Disabiity Justice is an intersectional social justice movement that seeks to dismantle systemic oppression affecting people with disabilities, centering those most marginalized.
We need our principles of disability justice now more than ever. In both the original version and the Plain Language version, our principles give us power and political clarity. They reflect the wisdom of our survival: that disabled people are whole, that we depend on one another, and that no one, absolutely no one, should be left behind!
The 10 Principles at a Glance: 1. Intersectionality: We are many things at once. 2. Leadership of the Most Impacted: We are leaders. 3. Anti-Capitalism: Our Existence is Resistance 4. Cross-Movement Organizing: We support each other. 5. Wholeness: We love ourselves exactly as we are. 6. Sustainability: We want a future. 7. Cross-Disability Solidarity: We are a community. 8. Interdependence: We depend on each other. 9. Collective Access: We meet each other’s needs. 10. Collective Liberation: We make the world better, together.
Disability can be viewed through various models, each offering a different take on its causes, impact on society, and ways to respond—ranging from medical and social to moral, economic, and identity-focused perspectives.
Medical Model The medical model views disability as a problem inherent in the individual, caused by disease, injury, or impairment, and emphasizes treatment, rehabilitation, or cure. It assumes the responsibility lies primarily with the person to adapt, and professionals are considered the experts in managing the condition. While it recognizes the need for medical care, it often overlooks societal barriers and can be disempowering for disabled individuals.
Social Model The social model shifts the focus from the individual to society, arguing that disability arises from environmental, attitudinal, and structural barriers. Accessibility issues, discrimination, and exclusion are seen as the primary causes of disablement. This model promotes removing barriers and fostering inclusion, emphasizing that society must adapt rather than the individual.
Biopsychosocial Model The biopsychosocial model integrates medical and social perspectives, recognizing that disability results from a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. It is widely used by the World Health Organization and supports a holistic approach to care, policy, and accessibility planning.
Moral Model The moral model interprets disability as a reflection of personal or familial character, karma, or divine will. It can lead to stigma, shame, or reverence depending on cultural or religious beliefs. This model is prevalent in many societies and often influences media portrayals and social attitudes.
Economic Model The economic model frames disability in terms of productivity and financial impact. It emphasizes the costs associated with disability and the economic benefits of inclusion, often influencing policy and workplace accommodations.
Charity and Tragedy Models The charity model views disabled people as objects of pity requiring care, while the tragedy model frames disability as a personal misfortune. Both models can reinforce ableist attitudes and justify paternalistic interventions.
Identity and Affirmation Models The identity or affirmation model treats disability as a positive aspect of social identity, celebrating diversity and promoting empowerment. It contrasts sharply with deficit-focused models like the medical or tragedy models, emphasizing pride, community, and advocacy.
Expert or Professional Model This model positions professionals as the authority in defining and managing disability, often creating a power imbalance where disabled individuals have limited autonomy over their care or daily life.
Practical Implications The model adopted by institutions, policymakers, or society directly affects access, rights, inclusion, and quality of life for disabled people. For example, a medical-model approach may prioritize treatment and rehabilitation, whereas a social-model approach emphasizes barrier removal and accessibility design. Understanding these models is crucial for creating inclusive policies, educational programs, workplace accommodations, and digital accessibility solutions.
As we recognize Disability Pride Month, we’re looking back at one of the most important moments in disability rights history and the coalition that helped make it possible.
In 1977, disabled activists occupied a federal building in San Francisco, demanding the government finally enforce Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the nation’s first major disability civil rights law. The law had already passed, but without federal regulations, it couldn’t be enforced.
The occupation became the longest nonviolent occupation of a federal building in U.S. history.
Officials tried to force the protesters out. Phone lines were cut. Utilities were shut off. Food became harder to get. Early donations from companies like McDonald’s and Safeway stopped once it became clear this wasn’t charity. It was civil disobedience.
That’s when the Black Panther Party stepped in.
Through Brad Lomax, a Black Panther living with multiple sclerosis who was inside the occupation, the Party organized daily hot meals for the protesters. When officials tried to restrict deliveries, they kept showing up.
The Panthers explained it simply: “We support you because you’re asking America to change, to treat you like human beings, like you belong. We always support people fighting for their rights.”
For nearly a month, they helped make sure more than 100 occupiers had food. Disability rights activist Corbett O’Toole later said that without those meals, the occupation might not have lasted.
On April 28, 1977, the government signed the Section 504 regulations, finally making the law enforceable. Those regulations laid the foundation for later disability rights protections, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This victory wasn’t won by one movement alone. Disabled organizers, labor unions, churches, community members, and the Black Panther Party all played a role.
That’s an important reminder during Disability Pride Month. Progress doesn’t happen because people care quietly. It happens because people organize, build coalitions, and show up for each other in real, tangible ways.
Bermuda played a crucial, though often overlooked, role in the American Revolution by supplying gunpowder and other resources to the Continental Army through covert operations and sympathetic local merchants.
Strategic Importance and Economic Context Bermuda, a small British colony in the Atlantic with limited lush land, relied heavily on trade with the American colonies for food and essential goods. The island’s population of around 12,000 could only grow enough food for about two months of the year, making trade vital for survival. Bermudian merchants had long been integrated into Atlantic trade networks, moving goods such as salt from the Turks and Caicos Islands to North America and returning with American products.
This economic interdependence created a natural alignment of interests with the American colonies, despite Bermuda’s official status as a British Crown Colony.
The Gunpowder Plot of 1775 One of the most significant contributions of Bermuda to the American Revolution was the raid on the gunpowder magazine near St. George’s. By mid-1775, George Washington’s Continental Army faced a severe shortage of gunpowder, with only enough for nine bullets per man.
Henry Tucker, a prominent Bermudian merchant sympathetic to the American cause, coordinated with Benjamin Franklin and other revolutionaries to secure gunpowder from Bermuda. On the night of August 14, 1775, Tucker’s conspirators removed over 3,100 pounds of gunpowder from the magazine and transported it to Tobacco Bay, where it was loaded onto the American ship Lady Catherine and eventually supplied to Washington’s troops in Boston.
This operation was critical in sustaining the Continental Army during the early stages of the war.
Local Support and Risks The Tucker family, influential in Bermuda, openly opposed British policies and supported the American cause, though the island’s residents had to balance their sympathies with the risk of British retaliation. The raid involved careful planning to avoid detection by Governor George James Bruere, who remained loyal to the Crown. While the operation relied on the cooperation of local Bermudians, enslaved persons likely played a key role in physically transporting the gunpowder.
Broader Contributions Beyond gunpowder, Bermuda’s maritime expertise and fast sloops facilitated the transport of essential supplies, including salt from the Turks Islands, which was crucial for preserving meat rations for the Continental Army.
Bermudian resources also supported battles such as the 1776 defense of Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina, where gunpowder from Bermuda was used.
These contributions highlight Bermuda’s role as part of an international network supporting the American Revolution, demonstrating that the conflict extended beyond the thirteen colonies.
Legacy Bermuda’s involvement in the American Revolution illustrates the island’s strategic and economic significance. The cooperation between Bermudian merchants and American revolutionaries, particularly the Tucker family’s efforts, provided critical resources that helped sustain the Continental Army during its formative campaigns.
Today, historical tours and museum exhibits in Bermuda commemorate these contributions, emphasizing the island’s often-overlooked role in the broader struggle for American independence.
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