Meet Charlie!
Name: Charlie Allen (They/Them/Theirs)
Position: Intern, Access and Inclusion Branch, Park Services Division, Fairfax County Park Authority.
I was a sick child who had a lot of fevers, stomach problems, and always getting injured due to my clumsiness. However, it wasn’t until about age 11, when I received my first major diagnosis, that I started my journey towards accepting that I am disabled. This first diagnosis was Celiac Disease. I am now 22 years old and have acquired many other diagnoses over the last decade. The diagnoses I have received that have had the most impact on my life, apart from Celiac, include Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). When I started middle school, I started to really struggle. I started experiencing many of my first major symptoms, including lightheadedness, joint dislocations/subluxations, migraines, stomach issues, fatigue, and chronic pain. However, receiving these diagnoses was affirming because many people didn’t even believe that I was sick or believed that I was faking it. I still receive these comments from others, and this is something I continue to deal with.
It’s a daunting task to find work that fits your needs when you have a disability. Many people with disabilities need accommodations in the workplace. It can be hard for an individual to ask for them, and sadly, in many cases, results in the individual being treated differently. Many individuals with disabilities face discrimination in the workplace, and it is important that we change that. Finding and keeping a job must be made more accessible. More part-time jobs need benefits, more virtual and hybrid opportunities would greatly improve how accessible a full-time job is, and most importantly, awareness needs to be raised.
I am very lucky that I have the opportunity to complete an internship at Fairfax County Park Authority, working with Monica Klock and Jennae Asborno. Thanks to them, I have experienced a very welcoming and accommodating workspace that fits my needs. I hope that one day this will be a more common experience. During my internship I have been helping at adapted aquatics classes, completed a variety of tasks for the Access & Inclusion branch, and attended an ADA assessment walkthrough. I am currently working on creating a training for FCPA staff to raise awareness about invisible disabilities and how they may or may not present. Many individuals are unaware of what it’s like to live with a disability, and they don’t understand those people’s needs. By raising awareness, a more accessible work environment can be created.