About Calvin
My experiences shape my work.
I’m a disabled, neurodivergent educator, researcher, entrepreneur, author, and consultant with more than 15 years of experience spanning education, nonprofit leadership, program development, and social entrepreneurship. I hold a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and management and a master’s degree in health systems administration from RIT.
Everything I do is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, play, and thrive.
Writing & Publications
I write about disability, how we learn, food, and the systems we live in. My essays draw on my life and ask what needs to change. I have published three books and am currently writing a memoir about my life as a disabled person.
Other Work
Through The Gluten Free Chef®, I connect food, access, and hospitality. I’m also developing The Eaton Institute. It is my vision for a place where learning and community life make room for more people.
Let’s Find a Place to Start
You don’t need a full plan before reaching out. Tell me what you need or hope to build. We can talk about whether I can help.
"Calvin's presentation and facilitated conversation, which centered around understanding implicit bias in education, was a pivotal experience for our teachers and staff. Calvin's experience and expertise in this domain were obvious throughout the planning process, as well as in session; we were confident in his work the entire time. The preparation materials that he provided our staff were instrumental to framing the workshop, and the workshop itself offered our teachers a supportive opportunity to explore critical conversation around challenging topics, while also challenging comfort zones and prompting accountability to self-inquiry. Calvin's work is invaluable, and is an asset to our community at the individual and collective level!"
— Isabel, Montessori School of Rochester | Rochester, NY
About My Disability
I live with fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). These conditions affect my pain, energy, movement, and how I feel in different spaces.
What this looks like for me
I began having pain, severe fatigue, and brain fog in 2010. I was in my early twenties. I had bought my first home and was building my adult life. My symptoms started slowly. Within a year, they made daily life much harder.
In the fall of 2011, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and ME/CFS. For me, fibromyalgia brings pain, poor sleep, fatigue, and brain fog. ME/CFS affects how much I can do. Physical or mental tasks can make my symptoms worse for days or longer.
I plan my time and take breaks to help avoid a crash. Rest is part of how I care for my body.
In June 2026, I was diagnosed with MCAS. This helped me better understand my symptoms and how to manage them. Pollen, mold, dust, scents, and smoke can make me feel ill. Wearing a mask helps me limit exposure to these triggers.
Mobility Aids Help Me Participate
I use mobility aids to save energy, reduce pain, and do more of the things that matter to me. My scooter helps me get around in the community. At home or in smaller spaces, I may need a different device.
What works for me depends on the space and how my body feels that day.
These experiences shape how I think about access. A place may be open to me but still be hard to use. Getting through a visit may take too much energy, planning, money, or time spent explaining my needs.
I want to help make spaces and programs easier for people with disabilities to use.
Writing My Way Through Chronic Illness
I have written about chronic illness for more than ten years. In 2013, I published my first poetry collection, Living with Fibromyalgia: A Young Man’s Journey to Peace, Inspiration, and Empowerment Through Poetry and Uplifting Words.
I wrote it while learning to live with a body that could feel very different from one day to the next. Writing helped me put my pain into words.
Today, I also write about disability, race, learning, food, and access. I explore how schools, workplaces, and other systems shape our lives.
How Disability Informs My Work
Disability shapes how I teach, write, cook, plan, and build. I think about the time and energy a task takes. I pay attention to light, sound, clear directions, and different ways to take part.
I know how tiring it can be to keep explaining what you need. That is why I help people ask for accommodations. I also help businesses make their spaces, services, and programs easier for people with disabilities to use.
Sources & Additional Reading
These articles share more about my story and the conditions I live with.
U.S. Pain Foundation — Anti-Racism Educator Fights for Fair Treatment in Health Care—and Beyond
U.S. Pain Foundation — Pain Warrior of the Month: Calvin Eaton
CDC — Managing ME/CFS and Post-Exertional Malaise