Melissa Blake, 38, was minding her own business and pouring her heart into her passion for journalism when on August 7 conservative pundit Mark Dice made mention of a CNN Op-Ed she published titled: “What if we all unfollowed Trump on Twitter?”
During Dice’s commentary, he showed Blake’s picture. Those watching the video then began making negative comments. One user called her “a Cabbage Patch Kid reject” and another called her “one ugly whatever.”
Her response to the negative comments was brilliant:
Blake’s candor and use of the hashtag #mybestselfie have resulted in others sharing their own candid selfies:
Blake’s viral post also caught the attention of ABC News and other networks:
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time trolls made fun of Blake… or the third… or the fourth. The talented writer/blogger has been pouring her heart out for the world for several years, sharing both her passions and challenges.
“I’ve always been open and candid about what it’s like to live for 38 years in a body that makes some people very uncomfortable, and over the years, my writing has made people equally uncomfortable,” writes Blake.
“But living in my world ― a world that wasn’t made for people like me, even though 1 in 4 people in the United States live with a disability ― has shown me that we still don’t talk about disabilities enough. And when we do, our conversations are all too often filled with stereotypes and misconceptions. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about ― that old, antiquated idea that disabled people live out their days at home, closed off from the rest of the world, maybe a blanket draped over their lap.”
Instead, Blake is using her powerful command of the written word and her heart to impact the world.
