“Breaking Free from Labels”

Reclaiming Identity as a Low-Vision Individual

Growing up with low vision, I often found myself boxed into labels—“disabled,” “slow,” “dependent.” These words, though casually spoken, slowly began shaping how others saw me—and worse, how I saw myself. I started believing that my abilities were limited, that my dreams needed adjusting, and that I should stay within the boundaries others had set for me. But something inside me refused to settle. I knew I was more than the labels I’d been given.

The turning point came when I decided to stop letting my condition define my entire identity. Yes, I have low vision—but that is just one part of who I am. I am also intelligent, creative, capable, and resilient. Reclaiming my identity meant recognizing my own value, not as someone who needed pity, but as someone who had strength in struggle, insight in silence, and courage in challenge.

I began breaking free from those labels by owning my story. I spoke openly about my experiences, not to be seen as a victim, but as a voice. I stopped hiding my assistive tools and instead started embracing them as symbols of empowerment, not dependence. I connected with others facing similar challenges, and together we reshaped the narrative—one of strength, not limitation.

True identity is not found in what people call you, but in how you see yourself. And when you begin to see your value beyond your condition, you stop shrinking to fit the world’s labels and start expanding into your full potential.

Today, I define myself—not by low vision, but by high purpose. And to anyone who feels boxed in by a label: you have the power to break free. You are not your condition—you are your courage.