Building Our Movement
In the disability community, you will hear people talk about "our movement" or the "disability rights
movement." What are they talking about?
A movement is usually a collection of people working over a long time for a shared goal. Most often,
that goal is about making things better for a certain group of people. For example, some famous
movements are the African American civil rights movement, or the women's movement.
In our case, we are talking about making things better for people with disabilities as a whole. So the
people who work together for disability rights are part of the disability rights movement. The staff and
youth at Access Living are part of this movement. We have friends and colleagues all across the nation
and around the world. We'd like you to be part of this movement too!
Three hundred years ago, most folks with disabilities tried to hide their disability. If you could not
hide your disability, sometimes you were locked or sent away out of sight. In some countries, babies with
disabilities might be killed rather than grow up to be a burden.
Today, things are very different. Today, a lot of people still see disability as a problem to be fixed,
but there are also a lot of other people who celebrate disability because it makes our world diverse. At
Access Living, we celebrate the fact that we are all very different and we work to make sure that in our world,
no one is left out.
Disability rights is basically about making sure all people with disabilities have the same human and legal
rights as everyone else. We should be able to live in the same places, get the same jobs and live the same
kinds of lives that people without disabilities live.
What are some kinds of work people do in the disability rights movement? Here is a list:
- Writers. Writers produce stories, plays and poems that show what it is like to live with
a disability.
- Independent living skills counselors. These people help teach folks with
disabilities how to live and make choices on their own.
- Policy makers. These people help figure out what kinds of laws we need to protect
ourselves, and how to pass the laws.
- Reporters. Reporters with and without disabilities keep us up to date with news on
people with disabilities.
- International advocates. These people speak out for disability rights around the
world and work in different countries.
- Lawyers. Lawyers file lawsuits based on disability discrimination. Legal
decisions in court affect how laws are carried out.
- Artists. Artists create works of art that show all the feelings we experience in
the disability rights movement.
- Medical allies. These could be doctors, nurses or therapists who understand
independent living and disability rights.
- Politicians. Senators, representatives, aldermen and mayors have the power to pass
and enforce disability rights laws.
- Peer mentors. These are people with disabilities who are friends and role models
for other people with disabilities.
- Organizers. Organizers talk with people to find out how to change our society, and
support people who want to do something about it!
- Grassroots activists. These are the every day people who are willing to join a
group or even work alone to speak out for their rights, because they want to see change happen.
- Teachers. Teachers and professors show us how to learn and think. They can
work for our movement by teaching disability history and culture.
- Housing advocates. These folks work to make sure we all have the opportunity to
live in affordable, accessible, integrated housing.
- Youth workers. Youth workers make sure that youth have the power to learn about
independent living, to advocate for themselves, and to get disability proud.
- Administration. There are a lot of accountants, human resource managers and
technical support staff who help us all get our jobs done.
These are just some of the jobs that people do in our movement. We all think our own jobs are very
important, but we are a lot closer to getting disability rights for all when we work together.
Last of all, what does "building" our movement mean? Well, a movement is like a house. Brick by
brick and stone by stone, we all help to build parts of the disability rights house. In other words, we all
help where we can and to the best of our ability. BUT---we have to do it together, not alone. Abraham
Lincoln, who had two disabilities, once gave a speech where he said, "A house divided against itself cannot
stand." So we have to stick together!
In the end, what will really matter is that we all do our part in the movement. Walk the walk, don't
just talk the talk! What would a mighty river be without the work of the little streams that feed it?
We are all little streams helping to power the mighty river of the disability rights movement.
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Copyright © 2007
Access Living Youth Center
All Rights Reserved
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