#vilissa thompson
Black History Month 2019: Black, Disabled, & Into Alternative Spiritual Practices
When life shakes us at our core, we long to find something to ground us again. For me, that grounding has come in the form of expanding my spirituality after the death of my beloved Grandmother on Christmas Eve of 2015. I have always been spiritual; being raised Baptist by her (though I don’t claim a denomination at this time), but also knowing that there was a desire in finding a deeper…
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…
The Harriet Tubman Casting Cripping Up Issue
Black and white image of Harriet Tubman standing. Some rights reservedbyNational Park Service
Over the past week, I have watched and listened to several conversations on Twitter about the casting uproar for the Harriet Tubman film.
Yet no one mentioned the obvious issue: a Black disabled actress is not playing a Black disabled historical figure.
An issue I run into within Black history and…
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…
Why Black Disability History Matters
Black background with the following text in white font: “Why Black Disability History Matters During Black History Month”
For the past few years on the blog, I have featured the stories and activism of Black disabled figures who are unsung heroes during Black History Month. I began doing this because I did not want our experiences as Black disabled people to be overlooked since that has occurred…
2/28/2018 Black Disability History Twitter Chat
White graphic with black text that reads, “#BlackDisabilityHistory Twitter Chat, February 28, 2018, 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern, Follow @VilissaThompson @Imani_Barbarin @nealcarter and @DisVisibility” On the left is an illustration of the Twitter bird icon in black. On the right is an illustration of a fist raised in defiance in black.
For Black History Month, I am honored to co-host a…
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…
Aisha Hinds as Harriet Tubman (WGN America)
Social media was abuzz with shock earlier this week when we learned that the critically acclaimed show Underground was canceled on WGN America after two seasons. I was incredibly upset that this dynamic show and its compelling depiction of slavery would no longer be returning for a rightfully earned third season.
As someone who enjoys history and…
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…
Flexin’ My Melanin & Talking About #DisabilityTooWhite at the NABSW Conference
I took a hiatus this month from blogging to prepare and attend the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) conference in National Harbor, Maryland. It was the first time I attended the conference, as well as presented about #DisabilityTooWhite to my social work colleagues. I was ecstatic to attend a conference where I would be surrounded by melanin, and it was the spiritual and…
#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…
#BlackDisabledGirlMagic Series: Kathy D. Woods, Fashion Designer for Little Women
Image of Kathy D. Woods, a Black little woman. Kathy is outside and standing in front of a white building. Kathy is wearing a red-orange snakeskin-printed dress with black dress shoes. Kathy is smiling directly into the camera.
Fashion and feeling good in the clothes you wear are important, and for some disabled women, it can be a challenge to find apparel that fits your body type and shape.…
Photo of Keri Gray, light-skinned Black women with a small afro who is smiling into the camera and throwing up the peace sign. Keri is dressed in business attire and is standing near a black podium. The podium has a white sign on the front of it that reads: “national youth transition center.”
For Women’s History Month, I want to spotlight the phenomenal Black women I know who are trailblazers and…
Black History Month 2017: Donald Galloway, Disabled Social Worker Who Fought for Inclusion
Image of two disabled men strolling and rolling down an outdoor pathway. Man on the left is Donald Galloway, tall Black man with an afro with a guide dog by his side. Man on the right is Ed Roberts, white man who is in a wheelchair. Both men are facing the direction of the camera while in mid-stroll/roll. Photo credit: Ken Okuno.
For my last feature for Black History Month, I will spotlight…
Black History Month 2017: Johnnie Lacy, Defiantly Black & Disabled
Image of Johnnie shown smiling directly into the camera. She is sitting in her wheelchair wearing a buttoned shirt, with an office desk to her left.
In continuing with my Black History Month focus on Black disabled leaders, I am proudly sharing the story of Johnnie Lacy, a woman who directed the Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) in Hayward, California for over a decade. The…
