Dustin Clark was diagnosed with Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) at the age of 10, followed by the quick progression of losing control over his muscles.
As this took a toll on him physically and emotionally, he found the light by pulling from his family’s musical background and his creative mind to pursue a passion in music.
After 10 years of obstacles in his creative process, Dustin released his first album, Here. in 2021 under his artist name Black Birch.
Also a graphic designer, Dustin was hand selected by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) for this year’s 40th Anniversary of MDA’s Shamrock pinup program, one of the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day fundraisers, to design the t-shirt for the iconic fundraiser.
“Though these physical challenges required a great deal of time and patience, the mental barriers were really what held me back.
When living with a disability, sometimes your body feels like your enemy — a high wall that stands between you and everything you want in life, big or small.
Though efforts are being made to include disabled people in society, we always have to fight to carve out a life for ourselves in a world that really isn’t built for us. It takes remarkable determination to finish what we start.” – Dustin Clark
Read more about Dustin Clark’s story here on MDA.org.
