“Intelligent… stubborn, like a bull,” is how junior Eva Kott describes a Taurus - her zodiac sign and, fittingly, traits she embodies every day. Her story is one of confidence, determination and an unwavering belief in herself.
“I was born with cerebral palsy and dystonia,” Eva explains. “This means that I cannot walk or use my arms, but I can use my head to drive my chair. Everything was great until last year, when my chair broke.”
For Eva, her wheelchair represents freedom. “Basically, my wheelchair is my legs,” she says. “When I cannot drive or use my iPad, my independence is gone.” It took five months for her to receive the new piece of equipment she needed, a time she describes as feeling “frustrated, mad and bored.”
Yet, even in that difficult stretch, Eva refused to lose her spirit. She found comfort in the people who know her best. “My friends, my parents, and my boyfriend, Travis. They’re supportive,” she says. “I would hang out with my younger sister and talk to my parents about how I’m feeling. She’s 10. We both love watching Dance Moms.” With the support of her family and friends, she found light in the darkness - and a new sense of purpose, sparking her passion for self-advocacy.
Earlier this year, Eva and her family met with Samantha Alloway from The Arc of Illinois. What started as a casual conversation became the launchpad for her advocacy journey.
“It was very exciting, but I was also very nervous. I had never done something like this before,” Eva says. “This experience taught me to become a better advocate by being confident in myself.”
As part of her work, Eva created a video about her life, featuring her family, the people who believe in her and her experiences navigating her broken wheelchair. “Because I want to tell the world what I’ve been through,” she says.
Sharing her story has given Eva a sense of empowerment and purpose. “It felt good,” she reflects. “I felt very confident talking about my story, and hopefully, my story will inspire people to change how wheelchairs get fixed - and how they treat people with disabilities.”
For Eva, advocacy is about more than awareness; it’s about connection and representation. “I feel like my voice is a powerful tool - that I need people to hear me,” she says. “Spreading the word to people who may want to know about the obstacles that my parents and I have to go through - especially people who also have disabilities and their families - means helping them have their challenges represented so they can feel stronger.”
Looking ahead, Eva hopes her story encourages others to approach people with a disability with empathy and respect. “I’m hoping that more people will start to respect and help people with disabilities,” she says. “I don’t want people to treat me differently because of my disability, just treat me like an average 16-year-old girl.”
When asked what advice she’d give to other students who want to speak up for themselves or for a cause they care about, Eva doesn’t hesitate: “Dream it, believe it, work hard and achieve it! Just be yourself, and the right people will love you for who you are, whether you have a disability or not.”
As for her own journey, Eva’s passion for advocacy is only growing stronger. “I think advocacy will be a major part of my future,” she says. “I love it.”