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Grace White ★

@itsgraceashlin

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Your chronically ill and creatively online bestie ☻
A cool girls guide to life with disability, whimsical fashion, & design
❋ [email protected]

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Hi, I’m Grace! Your chronically ill and creatively online bestie. ⭐️

I am a Florida-based content creator, disability advocate, graphic designer, video editor, and professional Dunkin’ Refresher enthusiast here to share the messy, honest, and creative glimpses into my life.

This is life and advocacy through a divalicious cool girls perspective whose trying to build community and uplift others along the way.

Oh, and if you are just snooping to see what I’m diagnosed with, the main conditions that affect me are Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), Lupus, Urticarial Vasculitis, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Endometriosis, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), Nutcracker Syndrome (NCS), and Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS).

Thank you for being here!! And I hope you have a wonderful low-symptom/pain day.

*Alt Text on Images & ID in Comments*

#GetToKnowMe #ChronicIllness #DisabledArtist #BabeWithAMobilityAid Text on slide says “I’m a Florida-based content creator who shares honest glimpses into life with chronic illness, disability advocacy, whimsical fashion, and design. Since 2021, I’ve aimed to build a space dedicated to connection and creativity. This is life and advocacy through a divalicious cool girls perspective.” Three polaroids of Grace are overlaid with details such as daylilies and a purple/blue polka dot background. by @itsgraceashlin

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a month ago

Bringing back institutions for disabled people is not the vibe… It’s actually eugenics in action, and we need to talk about it!!

If you need to catch up, on June 18th the DOJ released a memo arguing that states are not required to provide home and community-based services for disabled people. Then on July 20th, they confirmed through a clarification in the Federal Register that the Olmstead Guidance (the main legal protection keeping disabled people out of institutions) is no longer enforceable under the ADA.

In simple terms, the federal government is walking away from its commitment to keep disabled people out of institutions.  While the 1999 Olmstead v. L.C. Supreme Court ruling continues to remain binding law and has not been overturned. The stripping of federal enforcement means states can defund community programs without consequence. This is not a coincidence, it is a strategy.

So are we able to do anything? As of now, all we can do is contact the DOJ’s Disability Rights Section directly. You can reach the Director of Disability Rights Section & Civil Rights Division, Luis Perez, at 202-320-6683.

Your voice matters, so use it!!!

*Alt Text on Images & ID in Comments*

#DisabilityJustice #HumanRights #DisabilityPrideMonth #DisabilityRights #AccessIsAHumanRight Text on slide says, “For decades, disability advocates have relied on the ADA and the Supreme Court's Olmstead v. L.C. decision to protect the rights of disabled people to live in their communities rather than institutions.” Cutout photos of Livi, Cass, Olivia, and Grace smiling and having fun can be seen at the bottom of the slide. by @itsgraceashlin

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3 months ago

Need ideas for how to ragebait the non-disabled people in your life (or the creeps online)? Well, look no further than our master list of ragebait ideas by yours truly!!!

In all seriousness, these are actual things within the disabled and chronically ill experience that confuse and anger people who do not have lived experience with disability. Just because you know someone’s grandma’s, friend’s, dog walker’s, second cousin’s, aunt who is disabled does not mean you know what all lived experience for disabled people is like.

Thought of some more divalicious disability ragebait ideas? We’d absolutely love to hear yours in the comments!!  *Alt Text on Images & ID in Comments*

#DarkHumor #Ragebait #BabeWithAMobilityAid #DisabledAndCute #Relatable Text on screen says, “Not be able to attend an event due to your disability, despite having left the house the day prior.” A photo of Livi is at the top. She is wearing a blue Taylor Swift merch shirt and is using her pink electric wheelchair, smiling with her arms spread out. A colorful mural can be seen behind her. by @itsgraceashlin

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2 months ago

Now is that gratitude? 💚

I’m still incredibly overjoyed that I made the 6+ hour car ride to Atlanta, GA, for Shaky Knees Festival a few weeks back. For reference, my current car-ride threshold is around 2 hours, so this took a lot of prep and planning to bring to fruition.

Not only was this my first music festival ever (and I had an amazing experience), but I knew as soon as I saw that Danny Elfman would be one of the artists performing on Friday, I had to attend that day. Oingo Boingo (of which Danny Elfman was the lead vocalist) is one of my all-time favorite bands, and being able to hear their songs live meant a lot. Their music has been one of the constant soundtracks to my life over the last few years through both failed and successful surgeries, new diagnoses, and horrendous flares.

While I wish I could have stayed in Atlanta longer to explore more, we were able to look around some small shops and the Georgia Aquarium before heading home.

This trip could not have been made possible if it weren’t for both of my wheelchairs and pain management. Each of which allowed me to enjoy my trip and be present in the moment, while also keeping me from having a spiral into a horrible symptom crash afterwards. Don’t get me wrong, I still flared, but it was significantly less than what I know it could have been.

If only now I can just make it to the West Coast to see Oingo Boingo Former Members live, I’ll basically have seen the entire band (even if it was separately).

ID 1 of 10: Animation using an illustration of a dinosaur with a skeleton on its back taking over a city from an Oingo Boingo sweatshirt. Elements have been cut out to show three Polaroids of Grace at Shaky Knees. Two of the Polaroid photos show Grace alone, wearing an Oingo Boingo merch t-shirt paired with a green plaid maxi skirt. Her wavy/curly hair is pulled back in a banana clip; she is wearing glasses and is using her light blue manual wheelchair. In the third photo, her brother is in the frame. Both are smiling towards the camera. END ID.

*Alt Text on Images & ID on Every Slide*

#ShakyKnees #WheelyCool #MusicFestival #BabeWithAMobilityAid #ChronicIllness

ID 2 of 10: Grace at Shaky Knees on Grace at Shaky Knees on one of the ADA viewing platforms. She is smiling and looking away from the camera, and the Piedmont stage can be seen behind her. taken in Piedmont Park by @itsgraceashlin

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2 days ago

I’ve more or less turned into an enigma at this point. 🪲

Video Description: Text on screen says, “You can’t just stumble upon me by chance. I don’t leave the house enough to be found by accident, you gotta know the right divas to discover me.” Behind the text is Grace, a young white woman, outside smiling towards the camera. She is wearing a black tank top with a gray-and-black stripe asymmetrical skirt and burgundy platform boots. Her hair is pulled back in a slicked back bun and she is wearing glasses. She is using a black electric wheelchair.

#FYP #ChronicIllness #Relatable #BabeWithAMobilityAid #ForYou by @itsgraceashlin

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5 days ago

#Sponsored At long last, we finally have an electric wheelchair made for the disabled cool girls. 🧡

As someone who has been mainly homebound for the last year and a half, receiving the GoRide 2 Plus has been a dream come true for my overall mobility. I am now able to leave my house way more often than I was before. Worrying less about my pain levels, long distances, and fatigue while out, as I don’t even need to push myself with this wheelchair since it’s fully electric.

The GoRide 2 Plus is a durable, reliable, and comfortable electric wheelchair fully ready for all the wheely cool adventures your heart desires. I personally feel so confident and carefree using this wheelchair, knowing I’m not sacrificing my energy levels to have a fun day out of the house.

You can use the code “Grace5” for 5% off your entire order, which can be stacked on top of previous discounts!!

Video Description: Grace, a young white woman, holding a microphone and talking to the camera. In the first half of the video, she is sitting on top of a box with the SuperHandy wheelchair. In the second half, she is sitting on the GoRide 2 Plus. There are b-roll clips overlaid throughout the latter half of the video showcasing close-ups of the wheelchair.

#BabeWithAMobilityAid #MobilityAid #ElectricWheelchair #ChronicIllness by @itsgraceashlin

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17 days ago

Everyone should be thankful that I have enough restraint to stay pleasant while simultaneously being in high levels of pain. Though it should NOT have to be that way. 😤

You should not have to feel like you need to hide or mask your pain just to make it more palatable for the people around you.

And yes… I did have a migraine and 7.5/10 pain when this video was recorded, which is still somehow a ‘good’ pain day.

Video Description: Text on screen says, “I personally believe that I should win the Nobel Peace Prize or something for living in severe chronic pain yet not taking it out on anyone and anything I see on the daily.” Behind the text is Grace, a young white woman, wearing a black cami tank with an orange, pink, and white plaid maxi skirt. Her hair is pulled back into a slicked-back bun; she is using a blue forearm crutch and has a blue purse on her shoulder. There is a mural on the wall behind her.

#ChronicPain #ChronicPainAwareness #DynamicDisability #ChronicIllness #Relatable by @itsgraceashlin

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19 days ago

This is a non-negotiable!!
•
♿️Accessibility: Slide Texts:
Slide 1, Text: “Protect Black Lives, Protect Immigrants, Protect Women, Protect Disabled people, Protect Queer People, Protect Children, Protect 504”
Slide 2, Text: “End Wars, End Murders, End Genocides.”
Slide 3, Text: “Stop being quiet about the inhumanity in our world, and the harm of People’s Lives.”
•
•
🏷️ Tags: #fyp #humanrights #protectlives #blm #freepalestine🇵🇸 Protect Black Lives, Protect Immigrants, Protect Women, Protect Disabled people, Protect Queer People, Protect Children, Protect 504 by @itsgraceashlin

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19 days ago

Money may not buy health, but it can buy a glacier blue custom active manual wheelchair. 🩵

Words cannot express how incredibly grateful I am to finally have my own custom manual wheelchair. Not only is it custom-fit to my measurements and specific mobility needs, but I was even able to get it in one of my favorite shades of blue!

My team of doctors and ATP were all truly amazing and made the overwhelming process so much easier. Going above and beyond with documentation to not only ensure insurance coverage for the wheelchair itself, but also my power assist.

I’ve only had my chair for around three weeks now, but it’s already helped me so much in both my day-to-day life and bigger outings.

So without further ado, everyone, meet my new @KiMobility Rogue 2 named Dorothy. Partially named after Dorothy Parker for the quote above, but also the character of Dorothy Vallens from the movie ‘Blue Velvet.’ Which felt fitting since my brother and I have been bingeing David Lynch’s discography over the summer.

I am planning to create some posts in the coming weeks to months talking more in-depth about both my manual and electric wheelchairs, how they each support me as a part-time ambulatory wheelchair user, and the process of getting them. If anyone has any specific questions they would like answered, please feel free to comment or drop me a message.

*Alt Text on Images & ID in Comments*

#PartTimeWheelchairUser #WheelyCool #BabeWithAMobilityAid #ChronicIllness #DynamicDisability Full-body image of Grace looking away from the camera, smiling. by @itsgraceashlin

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23 days ago

It’s a good thing in de-evolution to mutate, don’t stagnate. 🥔

My first concert as a part-time, ambulatory wheelchair user is officially in the books!! Not only did I get to see one of my favorite bands, but I was able to do so without having to worry about expending more energy than I could give or my pain levels spiking.

I was a bit nervous using my wheelchair for such a big outing right off the bat, since I haven’t had to worry as much in the past about the accessibility of venues and whether they would be accommodating, as I would use a cane or my forearm crutch for concerts. Fortunately for me, everything went very smoothly and I truthfully could not have wished for a more positive experience when it came to using my electric wheelchair.

I actually bought these concert tickets relatively last minute with the knowledge that I would have my wheelchair from @SuperHandyCares to get me through the day.

Video Description: Grace, a young white woman, and her brother Will are going to the DEVO Concert at Hard Rock Live in Orlando. The video shows them on the road, driving to the show, waiting in line, as well as some video from the actual concerts with the bands on stage.

*Disclaimer: For transparency, I am affiliated with SuperHandy Cares & I was gifted their electric wheelchair that I am using in the video. This specific post is not sponsored by them, it is purely a fun mini vlog about attending the DEVO concert as a new part-time wheelchair user.*

#MakeTheMostOutOfLife #DEVO #Concert #DynamicDisability #BabeWithAMobilityAid taken in Hard Rock Live Orlando by @itsgraceashlin

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a month ago

Call me a sickfluencer,
but we have done more advocating for
• rare and complex diseases
• better access to healthcare
• disability rights
• ending medical gaslighting and medical neglect
and so much more

Much more than you ever will by criticizing and mocking us in the tabloids over and over again for advocating, sharing our lives online, creating a community, and merely existing.
Now that's ableist.

So go ahead, by all means, call me a sickfluencer.

But on the day that your health fails, our work will be what you benefit from. We are the reason you have access to accommodations and "benefits," to accessible parking spots, fair treatment at the doctors, accommodations at work, etc.
Just remember that.

I think the correct terminology, "Advocates" and "Creators" is more fitting. by @itsgraceashlin

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a month ago

chronic illness grief 🥀

grieving the you that was supposed to be
grieving the version of yourself you envisioned in your dreams
grieving as you stand still and life keeps moving without you
grieving the small things you took for granted
grieving the friendships and relationships that crumbled with your body
grieving the career you dreamed of, the hobbies you had, the life you envisioned
grieving not knowing a life without pain and symptoms
grieving what used to be
grieving the lost pieces of you, the ones you didn't realize you were losing until it was gone
grieving all the traveling and concerts and events you longed to go to
grieving the small moments, the laughs, the celebrations, the years you missed
grieving feeling like a real person and not a mere case number
grieving the life stolen from you by the chronic illness
grieving your inner child who is hurting and doesn't understand why the doctors aren't magically fixing you by @itsgraceashlin

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2 months ago