Disability is Natural Announcements
The Disability is Natural Free Press
Copyright January 2002 by Kathie Snow
IN THIS EDITION:
--- COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FOR INCLUSION
--- REFLECTIONS ON A SNOWY DAY
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Have you made your list of New Year's Resolutions? Would you like to add a few more --- resolutions that can make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities? (Remember that changing the world requires that we change ourselves first!)
---I will use People First Language and always see the person before the disability.
---I will presume competence when I see, meet, or think about a person with a disability.
---I will do whatever it takes to ensure people with disabilities live real lives as citizens of their communities, instead of clients, dependent on the system.
---I will provide proactive leadership and influence to ensure my community welcomes and supports people with disabilities in all activities and arenas.
---I will believe in the inherent goodness of all people, recognizing that those who appear prejudiced and intolerant simply haven't yet learned what they need to know. I will educate them to the best of my ability.
And here's one more idea: let me know what wonderful things are happening in your sphere of influence regarding children or adults with disabilities! I'd love to share your ideas, strategies for change, and success stories with others.
Send your information to kathie@disabilityisnatural.com and include your full snail mail address and phone number.
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COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FOR INCLUSION
It isn't rocket science! Providing positive, proactive leadership in our communities can lead to inclusive communities for all people with disabilities.
While laws, programs, and services are well-intentioned, the promise of inclusion, participation, and full citizenship are still elusive dreams for many. And we can't wait---not one more minute---for the system to provide the solution. Instead, we can use our personal connections in our communities (and make new ones when necessary), to change the hearts and minds of our fellow citizens. The fruits of our labors will be Inclusive communities! Read more about it by clicking on the "Revolutionary Common Sense" icon at www.disabilityisnatural.com
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REFLECTIONS ON A SNOWY DAY
Outside my window on the first day of 2002, the tall pines are dusted with snow and the sun is peeking through high clouds. A few inches of white powder cover the ground. The temperature will rise, but not much. Below-freezing temperatures mean heavy coats and gloves will be needed all day. Later today, my family and I will enjoy this New Year's Day by going to a movie, munching on popcorn, and performing our usual "family rating" of the movie on the drive home. This is how we will begin our New Year.
Before we go, we'll need to make sure our son's power chair is okay for the day. A part on his chair has broken---again. The armrests won't stay in position, so we stuff small pillows under them to hold them at the right level. We know, from experience, that we'll have to manhandle the pillows several times today to keep them in the right place. We've started the process of ordering him a new chair, but don't know whether to spend the money on a new part (again) or hold off and hope the new chair arrives very, very soon. Otherwise, life is grand! This minor inconvenience is but a blip on the radar screen of our lives.
Pondering what 2002 will bring to our family (a new chair for my son, continued drama lessons for Benjamin and dance classes for Emily, a vacation in the spring or fall, and other activities that make for a wonderful life), I sit and wonder what 2002 will bring for other individuals with disabilities and their families.
Will someone else who has a broken wheelchair get a new one? Do all the other Benjamins of the world have someone to go to bat for them to get the assistive technology devices they need? If not, what will it take to make that happen?
Will my friends who have disabilities finally get real jobs this year? What about the millions of others with disabilities who are subsisting on government benefits and living below the poverty level? Many of us may complain about being overworked and underpaid. How trivial these complaints seem alongside the reality that countless people with disabilities have never had even one job about which they could either complain or rejoice!
Will any of the adults with disabilities I know be able to move into their own homes or apartments this year? Or will they be stuck in group homes and other congregate living settings? As I enjoy the quiet of an early morning on New Year's Day, with Mark, Emily, and Benjamin still sleeping, our homelife and our privacy are more precious than ever.
Will the children of parents I know be included in regular classes this year? And what about the millions of other kids with disabilities that are segregated and cut off from their school communities? What will it take on the part of parents and educators to put the good of each student ahead of personal animas? And will 2002 be the year we recognize that too many "special ducation programs" don't educate?
Reflections such as these can be painful. The issues seem too big and too difficult to tackle. A sense of powerlessness may overwhelm us. As an eternal optimist, however, I know we have the personal resources, time, and energy to effect positive change.
When my daughter was younger and the time to clean her room was at hand, she would stare at her room, unmoving, a look of sheer horror on her face. How could this enormous task ever be accomplished? Where to begin? What should be done first? The "problem" of the messy room was overwhelming. But when we broke the one big job into smaller, more manageable jobs, she was successful.
The same is true when looking at the "big problems" in disability issues. Whether you're a parent, a person with a disability, or a professional, I hope you can break the big job you're facing into smaller jobs and tackle them one at a time. Small successes lead to big successes. And as my best friend, Charmaine, taught me years ago: sometimes you have to go slow to go fast.
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Please feel free to share this Email with others, and invite your friends, family, and coworkers to visit www.disabilityisantural.com and check out what's new! While you're there, take a moment to share your comments, suggestions, questions, and ideas with me.
Happy New Year to you and yours. May this be the best year ever! And remember to always lead with a brave heart!
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This newsletter is Copyright © by Kathie Snow
Kathie Snow
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