Dear Disability Rights Movement

Dear Disability Rights Movement,

I am truly sorry you were unable to make a presence at Citizen University this year. Your passion, dedication, and fight for justice was missed and could have been an excellent opportunity for growth and inclusion. However, you weren’t there. I am particularly sorry for this because it further perpetuates the message that people with disabilities are not meant to be a part of our society, or, of our lives. Lastly, I am sorry that when I asked why disability rights were not included or discussed to be a part of this years conference that I received a reply that this platform just didn’t fit into the schedule this year. Disability rights is not and has not been viewed as an important enough topic worthy of our time and interests.

I find it more and more interesting that people actively choose to ignore this social issue as if it doesn’t affect one in five people. And this makes me frustrated. No, it makes me angry. People with disabilities are continuously separated and segregated from the rest of society and works to reinforce the idea that people with disabilities are an “other’- a separate entity completely unrelated to the greater public and thus undeserving of advocacy or justice. I want to let you know that you are important. That, while many forces and institutions will continue to cast individuals with disabilities as outsiders, I will continue to keep fighting against and promoting the importance of supporting individuals with disabilities in our communities. This is not an isolated issue- this affects our parents, brothers, sisters, neighbors, teachers, academics, children and adults. People with disabilities are disproportionately represented in prisons. That people with disabilities are funneled into the School to Prison Pipeline because educators view students with disabilities as an inconvenience rather than a person wanting to learn and engage with their peers just as much as any other person in the class. People with disabilities are being paid below minimum wage, often at less than a dollar an hour, because these people are viewed as cheap avenues to receive labor rather than hard working individuals trying to independently support themselves.

I am sorry that you were not viewed as being worthy enough of a topic to discuss when exploring the importance of civic engagement and activism. However, I know that one day this will change. I know that you are important and I know that people with disabilities will continue to suffer and be ignored in our society if no action is taken. One day, it will not be my lone voice that  noticed your absence in groups. Instead, disability will be treated as an important issue worth spending time on because it is. I wish you the best in your fight for a fair and equitable society that equally benefits people with disabilities and I will be there with you every step of the way.