The children’s book author behind #disabledandcute on her favorite corners of the internet

Photo: Carissa King

At Mozilla, we’re the first to admit that the internet isn’t perfect, but we’re also quick to point out that the internet is damn magical. The Internet opens doors and opportunities, allows people to connect with others, and allows everyone to find their place – their corners of the Internet. We all have a story on the internet worth sharing. In my corner of the internetwe talk with people about online spaces they can’t get enough of, what we should be saving Poached to read later, and what sites and forums shaped them.

This month we chat with writer Keah Brown. She created the #disabledandcute viral hashtag and just posted”Sam’s Great Seatsher first children’s book about a girl with cerebral palsy who goes back to school shopping with her best friends. She talks about celebrating the joys of young people with disabilities online, her love for the band Paramore, other pop culture “-mores” she’s obsessed with, and a deep dive into a TV show reboot that never existed.

What is your favorite corner of the internet?

The movie and TV chats with my friends, the corner of the internet that loves Drew Barrymore (because duh!), the new “A League of Their Own” chat corner, the Paramore fandom because they’re the best band in the world, and the rom-com corner of the internet.

What’s an internet deep dive you can’t wait to get back into?

The deep dive into why we won’t see “Lizzie McGuire” the reboot.

Which tab do you still regret closing?

The YouTube video I have [opened] in a new tab so as not to lose it at the end of the video I was watching.

What can’t you stop talking about on the internet right now?

My new children’s book, “Sam’s Super Seats”, Paramore, Drew Barrymore, “A League of Their Own”, the series, is preparing to move into my first apartment, Meg Thee Stallion, and Renaissance, Beyonce’s [new] album.

What was the first online community you got involved with?

The “Glee” fandom on Tumblr.

What articles and videos are in your pocket waiting to be read/watched right now?

Abbi Jacobson on “The Daily Show”, apartment tours on the Listed YouTube channel, “10 tenant-friendly solutions for your first apartment”, Tracee Ellis Ross on “Hart to Heart” and Meghan Markle’s podcast interview with Serena Williams.

How can parents or other guardians of young people with disabilities use the internet to fight stigma and celebrate their joys?

By being aware that people with disabilities in their lives are first and foremost people and deserve to be treated as such. Ask their permission before posting about them online. Fight for them as you would for anyone else you love and treat them as fully realized human beings.

If you could create your own corner of the Internet, what would it look like?

What’s really cool is that it looks exactly like the one I have now. I talk about all my favorite things starting with the most: Drew Barrymore, Mandy Moore, Paramore and then there’s what I watch for film and TV, then we have house tours, book promotions (buy “Sam’s Super Seats”!) and cheesecake and pizza lovers.

Keah Brown is a journalist, author and screenwriter. Keah is the creator of the viral hashtag #DisabledAndCute. Her work has appeared in Town & Country Magazine, Teen Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire UK and The New York Times, among other publications. His collection of essays ” The beautiful “ and the “Sam’s Super Seats” picture book are both out now. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.