Access Living Youth Center - Disability Culture

Disability Culture

At Access Living, the first time we talk with young people about disability culture, we usually get a blank stare. "Disability culture?" people ask. "Is there any such thing?"

Well, yes there is! And it is alive and well in Chicago. Disability culture is about looking at the world through the eyes of people with disabilities. Disability culture is about people with disabilities sharing their experiences together. Disability culture is about what makes people with disabilities feel like they have something in common.

What do we have in common? Good question. Well, how about the experience of being treated differently just because you have a disability? Or, when someone thinks you can't do something just because you have a disability? Or even just the feeling of being really different because of your disability?

Artists, writers and musicians with disabilities all make work about life as a person with a disability. Photographers capture moments in the life of the disability community.

Some of our culture makers have a disability, like the poet Laura Hershey. Others, like Tim Lowly, have family members with disabilities. And others without disabilities, like Tom Olin, have ridden the long, hard road to disability freedom with us since almost the beginning.

Here are some culture makers and websites where you can see their work:

Riva Lehrer's Circle Stories Paintings

http://disthis.org/March2007.htm

http://www.adagreatlakes.org/publications/handbook/

http://www.disabledandproud.com/Pictures/TEKKI.jpg

http://www.artcritical.com/thodos/DTLehrer.htm

Laura Hershey's Poems

http://www.cripcommentary.com/poetry.html

Mike Ervin's Columns

http://www.spinalcord.org/news.php?dep=2&page=5

Tom Olin Photographs

http://adawatch.smugmug.com/Road%20To%20Freedom

disTHIS! Film Series

http://disthis.org/index.htm

Tim Lowly

http://www.timlowly.com/resources/tglimagep3.html

Disabled and Proud

http://www.disabledandproud.com

***