What a way to start the new year, I came across this on tumblr, and feel the need to share this as an example of ableism that exists in the world.
As seen in this post by Amelia's parents, doctors at the Nephrology department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia are refusing to proceed in a kidney transplant because Amelia has Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, an intellectual and developmental disability.
I don't think I have the words to express the outrage I feel regarding this. This should not be allowed to continue. I'm planning to try and follow the events regarding this, and give as much support as I can. Hopefully Amelia will be able to get the transplant, and doctors will get the message that treating disabled people like this in not appropriate.
Edit: There is now a petition to sign to allow Amelia to have a life-saving transplant. Please sign!!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Musings on the ASAN Celebration
I know I'm a bit late posting this, but I was processing my thoughts, as well as juggling many things. This morning is pretty much the first chance I've had to sit down and write it all out.
I remember when I first came online into the greater Autism communities, ASAN was one of the first groups I encountered. It's been a bit of a shock to realize that it's only been in existance for 5 years, when it feels like it has been around for so much longer. Five years is both a long time and a short time for non-profit organizations, and is one that is significant because it not only is a matter of surviving, but it shows that there is a need for ASAN to exist and to continue existing. The day in which we no longer need the ASAN will be bittersweet, since it will mean the end to ASAN, but it also means that ASAN and other disability rights groups has succeeded, and both Autistic people and disabled people are equally included in all matters concerning us.
Today, however, is not that day. On Wednesday, November 16th, I celebrated ASAN's 5-Year Anniversary, in Washington D.C.
I have to admit, I am honoured that I was invited to attend the event. I've always looked to ASAN for inspiration on the type of impact I'd like to make. However, for me to do the work that ASAN does is a bit daunting. Thinking that I don't have the expertise or knowledge to work on a governmental level (at least yet), I've decided a long time ago to do what I can, to work on a more individualized and community level, doing talks with my local organizations, talking with other Autistics, our parents and support workers, and blogging.
It is this decision that has led to this blog, as well as to my other contributions around the internet. This decision also led me to Autistics Speaking Day. Over the few years, I made contacts with other Autistic individuals and allies who shared the same views. I have never claimed to speak for everyone on the Autism spectrum, declaring that "I speak for me!", and yet I found myself surrounded by people who said "I agree with what you said." And at the same time, I encountered people who said "I hadn't thought it that in that way; you have changed my mind. Thank you."
I felt encouraged. Even though it might have been just a little difference for someone else, I feel like what I do has worth and that I am capable of making a difference. I felt empowered, that maybe all these little differences will add up and I'll be capable of reaching a lot of people one day and making a big difference. And so I continued. I read things, I responded and wrote things.
And then I came across Communication Shutdown. Because of the previous decision I had made, and the empowerment I had gained from that decision, it was an easy decision for me to come up with Autistics Speaking Day. I didn't even think about it, really, I just thought something needed to be done, grabbed a name at the top of my head, and put it on my blog.
I don't think I ever imagined the kind of effect that Autistics Speaking Day would have. I've kinda gotten used to working on a small-scale that the concept of Autistics and allies from all over the world would participate still stuns me. It was an accident, a very happy accident, from what I gather as I read all the wonderful things written about Autistics Speaking Day.
When I got the email from Kathryn about going to Washington for the award, at first I wasn't sure whether I could or whether I should. While I had dedicated my time to Autistics Speaking Day, and I acknowledge that it was my idea that started everything, I've been a little uneasy about taking much credit for it. Maybe it's lingering self-esteem issues, or my upbringing to be as modest as possible, but I don't really consider Autistics Speaking Day as mine. To me, it belongs to every person who contributed blogs, read posts, tweeted about and did anything to do with Autistics Speaking Day. To me, it belongs to the community, so it felt a bit wrong of me to take a substantial amount of credit for it. It felt like a mixture of egotism and a bit like super-crip-ism.
But then it dawned on me on where the award was coming from; this is the ASAN, an orgranization created by Autistics, run by Autistics, for Autistics and cross disability issues. These were people that I had been talking to, blogging with, signing petitions and protesting with since 2009. These are my people, saying that what Kathryn and I did, what I imagined and put forward to the community, has worth and made a significant impact to our community. It's that acknowledgement that means a lot to me.
So I went to Washington, all nervous and excited. I heard Ari speak live for the first time, passionately and powerfully about the need for Autistic people to be involved with matters that concern us. I felt myself inspired, recalling the motivation and determination that has kept me blogging these past amost-three years. I accepted the award, and thankfully didn't stumble over my little acceptance speech too much.
But you know what the best part of it all was? It was meeting my people, Kathryn, Savannah, Ari, Melody, Lydia, Stimey, Lori and Karen and all the others who are my community. It was the best time ever.
I remember when I first came online into the greater Autism communities, ASAN was one of the first groups I encountered. It's been a bit of a shock to realize that it's only been in existance for 5 years, when it feels like it has been around for so much longer. Five years is both a long time and a short time for non-profit organizations, and is one that is significant because it not only is a matter of surviving, but it shows that there is a need for ASAN to exist and to continue existing. The day in which we no longer need the ASAN will be bittersweet, since it will mean the end to ASAN, but it also means that ASAN and other disability rights groups has succeeded, and both Autistic people and disabled people are equally included in all matters concerning us.
Today, however, is not that day. On Wednesday, November 16th, I celebrated ASAN's 5-Year Anniversary, in Washington D.C.
I have to admit, I am honoured that I was invited to attend the event. I've always looked to ASAN for inspiration on the type of impact I'd like to make. However, for me to do the work that ASAN does is a bit daunting. Thinking that I don't have the expertise or knowledge to work on a governmental level (at least yet), I've decided a long time ago to do what I can, to work on a more individualized and community level, doing talks with my local organizations, talking with other Autistics, our parents and support workers, and blogging.
It is this decision that has led to this blog, as well as to my other contributions around the internet. This decision also led me to Autistics Speaking Day. Over the few years, I made contacts with other Autistic individuals and allies who shared the same views. I have never claimed to speak for everyone on the Autism spectrum, declaring that "I speak for me!", and yet I found myself surrounded by people who said "I agree with what you said." And at the same time, I encountered people who said "I hadn't thought it that in that way; you have changed my mind. Thank you."
I felt encouraged. Even though it might have been just a little difference for someone else, I feel like what I do has worth and that I am capable of making a difference. I felt empowered, that maybe all these little differences will add up and I'll be capable of reaching a lot of people one day and making a big difference. And so I continued. I read things, I responded and wrote things.
And then I came across Communication Shutdown. Because of the previous decision I had made, and the empowerment I had gained from that decision, it was an easy decision for me to come up with Autistics Speaking Day. I didn't even think about it, really, I just thought something needed to be done, grabbed a name at the top of my head, and put it on my blog.
I don't think I ever imagined the kind of effect that Autistics Speaking Day would have. I've kinda gotten used to working on a small-scale that the concept of Autistics and allies from all over the world would participate still stuns me. It was an accident, a very happy accident, from what I gather as I read all the wonderful things written about Autistics Speaking Day.
When I got the email from Kathryn about going to Washington for the award, at first I wasn't sure whether I could or whether I should. While I had dedicated my time to Autistics Speaking Day, and I acknowledge that it was my idea that started everything, I've been a little uneasy about taking much credit for it. Maybe it's lingering self-esteem issues, or my upbringing to be as modest as possible, but I don't really consider Autistics Speaking Day as mine. To me, it belongs to every person who contributed blogs, read posts, tweeted about and did anything to do with Autistics Speaking Day. To me, it belongs to the community, so it felt a bit wrong of me to take a substantial amount of credit for it. It felt like a mixture of egotism and a bit like super-crip-ism.
But then it dawned on me on where the award was coming from; this is the ASAN, an orgranization created by Autistics, run by Autistics, for Autistics and cross disability issues. These were people that I had been talking to, blogging with, signing petitions and protesting with since 2009. These are my people, saying that what Kathryn and I did, what I imagined and put forward to the community, has worth and made a significant impact to our community. It's that acknowledgement that means a lot to me.
So I went to Washington, all nervous and excited. I heard Ari speak live for the first time, passionately and powerfully about the need for Autistic people to be involved with matters that concern us. I felt myself inspired, recalling the motivation and determination that has kept me blogging these past amost-three years. I accepted the award, and thankfully didn't stumble over my little acceptance speech too much.
But you know what the best part of it all was? It was meeting my people, Kathryn, Savannah, Ari, Melody, Lydia, Stimey, Lori and Karen and all the others who are my community. It was the best time ever.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Functioning labels and meaning
This is going to be a short post; I've written a more extensive article for the Autism Women's Network on this that I need to just finish editing before it goes up.
Most to the time when I come across the terms high-functioning and low-functioning, they are used as descriptors for Autistic people, whether well-meaning or as a way to dismiss Autistic opinion. However, at the time of writing this, the last time I had it directed towards myself directly was in a conversation just a few days ago at a store I go to on a weekly basis. For context, the staff at this store know I am Autistic, ADHD and some of my various other disabilities. They also know that quite a few other regulars also are on the spectrum and have disabilities.
I was talking with one staff member and the topic of disability came up, Autism amongst my family members in particular, and how some of them aren't diagnosed even though we're pretty sure they're on the spectrum, with some comparison to my own rather belated need for a diagnosis. In response, the staff member replied "well, you're pretty high-functioning yourself, right?"
Knowing that she didn't know how quite loaded that term is for me, and she didn't mean to step into the "but you don't look disabled" fallacy, I attempted to explain it's not a constant state (I don't know about how well I came across; i had a migraine and had just worked a 7-hour retail shift, was hanging on with the last of my batteries and my last remaining spoons). As I did so, I came to understand something, what people really mean by high- and low-functioning.
It's not about vocal skills or IQ scores, as I've seen proposed in the Autism communities, or frequency of symptoms and self-harming behaviour, as defined by the Global Assessment of Functionality. It's about visibility.
Think about it; that's what really is meant when people label functioning status to disabled people, the level in which the disability is visible to other non-disabled people. A person like myself, whose disabilities are largely invisible due to the nature of my disabilities themselves and the work I put into surviving outside my safe space, is more likely to be automatically considered "high-functioning". This is because unless I let people in and show others my private life, my daily struggles, the moments where I'm not working on "passing", people have no idea how much that label is inconsistent with my actual reality and a lot of times, a lie. In the paraphrased words of a few of my friends "it wasn't until I lived with you that I fully understood the impact and implications of what you told me what your life is like; until then, I thought I knew, but I didn't."
Autism is already an invisible disability, being that by clinical definition, it is a developmental disorder, a mental disability, not a physical disability. This means that unless we are very visibly Autistic, most people have no idea that we're disabled. Someone who is highly visible as being Autistic is more likely to be considered "low-functioning", and treated with all the stigma that entails, due to sheer ignorance. There is, of course, problems with both scenarios, based on assumptions made about disabilities in general and functioning labels on specific.
As part of the Autism and Disability rights movements, I think we should be correcting the terms. Let's call out the fallacies in functioning labeling, and call it what those descriptors really mean, highly-visible and highly-invisible disabilities. This way, not only are we rejecting the assumptions made about us, but we're also confronting ableist attitudes hidden in the words used to describe us. It makes clear that what they're using to divide and label us is false and superficial and makes it uncomfortably clear on what they really mean. Maybe then we can change more minds on how they treat us.
Edit: Of course, there are problems with the terms highly-visible and highly-invisible, in that there are also times when someone is more visibly disabled than others. This certainly isn't going to be the ending solution to the problems with high-/low-functioning labels. However, I think it's a step towards confronting non-disabled people on what exactly they mean by those labels and the underlying attitudes that are expressed. It's a step towards addressing the ableism behind it, so that we can work on descriptors that are more accurate and are still respectful of every disabled and Autistic person.
Most to the time when I come across the terms high-functioning and low-functioning, they are used as descriptors for Autistic people, whether well-meaning or as a way to dismiss Autistic opinion. However, at the time of writing this, the last time I had it directed towards myself directly was in a conversation just a few days ago at a store I go to on a weekly basis. For context, the staff at this store know I am Autistic, ADHD and some of my various other disabilities. They also know that quite a few other regulars also are on the spectrum and have disabilities.
I was talking with one staff member and the topic of disability came up, Autism amongst my family members in particular, and how some of them aren't diagnosed even though we're pretty sure they're on the spectrum, with some comparison to my own rather belated need for a diagnosis. In response, the staff member replied "well, you're pretty high-functioning yourself, right?"
Knowing that she didn't know how quite loaded that term is for me, and she didn't mean to step into the "but you don't look disabled" fallacy, I attempted to explain it's not a constant state (I don't know about how well I came across; i had a migraine and had just worked a 7-hour retail shift, was hanging on with the last of my batteries and my last remaining spoons). As I did so, I came to understand something, what people really mean by high- and low-functioning.
It's not about vocal skills or IQ scores, as I've seen proposed in the Autism communities, or frequency of symptoms and self-harming behaviour, as defined by the Global Assessment of Functionality. It's about visibility.
Think about it; that's what really is meant when people label functioning status to disabled people, the level in which the disability is visible to other non-disabled people. A person like myself, whose disabilities are largely invisible due to the nature of my disabilities themselves and the work I put into surviving outside my safe space, is more likely to be automatically considered "high-functioning". This is because unless I let people in and show others my private life, my daily struggles, the moments where I'm not working on "passing", people have no idea how much that label is inconsistent with my actual reality and a lot of times, a lie. In the paraphrased words of a few of my friends "it wasn't until I lived with you that I fully understood the impact and implications of what you told me what your life is like; until then, I thought I knew, but I didn't."
Autism is already an invisible disability, being that by clinical definition, it is a developmental disorder, a mental disability, not a physical disability. This means that unless we are very visibly Autistic, most people have no idea that we're disabled. Someone who is highly visible as being Autistic is more likely to be considered "low-functioning", and treated with all the stigma that entails, due to sheer ignorance. There is, of course, problems with both scenarios, based on assumptions made about disabilities in general and functioning labels on specific.
As part of the Autism and Disability rights movements, I think we should be correcting the terms. Let's call out the fallacies in functioning labeling, and call it what those descriptors really mean, highly-visible and highly-invisible disabilities. This way, not only are we rejecting the assumptions made about us, but we're also confronting ableist attitudes hidden in the words used to describe us. It makes clear that what they're using to divide and label us is false and superficial and makes it uncomfortably clear on what they really mean. Maybe then we can change more minds on how they treat us.
Edit: Of course, there are problems with the terms highly-visible and highly-invisible, in that there are also times when someone is more visibly disabled than others. This certainly isn't going to be the ending solution to the problems with high-/low-functioning labels. However, I think it's a step towards confronting non-disabled people on what exactly they mean by those labels and the underlying attitudes that are expressed. It's a step towards addressing the ableism behind it, so that we can work on descriptors that are more accurate and are still respectful of every disabled and Autistic person.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Self-Advocates Sonnet
This is one of the poems that I submitted to the Perspectives Anthology 2
Self-Advocates Sonnet
Shall I consider how my day is spent
in this land, far and great and wide
where I seek what others try to hide
examining where rules and ethics bent
twisted, reworded my nature present
while armed with truth, I speak to
chide
too often, my voice cut off, silenced,
denied
shouted down by demands for births
mine-kin prevent
whilst ignoring human rights, the
basics we need
another sigh of patience, I maintain to
do my best
to advocate, create changes to the
current state
of services, supports, implement at too
slow speed
I tire, but have far to go before I
dare to rest
For the sake of life, we cannot afford
to wait
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
My ASDay
I never did get to finishing and posting the two posts I had planned for Autistics Speaking Day. I was going to explore the link between poverty and disability, as well as take a look at how crisis lines are ableist (aka, why aren't there online crisis chat services, why aren't there mental health services that disabled people who find leaving their homes or picking up a phone to be a challenge?).
But it never happened. There was just a flood of posts coming in that between taking care of them (I read pretty much every single one) and doing my own daily tasks, I didn't have time to write my own!
Luckily, I had a plan in case this happened, and took photographs throughout the day. The ones I posted on Twitpic can be clicked on to see the full photo.
So, I bring you, My ASDay:
First, I started the day at the Sleep Clinic. I have severe sleep apnea and had stayed the night in order to get my CPAP pressure checked. Turns out, my pressure needed to be raised.
I woke up at 6am, and made my way home from the Clinic. My monthly bus pass had expired (new month), so I made a mental note to get it renewed. I'm on a Municipal Fee Assistance program, so I get a discount on monthly bus passes. I pay 46$ a month, instead of $60-something (the prices just went up, I used to pay $44).
I got home and noticed that I need to replace my bandaid. I had cut my finger at work. Here is a photo of it (which I'm not displaying here, for trigger warnings)
I also made sure to take my morning medications. I have two main meds that I take, one in the morning and one in the evening. The rest of my medications are as-needed meds, for things like acid reflux or when I need an extra boost to beat anxiety.
I sat down and started working on getting updating the ASDay blog. So many posts!!
At one point, I noticed a bit of a crash in the hall. A bit later, I went to investigate. The maintenance guy had been around, trying to fix the small window in our front door that had broke. He's been working on it for some time, and I think that it might be cheaper if the non-profit housing organization just replaced the door. It's an old door, original to the house, and it has quite a few cracks and leaks.
After that I spent some time chatting to my boyfriend, Dave, on Skype while I worked on putting up submissions.
Then my house-mate B asked whether I'd like to go grocery shopping with him. His case worker came to pick us up and took us to the grocery store. I got some new hair clips, because I am forever trying to find clips that won't fall out of my hair and I just got my hair cut. I also picked up some of the Halloween makeup glitter on sale, and a few treats. I mostly got things I needed, including things for my lunches to go to work.
Since we were near one of the pharmacies that sells bus passes, I ran inside to renew my monthly pass!! B ran to the pet store for kitten food (for his kitten) and to the bank (to get cash to pay his share of the internet bill). We came home and put our groceries away.
I put away my non-grocery items as well, and opened up the hair clips to wear for the day.
I got back to work on updating posts, but also got a little distracted by housework. I did a little tidying around my room, swept/swiftered my floor and took out my recycling and garbage. Garbage days are Sunday nights, so I usually take the recycling and garbage from my room after Sunday, about every other week. Garbage/recycling is one of the chores around the house. My chore is to vacuum the carpets, which I try to do at least every other week. Right now, the upstairs carpets are fairly good, but since the kitten's litter box is downstairs, I think I need to do it soon.
Then, I worked on ASDay posts again, and starting fixing my supper in the slow cooker. I made chicken with a pesto-cream cheese sauce, which I had with vegetable juice and rice. I usually put on these seasonings on my rice, and I'm pretty much out. Next time I'm near the Asian Market, I need to pick up some more. As I started up the ASDay IRC chatroom with the GimpGirl Community I made Apple Crisp for my Dungeons and Dragons group, who came over to play.
Before I played a quick session of DnD, I did a bit of work on my schoolwork, handing in an assignment due that day, and working on discussion questions. I also have an essay due next week.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get a photograph of my DnD group, but we had some fun. Afterwards, people left for home (one slept on the couch though, she was too tired to head home) and I got back to work on ASDay posts. Kathryn and I divided up the rest of the work, based on our strengths, and I managed to get completely caught up with the submission form list!
By that time, it was kinda late for me, who had gotten up at 6am and had work the next day, plus school to work on. Kathryn had Wednesdays off, so it was mutually agreed upon that she continue on while I went to bed. So I did.
Ta-Da! That was my day!
But it never happened. There was just a flood of posts coming in that between taking care of them (I read pretty much every single one) and doing my own daily tasks, I didn't have time to write my own!
Luckily, I had a plan in case this happened, and took photographs throughout the day. The ones I posted on Twitpic can be clicked on to see the full photo.
So, I bring you, My ASDay:
First, I started the day at the Sleep Clinic. I have severe sleep apnea and had stayed the night in order to get my CPAP pressure checked. Turns out, my pressure needed to be raised.
 |
| my room at the sleep clinic |
I woke up at 6am, and made my way home from the Clinic. My monthly bus pass had expired (new month), so I made a mental note to get it renewed. I'm on a Municipal Fee Assistance program, so I get a discount on monthly bus passes. I pay 46$ a month, instead of $60-something (the prices just went up, I used to pay $44).
I got home and noticed that I need to replace my bandaid. I had cut my finger at work. Here is a photo of it (which I'm not displaying here, for trigger warnings)
I also made sure to take my morning medications. I have two main meds that I take, one in the morning and one in the evening. The rest of my medications are as-needed meds, for things like acid reflux or when I need an extra boost to beat anxiety.
 |
| my morning meds |
I sat down and started working on getting updating the ASDay blog. So many posts!!
 |
| ASDay Headquarters no.1! |
At one point, I noticed a bit of a crash in the hall. A bit later, I went to investigate. The maintenance guy had been around, trying to fix the small window in our front door that had broke. He's been working on it for some time, and I think that it might be cheaper if the non-profit housing organization just replaced the door. It's an old door, original to the house, and it has quite a few cracks and leaks.
  |
| our front door and the glass for our front door |
 |
| Chatting with Dave aka Noyer on Skype |
Then my house-mate B asked whether I'd like to go grocery shopping with him. His case worker came to pick us up and took us to the grocery store. I got some new hair clips, because I am forever trying to find clips that won't fall out of my hair and I just got my hair cut. I also picked up some of the Halloween makeup glitter on sale, and a few treats. I mostly got things I needed, including things for my lunches to go to work.
 |
| my groceries, about $60, a tad over budget but I figure I can afford it with a new job! (stuff on the bottom rack are B's) |
Since we were near one of the pharmacies that sells bus passes, I ran inside to renew my monthly pass!! B ran to the pet store for kitten food (for his kitten) and to the bank (to get cash to pay his share of the internet bill). We came home and put our groceries away.
 |
| Between semi-obsessional food hoarding and donations from friends, I'm stocked for winter! |
I put away my non-grocery items as well, and opened up the hair clips to wear for the day.
 |
| Had bigger ones as a kid, I used to pretend they were alien monsters |
I got back to work on updating posts, but also got a little distracted by housework. I did a little tidying around my room, swept/swiftered my floor and took out my recycling and garbage. Garbage days are Sunday nights, so I usually take the recycling and garbage from my room after Sunday, about every other week. Garbage/recycling is one of the chores around the house. My chore is to vacuum the carpets, which I try to do at least every other week. Right now, the upstairs carpets are fairly good, but since the kitten's litter box is downstairs, I think I need to do it soon.
  |
| Sweeping and taking out recycling |
Then, I worked on ASDay posts again, and starting fixing my supper in the slow cooker. I made chicken with a pesto-cream cheese sauce, which I had with vegetable juice and rice. I usually put on these seasonings on my rice, and I'm pretty much out. Next time I'm near the Asian Market, I need to pick up some more. As I started up the ASDay IRC chatroom with the GimpGirl Community I made Apple Crisp for my Dungeons and Dragons group, who came over to play.
 |
| Remainder of DnD Apple Crisp |
Before I played a quick session of DnD, I did a bit of work on my schoolwork, handing in an assignment due that day, and working on discussion questions. I also have an essay due next week.
 |
| Coursework, really! |
Unfortunately, I couldn't get a photograph of my DnD group, but we had some fun. Afterwards, people left for home (one slept on the couch though, she was too tired to head home) and I got back to work on ASDay posts. Kathryn and I divided up the rest of the work, based on our strengths, and I managed to get completely caught up with the submission form list!
 |
| Caught up with posts! Yay! |
By that time, it was kinda late for me, who had gotten up at 6am and had work the next day, plus school to work on. Kathryn had Wednesdays off, so it was mutually agreed upon that she continue on while I went to bed. So I did.
 |
| my bed! Bedtime! |
Ta-Da! That was my day!
Friday, October 28, 2011
ASAN 5-Year Anniversary Celebration
So I guess I should post the news. Kathryn and I have been invited to the ASAN 5-year Anniversary Celebration, at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., to receive the 1st Annual Award for Exceptional Service. We're being recognized for our work creating Autistics Speaking Day.
Um. Apparently, this is a big deal. I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to go, but my parents and I are going to drive nine hours to attend. So I'll be there.
I'm kinda embarrassed. I don't do all the work I've done for awards, although it is nice for both of us to be recognized for what we've done.
But I get to meet quite a lot of the people I've been emailing and chatting with online for the past... two years, at least? I'm really excited for that.
So if you're going to the celebration, I hope to see you there!!
Um. Apparently, this is a big deal. I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to go, but my parents and I are going to drive nine hours to attend. So I'll be there.
I'm kinda embarrassed. I don't do all the work I've done for awards, although it is nice for both of us to be recognized for what we've done.
But I get to meet quite a lot of the people I've been emailing and chatting with online for the past... two years, at least? I'm really excited for that.
So if you're going to the celebration, I hope to see you there!!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Occupy Toronto: Disability Pride March
| (This was passed my way by the Disability Studies program at Ryerson. As much as I would love to attend, I am unable to do so, and so I spread the word. ~Corina) | |
|---|---|
Toronto Disability Pride March
Saturday, October 29 · 12:00pm - 3:00pm
Nathan Philips Square to Occupy Toronto (St. James park)
Please forward and share far and wide!!!
PLEASE SHARE/INVITE OTHERS!!!
Join us at the square, and come down to Occupy Toronto if you can! They're making great efforts to be accessible down there.
Why Disability Pride?
Because Rob Ford, or somebody under him, cancelled International Day of Persons with Disabilities Celebrations ...
Because when cuts happen, people with disabilities are often the first to be hit, wheeltrans was almost on the chopping block, and social housing still is.
Because there have been way too many deaths and injuries to people with disabilities in interaction with Toronto Police, and considering the amount of funding they get, there should me some disability training. No one should be dying in police interactions in Toronto! http://www.youtube.com/wat
It's time we showed Toronto that Torontonians with Disabilities have a voice, and we will not be sold out or discriminated against!
Join us at the square, and come down to Occupy Toronto if you can! They're making great efforts to be accessible down there.
Why Disability Pride?
Because Rob Ford, or somebody under him, cancelled International Day of Persons with Disabilities Celebrations ...
Because when cuts happen, people with disabilities are often the first to be hit, wheeltrans was almost on the chopping block, and social housing still is.
Because there have been way too many deaths and injuries to people with disabilities in interaction with Toronto Police, and considering the amount of funding they get, there should me some disability training. No one should be dying in police interactions in Toronto! http://www.youtube.com/wat
It's time we showed Toronto that Torontonians with Disabilities have a voice, and we will not be sold out or discriminated against!
Facebook
link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=150322745067099¬if_t=event_update
Isaac Stein, M.Ed
Disability Counsellor
Accessibility Services
St. George Campus
University of Toronto
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