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When Ordinary People Build Extraordinary Hope
A Time of Courage, Connection, and the Power of Showing Up Lately, I’ve been thinking about how fragile things feel. How families are holding their breath as headlines talk about shutdowns, cuts, delays, and dwindling support. How caregivers wake up every day and do the work anyway — even when systems make it harder than it should ever be. And yet, beneath the noise and uncertainty, I’ve been watching something else gather strength. Something homegrown. Something steady. Som
Marya Patrice Sherron
Nov 143 min read
Hunger Has a Face: Why SNAP Matters for Every Hoosier
I remember the sound of the clock ticking in the principal’s office. The smell of floor wax and pencil shavings. And that small table—just big enough for two embarrassed children trying not to exist. Before free and reduced lunches were available, my brother and I were asked to sit there every day, just outside the principal’s office, because we didn’t have bring a sac-lunch or order the school lunch. We were sent to the office because we didn't have food. "It isn't polite to
Marya Patrice Sherron
Oct 304 min read
Safe Parks Plus: A Down Syndrome Story of Safety, Belonging, and Hope
In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month “Sometimes advocacy begins not in a boardroom, but in a backyard.” Where It Began October invites us to reflect on what inclusion truly means—not as a slogan, but as a practice of care, compassion, and thoughtful design. This month, as we celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I want to share the personal story that inspired the Safe Parks Plus Initiative—a project rooted in love, urgency, and the belief that every child deserves th
Marya Patrice Sherron
Oct 174 min read
Lifting Up Inclusion — Why Disability Employment Matters More Than Ever (And Why We Can’t Be Distracted by Misinformation)
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month — a time to celebrate the talents, aspirations, and dignity of people with disabilities in the workforce. Across Indiana, individuals with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and other challenges are ready, eager, and highly capable of meaningful work — if we as a society continue to clear away unnecessary barriers. This year, a different headline captured my attention: President Trump’s claim that Tyl
Marya Patrice Sherron
Oct 33 min read
14 Minutes: Why I Chose to Tell Our Story
For fourteen minutes, he cried out. For fourteen minutes, he was held and bruised, his body restrained by force. For fourteen minutes, he fought not just against the weight of adults far stronger than him, but against fear, confusion, and betrayal.
I was not in the room with him—but I live with those fourteen minutes every single day. I’ve heard his cries when I sleep, and I’ve seen the aftermath in his eyes. I knew our story could not end there.
Jonathan Carey died. How man
Marya Patrice Sherron
Sep 105 min read
Holding On Through the Changes: What Indiana’s Medicaid Shifts Mean for Families
A Time for Hope Marya Patrice Sherron "Indiana has a proud history of leading in disability rights. We can do it again—if we choose courage over cuts, and people over policies. Families are speaking. Leaders must listen." On July 2, an Indiana mother opened the letter she had dreaded. Medicaid had denied the waiver services her son depended on for nursing care. Her choices were unthinkable: quit her job to provide care full-time or risk her child’s health without the support
Marya Patrice Sherron
Aug 224 min read
Why Every Leader Needs to Listen: The Power of Questions and the Courage to Understand
Marya Patrice Sherron The whiteboard squeaked beneath my marker: “What makes a great leader?” The answers came quickly—bold, confident,...
Marya Patrice Sherron
Aug 84 min read
The Big Beautiful Cost of Medicaid Cuts
There are moments when policy becomes personal. This is one of them. Medicaid cuts in Indiana are no longer theoretical—they are active,...
Marya Patrice Sherron
Jul 194 min read
In Honor of Pride Month: the Limitless Power of Love
Marya Patrice Sherron I still remember where I was sitting when my brother told me he was gay. We were teenagers—just beginning to find...
Marya Patrice Sherron
Jun 265 min read
When One Child Needs More: Navigating Sibling Dynamics in the Disability Space
They don’t need a perfect parent. They need a present one.
They need to know: You see me too.
Marya Patrice Sherron
Jun 124 min read
Your Story Has Power: How Advocacy Begins in the Everyday Moments We Dare to Speak Up
Marya Patrice Sherron I didn’t set out to be an advocate. I was just a mom trying to get my son what he needed—a quiet place to regroup,...
Marya Patrice Sherron
May 294 min read
Hope in Times of Uncertainty
Hope isn't easy... but it must be present. A reflection on what it means to hold onto hope when the systems we trust begin to unravel—and...
Marya Patrice Sherron
May 163 min read
Mini Books: The Secret Weapon for Aspiring Speakers Who Want to Be Taken Seriously
by Marya Patrice Sherron April 2025 So, you have a message that can move hearts, a story that can shift perspectives, or a skillset that...
Marya Patrice Sherron
May 14 min read
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