Meet our Intern, Nicholas!

Meet our Intern, Nicholas!

Advokate has three spring interns. We asked them to write a bit about themselves. Read on to learn more about Nicholas.

“Welcome To Nickland 

Hello, for those who don’t know me or understand me quite yet; let me introduce or re-introduce myself. My name is Nicholas D. McCarthy. Did you know that my name means “VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE!” The nickname I go by is Ace-Kid. By the way, I am a 39-year-old disabled college graduate. I have my Associate’s degree in Applied Sciences with a focus on Media Arts.

HOWEVER; I DO NOT LET MY DISABILITIES DEFINE WHO I AM AS A PERSON! I AM SO MUCH MORE THAN A PERSON WITH DISABILITIES. THE REASON IS THAT I WILL TRY TO PUT MY BEST FOOT FORWARD SO THAT I CAN CREATE BETTER LIFE FOR MYSELF AND FOR THOSE WHO I LOVE AND CARE FOR VERY MUCH. I WILL ALSO DO ALL OF THIS TO THE VERY BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND MY ABILITIES.

I am also the type of person who will fight tooth and nail to get what I need and want in life within reason of course. I also hope that I will be treated with the same respect just like you want to be treated by others in your life. I am no different than anyone else just because I have to do things differently doesn’t mean that I should be treated any differently within reason. The disabilities that I deal with on a daily basis are Cerebral Palsy and Hydrocephalus.

My plan is to write and illustrate my own Graphic Novel about my life. By telling my unique story to the world it will show them even though I am disabled I can still learn and grow my mind; along with making a positive impact on this world. The truth is you never know who you may touch or inspire. The quote that inspires me the most is “You Just May Start A Chain Reaction;” with my chain reaction, I want a chain reaction of kindness, of hate. By doing this I am trying to make the world a better place to live by spreading love, hope, and kindness to everyone I know. I also want to show the world that being disabled won’t stop me from living life to the fullest. I also want to be a role model for the voiceless.

By the way, I also like to write, draw, and read. I also like to watch TV; and movies and I listen to music which helps me unwind. I am pretty much open to anything with movies and music depending on my mood at the time. Another thing I like to do is to have fun with my fiancée Emily, my family, and my friends; when I have the time. I also adopted Hedgehog who I adore very much from a sweet dear friend of mine who couldn’t take care of her anymore. Her name is Stormy and she is my emotional support animal. My fiancée and I recently adopted a guinea pig named Eclipse. My fiancée, Stormy, and Eclipse have brought me such joy in my life. They also taught me how to become a better leader when we decide to have our future family together. So there you have it, a snapshot of who I am.”

Jess Ryle
jess@advokate.net

Jess Ryle is Advokate's Marketing and Communications Director. When she's not in the office, you can probably find her on a trail somewhere, running, checking out wildflowers and animal tracks, and taking a ton of photos. Jess lives in Glens Falls with her partner, Andrew, and their two cat sons, Ferdinand and Henry.