(When Motlow Student Alexandria Williams received her diploma at the College’s 2023 Commencement ceremony, she proved that anything was possible. Alexandria, who is visually impaired, earned an Associate of Science degree in General Studies. She will continue her studies at Middle Tennessee State University, using scholarship monies awarded during last fall’s Motlow Disability Resource Fair. This is Alexandria’s life journey in her own words.)
“When people ask me how I do it, I tell them to always try your best with everything you do. I see my disability as a gift.” -- Alexandria Williams, graduate of Motlow State Community College
The Beginning:
My name is Alexandria Nicole Williams, and I am about to be 24 years old. My life began when I was born on Dec. 15, 1999. I was born at Southern Hills hospital at 12:46 p.m. My parents are Taronda Williams (my mom), and Douglas Williams (my dad). My birth came with a few complications. I spent some time in the ICU after my birth due to my fast breathing. Before I was born, my mom did have a few things going on in her pregnancy. The doctors spotted that there was something wrong with my eyes. After my birth, we discovered that I had cataracts in both eyes.
Cataracts are where the lenses of the eyes become cloudy. I was operated on at two weeks old to remove them from my eyes. About three months later, the doctors discovered that I had glaucoma in both eyes. Glaucoma is a disease where the eye pressures are not stabled. I now must go every six months to get my eye pressures checked to make sure that they are not too high or too low. Later, I had retina detachments. I also have nystagmus. That is when my eyes move with no control. I don’t like having pictures taken because I cannot control my eyes. The photographer will need to tell me where to look, so I can focus my eyes on them.
I have had many surgeries during my lifetime. When my lenses were removed, I had to wear contacts. Once I was old enough to stop my mom from putting my contacts in, I started wearing glasses. At age 12, I lost vision in my left eye. We did not find out until a week later during my eye exams. I waited a week to tell anyone because I thought it was normal to see out of one eye. I was rushed into emergency surgery that next day, but the doctors could not save my eye. Now I only have one good eye, so we are trying to preserve the vision I have left.
Unfortunately, I had to have another eye surgery. The stiches in my left eye were eroding away and coming apart. Thankfully, my specialist caught it early before my eye could catch any infection. I had surgery on Jan. 12, 2023 to get my stitches replaced. I was a bit nervous, but I had faith that everything would turn out okay.
I also did not go to a regular school. At age 3, I was in a peer program at Rock Springs Elementary School. My teacher was Ms. Molly. I also had early intervention with vision teachers and specialists. At age 6, I started school at Tennessee School for the blind, also known as TSB. This school is specifically for the blind and visually impaired. After I lost my vision in my left eye, I was taught to read and write braille. Braille is a code that blind people use to read and write. I also use assistive technology such as ZoomText, screen readers, voiceover, Siri and many others. I also learned independent living skills, so I would be prepared for the real world. I participated in sports like track, cheerleading and goalball. Goalball is a sport specifically for the blind. I also participated in forensics aka public speaking, YELL, which stands for Youth excel Learning in Leadership, and I also was in student council as an events representative.
I also traveled to many other states as well. I went to other states for sports conferences, and I went to Colorado for the annual ski trip that the seniors go on every year. In total, I went to 11 states during my lifetime. I participated in Midstate choir, art contests, recitals, and many more. I graduated high school as valedictorian of my graduating class. After high school, I went to TRC for a VIS and VOC evaluation. Afterward, I went to a camp called CHIPS, Intro into Coding. I had struggles at first, but the staff accommodated me very well. I was even featured in their article and got interviewed for Vanderbilt college students.
Her Journey Begins at Motlow:
Finally, my journey began at Motlow State. I did have many struggles while being on campus, but Disability Service always had my back when needed. I know that my life story is a long one, but I feel very proud of myself with all that I accomplished.
I have accomplished many things during my life. Everyone will usually be surprised or even underestimate me because I have a vision impairment. When people ask me how I do it, I tell them to always try your best with everything you do. I see my disability as a gift. We are all human no matter the mistakes we make or how different we are. I never judge anyone regardless of their circumstances, regardless of their disability, gender, race, or their past. I have empathy for others. I rather put others’ needs before my own. My worst fears are going completely blind as well as disappointing my parents. I just want them to be proud of me. I want them to be happy. Even if I cannot please others. Sometimes, they will even underestimate me because I am blind. Sometimes, I feel like they defy me by the grades I get in school or college. I never let that stop me from being successful for myself. I stay strong, think positive, and always try to do my very best. Even if some situations are out of my control.
Recently, I received a scholarship to MTSU by Motlow, and I am very thankful for this opportunity. I also was granted a $3,000 scholarship as well to MTSU. I am very grateful for them. It was a big surprise for me. My parents knew about it, but I did not. I am also very thankful for being interviewed and writing this article for The Motlow Buzz. I still have no idea on what I want to do as a career path. My mom stated that I needed a job that I can do in case I go completely blind. People also asked me the same questions. I always tell them to think about this thought: Would you want to go to a job where you constantly hate going to? You are not good at the job where you are, and you get underpaid. The real world even rejects people with disabilities. I want a job where I have experience. I want to go work at a place where I will enjoy. I want to focus on the present. The future is never promised to anyone. I fear about going blind completely, but I could also die tomorrow. No one knows the future, so it is best to focus on the present. Enjoy life while you can because life is too short.
Overcoming the Covid Challenge:
One of the challenges I faced was being at Motlow during Covid. I was still getting used to being on campus, and I made a few friends to help me around. Once Covid hit, we had to transfer to online learning. The campus itself was still unsure how to accommodate me, but I started to like doing my classes at home. I have everything that I need at home to do my schoolwork. I did pretty well until I had a few professors that gave me issues. I will not mention any names of my professors because I don’t like pointing people out.
I took an Introduction to Communications class, and it was okay. I did have some struggles such as the tests and quizzes. I also was very lost with the silent film that we had to watch. I can’t read subtitles, and I can’t see movies in black and white. I felt like I was not going to pass, but the professor gave me some grace.
Another issue I had was my campus class and statistics. The campus class was an astronomy class, but it was fully online. I had trouble doing the labs, and the tests were too long for me to handle. I barely passed that class with a D. I felt upset because I figured my parents would be upset. My mom has brought it up a few times, but my dad was okay with it. I tried my best.
Finally, I took a statistics class, and it was over Zoom. The first day was okay until the professor started teaching. I could not see the graphs, so I would write in the chat room to him. He also picked favorites in his class and gave them praise. He would also ignore my messages as well. After class, I emailed the professor with my concerns, and I also contacted Disability Services. Ms. Yeulanda was always on top of things. I had a meeting with her over the phone explaining my issues. She tried to have a meeting with my teacher about my issues, but the next week, nothing changed.
We were going to have a test the following week, and I got really upset. I told my parents what happened, so we ended up dropping me out of the class. I was very thankful because the class gave me stress. It was better for me to drop the class instead of setting myself up for failure. The struggles are very much real, but I kept going. I kept trying. Sometimes, life does test me, and there are times where I do feel down and bad for myself because I’m blind. The one wish I have is to be cured. I want my sight back. Despite my struggles and challenges, I try to be positive in the situations. I try to problem solve the best I can. Sometimes I hate asking for help, but there are times when I did need help from others. Some things you cannot do alone. Some situations are out of your control or too big to handle. It’s also great to have a support system for hard times. Teamwork, trying your best, being positive, and putting in your best effort is the key to success.
Alexandria’s Advice to Others:
If I could give advice to other students with disabilities, it would be to never give up. Life is like a roller coaster. You will have twists and turns as life goes on. You will face challenges, and you can either go up or down. Always ask for help if you need it. Advocate for yourself. No one can read your mind to know what you need. Build a good support system. Find others who are willing to help you. Never feel like a burden because you are better than that. You have so much potential to put into this world. Your disability is not a curse. It is a unique part of you, and you are gifted. You are a blessing. If you need a friend, I will be here to help you if needed.
Alexandria’s Creative Activities:
As I mentioned before, I am still figuring out my career plans. After Motlow, I will go to MTSU. I also have several hobbies that I like to do. I love singing, dancing, making TikTok’s, storytelling, writing fanfictions, and I even love to make videos. I currently have a TikTok account with 61K followers, a YouTube channel with almost 700 subscribers, and an Instagram account with 200 followers. I play toca life world. It is a game that can be educational. You can role play and make your own avatar. I make videos that tell stories. I make screen record videos, and I have learned to edit them with VITA. It’s a video editing app. I post on my socials at least a few times a day. I also have a Facebook and Instagram. I am also a child at heart, and I love to make art like drawing, digital paintings, coloring, pipe cleaner art, and much more. I feel like I could have many jobs with my talents. I’m still exploring my options, so I hope I can decide soon.
Special Thanks:
I cannot thank everyone enough for supporting me through this journey. Mr. Garner helped me with my courage. He got me ready for life at Motlow and beyond. Ms. Adams helped me to come out of my shell. She understood if we had problems. Ms. Syler was creative and funny. I loved her sociology class. Ms. Janice helped me with understanding teachers and students. Ms. Jennifer Shaw made geology class fun and easy for me to understand. Ms. Pierce always had my back if I was having issues or needed help. My TSB family was always a support system to me while I was in high school. I even made a few friends at Motlow.
Prentis always was there for me. She offered to drive me home when I had no transportation. Salua helped me during my night classes. Ashlei helped me when Prentis wasn’t around. Ronda was in my music class, and she helped me with taking notes. Tammy even helped me in geology. Lastly, I thank my parents for always supporting me during my struggles and successes as well as my family.
Accomplishments:
There are two things that happened to me, and they were life changing. Back when I was 9 years old, I participated in a huge art contest. I had to make a drum out of toilet paper, rubber bands, and a pencil and balloon. With some help from a few staff members, I made my drum with a creative touch. I even made it pretty with Indian feathers. I submitted my peace, and I won first place. My family and I got to go to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony. I got to meet the government in Congress, and we went sightseeing. I even got to go inside the Capitol. Now my drum is currently sitting in a glass case in their mall. I even still have the picture of it as well as the golden plaque. That trip was also when my life changed. I fell while walking down a flight of concrete stairs. I did not get hurt, but we decided that it was time for me to use a cane.
Another memory I had was in 2017. I was the outstanding cheerleader on my squad. The outstanding cheerleader must give an introductory speech and perform a cheer routine all by themself. This includes a dance and a cheer, and it must be no more than 3 minutes long. You also cannot have any help. I usually tend to procrastinate, so I kind of made up the routine as I went along. I performed it the night of our cheering competition in Kentucky. During the awards ceremony, I won first place for my school and state. I was so proud of myself.
Lastly, during my graduation, I had to give a speech for being valedictorian. My parents were worried for me. I wrote my speech in braille, so I was the only person who could read it. I was able to memorize it, and I did well at graduation.
Her Future:
As for my college major, I fall under an Associate of Science, but it is really a General Studies major. Because I am still deciding on what I really want to do, we decided to get my general education out of the way. When I go to MTSU in the fall, I can focus on my degree for the career I choose.
Role Model:
Some of you may be wondering who I look up to as a role model. I honestly do not have a famous person in mind. When I was young, my music therapist was always the person I talked to if I was having issues. She understands me as a person. She was also my piano and voice teacher. She helped me when I was going through home and friend drama. I call her my role model because she was always there if I needed her. Along with my parents and grandmother.
Videos, Stories and Toys:
As I mentioned earlier, I love video editing. I play toca life world, and I make videos to post on social media. People love the videos I make. I love telling stories and role playing. I have even reached the point where I could make money if I wanted to. YouTube pays you to put ads in your videos. TikTok has a marketplace, a creator’s fund, and you can post video ads to make money.
I am also a child at heart. I love stuffed animals, and I still do play with dolls. I collect LOL Surprise dolls, and I do unboxings on my other YouTube channel. My videos get at least more than 1K views a day. I may be an adult, but sometimes it’s okay to have fun and be yourself. I see nothing wrong with it. Embrace your inner child sometimes.
I even own Mochi Squishy Fidget toys. They are great for stress, and everyone can play with them. I’m obsessed with Pomeranians, and I would love to own one one day. They are small, great guard dogs, and they can qualify as a service dog if we decide that I need one. I also love writing fanfictions. I have an account on fanfiction.net and on Wattpad. I currently am writing a book. Hopefully, it will be finished soon. Lastly, I love to do art. I love coloring, drawing, digital art on procreates, and pipe cleaner art. I hope to some day sell my artwork on places like Etsy or eBay.
Alexandria’s Family:
I have a big family on both sides. I also have my TSB family that I still contact sometimes. I call them my family as well because they have been there for me since I was young. Besides my parents, my grandmother and aunt basically raised me. They were more than just my sitters growing up. There is not much to say about my family. I am very grateful for everyone who has made an impact in my life. I see my mom’s side of the family once a year around thanksgiving. I sometimes see my dad’s side at family events.
After Covid hit, I became more into myself. I started to have social anxiety because I feel weird around other people. I sometimes feel like I still have a mind of a kid. I hope to work more on that soon.
Winning Awards:
Finally, I have received many awards during my lifetime. As I mentioned before, I won first place for an art competition when I was 9. I also won other art contest and got third place. I was on the La Vergne peewee cheerleading for the little leagues football team. Our cheer team won third place, and I got another cheer award at age 7.
I won second place in a poem and short story contest. I wrote a story called “The Cat with No Eyes.” It’s about a cat with eye cancer, and the cat gets adopted by a girl who’s deaf. They end up building a relationship together.
I also won cheer conferences, goalball games, and we even did well in track and public speaking. I got an award in peewee wrestling and cheerleading, My YELL graduation, and my high school graduation. I also did well in the annual braille challenge and academic challenge at TSB.
Now, I have been granted two scholarships to MTSU by Motlow, and I could never thank everyone enough. I even got on honor roll and the principals list during school for good grades. I can proudly say that I have accomplished a lot while growing up. Now, I have just graduated from Motlow.
I would just like to thank Motlow for giving me this opportunity to share my stories and experiences with everyone. I give thanks to Mr. Whiting for interviewing me for The Motlow Buzz. I thank Ms. Pierce for always helping me with accommodations and resolving issues. Lastly, I thank my huge family for their support.
Never Give Up:
To everyone who may have a disability or struggling, never ever give up. You are a blessing. Never judge anyone, and never let words or actions hurt you. You are strong. The experiences you may have, whether good or bad, will help shape you as a person. Don’t look back on the past. Instead, keep going forward. If there is anything that the Bible has taught me, everything is possible with God. The sky is the limit. Go for it.
Always make wise choices and think outside of the box. Learn to problem solve, advocate for yourself. Build a great support system and learn to forgive. We are all human, and we are not perfect. We make mistakes but learn from the experiences and consequences.
Lastly, always try your best and give your all in everything that you do. Like I always say to everyone, “If you believe in yourself, then you can change the world.” Happy summer break to all, and I wish nothing but the best in the future.
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