When my sister Emma was born, so many make-believe boundaries were set from the start: she would never make friends; she would never go to prom; she would never graduate high school; the list goes on. Thanks to a strong community around her, every single one of these faulty assumptions was shattered.

Now as she graduates high school and looks to the future, we refuse to let stand one of the last beliefs: that she will not go to college.

So many opportunities present themselves for kids like my sister — opportunities to grow as an individual, to learn, to be surrounded by the academic landscape. LIPHE is not just for my sister, but for anyone affected like her, so that a world of inclusion may be pursued.