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Visiting CRIT in La Paz, Mexico: Centro de Rehabilitacion Infantil Teleton

I gotta admit that I was getting a little annoyed. First there was a lot of dead silence from disability organizations in the US that I was trying to contact to make connections with other groups or people in Mexico. I mean, I know people are busy, but gimme a break! Not responding at all,…

An Open Letter to Parents of Kids with “Special Needs”

An Open Letter to Parents of Kids with “Special Needs”

Dear Friend, This letter isn’t about appreciating your child. It’s not about loving your child, it’s not about protecting your child or about fighting for access for your child.  I know you do all of that already. This is also not about pointing fingers or trying to shame or make you feel bad.  You don’t…

An Open Letter to Parents of Kids with Special Needs

Dear Friend, This letter isn’t about appreciating your child. It’s not about loving your child, it’s not about protecting your child or about fighting for access for your child.  I know you do all of that already. This is also not about pointing fingers or trying to shame or make you feel bad.  You don’t…

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Living with Moxie Guest Post by Cheryl Green, “Interrupting Disableism”

living with moxie: sometimes what you fear the most to do is the very thing that will set you free – live your one precious life with a little moxie This is continuing the conversation on living with courage – the original post is here, and the part about commitment is here. I’d love it…

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My 3 on the 21st

This is part of the monthly Community Blog Hop, 3 on the 21st. A truth, a tip and a photo. Read more about it here. And join yourself! *** One truth: Disability isn’t a big deal. Disability is a natural part of the human experience – it’s a chance and an opportunity to explore the world…

(3) on the 21: A Blog Hop

This monthly blog hop is a community project. The code is set up so that everyone can participate by adding their link to their post – and host if they want, by adding the code to their own post! So, just follow the instructions through the linky tool (below). (3): One truth (about Down syndrome/our…

Cool Cat: Cara Liebowitz
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Cool Cat: Cara Liebowitz

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I don’t know if you remember that video that going viral earlier this year, with the boy with “special needs” who handed the basketball? I don’t know if you remember the uproar that came on its heels, and the blog post which flew through disability circuits with the clearest, strongest, most resonating message which represented…

Sephora, #celebutard and the Case for the CRPD

You probably already heard, but that bastion of glam fun, my ultimate wonderland of merriment, Sephora, released a lipstick by Kat Von D called, yep, you guessed it, “Celebutard” Oh, ha. Ha. haaaa. How funny, how ironic! How awfully clever, tongue-in-cheek! Right. Only it’s not and you, my trusty friend, knows it isn’t. Because it’s…

On the Business of “Overcoming” Disability

Okay, friends We’ve been talking a lot around on the whole ‘overcoming’ thing. Overcoming disability! Overcoming having no legs! Overcoming having one arm and only one arm! Overcoming deafness! Overcoming this, overcoming that. But always overcoming things related to disability – that is, overcoming something that is different from how the mainstream will think, walk,…

On the Business of "Overcoming" Disability

Okay, friends We’ve been talking a lot around on the whole ‘overcoming’ thing. Overcoming disability! Overcoming having no legs! Overcoming having one arm and only one arm! Overcoming deafness! Overcoming this, overcoming that. But always overcoming things related to disability – that is, overcoming something that is different from how the mainstream will think, walk,…

The Difference Between “Special Needs” and “Disability”

I’ve got to admit that when I joined the “special needs” community 3 years ago by way of Moxie, I was confused with all the “special needs” this and that. “Disability”, I was and am completely used to. But “special needs”? I wasn’t sure about it all, it really didn’t seem to make sense. It…

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10 Ways to Show You Are Cool With Down syndrome, “Special Needs” & Disability

All righty, okay, you want to show you are cool with disability, “special needs”, but you are not sure how to do it. Should you forward the meme on Facebook of that kid with Down syndrome? What to do? Well, these are some things that would work for me – but bear in mind that…

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Morning Video Love & Spine Chills from Super Cool Dancers with Disabilities

Chills down my spine, this guy is so good: WOW, right? His name is Dergin Tokmak “Stix” – Axis and a host of other organizations had this video floating around this morning… Then, a comment from a Full Radius dancer in response to my post on Saturday about Axis founder/dancer, Bonnie Lewkowicz , led me…

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Morning Video Love & Spine Chills from Super Cool Dancers with Disabilities

Chills down my spine, this guy is so good: WOW, right? His name is Dergin Tokmak “Stix” – Axis and a host of other organizations had this video floating around this morning… Then, a comment from a Full Radius dancer in response to my post on Saturday about Axis founder/dancer, Bonnie Lewkowicz , led me…

May the World be Made for You – Disability Video Clips

Watch this video by Norman Kunc. It’s hilarious! (in a face-palming, snorting down your breath kind of way) And! Let’s flip the switch. If the world was made for people with disabilities: May the World be Made for You and this last one – also a favorite   The baby may not have Down syndrome……

It’s Like an Interracial Relationship (or: We Are All Carrots!)

It’s Like an Interracial Relationship (or: We Are All Carrots!)

When I was dated, I dated. I dated men from pretty much every race and I was completely non-discriminatory in terms of country of origin. When I was dating guys from different races – or they, me – we learned  of each other’s struggles in our respective areas. My Japanese boyfriend in Japan had no…

It's Like an Interracial Relationship (or: We Are All Carrots!)

It's Like an Interracial Relationship (or: We Are All Carrots!)

When I was dated, I dated. I dated men from pretty much every race and I was completely non-discriminatory in terms of country of origin. When I was dating guys from different races – or they, me – we learned  of each other’s struggles in our respective areas. My Japanese boyfriend in Japan had no…

Child Safety: 5 Things that Will Help Keep Your Bolting Child Safe
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Child Safety: 5 Things that Will Help Keep Your Bolting Child Safe

Child Safety: I’d like to be able to just let my kids roam freely. But my daughter Moxie figured out a way to escape recently. She took her brother’s stool, put it under the door, unlocked the slide lock turned the handle, walked down the flight of stairs and slipped under the gate to go…

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Profile of a Cool Cat: Rich Donovan

Today is the day in which I’m going to finally do something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time here on this blog: profile an interesting person with a disability each week. Without further ado, please meet my first guest, Rich Donovan. ________________________ Getting to Know You Your name: Rich Donovan, CEO of…

…About the "Dignity of Loss" and Stuff…

…About the "Dignity of Loss" and Stuff…

I wasn’t going to write about the “inspiring” story that’s going viral now, where the basketball player tossed the ball to a boy with a disability – who played for the opposite team (you can watch it here). I’m just kind of sick of this stuff, frankly – the “inspiring” pieces floating around like glitter-slathered…

Book Club

I started a book club! I figured it’s about time for us to bite our teeth into a book of our collective choice and knash/lavish words over words.   Right? It’d be fun!   The theme for this particular club will be disability – books as high or low brow as we want. I’ll get…

…But What About People with Intellectual Disabilities Contributing to Society?

This is the third and final part of my mini series exploring the question,“Are People with Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?”. In this piece I want to explore Intellectual Disabilities- what about the people who don’t talk or communicate in a way I understand? What about the people that are really, really different from me…

Disability, Mavericks and Fodder for Inspiration Porn

Disability, Mavericks and Fodder for Inspiration Porn

This is Part Two in my mini series exploring the question that blogger Ellen Stumbo raised, “Are People With Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?” To recap, she delved into the question on her blog and stated that people with intellectual disabilities “offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong,…

The Post in Which I Take a Bite out of a Subject Larger Than Me: Disability, Mavericks and Fodder for Inspiration Porn

This is Part Two in my mini series exploring the question that blogger Ellen Stumbo raised, “Are People With Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?” To recap, she delved into the question on her blog and stated that people with intellectual disabilities “offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong,…

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“Are People with Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?” asks Ellen Stumbo

“Are people with disabilities contributing members of society?” Blogger Ellen Stumbo recently asked this question on her blog, delving into the question and stating that people with intellectual disabilities: offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong, real. They radiate joy as they celebrate the simple things in life….

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“Are People With Disabilities Contributing Members of Society?”: Let’s Talk. Part One

“Are people with disabilities contributing members of society?”   Blogger/writer Ellen Stumbo recently asked this question on her blog, delving into the question and stating that people with intellectual disabilities “offer unconditional love, the kind that has no strings attached, it is pure, strong, real. They radiate joy as they celebrate the simple things in…

Kelle Hampton and the Down syndrome Unicorn Effect
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Kelle Hampton and the Down syndrome Unicorn Effect

By now most of the internet knows that blogger Kelle Hampton caught some major flack for posting a full frontal of her daughter, Nella on instagram. If you don’t know about it yet, here’s an article from Today. While I personally think a full frontal of a child, any child, crosses the line, I do…

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Lives Worth Living: Learning from the Disability Rights Movement and a Call for Action

In the excellent PBS documentary, "Lives Worth Living", film maker Eric Neudel takes the viewer on a journey through the history of the Disability Rights Movement. A two-minute trailer is embedded below. I will wait while you watch it. Watch Like an Emancipation Proclamation for the Disabled on PBS. See more from Independent Lens. "Sometimes…

"Chosen" and Disability, Take 2

"Chosen" and Disability, Take 2

Re-reading older posts, I was dismayed aghast at how angry my original “chosen” post was. Here’s Take 2. **** Visualize: “Janey”. Her hair is dark, she’s got a Master’s degree in biochemistry, which is her field of passion. A rockin’ job, supportive boss, 6 figure salary. A husband that loves her, one young son. Parents…