” Edition

The issue with “cripple” becomes painfully obvious once you place its original definition next to the ones that we, as a society, have crafted above. Stemming from the Old English words “crypel,” meaning to creep (ie. limp) and “creopere,” or someone that creeps (ie. limps), you can see that the word originated as a pure identifier/descriptor.

Disability Advocacy

Everything You Need To Know About Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) In 2021

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month or NDEAM. This article will answer the following questions:

What is National Disability Employment Awareness Month?

Why do we celebrate NDEAM in the US?

How can I participate?

Why do people with disabilities celebrate both NDEAM and Disability Pride Month (July)?

How can this year’s NDEAM theme (INCREASING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY) actually be implemented in the workplace?

Disability Advocacy

Stop The Ableist Response to the First Presidential Debate of 2020

The Presidential Debate on Tuesday night was embarrassing to watch as an American citizen for many reasons. But, almost more troubling than the screaming match itself was America’s response to the two candidates.

To the best of my ability, I intend for this article to be unbiased in nature. Many of you who follow me across multiple platforms most likely already know my political leanings. That said, I would like to use this space to comment on the response to the presidential debate, rather than the content of the debate itself.

As a digital marketing professional and lifestyle blogger, I spend a lot of time on social media. I love connecting with my community online, but when you’re scrolling, there is no telling what you will come across. Immediately following the debate on Tuesday night, I jumped on Facebook and Twitter to see what my friends, family, and favorite personalities had to say about the event.

I was appalled by what I saw.

a search bar on a red background with the words "ableist language to avoid - 'Crazy'"
Ableist Language Series Disability Advocacy

Ableist Language To Avoid And Acceptable Alternatives – “Crazy” Edition

Similarly to Bonkers, crazy has a long, historic connection with mental illness. Crazy is frequently used to discredit others and essentially gaslight them into thinking that they are burdensome in some way. Regardless of intention, anytime you use the word crazy to describe another human being you are attempting to diagnose that person, which is inherently ableist. This action feeds into the stigmatization of mental illness and further isolates those who do have severe mental health conditions.

English Major Corner

What I Learned From Reading YOU ARE A BADASS, Book By Jen Sincero

You Are A Badass has been featured as a must-read in every book store I have walked into for the past 5 years. With its neon yellow cover, it’s already difficult to miss. When it’s placed on a stand at the front of the store, or on top of the shelf, it is completely impossible to avoid.

I purchased this book at Powell’s book store in Portland, Oregon last year. My friends and I were on our final spring break trip and had planned to spend a couple of hours perusing the massive store. As usual, it was easily spotted. The small colorful display overtook every other title in a 2 foot radius.

In the past when I encountered the book, I often only saw the brightness it exuded. As I sat in my wheelchair staring at it from across the room, I paused, allowed the discomfort in my eyes to settle as it adjusted to the background color, and read the title for the first time.

a search bar on a red background with the words "ableist language to avoid - 'confined to a wheelchair'"
Ableist Language Series Disability Advocacy

Ableist Language To Avoid And Acceptable Alternatives – “Confined To A Wheelchair” Edition

When you talk about a group of people as being confined, you assess that they are not in control of themselves or their lives. You take away their voice and their worth. Essentially, you equate them to an object. Something that cannot think or motivate itself in any capacity.

Jessica Ping-Wild in the mirror of her car throwing a peace sign while jamming to her driving playlist
Personal Story

Driving Playlist – 10 Songs I Am Jamming To Behind The Wheel This Year

Having a driving playlist has been essential for me in every stage of life. As a child, I would blast “Genie in a Bottle,” by Christina Aguilera and “It’s Gonna Be Me,” by NSYNC from my CD player in the backseat. When I was a bit older, I would only play songs from the community theater shows I participated in. Yes, of course, I drove my parents up the wall by singing along as loudly as I possibly could.

These days, if I am not listening to one of my favorite podcasts, I prefer to plug in my Spotify playlist, queue up some songs, and hit the road.

Jessica Ping-Wild behind the wheel of a car at 23 years old
Disability Advocacy Personal Story

Learning How To Drive As An Amputee

I grew up in a small, farming community, so driver’s education is a part of the high school curriculum. The big question on the table was whether or not I would be participating in the behind-the-wheel portion of the class and learning how to drive with the rest of my peers.

Having zero neurological or mental deficits and being proficient at Mario Kart, I didn’t fully understand why the school even bothered asking. OF COURSE I WOULD BE DRIVING! HOW SILLY!

But, I quickly understood it was much more involved than I originally thought.