Best friends since kindergarten, Trinity Jagdeo and Alexus Dick have always been there for one another. But in senior year, Jagdeo never imagined she would be supporting her friend from a hospital bed. Dick’s health rapidly deteriorated after being diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type 2. Jagdeo began scouring libraries and websites for books that Dick could relate to – there were none. So, Jagdeo put a pen to paper and created her own.
After Dick was hospitalised in 2014, Jagdeo founded the non-profit From We Can’t to We Can. She started creating comic books that depict children with physical and intellectual disabilities as superheroes saving the day. “To discover empowerment, we need to first see ourselves as powerful,” Jagdeo says. Starring kids in her hometown of Vineland, New Jersey, Jagdeo’s series unmasks their fighting spirit and depicts their disabilities as a source of strength.
While Jagdeo’s initiative uplifts youth with disabilities, it also raises funds for their families. By selling her books online, Jagdeo donates thousands of dollars each year to cover the medical expenses many parents incur to care for their children. With no intention of closing this chapter, the 19-year-old entrepreneur plans to continue amplifying the voices of those who often go unnoticed. Through her books, she reminds these children that they are heroes defeating the odds every day.
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