ARTbrain Cedar Summer – learning about Truth and Reconciliation

I think that Truth and Reconciliation is the most important conversation of our times, and full of so many interesting aspects for all of us.  Yet people with disabilities are almost always left out of the conversation.  There are so many parallels to our stories that we think it is important to foster discussion about it.  As Indigenous people were moved into Residential Schools and Indian Hospitals, people with disabilities were hospitalised.  I talked to retired social workers from Woodlands who took Indigenous children out of Indian Hospitals and into Woodlands to keep them “safer.”  The Woodlands Memorial garden contains … Continue reading ARTbrain Cedar Summer – learning about Truth and Reconciliation

#powerofdisability review of Al Etmanski’s new book

“I discovered that people with disabilities have been major players throughout history. If you were to take away their contributions, you wouldn’t recognize the world.” I can’t remember the last time I read a book so quickly.  I’ve heard of people “devouring” books and always wondered about that terminology but now I know how that feels.  I meant to read a few pages – it’s a snowday here, the second dump in a couple of weeks and while the first was much worse, everyone is still tender from black ice and fender-benders and the college is closed, my students are … Continue reading #powerofdisability review of Al Etmanski’s new book

CLBC’s Community Safeguards Projects and 101 Friends

Under Jule Hopkins Community Living B.C. (C.L.B.C.) took on a brave agenda of creating documents related to how people can plan for vulnerability and stay safer in community, which had many different parts.  I continue to think this was really exemplary work that involved many self advocates and families, as well as brought together different groups. Jule was an early believer in our work and we used methods from what is now called CBPR (Community Based Participatory Research) and, together, learned a great deal about how inclusive groups and inclusive research works, and got to work with colleagues and agencies … Continue reading CLBC’s Community Safeguards Projects and 101 Friends