This interview was done at The Disability Network in Flint, Michigan in May 2023 where Tara is the Health & Recreation Specialist. She talks to us about her journey with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, ADHD and living authentically.

For more Portraits of Persons with Disabilities interviews, click here.

Laura:

We'll start with your name, please.

Tara:

My name is Tara Holloman.

Laura:

Alright, and how old are you?

Tara:

I am 39.

Laura:

Great, I’m 37, basically the same. Preferred pronouns?

Tara:

She/her, and I'm okay with they/them as well.

Laura:

Okay. Would you mind sharing about your disability?

Tara:

You know, I don't mind. I have a very weird journey with my disability but I have ADHD, I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Depression, recently found out I have an autoimmune disease. And I also have a hypermobility disorder. And all of that comes together, it is because of that.

Laura:

Yeah, yeah, it does it 

Tara:

I didn’t know.

Laura:

So did you just find out that you're hypermobile? Okay. And how did that come to light? 

Tara:

Literally, Katie. [Katie is the Advocacy Director at the Disability Network in Flint, MI where this interview took place.]

Laura:

Okay, I was gonna ask.

Tara: 

Seriously, if it wasn't for Katie, I was just talking to her and explaining, just me and my body and different things and I just was like, your body's weird too, cool. Yeah, I danced my whole life and because I was really heavy and overweight, no one cared. You're just a fat girl who's flexible. And I was like, cool. It's my knee. Then, I lost all that weight and I was still super flexible and in pain. And I was always in pain, but everyone dismissed it. [It’s] your weight; you're obese. All you have to do is lose your weight. You have arthritis. Well, at 22 I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis and the guy was like, you have arthritis, like a 75 year old woman, and I was 22. And I was like, I'm sorry. I don't know. 

But then at 28 I actually had blown my knee out and a completely torn meniscus. And I get into the MRI, and the doctor was like, what have you done your whole life? And I was like, live… I danced. And he was like, you have a completely severed ACL. It's just in and there's old blood attached to it. So it's years old. 

Laura:

Oh my god, and you were walking around like that?

Tara:

And I don't know how you're walking like that. And I was like, well, I am always in pain. I don't know. I'm in pain. So I just keep it pushing. Because, I don't know how to explain that, you know?. But apparently, when I was 14, I had severed my ACL. I know the exact moment it happened. Because I was in dance class. I did a pirouette, and it was the first day we were learning doubles, and I nailed it. And then my knee went that way. And I went that way. And I landed on the floor. And I was so embarrassed. And in pain. I got up, went to the bathroom, smashed my face. And I looked in the mirror and I was like, suck it up. Do it again. I went back to class. And I went home and would not let my mom take me to the doctor. Then I got in a car accident about two years later and messed up this side. 

Laura:

And that was your good side?

Tara:

Yeah, and so I just figured I was like, so I have messed up joints and that’s just normal. I’m a dancer, I fall a lot. I didn't know none of those things are normal. Yeah. And so Katie really, like wrapped it up in a bow. And then I started talking to my doctors about it and yeah.

Laura: 

Wow. So do you know if you have like the Ehlers Danlos? Like hypermobility is a spectrum and like, I don't have EDS, but I'm hypermobile.

Tara:

I haven't been diagnosed, but I have if you could say there's like 10 symptoms of Ehlers, I have like 9 ½ . So yeah, I think I have actually, EDS, and that's what Katie's like you have all of them. Like, I actually think I have it, but um, I don't have the official diagnosis. I just have all the official pains.

Laura:

Yeah. Honestly, if you just say you have it, I mean, of course, you want the diagnosis for yourself, but that's gonna take forever…

Tara:

Yeah, actually, I just say yeah, I have EDS.

Laura: 

Just put it in my chart, like you don't care, you don't need to see the paperwork. Wow. So the word hypermobility, like, how old were you when he started speaking that?

Tara:

Everyone calls it double jointed. So like, they just were like, oh, that's weird, you’re double jointed. I was like, is that a cool thing?

I was like, I’ll be weird. I love to be weird. I'm just like, cool, I don't want to be like you, cause you is not me, and I wanna be like me. Yeah, I'll be weird. But they call it double jointed. And then they thought it was just like, every doctor has always just been like, wow, that's weird that that does that, and then they move on. No one ever addresses it. Even my therapists, like PTs and OTs, they’re like, it's weird that your body does that. That's not normal, it's supposed to be right here. Like my SI joint back here, goes like this. So I've been dancing and I would like, pop it out of a socket and I would be like, I don’t know why I can't walk, and they put it back. But I stand up and it goes right back.

Laura:

I get that. I didn't know until like, a year or so ago that what I was feeling was something dislocating, I never had that language before. It's so crazy how you can live not knowing.

Tara:

Just knowing this is my body. And you don't know if other people have this experience or if it's not normal. 

Laura:

Yeah, exactly. 

Tara:

I hate the word normal, but you know what I mean.

Laura:

Oh, yeah, exactly. And then I'm sure, being a dancer, just so much gets pushed under that umbrella. And like the obesity thing too, just so much gets pushed under that. It's like, it's this, it's this, it’s this. Wow, well, I’m so happy to have you in the hypermobile family. We bend all over.

Tara:

That's my favorite thing to say. I'm just super bendy.

Laura:

Is anyone else in your family hypermobile?

Tara: 

The funniest thing is, a couple months ago, we were just sitting at the table, me and my step sisters and our sister. And we were like, yeah, we're really worried about Trey, that's my younger brother, and I was like, what's going on? And they're talking about him, they were like, we really think he has hypermobility issues. And I was like, shut up. My brother has been having knee issues and his PT, it just keeps going. And I was like, this is genetic. yes. My dad has really bad joints. My grandpa, like we have, I have long skinny fingers, that's overly flexible, but he had really bad arthritis. And by the time he was like, he couldn't fit, his joints froze. But all of his joints did weird things. And same with my dad. And I'm like so nobody’s gonna check this out.

Laura:

Yeah. We're all just fine with this? Doctors are like if it's not killing ya, then what am I here for? 

Tara:

Right. Plus the neurodivergent side of it. My brother has autism. And we're about 99% sure my dad does too. So I'm like, I have ADD/ADHD like a mofo, like come on now.

Laura:

Isn't it crazy how those are connected too? I think it's like 30%. That's what I read, and who knows, maybe I'm remembering it wrong. But yeah, that the ADD and the neurodivergence goes along with the connective tissue.

Tara:

Isn’t it wild? When you think about it, if everything is moving so quick and fast in there, maybe it's because everything is just smooth.

Laura:

Exactly. 

Tara:

Sorry, I’m very expressive.

Laura:

That’s okay, you’re in good company.

But, yeah, it's like what came first in a way like, the hypermobility or the ADD? I don't know. They just kind of inform each other constantly. Yeah. Yeah, I understand. 

Tara:

You are my people. 

Laura:

Yes. All right. Well, what do you like to do for fun?

Tara:

I kinda like to do everything.

Laura:

Another ADD in the thing…

Tara: 

Yeah, but obviously dance. So I love creative arts, dance, music. I like going to Broadway shows. I like karaoke, and being weird and silly and just like laughing a lot. But I also love to be in nature. And I like to read and I like to journal and I'm a writer. So I'm very much, extremely both sides of the spectrum.

Laura:

Yeah, yeah. You like livin’ and you like the solitude. 

Tara:

Yes, there’s no inbetween.

Laura:

What do you like to write?

Tara:

I like to write poetry. And I really like to, I guess nonfiction. I like to write, like, self help, empowerments. I'm kinda, I'm a therapist. And I want to be a, what's it called? Limited? An LPC.

Laura:

Did someone tell me do you run some art thing here?

Tara:

Yes, I run TD & Connect, which is our free and recreation and health program. But through that, I have an art class that I do at Flint Institute of Art. And then we're working on hopefully getting in with some other organizations to do like adaptive dance classes. And right now, I'm a Chair One fitness instructor. So I teach chair fitness here. And we do lots of art. We do lots of mental health stuff. I like to teach coping skills with goal planning, budgeting, you know, independent life skills, but also like, how do you get unstuck? Because we get stuck. And we're our biggest issue. So I like to try to help people like, it's okay, we're all weird. Let's figure out how you're weird, so you can feel home in your weirdness. And live in it and be okay with that. And then advocate for other people like, hey, yeah, this is me. And I'm okay with it. Respect. 

Laura:

Yeah, that's really cool. You do a lot. 

Tara:

Yeah, it works for me and my ADHD. 

Laura:

Yeah, it definitely does. So are you like, are you working on, I don't know, all like the licenses for social workers and therapists.

Tara:

Yeah, currently, I'm a CTRS. So that's a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. And then I have to go to school to get my masters, for the next step of therapy. 
Laura:

And that then is the LPC.

Tara:

Yes. I think it's, Limited Licensed Practice, Psychological Counselor or something like that? Essentially, it's just another fancy way to say a therapist.

Laura:

Okay. Gotcha.

Tara:

As far as social work, I think it's more, not necessarily specialized. But like, social work is very broad. And I think it's just more honed in on that one-on-one type therapy.

Laura:

Okay. Yeah, we have a friend who's doing her master's in social work and I’m trying to keep up with it.

Tara:

And social work is amazing. And I might even change my mind and do that a little bit easier and opens a lot more doors.

Laura:

Oh, really? So you can hone in on being like the one on one therapy or you can go like more generalized?

Tara:

Yes, you can be like, what we as a society think of a social worker, like working in public, like community or public health type stuff. You can do that. You can be a macro social worker, and work in nonprofit organizations and do a lot of advocacy type stuff, like some of what Jess [the LPC at the Disability Network] does, or you can do the one-on-one, like Jess does. There's so many different capacities for social work, and I think that's why it's so broad. It can cover various, all aspects of life. Whereas with the LPC, there's focus, like your schooling is focused on psychology and just the therapy. Not so much of the everything. And because I'm already a rec therapist and I have that, I just want to focus on that. But MSW is way simpler to attain.There’s more schools for it.

Laura:

That makes a lot of sense. Wow, I’m learning so much about social work.

Tara:

And I'm super long winded. So I'm sorry. 

Laura:

No, no, you're doing great. All right. So cool. Wow, I've never heard of and tell me, you're a rec…

Tara:

I’m a recreational therapist, a CTRS, that's what my license is called.

Laura:

Okay, I’m gonna look into that for my own self.

Tara:

Everyone should be a rec therapist, its the best job in the world. It gets no respect, but its fun, and it covers a lot. Like, I could be an event planner.

Laura:  

Yeah, it sounds like your skills are vast.

Tara:

Or a therapist.

Laura:

Cool, and it's just a fun way to interact with people. All right. Back on the interview, so what motivates or inspires you?

Tara:

People. I have like, I don't know, I have like this inner drive, where I just have this compassion for people. I love people. I think we're all here together. Let's figure it out. But also, we're here to have a human experience, and we should nurture that, for ourselves and one another. And I don't feel like, I feel like right now, in our culture, in this world it's really heavy and it's very negative, and it's very externally focused. No one's paying attention to self. No one's nurturing self. Which means that you're not nurturing anyone outside of yourself either and no one in the world is, and so we're all, everything's deteriorating and dying and sad and tragic. And I want to help us come back to life.

Laura:

It's beautiful, so eloquently said. So what change would you like to see for disabled people in the future?

Tara:

I…that is a deep question. I want like, I know we have the ADA, which was so pivotal, and I wish we had that same energy going forth, so that the whole world would be like, yeah, we're all just people, with different abilities. And I wish we would see people for that, instead of the whole, colorblind culture. Like I was raised, where even my parents were like, everybody's the same. You're the same. It doesn't matter that you're brown and she's white. And that's beautiful, to an extent, but it's also hurtful. Because even as an adult now, I'm almost 40 and I’m just now like, learning how to be proud that I'm this black woman. You know what I mean? Because I spent so much of my time pretending to be like everyone else that it was hard for me to step into me. And so I want people who have disabilities to feel like it's okay to be different or not what everyone else thinks is normal. And I want other people to realize you have a disability too and just fucking own it. That's how I feel. I feel like, please, accept who you are in the mirror, so you can accept all the people around you. And chances are you have a disability. You have what you have some pain in your elbow? That's a disability, honey. I got some arthritis. You wear glasses? Do you have a little third nipple that no one knows about? You know what I mean? Like, come on now. Everybody’s weird. 

Laura:

Stop trying to act so like normal all the time.

Tara: 

I want for one day for it to be the new norm to be like seeing someone with an assistive device, or have someone with a visible disability and people respect it and don't acknowledge it as their first thing, as their definer, or their identifier.

Laura:

I get that. Because yeah, I mean, as a disabled person, like I like I just want to be Laura. Just let me be Laura. 

Tara:

Right? Cause that's all you are. 

Laura: 

And all that other stuff is just a part of it.

Tara:

They just comprise Laura.

Laura:

Yes!

Tara:

Its just a little piece of who you are. I do feel like now that I've learned that I have hypermobility or EDS, I have to own that. It makes me make more sense to myself. However, it doesn't change who I am, and how I move in this world. So why should that change for other people? Like why would you, why do we have to judge that? You using a wheelchair does not affect the person that you are.

Laura: 

Exactly. Like you are who you are. 

Tara:

Some people can't talk, some people can't hear, some people can’t see. That's okay. We support each other, right?

Laura: 

Yeah, the sooner we all just accepted our weirdness, God, the easier it would be.

Tara:

Right? Let's all just look in the mirror and say I love you. Yeah, yourself. Cry it out because I know that feels uncomfortable. And you’re really uncomfortable and you’re like, I don’t know.

Laura:

I like your message of like, it starts with you, accept you and love yourself and then you can love other people. 

Tara:

Thank you. It's my mantra.

Laura:

It's a good one. You're an excellent therapist. Awesome. Anything else you want to say or add?

Tara:

I am very excited for your project.

Laura:

Oh, thank you. 

Tara:

So, I want to support it in whatever way I can. I think it’s awesome.

Laura:

Thank you. Well, hopefully these will be up in a gallery and I can invite you to come and look. 

Tara:

I'm going to speak it into existence. I've already told people, it's gonna be up in Detroit and Chicago. It’s gonna be a big deal.

Laura:

Okay, I feel that.

Tara:

I’m owning that for you. I did that for you. It's manifested.

Laura: 

All right. It's gonna happen.