Kim Wargo (KW) and Ida Cortez (IC)

KW: What are some things that you wish people knew about dyslexia?

IC: I wish people knew that it’s not like an illness of the brain. It’s a difference of the brain. I mean, every brain is a little bit different, maybe ours are just a little bit more.

KW: Do you remember when you were trying to learn how to read?

IC: Yeah, I hated every second of it, actually. But someone, and she’s sitting right in front of me, inspired me and helped me do it. When you were helping me read, did you ever for a moment think that I wouldn’t be able to?

KW: I never believed that you wouldn’t learn how to read. But, you know, I got frustrated at first. I was like, ’There’s the word, you just said it why can’t you read it again?’ And I didn’t understand what was going on, because I knew you were so smart. And then we talked to your teachers and they helped us see what was going on. And then I knew how to help you. But what I did worry about was whether you would ever love to read. Because I love to read and dad loves to read and we wanted you to have that.

IC: Yeah. I do love to read, so it’s changed a lot.

KW: Does that factor in when you think about what you want to do with your life?

IC: Yeah, I want to be, um, a humanities teacher, and I want to help people who are dyslexic do like spelling and reading and stuff because those were the things that were really hard for me.

KW: Yeah. Well, what do you think you have learned about yourself, that you might not have learned if you weren’t dyslexic?

IC: That I can work hard. I can have to do something and do it. It’s not easy. It’s not easy for anyone, but I can do it.