solved One of the powerful experiences of GS 420 is the

One of the powerful experiences of GS 420 is the sharing of life stories.  By sharing your own story, you begin the journey of your own self-discovery and self-reflection.  We cannot possibly begin to understand the disability experience of someone else unless we can examine our own experiences with life.  Everyone’s story is unique, and yet, we all struggle with life’s challenges and we all care about issues that are meaningful to us.  This experience of storytelling can bond us together in our diversity.  To write and share your story is to grow in who you are and at the same time, gain a more profound understanding of the people who will share their stories with you in this course. 
Some of you will feel more comfortable with writing a timeline of your life so far, dividing your life into periods.  Others may want to describe your life thematically, or perhaps allegorically.  You get to choose how you share your story.

Your story is considered confidential and will not be shared with anyone other than the instructors and teaching assistants (who assist with grading during the semester). You are not required to include parts of your story that you are uncomfortable sharing. However, sometimes sharing or exploring challenging areas of our life can be a step in pressing through. 
Assignment Content Requirements 
Your assignment must answer the following prompts  : 

Introduce and explain who you are. Some examples can include: where you live, major/minor, preferred pronouns, things you want us to know, fun facts. 
Describe the culture and community that you take pride in, participate in, or identify with. What are you most proud of? What is the perception of disability within that particular culture and community? 
Explain important activities, events, or life experiences that have influenced who you are today.
Share what you currently know about disability and society. If this is your first time engaging with this topic, please share what you hope to learn and achieve by the end of this course. 
Include a photo of yourself that is current, identifiable, and appropriate. This picture should be inserted at the end of your essay.  If you are not comfortable including a photo, you may substitute an image that reflects your personality, interests, or hobbies.