It is vital to acknowledge and honor Black Disability History since Black disabled people have made such a paramount impact in leading our community and passing legislation for disability rights. This is where intersectionality plays a big role in the community because the Disability Rights Movement was crossed over and modeled from the Civil Rights Movement.
Not only were many of these historical disabled Black activists fighting for their civil rights and to just exist peacefully, they were also facing discrimination for their disabilities and facing challenges with access & medical needs. Many of these activists also brought over their wisdom from protesting for the Civil Rights Movement and even being members of the Black Panthers.
Also, it’s even more important that we honor them because non-disabled people already leave disabled people out of history, much less Black disability history. We know more than anyone we are the marginalized group that is always forgotten about. So do not forget to acknowledge our disabled Black brothers and sisters.
All throughout life, I’ve been encouraged and trained to be independent despite being diagnosed with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus at birth. Independence is important to me. This pandemic has actually caused me to live at a higher level of independence, especially, in relation to self care and health care.
Some wheelchair users prefer their own independence because receiving help makes them feel more disabled than they already are. It’s partly about dignity and respect. Other times it can be about disability pride. Their disability pride can be fuelled by entitlement, and identity. Wheelchair accessibility is one right that wheelchair users are entitled to.
Wheelchair inaccessibility causes one to be co-dependent. I experienced this in Bermuda. I also cannot claim benefits at all in addition to relying on family. Fortunately, wheelchair accessibility enhanced my Independent Living. I experienced this in England. Wheelchair accessibility causes one to be independent because you can access things without relying on someone. I also cannot claim benefits while living with family.
For example, when I was eight years old, I got my first manual wheelchair. From that age, I was always encouraged to push myself instead of allowing anyone to push me. This reinforced my independence.
Another level of independence that I’ve experienced was high school. During my first year of high school, the building was nowhere near wheelchair accessible so I required hands on support. However, while in my second year of high school, it was taken away from me. I did everything on my own without a Paraeducator, because, when I transferred to the new wheelchair accessible building, it was assumed that I no longer needed support. This wasn’t a smart move because I struggled under pressure, failed two subjects and had to do Summer School to catch up on credits. This also affected my G.P.A when I graduated. This was quite stressful and frustrating for me. I cried and complained to my parents so they met with the school to sort it it out.
However, it made me more self aware and helped me improve time management. Having an extra pair of hands helped me to navigate the school faster.
The next example was during the first semester of my first year in college. I took classes without learning support for fear that I’d have to pay for it, because I was being treated as an international student instead of a home student. Before my January exams, lecturers raised concerns about my grades and overall progress. When this was realised, I was given assistance from learning support without paying for it. But I must admit, that it made me more organised and it improved my study skills and habit.
Another aspect of independence that I learned, especially in college, is speaking up for myself while living independently. I had to move to another country to further my studies due to wheelchair accessibility issues.
During my first year of college, meeting with the learning support department was very frustrating. Communication between my lecturers and the learning support department always seemed disconnected. The week or day before my exams, lecturers always asked me what was the learning support plan for my exams. This stressed me out because after every meeting, they assured me that they would share our discussion with the staff members. This almost never happened and I found myself repeating all of the information just to ensure my needs were met. This took away from my personal study time.
However, all of these experiences taught me how to advocate for myself and cultivated the desire to advocate for others with disabilities.
Unfortunately, due to struggling to balance studies, personal care and health I got help from disability services. This came in the form of a social worker, carers, district nurses, and a GP, after my first year of college. I received these services because I started losing weight and getting pressure ulcers. This means I had to rely on people more to help me cope with the demands of life. They helped me with cooking, cleaning, laundry and sometimes shopping. It helped me to set my priorities straight and enhanced my independence.
Independence means taking ownership, taking responsibility, and taking action. It’s all part of maturity and putting on my ‘big girl panties.’ This is what independence means to me!
Dealing with Disability in the Church hasn’t been all that bad for me. First of all, I’d like to start out by saying, I’ve attended church all my life. I love church. I get involved in church services mainly by serving on the Audiovisual/Technical Team. I enjoy this.
While living in Bradford I noticed that their churches have their own private buses to pick up and drop off their members.
Now I’ve got one ‘bone to pick.’ Why are public buses in England expected to be wheelchair accessible but not private buses? Just an observation.
However, whenever I asked to use it instead of taxis, I was told they do not take wheelchairs for liability reasons. Also I noticed the church I first attended, had a wheelchair section for easy access in case of a fire. I also attended a university campus church in Bradford.
On the other hand, while living in Ilkley, there is one church that has a disability ministry for those with intellectual disabilities called the Ark, which meets the first Sunday of every month from 3pm to 6pm. Some other churches may even have Sign Language interpreters for the hearing impaired.
In relation to handling disability, churches should take on The Good Samaritan Approach.
Prayer
I appreciate prayers. I have been asked to be prayed for and gladly accepted such. It can be slightly frustrating when your expectation for a change is so high and it doesn’t come which has discouraged me at times. But I do believe in miracles.
However, I also know someone who has autism of a different persuasion. Her experiences in the church have almost never been positive. Many times, Christians have prayed for her to be healed of autism.
She does not personally want to be “healed” of autism, because she believes that God intentionally allows some people to be born with autism or Down Syndrome for his own good reasons, and that these people are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God, and perfect just the way they are. They do not need to be healed; God made them like that.
She feels that her autism is an integral part of who she is, and is not a negative thing, but rather a positive one. She does not feel that autism holds her back.
When church people pray for her to be healed of autism, without asking her first whether she wants healing, or despite my objections to what they’re doing, that does not empower me. They are deciding on my behalf what direction they think my life should take, but they do not have that right; it’s my life. People with disabilities deserve to be in control of their own lives.
Instead of being “healed,” all she wants is to be accepted by the church for the peculiar, wonderful, autistic person who she is. She needs acceptance and inclusion.
When people pray for her to be healed of autism, she perceives them to be indirectly saying,
“I want God to change you into a normal person, for my own comfort, because I can’t handle that we have a disabled person in our church. I don’t want to deal with having to include disabilities, so it’s easier if I can just try to heal them instead.”
She fully believes that God does have the power to heal people. But she also believes that when church members wish to pray for a disabled person’s healing, they need to first ask that person whether he or she wants healing or not. If the disabled individual declines the offer, church members need to fully respect this, and not keep pushing healing on the person.
It is good to be content and happy with life. I do agree to some extent. There is also a way of embracing disability without accepting it as if there’s no hope.
In other words exhibit faith, despite the odds! Don’t glorify the problem, glorify the problem solver.
Stating the facts about one’s medical condition isn’t necessarily claiming it but acknowledging that something is different about the way a person functions. We shouldn’t live in denial and shame, especially if people ask genuine questions out of curiosity.
The Stigma around Medical Intervention
Another subject I don’t understand is the notion that surgery or taking medicine isn’t faith. I believe God can heal through medical science. Sometimes medical intervention is part of the process. There is also nothing wrong with prayer and a psychologist, social worker or carers.
Besides, faith without works is dead. I also notice that people tend to judge by appearances. I’m not looking for pity but inclusion.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Functioning in Dysfunction
Some churches in England have a health and safety policy where they have designated seating for the physically challenged. They’re also wheelchair accessible for the most part too.
Wheelchair Accessibility and mobility issues are just some of the problems that the physically challenged face. Access alleviates the amount of limitations and restrictions on wheelchair users. Failing to ensure wheelchair accessibility is neglecting to provide reasonable adjustments. It is like functioning in dysfunction.
I get really annoyed with drivers who park across dropped kerbs. Dropped kerbs are meant to make it easy for wheelchairs to enter and exit sidewalks. I think that drivers should either be fined or vehicles towed.
Alternatively, if the church building isn’t wheelchair accessible, there is the option of watching services online, but then the problem with that is, one can’t mix and mingle with other believers.
I suppose this will always be an issue depending on where one lives. There are many other issues that this subject can cover but this video should do the job.
Why should your church be Disability Friendly?
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