Brittany Barry introduces herself and explains that while she enjoys many of the same activities as other kids like playing soccer and listening to music, she faces challenges in communicating with others as she can only talk a little. She lives in Tiburon, California with her family which includes two brothers, a sister, and a dog. Though she attends school like others, she must use other means like texting or signing to communicate where others can speak. This makes her feel frustrated at times for being different from others, but she has also learned skills through her experiences that make her life better than some.

1. Brittany BarryWho am I?

2. What if you wanted to buy an ice cream and no one understood you?Or tell your friends about your vacation?Or ask a friend to go to a movie?

3. What if you couldn't talk?I am Brittany and I am different. Even though I do all the things other kids do like play soccer, dance to music and read, I can only talk a little bit. That makes my life very challenging.

4. ButI have a familyand like things just like you.I live in Tiburon, CA.I have two brothers named Zach and Jackson, a sister named Shaya and a dog named Kona.I play soccer, love fashion, like art and I love everything about music.I am friendly, determined and happy.

5. Each day I go to school just like you.I like ipadsand music.I like The Giants and musicals.I like wearing my USC sweatshirt and shopping in Beverly Hills.I like Subway sandwiches and mango smoothies

6. Also, I am like you because I have friends and go on vacation…

7. As you can see, I am just like you in many ways.However, every time I try to talk to people I must text or write down what I want to say or sign.Sometimes people are patient and sometimes they are not.This makes me feel frustrated.It makes me feel this way because I’m different

8. More than anything, I wish I could talk so I could be like everyone else.

9. For instance….-I have gotten to work with great teachers-I have gotten to do things differently like my bat mitzvah…-I can do a lot of things better than people because I must use my other senses. For instance ….I can find things easily

10. I am very organized.

11. I know sign language.