It’s Easier to Dance: A Memoir

It's Easier to Dance is the remarkable memoir from author Annie L. Harris, a woman born in the late 1940s with cerebral palsy. This extraordinary book is the first of its kind to provide a chronological view of the historical development of the civil rights movement through three different lenses: those of a woman, a minority, and someone living with a developmental disability.

This insightful and unflinching account of Harris's life over the past sixty years reveals not only her heartache and pain but also her hope and triumph.

Chapters such as "Ticket to Freedom," "A Change in Identity," and "My Life's Rhythm" reveal a complex woman who has lived a life in defiance of ongoing social stereotypes and barriers. Told in a warm, candid, conversational style, Harris offers a compelling window into a world rarely seen as she uncompromisingly tackles issues of equity, education, sex, relationships, kindness, belief in the supernatural, and the power of love.

In the vein of inspirational works by Helen Keller, Maya Angelou, and Oprah Winfrey, Harris's absorbing story encourages us all to look past our physical trappings, speak in our own voice, and believe those who speak for themselves.

Author Annie L. Harris is the oldest member of her ethnicity living independently with cerebral palsy. She has been a lifelong advocate for women living on the margins of society and has over forty years of experience as a disability rights activist.

She graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1985 with a master’s degree in counselor education and worked as a clinician with the chemically dependent. In 1990, Harris was recruited to become a member of the management team at the prestigious World Institute on Disability as part of the first HIV/Disability Project.

She continues to challenge societal stereotypes of those with disabilities, working to see that higher education institutions and employers follow federal laws and regulations.

It’s Easier to Dance was written to educate, encourage, and inspire others who live with complex, chronic health conditions that carry a distinct social stigma.

For more information, please visit annie-facingchallenges.blogspot.com.