Grind Writer, Tara Kimberley Torme, has published a
review of the 2015 Inclusion BC Conference she attended recently – on Self Advocate Net (“Changing attitudes one person at a time”).
This year’s theme was, ‘’Keep Moving Don’t Stop,” and focused
on artists and people with disabilities. “People do not usually see people with
disabilities as people with talents and abilities – they see them as people
with disabilities first and foremost,” Tara wrote.
The conference, and Tara in her article, talked about the
situation for people with disabilities (PWD) 60 years ago, how “those with
disabilities were put into institutions and locked away from society – not even
given the right to an education – or even to be part of the community." In the '60s and ‘70s what was essentially a liberation movement began. “The disability
movement literally began at a kitchen table nearly sixty years ago – parents and
individuals with disabilities – seeking for equality and inclusion in the
community – access to schools – and out of the institutions. [….] With the
movement parents fought hard to end institutionalization of people with
disabilities and to include them in the education system."
Inclusion has been quite a struggle ever since and every
inch of the way.
One of Tara’s many reflections from this conference is an
important one for all of us to remember: “Each person with a disability has hidden talents that nobody knows about because they are too busy focused on the
disability – instead of the ability – they don’t see past the barrier of what’s
there – so they miss the opportunity to see the real person underneath.”
You can read Tara’s full article here.
It’s a very interesting article and gives one insight into a fraction of the
issues PWD face and struggle with on a daily basis in our society.
--Margo Lamont
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