April 2023 – Wright Now

I joined a Book Circle with colleagues from Cal Poly. We read Demysifying Disability by Emily Ladau. She is a fierce advocate for disability rights. Each member of the book circle took a chapter to explore and present to the group. I had Chapter 4, Ableism and Accessibility. I decided to extract the quotes I found that resonated the most with me. I then created slides to share with the group.

What is Ableism?

“Attitudes, actions, and circumstances that devalue people because they have a disability or perceived as having a disability.”
Ladau, E. L. (n.d.). Demystifying Disability

“ Ableism takes a heavy toll. Too many disabled people have been led to believe that our lives are not worth living…..That line of thinking is unequivocally untrue. Disabled lives are worth living. “ p. 75

“The Women’s March did not include disabilities as part of their “Unity Principals.” p. 76

“Disability must be included in social justice movements. Excluding it isn’t just ableist, it’s directly contributing to harm.” p. 77

Accessibility

Accessibility is about making things more equitable so that disabled people have the same opportunities and support to thrive as do nondisabled people.”

“Accessibility is not about special treatment or privileges.” p. 79

Imagine trying to navigate this in a wheelchair or with a cane.

Courtesy of Upworthy

More to Explore: Click on each for information.

Barriers to Accessibility

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ALT Text

References:

Ladau, E. L. (n.d.). Demystifying Disability

Click to access Ableism%20-%20What%20It%20Is%20and%20Why%20It%20Matters%20To%20Everyone.pdf

https://www.ncd.gov/publications/2012/Sep272012/ApxB

MY FIRST TEACHER

I have a passion for literacy. It all began in a screened in porch in South Central Los Angeles when I was almost 5 years old. My mother’s first language was Spanish. She told me how hard it was for her to learn English. She grew up in a large Mexican family whose language was Spanish and there were very few books. She only went to the 8th grade, married at 15 and I came along a few years later. My father was an Englishman who drank too much, and was seldom home. Back to the porch: my mother taped white butcher paper at my eye level all around the porch. She wrote out the ABCs with a picture clue for each letter. I loved practicing the alphabet with her, and watching her learn along with me, but more importantly, I loved the attention I received during that special time. I became an avid reader and the first person to graduate college in my family, earn two teaching credentials and a Masters Degree. I love journaling and encouraging student teachers both online and in my position as a University Supervisor. Check out my posts on early literacy, children’s book recommendations, and journal entries. I add to them all the time. Good things are meant to be shared. Thanks, Mom. Yo te quero, mama.