[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 94 (Friday, May 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3932-S3933]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                 TRIBUTE TO ELIZABETH ``IZZY'' MCKINNEY

 Ms. HASSAN. Madam President, I am proud to recognize Elizabeth 
``Izzy'' McKinney of Londonderry as May's Granite Stater of the Month. 
A nurse and mother of two young children, Lily and Bryant, Izzy is 
using poetry, illustrations, and her personal experiences to bring much 
# needed attention to neurodivergent conditions in children.
  When her daughter, Lily, was a toddler, she would flap her arms when 
she got excited. Izzy and her husband thought nothing of it at first, 
since Izzy also used to flap her arms when she was a child.
  It was not until Lily started kindergarten that Izzy and her husband 
realized that Lily's arm-flapping was unique. Flapping is a type of 
self-stimulatory behavior that is common in children with 
neurodivergence and can help them alleviate feelings of sensory 
overload.
  For a school project that encouraged students to highlight what makes 
them special, Izzy encouraged her daughter to find things about her 
that stood out from her peers.
  While thinking about her daughter's project, Izzy decided to write 
her own poem about her daughter's unique physical behavior to 
demonstrate to Lily that it is okay to be different from friends and 
classmates, that everyone has unique attributes.
  Eventually, Izzy expanded the poem into a children's book called 
``What Makes Me Special.'' All the proceeds for the book go toward the 
High Hopes Foundation of New Hampshire, a nonprofit that provides life-
enhancing experiences for children with chronic conditions.
  Later, after Izzy's second child, Bryant, was born, Izzy wrote 
another children's book, this time focused on her son's 
neurodivergence, dyspraxia. This book is titled ``My Buddy Bryant: A 
Story of Friendship and Dyspraxia'' and encourages children to embrace 
each other's differences. All the proceeds for this book go toward the 
Dyspraxia Foundation USA, which seeks to educate the public about 
dyspraxia and provide support and resources to families. Izzy also runs 
her own blog, flappingoodtale.com, about her experience parenting two 
children who are neurodivergent.
  Izzy embodies the best of our State by destigmatizing neurdivergence 
and promoting acceptance and inclusion. Her books provide a fun avenue 
to help children and adults understand that including people who 
experience physical or behavioral differences or disabilities can 
strengthen our families, our committees, our State, and our country. I 
wish Izzy all the best as she continues this important work.

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