Disability Pride Month: Disability Visibility
By: Jen Atwell, PRSA Orlando – DEI Committee
About the book:
One in five people in the United States lives with a disability. Some disabilities are visible, others less apparent—but all are underrepresented in media and popular culture. Activist Alice Wong brings together this urgent, galvanizing collection of contemporary essays by disabled people, just in time for the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
From Harriet McBryde Johnson’s account of her debate with Peter Singer over her own personhood to original pieces by authors like Keah Brown and Haben Girma; from blog posts, manifestos, and eulogies to Congressional testimonies, and beyond: this anthology gives a glimpse into the rich complexity of the disabled experience, highlighting the passions, talents, and everyday lives of this community. It invites readers to question their own understandings. It celebrates and documents disability culture in the now. It looks to the future and the past with hope and love.
About the editor:
Alice Wong (she/her) is a disabled activist, writer, editor, media maker, and consultant. Alice is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture.
Resources on Alice Wong and Disability Visibility:
- About the book on the Penguin Random House website.
- Learn about the Disability Visibility Project here.
- Read Alice Wong’s NPR interview, “Activist Alice Wong reflects on ‘The Year of the Tiger’ and her hopes for 2023”
How to be an ally to the disabled community:
- Support existing projects and organizations focusing on the disabled community. Some examples include the Center for Independent Living, The Primrose Center, Attain Inc., and more within Central Florida.
- Start with the basics! Are your communications, websites, and content creating an inclusive space? Consider researching UD/UDL and accessibility resources.
- Need something virtual? Check out Google’s online exhibit, “In Her Own Words: Remembering and Honoring Stacey Park Milbern,” a Korean-American activist and warrior for disability justice.
GIVEWAY: Thanks to the Rollins Communications & External Relations department for sponsoring this month’s book giveaways. We’re happy to offer two copies of “Disability Visibility” to two PRSA Orlando members. The first two people to comment on Instagram will be sent more information to their email on file.
