Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI)’s Post

As a person with autism, I often ponder the societal attitudes towards disability. When a disabled person speaks out, comments like 'You are a great example; this is an inspiring story' are not uncommon. Such remarks, full of prejudice and otherization, compel me to reflect on how society perceives 'normal,' 'disability,' and 'non-disability.' Why do we need these labels? In discussing disability, we talk about inclusion and accessibility - finding a way for everyone to live at their own pace in a society filled with prejudices and inconveniences. 'Disability' is not a badge of honor for self-promotion or an inspiring storyline; it's a concept challenging the long-standing biased definitions of 'normal.' Scrutinizing disabled individuals as if they're in a glass jar is not only a secondary harm by an unfair society but also an infringement on individual rights. Let's open a dialogue on how we can embrace true inclusivity in every aspect of our lives. #disabilityawareness #inclusion #autismawareness #socialchange

My article ‘Exploring Intersectionality in Disability: understanding the complexity of identity’ is out now! Click the link below to read: https://lnkd.in/eA_TX523

I'm not quite sure how a full week has passed and I'm only just posting about how much I enjoyed the opportunity to meet with members of the Hedera Collective, as a guest speaker along with Priscila Rodriguez, about #disabilityrights and #disabilityinclusion As Marissa Kardon Weber posted, it was a rich and eye-opening conversation with an in-depth interactive discussion on the work of #humanrights #NGOs, disability rights organisations and #humanrightsdefenders around advocacy, investigations, litigation, research and inclusive social movement building. We also discussed the experiences of #peoplewithdisabilities working in #internationallaw (and living in this world), and how we all, no matter how we identify, have a duty to ensure #inclusivity in ways both big and small. My key points and recommendations: 💡 assume diversity (because disability is all around us but is often invisible); 💡 disability identities lie on a(n intersectional) spectrum (like LGBTI ) and not everyone is the same or has the same needs or experiences; 💡 being a good ally starts with being curious (the expert on disabilities is the person with the lived experience, so just ask them!); and 💡 uphold the principle of "nothing about us without us" by including people with disabilities in planning and decision-making. Thanks to the organisers and participants for the opportunity to discuss a topic that intersects the personal and professional for me and for so many others! 🙏 👏

Member News - Gizelle C. Check out Disability Lead Member and Senior Director of Alumni and Impact at National Medical Fellowships, Inc., Gizelle Clemens, in this recent episode of the Intersection Podcast with Nancy A. Harris. Join Gizelle and Nancy A. Harris as they explore the intersections of disability, gender, and race. Listen as Gizelle shares her inspiring vision for disability justice, emphasizes the critical importance of representation, and offers actionable insights to tackle systemic barriers within organizations. Dive into this impactful conversation now: https://lnkd.in/e4H4teWh #MemberNews #Members #Disability #LeadingWithDisability

This needs to stop being so widely accepted, I definitely recommend reading the article below for some more insight into why this type of rhetoric is so harmful to disabled people.

Girls and women of all ages with disabilities are the most marginalized section of society. They have difficulty accessing healthcare, job opportunities and more as they struggle to balance a disproportionate amount of discrimination, harassment and physical mental abuse. Now that we have crossed another International Women's Day, it's time to pay attention to and address this stark reality. #disabilityinclusion #disability #disabilityadvocate #disabilityawareness #disabled #specialeducation #socialwork #awareness #DisabilityAwareness #InclusionIsKey #AccessibilityForAll #DiversityAndInclusion #EmpowerWithAbility #InclusiveCommunity #DisabilityRights #AcceptanceMatters #EqualityForAll #AccessibleWorld

Intersectionality describes how people’s overlapping identities impact their experiences with privilege and oppression. This upcoming webinar, Disability & Intersectionality, can teach you more about the impact that disabilities have on people. Learning about people's experiences allows you to become a better ally and advocate. Join the conversation on June 25th from 9:30am - 12:00pm. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ggDMzQq3 #webinar #ally #disabilityadvocate #misilc #independentliving [ALT Text: Image has a beige background with multiple lines that intersect at different points. The lines are orange, light purple, yellow, mark purple, and teal. A white box is on the right with text that reads, Webinar: Disability & Intersectionality, June 25 9:30am - 12:00pm, Join Online!]

#BookReview 📚 Disability Visibility, Edited by Alice Wong I highly recommend this book. It includes a collection of essays of first hand experiences of being disabled in an ableist world. The book does a great job highlighting the spectrum of disability from neurodivergence, to chronic health, physical disabilities and many others. It also addresses the intersections of race, religion, gender, sexuality, SES, and more. This is a must-read for anyone, but especially those of us working in helping professions. We often talk about bias and discrimination in public health, but not nearly enough about disability. We *ALL* have internalized ableism and it's imperative we do our ongoing work to be anti-ableist. Here are just a few of the quotes that stuck out to me: ❤️ "The history of disabled queer and trans people has continually been one of the creative problem-solving within a society that refuses to center our needs" 💜 "..we live in a society that assumes joy is impossible for disabled people, associating disability with only sadness and shame" 💙 "It's hard to be a pro-choice disabled person who understands that believing in bodily autonomy means you have to support the idea that other people...may choose to abort a pregnancy because their child could be like you" 💛 ".. disabled people don't exist to make abled people feel better about their abledness. There is a tendency in our culture to turn disabled people into objects of what's know as inspiration porn" If you have read this book, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments! 👇🏼 #PublicHealth #MPH #Ableism #Disability #Equity #Inclusion #Belonging #Neurodivergent #Equity

This video shows a woman with forearm crutches carrying her baby in a front baby carrier, while a young child holds onto the bottom of her crutches and they dance together. Disabilities don’t hold people back. They can do everything others can do, often in their own unique and fulfilling ways. If anything, having a disability leads to people becoming more creative, as individuals are continuously pushed to discover new ways to do the things they love. We received approval to post this video with the aim of raising awareness about the creator and the important topics they discuss. Video Credit: @smevens/IG Ablr is a full-service disability inclusion organization, and our mission is to remove barriers for all people with disabilities. We do this by eliminating the digital divide, changing the mindsets of people and organizations, and creating pathways to employment. #Accessibility #Innovation #AssistiveTechnology #Inclusivity

Those of us who are interested in systems change should be paying more attention to the cultural mindsets (aka attitudes) that hold the status quo in place. The most brilliant of technical interventions will be overwhelmed or reforms undermined by the assumptions and associations that most of us aren’t aware we carry. In this post, the remarkable Dinesh Palipana uses his personal experience to highlight why changing attitudes is urgent and important work. Send me a message if you want to know more.