#disabled voices
Planners & Disability: When Two Worlds Collide Effortlessly
Photo of a few planner supplies: a mini sized discbound planner with a big crystal pen, a sticker of my likeness sipping wine, and a postcard of a bluosh-purple crystal.
My fondness for all things stationery began as a child. Pens, notebooks, journals, stickers, markers – you name it, I loved it. Lisa Frank everything – had to have it. At the height of the gel pens hype, I had all sorts of…
Aunt Vi, #QueenSugar, Black Women, & Our Disabled Bodies: Why We’re Still Whole
Image of 3 Black women against a light colored background. All 3 are facing and smiling into the camera.
Image credit: PixabayIf you haven’t watched the show “Queen Sugar,” I don’t know what you’re doing with your life.
The new season premiered on OWN last week, and the series is spearheaded by the talented Ava DuVernay.
In this season, one of the beloved characters, Aunt Vi, has an illness that…
Logo design of the Wheelin’ & Dealin’ podcast
The blog has been quiet for awhile, and that is due to all that I have been getting into recently.
First is the new adventure I am on – I am the co-host of the Wheelin’ & Dealin’ podcast, which made its debut on the CSPN network last week. This podcast is politically-focused, and I am leading it with Neal Carter. Neal approached me earlier this…
4 Years Going Strong: RYV! Anniversary Reflection
Image description: Top of a chocolate cake with candles lit. Candles are curved and multi-colored.
Today marks the fourth anniversary of Ramp Your Voice! The past year has been filled with so many opportunities, connections, partnerships, and articles that has resonated with individuals within and outside of the disabled community.
As Ramp Your Voice! matures, I also mature, particularly for…
Why “Claws” Autistic Character Dean Should Be Played By An Autistic Actor
Harold Perrineau as Dean. (Turner Press / CLAWS)
A new summer show favorite has been CLAWS, which features the incredible Niecy Nash as Desna, a woman who has big dreams of owning a high-end salon and caring for those she loves. A surprise in the series is the character Dean, who is autistic and Desna’s brother. Dean is a complex character, mainly due to the fact that the portrayal is a…
BuzzFeed, Dating In A Wheelchair, & Representation: Interview with Lolo
Screenshot of the title of the video: “Thoughts You Have While Dating In A Wheelchair” (BuzzFeed)
Buzzfeed is known for creating videos about diverse life experiences, and it has recently produced one that I can wholeheartedly relate to. The video is “Thoughts You Have While Dating In A Wheelchair” that features vlogger Lolo. Lolo’s performance spoke deeply to my spirit. It was the first time…
Today is the hashtagversary (hashtag anniversary) of #DisabilityTooWhite. I cannot believe it has been a year since the hashtag went viral, and how it changed my life and the dialogue in the community.
It still astounds me that something I created from an impassioned reaction to an article stirred up so much conversation and controversy. The hashtag forced me, and others, to discuss the…
#IAmAPreExistingCondition: Medicaid is the Lifeline that Saved Me
I owe my health and ability to live in this disabled body to Medicaid. It is the social program that is will be under attack if the Senate accumulates enough votes for the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The AHCA is the replacement bill for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare. There are provisions within the AHCA that will impact those of us with pre-existing conditions…
#BlackDisabledGirlMagic Series: Keah Brown, Entertainment Journalist Using Her Words to Empower
Photo of Keah Brown, a brown skinned young Black woman. Keah is looking directly into the camera and smiling. She has her hair straighten and parted to the side, and wearing a white, red, and denim colored sweater.
One of the reasons I wanted to do this series was to capture the diverse lives of Black disabled women. Very few spaces have given us the opportunity to discuss what it is like to be…
#BlackDisabledGirlMagic Series: Kerima Cevik, Disabled Writer, Activist, & Redefining the Rules
Photo of Kerima Cevik, a brown-skinned Black woman. Kerima is facing away from the camera, with her beautiful gray hair covering her face. She is leaning against window blinds, with the light from the window softly hitting her face.
It is so important for Black disabled women to have a village – a group of individuals who understand her fully. A group of uplifters, motivators, and truth sayers…
#BlackDisabledGirlMagic Series: Heather Watkins, Disabled Writer, Mom, & Community Leader
Image of Heather Watkins, light-skinned Black woman who is standing in front of a off-white colored door. Heather is smiling directly to the camera, and is wearing a black-and-white multi-striped top with black pants. Heather has her hands placed on her hips, which are in a relaxed pose.
As we continue with the #BlackDisabledGirlMagic series, we have seen the various perspectives about the lives…
Black-ish & Speechless: The Night Primetime TV Got It Right
Despite the seemingly limitless TV programming options that exist for our entertainment pleasure, very few target the identities I have in a manner that are affirmative and validating. However, this month, two shows managed to meet this feat. Black-ishandSpeechlessaired episodes that touched on difficult topics that rarely are discussed as candidly as they should – race relations and…
#Forever44: Thank You, President Obama
Image of me with then Sen. Obama in 2008. In the photo is a young light-skinned Black woman in a wheelchair with a tall light-skinned Black man leaning next to her. Both people are smiling for the camera.
Today is the last day we will have Barack Obama as our President. It was not until yesterday that this reality hit me hard emotionally.
For eight years, I saw a family that looked like me in…
(In)Accessible Rooms: The Biggest Lie Told By The Hotel Industry
2016 was the year when I traveled more than ever, and continuing my wanderlust is one of the resolutions I have for the new year. Traveling as a wheelchair user means that there is more planning involved, especially when it comes to finding accessible places to stay. Hotel companies are suppose to have available accessible rooms and proper accommodations within them, but many fall short to…
Image of a group of protestors outside of a school building holding signs to show solidarity to the injustice committed to a disabled student.
The intersection of race and disability is often ignored when we discuss the injustices that disadvantage disabled students of color within our schools. This oversight can mean grave consequences to students who live within these margins. The…
Living in Trump’s America: Thoughts From a Black Disabled Woman
It has been a month since the Presidential election, and the dust still has not settled from the shock of Donald Trump winning the coveted seat or the demand for recounts of votes.
It took me some time to find the words to articulate the reality that I will live in a Trump-led America come January. This is the America that has no regard for human dignity, empathy, or compassion. This is the…
What I Am Thankful For: A Holiday Reflection
This month has been an emotional rollercoaster for many, especially with the results of the Presidential election that has caused a real sense of fear and uncertainty to surface, particularly for those who are marginalized in our community. I know personally that I have been doing a lot of self-care these past couple of weeks, and have been very mindful of my emotional, mental, and physical…
On November 5th, I conducted my first presentation about the #DisabilityTooWhite hashtag and ways White disabled advocates can step up and address the over-whiteness matter within the community at the Disability and Intersectionality Summitin Boston, Massachusetts. It was the first non-social work/helping professional presentation I gave, as well as the first summit I attended that focused…
