Storm's Jewell Loyd is featured on 32-story Times Square Billboards
Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd is featured advocating for dyslexia in a 32-story Times Square three-panel LED billboard (3 Times Square / Thompson Reuters building) for Eye to Eye, "The Official Sponsor of Different Thinkers."
Loyd, a guard for the Seattle Storm and 2015 WNBA Rookie of the Year, discovered at age 12 that she has dyslexia and is the first celebrity athlete to share her dyslexia story in Times Square, reaching millions. She advocates for other different thinkers - more than 20 percent of the population.
"I grew up hearing from my mom, a teacher, 'If there is no struggle, there is no progress,'" said Loyd. "Having a disability can be a struggle. Learn to embrace it, you're changing disability into 'this ability.' I encourage kids to say like I do, 'You have no idea how able I am.' It's important to me that I am helping kids change their lives and dream big through Eye to Eye."
"With Jewell, we further amplify our stories about learning disabilities and abilities – we're changing culture," said Chief Empowerment Officer David Flink, who founded the Eye to Eye organization, a mentoring movement for and by people with learning disabilities. "We're making unprecedented moves with sports celebrities sharing their dyslexia stories, including at the Indy500 in our PSAs with Sir Jackie Stewart and the late Justin Wilson, who also shared their experience and encourage others to share theirs."
"I believe that sharing my story is one of the most powerful things I can do," added Loyd. This action is a highlight of Eye to Eye's #ShareAbility campaign, which inspires all different thinkers to share their story and the stories of those they love.