My name is Jake Fisher. I am a native of Colorado. I love to travel and play golf. I also work within the golf industry. I have a couple of different types of disabilities. I am hearing impaired and must use hearing aids in order to hear most anything. I also have a bit of a learning disability and a very mild case of cerebral palsy.
When I was 12 years old. I was diagnosed with what they call bilateral hearing loss. Because of my hearing loss, I have an auditory processing disorder.
This disorder not only affects my hearing but my speech as well. I have had to learn how to adapt and process things in ways that work best for me.
I am a public speaker for Creating SPACE. I got involved because I want to be someone who makes a difference and helps those that need it most. It is the mission statement of Creating SPACE that speaks to me most. I am always trying, to my best ability, to make disability a comfortable conversation wherever I go. I always want to make people feel good and strive to encourage others to feel comfortable in their own skin.
I find that doing this is imperative. For me, it’s been hard to find bosses and or coworkers who understand my disability. It’s actually hard to find people to date. I really don’t get invited to
things that other people would get invited to. I feel like I constantly have to explain myself, which can be tiresome. Also, people never know what to ask me or how to engage in a way that feels comfortable to me or them.
This is why Creating SPACE has come to mean so much to me and the work that we are doing. Having a person like a teacher, a classmate, co-worker, or a friend who feels open to understand or listen to you without judgment or preconceived stigmas is how we can create safe spaces for all.
Thank you!
