Dis-Abling the Revolution: Everyday Activism
Thursday, November 29, 7:30-9:00pm
Have you ever had a situation arise where you later went home and came up with a list of all of the witty ways you could have responded, but were too in shock to think of in the moment? Have you ever been in a parking lot and seen a non-disabled person park in an accessible parking space and been unsure as to how to confront them? We will use role playing and group conversations to help brainstorm responses to ableism in our daily lives and interactions. Attendees will participate by sharing everyday scenarios with the group, so we can all brainstorm creative ways to address them in the future. This program came out of Charis Circle’s three-part Disability 101 series and is the beginning of an ongoing effort to continue disability programming at Charis. Please join us as we talk about the ways you can be a disability activist in your everyday life! ADA qualified interpreters are available for this program by request only. Please contact Charis Circle no later than Thursday November 15th, so we can accommodate your request (info@chariscircle.org or 404-522-9912).
The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta had it’s 101st Annual Council last weekend at the Cathedral of St. Phillip in Atlanta.
The Annual Council passed a resolution titled: Access For All! The diocese has just taken the most important step toward full-access and inclusion for people with disabilities and their families. They have begun the conversation!
I am grateful for all of the work that went into getting this resolution passed by the Annual Council. And now the work begins.
Christianity Today features an interesting article that provides some good strategies for increasing the accessibility of your church. Click here to read the article.
I am grateful for the article and the idea that its placement in Christianity Today might help raise the profile of accessibility for churches.
The article does focus almost exclusively on strategies for accommodating people with physical disabilities. The flow of the article also makes it seem like making communication accessible to people with vision and hearing related disabilities is somehow the icing on the cake.
The truth of the matter is that a physically accessible building is one step toward shaping a community that welcomes people with disabilities and their families. It is an important step to be sure, and I don’t want to minimize in any way, but it is only one step.
Along with assessments of physical access a congregation that wants to welcome people with disabilities must be willing to undertake an assessment of attitudes and communal practices that have historically excluded people with disabilities.
How has the language that has traditionally been spoken about people with disabilities limited their contributions in our midst? How have the practices of our congregations been signs of hospitality or not?
Faith communities that have a heart for hospitality are best equipped to welcome people with disabilities and their families. You can build ramps and restrooms, but opening the human heart and mind to the gift of the stranger is much more difficult work.
I am grateful for the work the folks at Christianity Today have done to begin this important conversation. Here’s to all of the pastors and churches who pick up the baton as a result.
I hope G-d will grant us all the wisdom to join this important conversation about making our congregations stronger with the gifts of people with disabilities.
This article comes from Washington State. It tells the story of the changes in a young man who is a veteran of the Iraq War.
Here is some information from the National Center for PTSD.
What is your congregation doing to reach out to veterans? I think that is a good question to ponder as we observe Veterans Day.
If you are looking for information about other disabilities the disability glossary on the IDC web site is a good place to begin.
One of the commitments of the Interfaith Disability Connection is that we will help connect inclusive congregations to faith communities who are seeking to be more inclusive of people with disabilities and their families. We believe that no congregation should make the journey toward more accessible, inclusive community alone. We want to provide you with companions as you continue this groundbreaking work.
One of the ways we match communities at different places in the journey is through the Ask An Expert function on the IDC Web Site. This function allows a congregational leader to ask a question that is then answered by an “expert” with experience in that particular area of including people with disabilities and their families.
The latest question in the Ask and Expert section comes from a United Methodist clergy person who is looking for resources for including children who have developmental (Autism, Down Syndrome, etc.) in religious education. The answer to the question comes from a Unitarian Universalist religious educator who has been successful implementing a “buddy system” in her congregation.
Please go and read the question here and the answer here. The answer references some excellent resources for building inclusive educational environments.
I thought it might be helpful to post this to the blog because I know this issue is a present concern for educators in many congregations.
Please consider submitting a question to Ask An Expert and if your congregation has done good work consider contacting IDC to tell your story.
Lutheran Church of the Resurrection hosts the Circle of Friends Program. The next meeting of the Circle of Friends will take place on Sunday, November 11, 2007 from 3-6 PM. Participants will meet at Chastain Horse Park for riding, a meal, time in the barn and activities for people who don’t wish to ride horses. If you or someone you know are interested in joining the Circle of Friends contact Jim and Barbara Kirk at (770) 421-9194
Read a story from the IDC Success Stories Collection about Circle of Friends here.
Circle of Friends Flier
