hi my name is Jordan Reeves and I’m 11 years old and I’m from Columbia Missouri
years old and I’m from Columbia Missouri
years old and I’m from Columbia Missouri and I was born with the left arm that
and I was born with the left arm that
and I was born with the left arm that stuffs just above the elbow but that
stuffs just above the elbow but that
stuffs just above the elbow but that hasn’t stopped me from doing anything
hasn’t stopped me from doing anything
hasn’t stopped me from doing anything and usually when I meet people I’ll
and usually when I meet people I’ll
and usually when I meet people I’ll usually hide my arm behind my back or if
usually hide my arm behind my back or if
usually hide my arm behind my back or if I’m sitting down at a table I’ll hide it
I’m sitting down at a table I’ll hide it
I’m sitting down at a table I’ll hide it underneath the table and that’s so
underneath the table and that’s so
underneath the table and that’s so people don’t judge me off of my
people don’t judge me off of my
people don’t judge me off of my difference and they judge me off of my
difference and they judge me off of my
difference and they judge me off of my personality and I wish that we could
personality and I wish that we could
personality and I wish that we could change that and not have to have me hide
change that and not have to have me hide
change that and not have to have me hide my arm and this talk has a little bit to
my arm and this talk has a little bit to
my arm and this talk has a little bit to do with dolls and I know there’s a
do with dolls and I know there’s a
do with dolls and I know there’s a couple of you thinking really I came to
couple of you thinking really I came to
couple of you thinking really I came to a talk about dolls but trust me it’s
a talk about dolls but trust me it’s
a talk about dolls but trust me it’s more than just about dolls and to get to
more than just about dolls and to get to
more than just about dolls and to get to that part I’m gonna tell you some of the
that part I’m gonna tell you some of the
that part I’m gonna tell you some of the eggs some of the reactions that I get
eggs some of the reactions that I get
eggs some of the reactions that I get when people see my arm and some of them
when people see my arm and some of them
when people see my arm and some of them not so great ways are intense staring
not so great ways are intense staring
not so great ways are intense staring where you cannot get the eyes off of the
where you cannot get the eyes off of the
where you cannot get the eyes off of the arm me and my mom were in Boston and we
arm me and my mom were in Boston and we
arm me and my mom were in Boston and we were eating up like this open table
were eating up like this open table
were eating up like this open table place so anyone can set at it and a mom
place so anyone can set at it and a mom
place so anyone can set at it and a mom daughter and son sat across from us and
daughter and son sat across from us and
daughter and son sat across from us and immediately their eyes just attached to
immediately their eyes just attached to
immediately their eyes just attached to my arm and it got to the point where I
my arm and it got to the point where I
my arm and it got to the point where I just slipped it into my purse and they
just slipped it into my purse and they
just slipped it into my purse and they still kept on staring it was super
still kept on staring it was super
still kept on staring it was super creepy and then there’s a super scared
creepy and then there’s a super scared
creepy and then there’s a super scared person so I’m gonna act this one out oh
person so I’m gonna act this one out oh
person so I’m gonna act this one out oh my gosh your arm it’s like not doing
my gosh your arm it’s like not doing
my gosh your arm it’s like not doing right there do you see her arm oh my
right there do you see her arm oh my
right there do you see her arm oh my gosh and then there’s a super grabby
gosh and then there’s a super grabby
gosh and then there’s a super grabby person where they will just grab your
person where they will just grab your
person where they will just grab your arm and touch it I mean personal space
arm and touch it I mean personal space
arm and touch it I mean personal space and those are some of the ways that I
and those are some of the ways that I
and those are some of the ways that I don’t like so much and then some of the
don’t like so much and then some of the
don’t like so much and then some of the good ways are when they try to relate to
good ways are when they try to relate to
good ways are when they try to relate to me oh my gosh my teachers friends
me oh my gosh my teachers friends
me oh my gosh my teachers friends granddaughter she’s missing a finger so
granddaughter she’s missing a finger so
granddaughter she’s missing a finger so I get you talk to me and then there’s
I get you talk to me and then there’s
I get you talk to me and then there’s just the ploy intro when are they just
just the ploy intro when are they just
just the ploy intro when are they just introduce themselves and ask what
introduce themselves and ask what
introduce themselves and ask what happened to my arm oh of course you
happened to my arm oh of course you
happened to my arm oh of course you could just be my twin best friends that
could just be my twin best friends that
could just be my twin best friends that I grew up with and one of my thoughts is
I grew up with and one of my thoughts is
I grew up with and one of my thoughts is what if I could walk on to a playground
what if I could walk on to a playground
what if I could walk on to a playground let’s say and everyone just see me as
let’s say and everyone just see me as
let’s say and everyone just see me as one a crazy kid just playing and I feel
one a crazy kid just playing and I feel
one a crazy kid just playing and I feel like this has a lot to do with the
like this has a lot to do with the
like this has a lot to do with the talked to that I’m talking about today
talked to that I’m talking about today
talked to that I’m talking about today and when I was little my mom got me and
and when I was little my mom got me and
and when I was little my mom got me and my American Girl doll matching outfit
my American Girl doll matching outfit
my American Girl doll matching outfit and I was like oh my gosh you guys are
and I was like oh my gosh you guys are
and I was like oh my gosh you guys are matching how cute I’m like I think I
matching how cute I’m like I think I
matching how cute I’m like I think I know what mashing means so if we’re
know what mashing means so if we’re
know what mashing means so if we’re matching why doesn’t it have an arm like
matching why doesn’t it have an arm like
matching why doesn’t it have an arm like me and my mom was like oh so last year I
me and my mom was like oh so last year I
me and my mom was like oh so last year I started a petition for American Girl to
started a petition for American Girl to
started a petition for American Girl to offer limb different options in their
offer limb different options in their
offer limb different options in their dolls and it has 25,000 signatures and
dolls and it has 25,000 signatures and
dolls and it has 25,000 signatures and American Girl does know about it and
American Girl does know about it and
American Girl does know about it and they said maybe I mean we want it to be
they said maybe I mean we want it to be
they said maybe I mean we want it to be in a yes but it’s still better than a no
in a yes but it’s still better than a no
in a yes but it’s still better than a no and so we do have some companies out
and so we do have some companies out
and so we do have some companies out there that are making women different
there that are making women different
there that are making women different options and toys like a step ahead
options and toys like a step ahead
options and toys like a step ahead prosthetics where you can send in your
prosthetics where you can send in your
prosthetics where you can send in your American Girl doll too and they will
American Girl doll too and they will
American Girl doll too and they will make it match your body and American
make it match your body and American
make it match your body and American Girl has a line called truly me where
Girl has a line called truly me where
Girl has a line called truly me where they have dolls that you can make look
they have dolls that you can make look
they have dolls that you can make look like you so they have let’s say you’re
like you so they have let’s say you’re
like you so they have let’s say you’re going through chemo you can get the hair
going through chemo you can get the hair
going through chemo you can get the hair on your doll off or if you have glasses
on your doll off or if you have glasses
on your doll off or if you have glasses you can
you can
you can glasses rattle or if you broke your leg
glasses rattle or if you broke your leg
glasses rattle or if you broke your leg you can get crutches and so much more
you can get crutches and so much more
you can get crutches and so much more and I think they should offer limb
and I think they should offer limb
and I think they should offer limb different options too and then there’s a
different options too and then there’s a
different options too and then there’s a doll like me where this really cool lady
doll like me where this really cool lady
doll like me where this really cool lady makes homemade dolls to match any
makes homemade dolls to match any
makes homemade dolls to match any difference
difference
difference it’s just cool yeah and then there’s a
it’s just cool yeah and then there’s a
it’s just cool yeah and then there’s a Vermont Teddy Bear company in Vermont
Vermont Teddy Bear company in Vermont
Vermont Teddy Bear company in Vermont who knew and they make limb different
who knew and they make limb different
who knew and they make limb different teddy bears and I thought there’s a
teddy bears and I thought there’s a
teddy bears and I thought there’s a couple of you thinking why American girl
couple of you thinking why American girl
couple of you thinking why American girl that’s like such a big company well the
that’s like such a big company well the
that’s like such a big company well the reason why is I don’t really want the
reason why is I don’t really want the
reason why is I don’t really want the doll just for me to have a limb
doll just for me to have a limb
doll just for me to have a limb different doll that looks like me I want
different doll that looks like me I want
different doll that looks like me I want it so more kids know what what
it so more kids know what what
it so more kids know what what differences are because my guess is that
differences are because my guess is that
differences are because my guess is that most of you didn’t know what a limb
most of you didn’t know what a limb
most of you didn’t know what a limb difference was before you came and saw
difference was before you came and saw
difference was before you came and saw me and I think that it it would be
me and I think that it it would be
me and I think that it it would be really cool if a kid was able to let’s
really cool if a kid was able to let’s
really cool if a kid was able to let’s say walk on into their toy store and saw
say walk on into their toy store and saw
say walk on into their toy store and saw limb different toys everywhere and I
limb different toys everywhere and I
limb different toys everywhere and I feel like this is a really good way for
feel like this is a really good way for
feel like this is a really good way for more kids to get to know the differences
more kids to get to know the differences
more kids to get to know the differences in our society and I’ve been talking a
in our society and I’ve been talking a
in our society and I’ve been talking a lot on stages and on the internet to get
lot on stages and on the internet to get
lot on stages and on the internet to get my word about out about limb differences
my word about out about limb differences
my word about out about limb differences and I go to this really cool camp some
and I go to this really cool camp some
and I go to this really cool camp some I’ve been going since I was really
I’ve been going since I was really
I’ve been going since I was really little and fundraising for it
little and fundraising for it
little and fundraising for it it’s called camp no limits and it’s for
it’s called camp no limits and it’s for
it’s called camp no limits and it’s for kids with limb differences and they get
kids with limb differences and they get
kids with limb differences and they get to go and meet more kids and relate to
to go and meet more kids and relate to
to go and meet more kids and relate to them and make friends and get inspired
them and make friends and get inspired
them and make friends and get inspired by the mentors and mentor and trainer II
by the mentors and mentor and trainer II
by the mentors and mentor and trainer II and I’ve been talking more about this so
and I’ve been talking more about this so
and I’ve been talking more about this so more kids get the chance to go to this
more kids get the chance to go to this
more kids get the chance to go to this camp and this year I got invited to go
camp and this year I got invited to go
camp and this year I got invited to go on the Rachael Ray Show
on the Rachael Ray Show
on the Rachael Ray Show and the shark tank crew was also on it
and the shark tank crew was also on it
and the shark tank crew was also on it and I got to show what I created and I
and I got to show what I created and I
and I got to show what I created and I created a prosthetic arm that shoots
created a prosthetic arm that shoots
created a prosthetic arm that shoots glitter
so this is compressed air and it shoots
so this is compressed air and it shoots out air through this – and it goes this
out air through this – and it goes this
out air through this – and it goes this thing right here is fiddled with glitter
thing right here is fiddled with glitter
thing right here is fiddled with glitter and so when I press this button right
and so when I press this button right
and so when I press this button right here it will shoot out and the star
here it will shoot out and the star
here it will shoot out and the star thing is to lock it and unlock it and I
thing is to lock it and unlock it and I
thing is to lock it and unlock it and I think it’s unlocked hopefully so I’m
think it’s unlocked hopefully so I’m
think it’s unlocked hopefully so I’m gonna show a little example yeah I made
gonna show a little example yeah I made
gonna show a little example yeah I made sure not to shoot too much cuz I have to
sure not to shoot too much cuz I have to
sure not to shoot too much cuz I have to clean that up and that was a really cool
clean that up and that was a really cool
clean that up and that was a really cool experience so that I could show that you
experience so that I could show that you
experience so that I could show that you can build on to your difference to make
can build on to your difference to make
can build on to your difference to make it awesome not like it wasn’t already
it awesome not like it wasn’t already
it awesome not like it wasn’t already awesome and that’s when I sort of
awesome and that’s when I sort of
awesome and that’s when I sort of started blowing up on social media
started blowing up on social media
started blowing up on social media and it’s definitely given me more of a
and it’s definitely given me more of a
and it’s definitely given me more of a chance to talk on stages like this and
chance to talk on stages like this and
chance to talk on stages like this and me and my mom started a non-profit
me and my mom started a non-profit
me and my mom started a non-profit called born just right for kids with
called born just right for kids with
called born just right for kids with differences of any sort to build onto
differences of any sort to build onto
differences of any sort to build onto their difference to make whatever they
their difference to make whatever they
their difference to make whatever they want because kids know what they want
want because kids know what they want
want because kids know what they want and most people try to do it for them
and most people try to do it for them
and most people try to do it for them but I feel like it’s important that they
but I feel like it’s important that they
but I feel like it’s important that they do it for themselves and this year we
do it for themselves and this year we
do it for themselves and this year we had an event in Boston and it was only
had an event in Boston and it was only
had an event in Boston and it was only upper limb oil upper and lower limb
upper limb oil upper and lower limb
upper limb oil upper and lower limb differences but we want to spread to all
differences but we want to spread to all
differences but we want to spread to all differences and I have three tips one is
differences and I have three tips one is
differences and I have three tips one is to be yourself because you being you is
to be yourself because you being you is
to be yourself because you being you is the best you that you can be I know
the best you that you can be I know
the best you that you can be I know that’s a lot of use and then to speak up
that’s a lot of use and then to speak up
that’s a lot of use and then to speak up because what you have to say is really
because what you have to say is really
because what you have to say is really important and it can change your
important and it can change your
important and it can change your community and such an amazing
community and such an amazing
community and such an amazing and to use your differences for good
and to use your differences for good
and to use your differences for good because your differences are amazing and
because your differences are amazing and
because your differences are amazing and you never know what amazing things you
you never know what amazing things you
you never know what amazing things you can do with them
can do with them
can do with them thank you
”
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