Tabla de contenidos para The Disability Edition en The Goodnewspaper

There are 763 words that start with the letter “D” and end in a “Y.” Normally, my anxious girl brain would spiral at all the possibilities. But not this time; disability is the clear choice. It is a word that has defined me for 25 years. I have cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair to roll through life. I wear my disability proudly, like a badge of honor — think Superman revealing his iconic “S” logo! I am aware that most would not think about disability in this way. And if we are being really honest, some people even have a hard time saying the word disability at all. As an activist and organizer working in the intersections of disability justice, climate action, and gun violence prevention, I have had…

We would be remiss if we did not take a moment to honor the life and legacy of Judith (Judy) Heumann, who was considered to be the “mother of disability rights.” Heumann passed away recently, on March 4, 2023, after a lifetime of service to the disability community. She contracted polio at 18 months and began using a wheelchair in elementary school, later suing the New York Board of Education after they denied her a teaching license because she needed assistance due to her disability. Most notably, she helped lead a 26-day sit-in during the spring of 1977 to improve federal legislation protecting disabled Americans. This protest was truly monumental and led to the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act, a first-of-its-kind civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based…

In March 2020, when the world was just barely understanding the threat of COVID-19 and all of us learned what it meant to social-distance, disabled folks already knew that the world would never look the same again. While much of the world has returned to some level of “normalcy,” immunocompromised and disabled community members are often left behind. The People’s CDC is a volunteer collective of public health practitioners, scientists, healthcare workers, educators, advocates, and everyday people continuing to provide COVID-related updates, action items, and support on social media — because the government is not. These updates include regular “weather reports” on COVID cases across the United States, a major external review of the CDC, action items to continue the use of masks in healthcare settings, and more, continually critiquing…

When Wesley Hamilton was shot during a verbal altercation just shortly after his 24th birthday, he became paralyzed and learned first-hand how simultaneously difficult and empowering it was to live with a disability. After his injury, Hamilton began a new health journey in the hopes of setting a good example for his daughter and later founded his organization, Disabled But Not Really (DBNR), which serves the disabled community in Kansas City through fitness, wellness, and mental health programs. Hamilton’s goal is to help disabled folks build healthy and meaningful connections between their disabilities and their bodies, which can be especially difficult due to both internalized and external ableism. The organization has a mobile gym that travels to disabled community members, and in June of this year, opened the DBNR Wellness…

In America, there is a clear labor divide between disabled and non-disabled people. The labor force participation rate for disabled people sits at 32.8%, compared to 77.1% of people without disabilities, according to the national Trends in Disability Employment reports. While employment should not be the defining measure of success among human beings, it is certainly a key component in existing and thriving in our current society — and workplaces must be inclusive and equitable in order for all people to participate. Disability:IN has created the Disability Equality Index (DEI) to help organizations build a roadmap to disability equality. Each company receives a score, from zero to 100, through a benchmarking tool that provides a clear evaluation scale for companies to measure their disability inclusion efforts. From accessible buildings and…

GOOD Get a feel for what major companies have taken the steps to improve disability inclusion. Check out the most recent Disability Equality Index to see where some companies rank at disabilityin.org/2023-dei-report. BETTER Donate your funds and resources to the American Association of People with Disabilities, an organization that works to increase the political and economic power of disabled folks. Visit aapd.com. BEST Become a mentor! There are plenty of disability, peer, and youth mentorship opportunities across the country. Explore the National Disability Mentoring Coalition for more information. Visit ndmc.pyd.org.…

“Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally” by Emily Ladau is a mustread for anyone seeking to better understand and support disabled folks. This book is an all-in-one starter kit any thoughtful, informed ally needs. “Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century” by Alice Wong is an essential anthology that provides a glimpse into the rich, complex, and diverse experiences of disabled people. Wong explores the history of disability rights and what is left to achieve. “Black Disability Politics” by Sami Schalk connects anti-racist movements to the disability justice framework, helping readers prioritize and understand disability within the context of white supremacy.…

From a Black “Little Mermaid,” to a brilliant Deaf child in “The Last Of Us,” representation of marginalized identities in media often seems to be at the helm of our conversations about entertainment. Of course, mainstream representation is vital to changing cultural opinions and providing a platform for a myriad of stories —but it also must be done well and with consistency. While the disability community has seen many strides in recent years — among them, finally a ramp on the stage at the Oscars in 2021, “CODA,” a film about the hearing child of Deaf parents winning the Academy Award for best picture in 2022, and more disabled actors playing disabled characters (we’ve come a long way since “Glee”) — characters still do not accurately represent the true population…

A WORLD TO EXPLORE According to a report from the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, in 2022, 11,389 wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled by airline carriers in the U.S. That means over 11,000 disabled passengers were either without a mobility device or left with a damaged mobility device, responsible to demand support from the airline in question to repair or replace their necessary equipment. It’s dehumanizing, unsustainable, and makes travel deeply inaccessible. And that’s only the transportation method! It’s important to consider mobility and accessibility in other ways, such as accessible lodging options, accommodations in popular tourist sites, availability of healthcare, and more. But disabled folks do not sit idly by as able-bodied folks travel the world with ease. Between technological advancements, fierce advocacy, and improved awareness, travel is becoming…

In the United States, when disabled folks marry someone who doesn’t utilize important benefits from the government (like disability and Medicaid), they lose their benefits. Similarly, if they marry someone who also needs these benefits, they will both be limited in how much support they can access. (Benefits are usually cut in half once a couple is married). For this reason, disabled folks have long been advocating for marriage equality that does not strip them of access to necessary medical and financial resources. One group advocating for disability marriage equality is the Disability Caucus at Montclair State University in New Jersey. Early in 2023, the group hosted an event called “I DO! Commit To Disabled Marriage.” Disabled students and community members gathered in their best formalwear to host a mass…

Throughout this issue of the Goodnewspaper, you’ll likely see some words and phrases that may be new to you! While we encourage you to always learn even more when you peruse your paper, we wanted to make sure you had a place to start. Here is a non-comprehensive glossary developed by the Good Good Good team — and heavily influenced by our guest editor, Daphne Frias, and Emily Ladau’s book, “Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally” — to get you started: Disability: First, not a bad word! While all disabled folks have different personal definitions of disability, Merriam-Webster defines disability as “a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that impairs, interferes with, or limits a person’s ability to engage in certain tasks…

Lucy Trieshmann and Maya Goldman are two disabled law graduates with passions for both disability justice and prison abolition. These passions led to The Breaking Point Project, a website filled with first-hand stories, interviews, and art from disabled people who have been incarcerated. Grappling with the realities of nearly non-existent medical care within carceral systems and the violence directed toward disabled people in mental health facilities, jails, and everyday policing, the founders of Breaking Point sought a way to reintroduce agency into the lives of disabled folks in a system that so often strips them of this right. Breaking Point shares art pieces or stories submitted directly by participants, and interviews conducted by Trieshmann and Goldman. To confront the power imbalance of Trieshmann and Goldman’s identities as two white people…

GOOD Start with the easy stuffand do your part as a member of a community. Make sure you continue to mask in public spaces, stay up-to-date with vaccines and test regularly — especially before and after large events! BETTER Follow and support the People’s CDC to get reliable updates on the ongoing pandemic to help assess your risk — and the risk of those in your community. It’s up to us to keep each other safe. peoplescdc.org BEST Safety doesn't always have to lead to sacrifice. Check out covidmeetups.com to find others in your area with like-minded approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic, so you can maintain a safe and meaningful social life. WHAT'S THIS? THIS IS THE GOOD BAR. We believe in celebrating good and then joining in to make…

Ricardo Velasquez and Namel Norris were once strangers with one thing in common: Both were paralyzed by gun violence and became wheelchair users as teens. It was Norris’s mother who brought the two together after spotting Velasquez in the neighborhood and asking him to be friends with her son. It turned out the two had a lot more in common: They were big fans of hip-hop. Just a few months after their first meeting, the duo launched 4 Wheel Records and later evolved the endeavor into 4 Wheels City, a nonprofit that uses hip-hop music and culture to bring more opportunities to disabled folks. Soon, they were performing what they call “rap therapy” in nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers, and speaking at events all over the world. Velasquez, whose stage…

One of the beautiful — yet challenging — aspects of learning about disabilities is the sheer amount of nuance and diversity across the disability community. There are so many helpful resources on language, different types of disabilities, and the disability rights and justice movements as a whole. It can be overwhelming to know where to start when it comes to navigating your role — no matter what your experience is with disability — and we want to make it just a wee bit easier. As we continue to explore the breadth and expansiveness of disability and our connection to it as human beings, it’s paramount that we have a foundational understanding of these concepts. Whether you’re someone who has lived with a disability your whole life, recently received a life-changing…

“Barrier Free Futures” reflects on the many facets of life experienced by disabled people. Conversations reflect on health, home and community living, legislation, arts and media, technology, recreation, employment, and more. “Included: The Disability Equity Podcast” is hosted by Bonnielin Swenor and Nicholas Reed. The duo delves deep into issues of disability equity, such as voting and healthcare, personal advocacy, and academic research. Hosted by Emily Ladau and Kyle Khachadurian, “The Accessible Stall” approaches conversations with both hosts' personal perspectives and digs deep into the “why” behind some of the community’s greatest challenges.…

Across the widely diverse, global community of disabled folks, people are not always in perfect alignment about how to talk about disability. There’s person-first language, which puts the person before the disability (e.g. “People with disabilities,” or “a person who uses a wheelchair”), and there’s identify-first language, which acknowledges a disability as a part of what makes someone who they are (e.g. “Disabled people,” or “wheelchair users”). Neither of these approaches is wrong or right, though many people feel strongly about which they use on a regular basis. Throughout this issue, we have intentionally defaulted to identity-first language when referring to large, broad communities or ideas, in order to emphasize the importance of disability to many disabled people’s lives and identities. However, when speaking with individual sources for this issue,…

Throughout the pandemic, Amanda Hu — an artist and parental advocate — learned a lot more about filters and air quality. She quickly used her Twitter page to educate the masses on air filtration, tested masks and respirators so others didn’t have to, and provided simple tutorials on how to make your own air purifier (even though high-quality purification systems should be accessible to all). Hu is also a spokesperson for Fresh Air Network, an advocacy group fighting for better ventilation. “We know this virus is airborne, that infectious particles are coming out of mouths, and out of noses, and are being emitted into the air. HEPA filters, very simply, pull in the air with infectious particles through a filter, and emit air that no longer has those infectious particles,”…

Last fall, the European Space Agency (ESA) named the world’s first-ever disabled astronaut — or “parastronaut” to its new team of recruits. British Paralympic sprinter John McFall was named to the role as part of a new team of 17 adventurers picked for astronaut training in the 22-nation agency, according to Reuters. Beyond the valuable representation of a disabled astronaut, McFall’s participation in the ESA is especially important because he will help the agency study how to accommodate the needs of an astronaut with a physical disability as they live and work in space. The ESA received 257 applications for the role, but it was likely McFall’s history as a Paralympian that led to his selection. Following a motorcycle accident that led to his right leg being amputated at the…

GOOD Learn more about folks disabled by gun violence. Healing Hurt People, a Chicago-based nonprofit providing resources to survivors of gun violence, has a whole library of “Stories of Healing.” Visit healinghurtpeoplechicago.org. BETTER Donate to organizations confronting community gun violence by supporting disabled folks, like Healing Hurt People (healinghurtpeoplechicago.org) or the Rochester Spinal Association (rochesterspinalassociation.org). BEST Do your part to end gun violence in America. With more common-sense reform, more people can live in safe and inclusive communities. Check out our full guide to get started. ggg.news/articles/how-to-stop-gun-violence…

When diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), many people will consider ways to preserve their speech and communication, as the progressive disease makes talking increasingly difficult. A process known as voice banking allows folks to create a digital library of their voice, recording thousands of words and phrases to use later on. However, this process has long been costly and inaccessible, adding thousands of dollars to already-high medical costs, and hours of time spent recording. But, there’s good news: Soon, folks will be able to create and use a digitized version of their own voice using Personal Voice, a new accessibility feature from Apple. The tool can be used on any iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and will utilize artificial intelligence. Users just need to provide 15 minutes of spoken phrases…

The 2020 documentary “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution” tells the story of a groundbreaking summer camp for disabled teens that later connected a group of alumni in their fight for disability rights — a journey that leads to America’s historic legislation changes for disabled people. (Netflix) “The Artisans” is a 51-minute documentary that celebrates differences by following the daily lives of 15 intellectually disabled employees at a workshop in Canada. “We’re beautiful, the whole gang. We’re special,” one Artisan says. (nfb.ca/film/artisans) “My Disability Roadmap” is a documentary short that follows 21-year-old Samuel Habib, a young man who is a wheelchair user and has a seizure disability. Determined to find his path forward, he seeks out guidance from America’s most rebellious disability activists. (The New York Times)…

DESIGNED WITH ACCESSIBILITY IN MIND Universal design — sometimes referred to as barrier-free design or inclusive design — is the design and structure of a space or environment that makes it understandable, accessible, and usable to the best extent possible by all people — regardless of age or ability. While this might sound impossible, it’s actually a lot more common than you think. City planners and architects are often tasked with planning around diverse needs and abilities, and even app developers work to ensure that users can experience technology with little to no barriers. Even if you yourself can’t install a ramp in a public park, you can make your voice heard in your local government to make these shared spaces more accessible for all. Here are just a few…

Daphne Frias, our guest editor for this edition of the Goodnewspaper, has years of experience in multi-disciplinary activism across disability justice, climate justice, and gun violence prevention movements. This work has led her to speak at major climate conferences around the globe, bringing disability amplification to the many layered movements of the moment. A 25-year-old Latina medical student with cerebral palsy, Daphne uses a wheelchair, and has since she was in elementary school. In 2022, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma, and now in remission, she is re-entering the activism scene with a renewed passion for the intersections of liberation. Daphne graciously sat down to chat with us about her experiences and how our voices have the power to change the world. This interview has been edited for…

As much as most of us like to believe that we say all the right things and think before we speak, we’re all human, and we all mess up sometimes. But knowing how to talk about disability (and what kinds of words and phrases to avoid) helps train our brains to communicate more thoughtfully. More importantly, it helps to create a society in which disabled folks can feel safe, comfortable, and validated. Similarly to our glossary at the beginning of this issue, lots of these suggestions come from Emily Ladau in her book “Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.” (Definitely check out the book if you haven’t yet; it’s one of the best primers out there!) We won’t be able to include…