Who Am I: Where my Journey Began

By: Phoebe Charlson

For much of my early life, I believed I wasn’t smart enough—like something about me was fundamentally wrong.

Before I was diagnosed with dyslexia, I sat in classrooms that weren’t built for students like me. I struggled in silence, often labeled as slow or incapable, internalizing every assumption. I remember a teacher asking if I was “stupid”—a moment that shaped how I saw myself for years. It wasn’t just misunderstanding; it was humiliation.

Everything began to change in third grade, when I transferred to Provident Charter School—a place that celebrated neurodiversity and taught me that dyslexia wasn’t a flaw, but a different kind of strength. Provident redefined my relationship with learning. My mind wasn’t broken—it was powerful. I didn’t need to think like everyone else to have value. I needed to think like me.

My mother, an English teacher at Provident and my fiercest advocate, always told me I was destined to do something meaningful. When she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and later passed away, I felt like my world collapsed. Grief became a weight I carried daily, and I didn’t know how to move forward.

But out of that loss, something unexpected happened: I found acting.

At first, I auditioned just to try something new. I didn’t expect to fall in love with the stage. But something shifted when I stepped into my first role. For the first time, I wasn’t focused on being behind—I was present, grounded, and free. Acting became how I processed grief, explored identity, and rebuilt myself from the inside out.

That’s why I applied—and was accepted—to the Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Drama Program, where I spent six weeks intensively training with students from around the country. It was the most validating experience of my life. For the first time, I was surrounded by peers who thought and dreamed like I did—students who saw acting not just as performance, but as purpose.

But acting is only one part of my journey. The other part is advocacy.

I founded the Learning Differences Student Union at The Ellis School and have led fundraisers, hosted workshops, and mentored younger students. I’m also the creator and host of Phoebe Speaks, launching with its first series, Dyslexia Is a Superpower—a podcast

dedicated to amplifying the voices of students like me who have been misunderstood, underestimated, and overlooked by traditional systems. Through honest conversations, personal stories, and interviews with guests who think differently, this platform celebrates the creativity, resilience, and brilliance of neurodiverse minds. It's not just about awareness—it’s about changing the narrative.

Dyslexia hasn’t held me back—it’s shaped me. It’s taught me how to see differently, how to speak honestly, and how to lead with empathy. I’ve come to understand that many dyslexic thinkers are also visionary creators—actors, writers, entrepreneurs, problem-solvers. We process the world in unique, non-linear ways that unlock insight, emotion, and expression others may not see.

The truth is: I used to think I had nothing to offer.

Now I know I have something to say.

And I’m not done yet.

08 / 01 / 2025