Disability Pride Month: A Time to Celebrate Accomplishments of Persons with Challenges and The Launch of My Company

Hi! I’m Samantha Siedlecki, President & Founder of Paradise Shells & Fine Jewelry by Samantha. As a female entrepreneur with Cerebral Palsy, I pour my whole heart and soul into my company, our fine jewelry products, and my customers! And I am working hard to set an example for others with challenges hoping to inspire them to pursue their dreams! Since July is Disability Pride Month, I thought this was a perfect time to reach out to those involved or interested in the disability community!

Disability Pride Month is so important because it brings positive attention to the multi-faceted nature of disability and the need to nourish one’s body, mind, and spirit continuously. It also highlights the unique strengths of people with disabilities including their gifts, creativity, and drive to participate fully in the world. You can show your support to people with disabilities and make a statement by attending the virtual disability pride parade on July 26th, the Americans with Disabilities Act anniversary! To join, use the hashtag #VirtualDisabilityParade.

My vision for Paradise Shells & Fine Jewelry by Samantha is to create a pathway toward greater income and connectedness for people with and without challenges. It is often the case that people with challenges are less frequently employed and earn less than peers without challenges. I founded Paradise Shells & Fine Jewelry by Samantha to help address this issue over time. We launched in October 2021, in time for a successful holiday shopping season. And now our social media presence is rapidly expanding while our Instagram Shop Page pulls in new customers. This combined with speaking engagements is enabling me to meet new and fascinating people every day!

Please ask your friends, family members, and colleagues to follow me at paradiseshellsjewelry on Instagram.

It warms my heart to be able to participate in Disability Pride Month along with friends, family members, and colleagues who are joining in this celebration!

Peace, Love, and Understanding

Samantha