Emilee Schevers is a graduating student of Mohawk’s Early Childhood Education program and a lover of student advocacy. Emilee also happens to be a student with a disability – a genetic condition has caused her to have 10% remaining vision, however that has not stopped her from ‘finding the ability in her disability’.
Alongside her sister, Emilee started a social media movement/small business called Tru Faces. Tru Faces is an online community for individuals with disabilities where they can share their stories, educate about disability awareness and advocate on disability issues.
Emilee grew up in a small town and found that she had little access to resources for individuals with disabilities in her area. It was not until late high school that she had the opportunity to meet others living with similar conditions who knew her struggles.
She knew that others likely felt the same way that she did, so she and her sister created Tru Faces. The goal of this movement was to create a space where individuals with disabilities could share their stories and connect with others in similar situations while giving a platform to advocate for change in disability equity and equality.
Since starting in 2018, Tru Faces has spoken at several businesses, schools, youth programs, and even a national conference. They have also launched an advocacy clothing line, an Ambassador Program with representatives from around the world, and a mental health support group for individuals with disabilities. Members of this movement have described it as a “supportive and accepting community”, “creating a sense of togetherness”, somewhere that “everyone has a voice”, and that “anything is possible”.
In the future, Emilee hopes to turn this movement into a non-profit organization supporting individuals with disabilities around the world in all aspects of life. The motto behind this initiative truly is “anything is possible”.
It all started with an idea and the creation of an Instagram page.
Connect with Tru Faces today!
Instagram: trufaces
Facebook: Tru Faces
Twitter: trufaces
Youtube: Tru Faces
If you are a student looking to enact change for the disability community, consider joining the “Creating Connections” Club by emailing emilee.schevers@mohawkcollege.ca or connecting on social media.
Written by: Emilee Schevers
