Empowering Disabled Youth One Story at a Time: A Conversation with DisLit Founder Miley Weiner

Meet Miley Weiner, a New Jersey high school student and founder of DisLit Youth Literary Magazine — an online platform dedicated to empowering disabled teens and young people affected by illness through the power of storytelling. Driven by a passion for writing and a desire to create representation for chronically ill youth in literature, Miley built DisLit as a fully inclusive, barrier-free space where teens of all backgrounds can share their stories without judgment, word limits, or submission fees. Believing deeply that writing is both a cathartic and transformative art form, Miley has cultivated a welcoming community where every voice is not only accepted, but celebrated. In addition to her work with DisLit, Miley is a proud Cohort 3 member of the Arts Ed NJ Youth Arts Ed Council, where she advocates for the recognition of literary arts as a vital part of arts education and a powerful tool for breaking down barriers between people.

Arts Ed NJ:  What inspired you to create DisLit Magazine, and was there a personal experience that drove you to build a platform specifically for disabled teens and young people affected by illness?

Miley: I created DisLit as a safe space for chronically ill youth to submit their literary work to. Writing is a wonderful, cathartic activity, and I hoped that through DisLit I’d be able to provide a platform for these kids to engage with and feel supported by. I know multiple teenagers with health conditions that have faced little to no representation in writing, and because of that I wanted to establish an online presence where kids with all types of disabilities could feel welcomed and seen.

Arts Ed NJ: DisLit accepts all genres with no word count requirements and no submission fees — what was the thinking behind making the platform so open and accessible, and how has that shaped the community you’ve built?

Miley: I made DisLit accessible for all youth because I didn’t want the magazine to seem like an exclusive, inaccessible platform. Disabled children already face multiple barriers and difficulties in their daily lives, and I didn’t want my magazine to be another obstacle in their world. Because of this, I feel that DisLit has been able to attract teens from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives, as well as gain a great variety of pieces. Our community is beyond inclusive, and I feel that that contributes to our online presence in
an extremely positive way.

Arts Ed NJ: As both the founder of DisLit and a member of the Arts Ed NJ Youth Arts Ed Council, how do you see literary arts fitting into the broader conversation about arts education and advocacy in New Jersey and beyond?

Miley: Literary art is the art form that I see most suppressed in our community. Much of the time writing is not viewed as an art form, and it is commonly overshadowed by more “traditional” arts as well. I hope that as our state and educational system moves forward, more people will begin to recognize the power and beauty of the written word and the boundaries that it can help break down between others.

Arts Ed NJ: Disability stigma is something DisLit is actively working to reduce through storytelling — have there been any submissions or stories that particularly moved you or shifted your own perspective?

Miley: Every work that DisLit receives is one of a unique style and perspective. I don’t think that I can pinpoint a certain piece that I enjoyed most, mainly because each submission is so different from the others. Every piece moves me in a different way, and reminds me of the magic of storytelling.

Arts Ed NJ: For a disabled teen who has never shared their story publicly and might feel hesitant or vulnerable about submitting, what would you say to encourage them to take that first step?

Miley: I would tell them to submit what feels most comfortable to them. Their writing doesn’t have to be long or extremely personal, or even be directly about themself. The amazing part about writing is that there is no right answer, and I hope that all teens remember that when submitting to DisLit. Also, we are never judging what you write, which I know can be a major fear for many new and emerging authors.

Arts Ed NJ: Looking ahead, where do you see DisLit going? Are there new ways you hope to expand the magazine’s reach or deepen its impact for the disability community?

Miley: In the future, I hope to see DisLit expand to more parts of the globe and gain an even larger presence in the literary sphere. My goal is to have the magazine reach chronically ill teens who are in need of a supportive community, and that they will not only read the magazine’s works, but also feel welcomed and eager to submit their own pieces and stories. Additionally, I hope that DisLit inspires more kids to begin writing and engaging in the arts, especially when they are in need of a creative or expressive outlet.

To learn more about DisLit, read submitted works, or submit your own story, visit Miley and the DisLit community at dislityouthmag.weebly.com — because every story deserves to be heard.