*CONTENT WARNING; Refrences to Police Brutality*
Many people use their voices every day—to talk to people, to communicate their needs and wants—but the idea of ‘voice’ goes much deeper. Having a voice gives an individual agency and power, and a way to express his or her beliefs and personhood. What happens when that voice is in some way silenced simply because of your physical or mental ability?
People with disabilities are not passively given voices by the able-bodied; disabled individuals, rather, are actively taking and making them, are able-bodied individuals listening? Last month was Black History Month, however, history is not restricted to one month just like how disability is not restricted to one instance, thus this article. Countries celebrate Black History Month and Disability Awareness days with history and subjects about the group that was often unknown to the public, But even as we pay homage to these oftentimes hidden contributions, we must acknowledge that Black professionals are still woefully underrepresented, especially disabled folk.
Over the past six years, we’ve been chanting the names, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, and Freddie Gray as the anthem to the Black Lives Matter movement. Those are some of the names of Black victims who were fatally brutalized by the police, but they had something else in common: they all had a mental illness or developmental disability. Just like we cannot afford to forget the names of those victims, we also must not erase their disabilities. I’ve seen #SayHerName to honor Black women killed by police, and #BlackTransLivesMatter as a reminder of the elevated rates of violence Black transgender people face, the RedDress Movement is an out-cry to the Indigenous women taken every day without a word. These, of course, are necessary to call attention to injustice. However, I will be the first at calling myself out about the lack of focus on the narratives of Black disabled people who are still largely left out of the conversation.
Partaking in Protests and rallies are taking for even able-bodied folk, long intervals of standing and or marching often with signs and shouting can wear anyone down, but for disabled fellas, it could be nearly impossible to get a word in safely. For deaf and hard of hearing protesters, the rallies can be hard to navigate, just like for those with the use of a cane cant walk the uneven routes many marches course through. Not to mention that COVID-19, which puts those with compromised immune systems and disabilities the most at risk, is still an issue.
Just like every other marginalized group of people of color, disabled Black people can no longer afford to be silenced or sidelined. The reiteration of #BlackDisabledLivesMatter has paved a platform for the group to be seen and heard during a pivotal time in American history, and it shan’t be forgotten or ruled out.
The first step to solving any problem is recognizing that there is one. I hope that this article has helped awaken you to the fact of systemic racism(or reignited your fire about it), so that you can take steps to help fight it.
If you’d like to learn more, these wonderful societies and groups/foundations have loads of more information, Racial Equity tools, National Disability Rights Network, Triple Cripples, and Black, Disabled, and Proud .