Line and wash self-portrait of Nicolas Steenhout. He has a black mop style paintbrush in his mouth and is holding a fountain pen in his left hand, pointing up.

Nic's Art Journey

Invisible labour

Self-advocacy - it is asking a lot of disabled people. It’s often disheartening and exhausting.

Ink and watercolor sketch of a man at the bottom of a long and uneven stone staircase. He's carrying a bag on his back. He is dragging a small bag behind him in his left hand. The bag says "explain". On his shoulder he has a bigger bag that says "educate". Above that an even bigger bag that says "Request". And another bigger bag that says "Justify", and the bag at the very top, bigger still, says "Repeat". A caption at the bottom of the sketch says "The invisible labour of self-advocacy". It is dated March 5, 2026.

Explain. Educate. Request. Justify. Repeat… Ad nauseam.

You can find the post about it in the March 10, 2026 edition of the newsletter

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Published on March 5, 2026

©2025 Nicolas Steenhout. All Rights Reserved, including photos.