#disabilitycommunity — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #disabilitycommunity, aggregated by home.social.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Laura Bratton, Keynote Speaker, Author of Harnessing Courage, and Coach on Navigating Change with Grit and Gratitude | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-05-05-2026/Bratton — speaker, author, and ordained pastor blind since age nine — joins Dr. Adams on grit and gratitude as twin resources for navigating change, the thesis of her book Harnessing Courage.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
🎙️ Podcasts By Dr. Kirk Adams: Interview with Cheryl Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO, Access Forge | By Dr. Kirk Adams | Courtesy of the PWD Media Co-Op
https://drkirkadams.com/podcasts-by-dr-kirk-adams-04-28-2026/Kirk welcomes Cheryl Mitchell, co-founder and CEO of Access Forge, to discuss Belonging by Design — a faith-agnostic training course helping faith-based communities and places of worship operationalize accessibility, not treat it as a Section 508 checkbox.
-
✨ NEW: Disability Bulletin Issue 1
Your source for disability rights news, policy updates, and community resources.
📖 Issue 1: Now available
📖 Issue 2: Coming soonStay ahead of the issues that matter to YOU.
Read now: https://t.co/7vtI7QecTg
-
🌟 Introduction Post 🌟
Hi everyone! 👋 I'm Lanie Molinar Carmelo (she/her), and I'm thrilled to join the amazing community here on allovertheplace.ca! Here's a little about me:
🧑💻 Who I Am
- Conservative #Christian woman and #Aroace
- Totally #blind and #ActuallyAutistic, living with multiple #chronicIllnesses
- Advocate for #DisabilityRights, passionate about creating a more inclusive world 🌍
I'm a #UsabilityTester and an aspiring #AccessibilityConsultant, working to make technology better for everyone, especially those of us with disabilities. I'm most passionate about helping those with multiple disabilities, as it's an area that doesn't get enough attention.
🐾 Meet Squeaker!
I'm also the proud human to my 10-year-old Miniature Pinscher, Squeaker, who is the best little companion anyone could ask for. 🐕💖 He drives me nuts sometimes, but I don't know what I'd do without him. My profile picture features me with Squeaker, and my header shows him wrapped in a blanket with just his adorable face peeking out!
📚 What I’m Studying
I'm currently learning:
- Digital Accessibility through the BIT Accessibility Analyst Course
- Literary Braille Proofreading via the NLS
- Programming on platforms like freeCodeCamp and Codecademy
My goal is to develop accessible apps that empower people with disabilities, contribute to open-source projects that promote inclusion, and just do what I can to make the world more accessible.
💡 What I Do
I run or co-lead several online support groups for people with multiple disabilities. These groups provide safe spaces to connect, share resources, and talk with others who "get it." You can find them here:
- Facebook: Multiple Disabilities Peer to Peer Support Group
- Discord/Mailing List: MultAbilities
- Clubhouse: People with Multiple Disabilities
Right now, my focus is on growing these groups and making connections with others who are passionate about supporting multiply disabled individuals. If you're interested in joining or collaborating, feel free to reach out or check out my website at laniecarmelo.tech, where you'll find links to all the groups!
🎮📖🍴 My Interests
When I’m not advocating or studying, you can find me:
- Exploring #technology and experimenting with self-hosting on my Raspberry Pi 🖥️
- Reading #SciFi, #Fantasy, #Mystery, and some nonfiction 📚
- Playing #AccessibleGaming titles like incremental games, puzzles, RPGs, roguelikes, and MUDs 🎮
- Enjoying delicious food—especially #chocolate, #seafood, #milk, and #cheese 🍫🧀
I also love swimming 🏊♀️ when my health allows it.
🛠️ My Goals
One day, I hope to found a nonprofit organization to support multiply disabled individuals. The nonprofit would:
- Provide peer support groups
- Help fund assistive technology
- Advocate for education and employment opportunities
- Collaborate with disability-focused organizations to improve accessibility
For now, I'm focused on running my support groups and building connections that could help make this dream a reality. If you have ideas or resources—or just want to chat—let me know! 🤝
🤝 Let’s Connect!
I’m always happy to chat about:
- Accessibility in #tech or tech in general
- Disability advocacy
- Programming (#HTML, #JavaScript)
- Braille
- Books
- Or just life in general!
Feel free to follow me here or check out my website at laniecarmelo.tech.
#Introduction #DisabilityCommunity #AccessibilityMatters #Blindness #AutismAcceptance #ChronicIllnessWarrior #TechForGood #DisabilityAdvocate #OpenSourceProjects #BrailleLiteracy #GamingWithDisabilities #InclusiveDesign
- Conservative #Christian woman and #Aroace
-
#MadLiterature
Available for pre order:A Mad Turn
Edited by Phil SmithWritten by Mad scholars, A Mad Turn explores the field of Mad Studies in theory and practice, and what Mad Studies can bring to academia and to other social institutions. What does it mean to “do” Mad Studies? What are the field’s intersections with disability justice, Mad justice, and gender and queer studies? This book is a bold step toward the Mad Studies yet-to-come—a Mad Studies that Mad people will build, twisting and turning and singing and dancing, a new realm of thinking-being-doing-knowing. Step into it with us.
https://autonomous-press.myshopify.com/products/a-mad-turn
Hashtags & Group mentions below
#LivingMad
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation #SystemicInjustice #AltMentalHealth #instutionalization #PeerSupport #asylum——
@MadMovementMastodon @[email protected] @disability @[email protected]
@disabilityhistory @neurodivergence -
I’m interested in memoirs, blogs etcetera telling stories of resilience, surviving psychiatry, trauma (developmental). Please share them if you know any.
#MadLiteratureLisa Wallace on why she left psychiatric care and why she may return one day
Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation #SystemicInjustice #AltMentalHealth #instutionalization #PeerSupport #asylum——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
The Soteria model relies on personal relationships, interactive activities, and minimal use of psychiatric medication within a comfortable “living community” as opposed to a conventional psychiatric setting.
#MadLiterature
How Does the Soteria House Heal?
The alternative treatment model of Soteria helps individuals suffering from schizophrenia without relying on medication or coercion.https://www.madinamerica.com/2019/09/soteria-house-heal/
Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation #SystemicInjustice #AltMentalHealth #instutionalization #PeerSupport #asylum
——@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
#MadLiterature
Searching for the “Psychiatric Yeti”: Schizophrenia Is Not Genetic
https://www.madinamerica.com/2024/01/psychiatric-yeti-schizophrenia-genetic/?mc_cid=91cea752ff&mc_eid=1b94bba8b7Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation #SystemicInjustice #AltMentalHealth
——@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
Empire of Normality
Neurodiversity and Capitalism
by Robert ChapmanThis is a priority read for me!
I’m looking forward to how Chapman explains the emergence and rise of the pathology paradigm and its entanglement with the fundamental logic of capitalism. Specifically how the medical and scientific definitions of illness, disability, and normality have grown in response to economic and ideological developments.
https://www.plutobooks.com/9780745348667/empire-of-normality/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation #SystemicInjustice——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
…the need to offer a positive account of mental illness—one that does not define the essence of mental illness exclusively as the absence, lack, or failure of the power of reasoning…
On the Importance of Conceptual Contrasts Madness, Reason, and Mad Pride
Awais Aftabhttps://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/916209 (open source)
#MadLiteratureHashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
Mad Pride and Neurodiversity
Personal Perspective: Parallel movements of lived experience.Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
#MadLiterature
from lived experience to theory
Open access articleThe Lived Experiences of Family Members and
Carers of People with Psychosis: A Bottom-Up
Review Co-Written by Experts by Experience and
Academicshttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36689938/
Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
Alternative ways to understand psychiatric differences
Mind Freedom International library of information about mental health, psychiatry, human rights & alternatives
https://mindfreedom.org/knowledgebase/
thank you @leftvu
Hashtags & Group mentions below#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
⚠️ CW – Suicide Prevention Month (TBI and Suicide)⚠️
September is National suicide prevention month and many members of the Invisible Disability Community are at high risk but, they're not alone. Individuals in the LGBTQIA community are "four times more likely" to make such an attempt for much the same reason as disabled individuals. The way they are mistreated and stigmatized in society. It is also the second leading cause of death for young people in the US between the ages of 18 and 25. "Native American communities experience higher rates of suicide compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the US being the eighth leading cause of death…".
I thought this would be a good time to migrate and repost a piece I did on TBI "traumatic brain injury" and suicide to include these other at risk groups. What can you do if someone in your life is at risk? Spend some time with them, don't be judgmental, listen and love. If you see them being victimized or bullied, stand up and say something.
TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicide (originally posted Dec 27, 2022)
Why support is so important for those that live with TBI and Brain Injury. Between 2014 to 2017, the traumatic brain injury-linked death rate rose from 16.3 to 17.5 per 100,000 people.
There were 61,131 TBI-linked deaths in 2017 alone, and nearly half of these deaths were by suicide or homicide from 2015 to 2017. Last summer, a rash of suicides on the USS Washington raised questions about lack of support and services said to contribute to these deaths.The links below present the dismal statistics and some ways to help prevent suicide among the population living with Brain Injuries and other marginalized people.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicide | Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201809/traumatic-brain-injury-and-suicide
cdc.gov
https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/prevention/index.htmlTBI and Suicide – PubMed.gov:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22329620/Indigenous communities and suicide:
https://www.publichealthpost.org/databyte/suicide-rates-indigenous/Trevor Project– LGBTQIA suicide: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/facts-about-lgbtq-youth-suicide/
Science Direct:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563205000531Association between disability and suicide – pub med.gov: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34465506/
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/
#TBI #BrainInjury #suicide #SuicidePrevention #indigenous #native #disability #LGBTQIA #EmotionalSupport #inclusion #love #understanding #education #EndAbleism #DisabilitySolidarity #DisabilityCommunity #Here4All #ActuallyAutisic #InvisibleDisabilityRights #landback #TransLivesMatter
-
⚠️ CW – Suicide Prevention Month (TBI and Suicide)⚠️
September is National suicide prevention month and many members of the Invisible Disability Community are at high risk but, they're not alone. Individuals in the LGBTQIA community are "four times more likely" to make such an attempt for much the same reason as disabled individuals. The way they are mistreated and stigmatized in society. It is also the second leading cause of death for young people in the US between the ages of 18 and 25. "Native American communities experience higher rates of suicide compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the US being the eight leading cause of death…".
I thought this would be a good time to migrate and repost a piece I did on TBI "traumatic brain injury" and suicide and include these other at risk groups. What can you do if someone in your life is at risk? Spend some time with them, don't be judgmental, listen and love. if you see them being victimized or believed, stand up and say something.
TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicide (originally posted Dec 27, 2022)
Why support is so important for those that live with TBI and Brain Injury.
From 2014 to 2017, the traumatic brain injury-linked death rate rose from 16.3 to 17.5 per 100,000 people.
There were 61,131 TBI-linked deaths in 2017 alone, and nearly half of these deaths were by suicide or homicide from 2015 to 2017.
Last summer, a rash of suicides on the USS Washington raised questions about lack of support and services said to contribute to these deaths.
The links below present the dismal statistics and some ways to help prevent suicide among the population living with Brain Injuries and other marginalized people.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Suicide | Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201809/traumatic-brain-injury-and-suicide
cdc.gov
https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/prevention/index.htmlTBI and Suicide – PubMed.gov:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22329620/Indigenous communities and suicide:
https://www.publichealthpost.org/databyte/suicide-rates-indigenous/Trevor Project– LGBTQIA suicide: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/facts-about-lgbtq-youth-suicide/
Science Direct:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563205000531Association between disability and suicide – pub med.gov: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34465506/
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/users/geralt-9301/
#TBI #BrainInjury #suicide #SuicidePrevention #indigenous #native #disability #LGBTQIA #EmotionalSupport #inclusion #love #understanding #education #EndAbleism #DisabilitySolidarity #DisabilityCommunity #Here4All #ActuallyAutisic #InvisibleDisabilityRights #landback
-
As new associate editor of Frontier Poetry, I have the pleasure of writing their exceptional poetry column every month! My first one just came out; in it, I look at poems featuring #disability , #pluralsystem , #reproductivejustice and more. Check it out below.
https://www.frontierpoetry.com/2023/08/29/exceptional-poetry-from-around-the-web-august-2023/
@litodons @writing @poets #litodon #poetrymastodon #writingcommuinty #disabilitycommunity @disability
-
Justice for Elijah McClain – Murder Trials Update:
Tomorrow marks four years since Elijah McClain died as a result of his interactions with Aurora Colorado police and paramedics but, none of the five accused murderer's trials have even begun.
On August 17, the Colorado Atty. Gen.'s office dropped some of the charges against two of the accused officers, Rosenblatt and Rodema. "Sentence enhancer" charges of "Crime of Violence" were withdrawn from the case because, they were deemed "repetitive and unnecessary" by the AG's office. The sentence enhancers provide for mandatory prison sentences and can increase incarceration time for those convicted. An AG representative said that dropping those charges "would not affect the amount of time the officers might spend in prison if convicted". All five are still charged with Manslaughter and Criminally Negligent Homicide. Rosenblatt and Rodema are now set to go to trial on September 18.
The trial of the two paramedics charged, Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper, was reportedly scheduled for August 7 but, is now set for Nov. 27 with a pre-trial conference on Nov. 2. At this time, the paramedics are still facing "sentences enhancer" charges of "Crime of Violence". Cooper administered the ketamine to McClain, according to the indictment.
In an August 4 "motions hearing", attorneys for the third officer and fifth accused murderer, Nathan Woodyard argued that Woodyard became distraught as the other two officers held McClain down. He will face trial alone in October.
Click here for 🧠 the full story of what happened to Elijah McClain.
OutOfExile_IDR
Woodyard "motions hearing" https://www.coloradopolitics.com/courts/elijah-mcclain-case-motions-hearing-upcoming-trials/article_9938ee23-a307-55dd-a579-b7ba532a7bc0.html
#JusticeForElijahMcClain #ICantBreathe #ImJustDifferent #ActuallyAutistic #BLM #InvisibleDisabilityRights #EndAbleism #EndRacism #disability #DisabilityCommunity #SocialJustice #PoliceViolence #StopKillingUs
-
Two waves (1950s & 1970s) of systemic deinstitutionalisation and there are more “beds” than before; they just look different.
Busting the Deinstitutionalization Myth: We Actually Have More Beds Than Ever Before
New data upends common beliefs about asylum closures, deinstitutionalization, and rates of psychiatric coercion.Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#eugenics #asylum #CarceralAbleism
#AntiBlackSanism #instutionalization#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
Mad Crip doula: offering holistic and emotional spiritual bodymind care, mixed with practical and crisis support (and plant medicine). moving from a liberation-centered and anti-oppressive lens. a transition doula with skills in: abortion, death, grief, Madness, and Disability.
https://www.stefaniekaufman.com/madcripdoula
endorsing: non-carceral, peer-led mental health care systems that exist outside of the state, reimagining everything we’ve come to learn about madness, and intervening in systems that oppress, disappear, and kill Disabled and mad folks.
Please Note: I don’t know Them in any capacity and They sure look bad-ass
Hashtags & Group mentions below
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#CarceralAbleism
#instutionalization#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories #isolation——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
Disability doula. Peer support. Social support. Physical support. Cultural roots.
#MadLiterature
Newly disabled people aren’t given a ‘how-to’ guide. Disability doulas are closing those gaps.
The community care practice, pioneered by queer women of color, reorients newly disabled people to a different lifehttps://19thnews.org/2023/07/disability-doulas-support-newly-disabled-people/
Hashtags & Group mentions below
#AntiBlackSanism
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
Open Minded Online
sharing ideas and resources about holistic approaches to emotional and social wellbeingWe are two people who both have a great passion for holistic approaches to mental health. This passion has grown out of our own experiences of receiving traditional psychiatric treatment and finding it lacking.
We believe that it is possible to make sense of intense states of mind often described as psychosis.
#MadLiterature
https://openmindedonline.com/resources/Hashtags & Group mentions below
#asylum #instutionalization
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected]
@disabilityhistory
@neurodivergence -
#MadLiterature in progress:
RD Laing, David Cooper, Ervin Goffman, & Thomas Szaz
Interesting. History.
——
Hashtags & Group mentions below#eugenics #asylum #CarceralAbleism.
#AntiBlackSanism #instutionalization
#Madness #MadMastodon #MadPride #MadThought
#MadMovement #MadStudies #Mad #Madodon #TransMad#Ablesim #DisabilityCommunity #InvisibleDisabilities
#PsychiatricSurvivor #AntiPsychiatry #DisabilityJustice
#LivedExperience #PsychSurvivor #ChronicPain
#DisabilityMastodon #Neurodivergent #RadicalMentalHealth
#CripCamp #DisabilityRights #NeuroDiversity
#Sanism #Disability #DisabilityStudies
#Stories——
@MadMovementMastodon
@[email protected]
@disability
@[email protected] @disabilityhistory @neurodivergence -
"Disability ID and Disability Deaths" Conclusion: "Justice for Elijah McClain"!
CONTENT WARNING (CW): the details and videos of this event may be disturbing to some.
The winds of change began to blow in the summer of 2020. A change.org petition compiled over 2 million signatures, seeking justice for Elijah McClain. On June 10, 2020, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis told the public, Atty Gen Phil Weiser would be investigating the death of McClain. Also that June, protesters shut down a section of Interstate 225, demanding accountability for his death. In the series of peaceful demonstrations, protesters were also targeted by police. During those protests, when heavily militarized police arrived, the legendary chant began, "WHY ARE YOU IN RIOT GEAR! WE DON'T SEE NO RIOT HERE". Finally, there was momentum in the battle for some form of justice.In September, 2021, over two years after the crime, a 32 count grand jury indictment charged the five first responders for their actions. The forensic pathologist who was part of the grand jury investigation, concluded the cause of death was "homicide". The individuals named in the grand jury indictment were: officers Randy Roedema, Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt, and paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec. All five were charged with "Manslaughter" and "Criminally negligent homicide" among other charges. Roedema, Rosenblatt and both EMTs were additionally charged with "Second-degree assault" and "Crime of violence". The trial of officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt, being tried together, was scheduled to start on July 10 but, was postponed, with no new date set at that time.
The indictment was followed by a series of other events. In September 2022, well after the grand jury indictment, Adams County announced, the original 2019 autopsy report had been amended. It now stated the means as "COMPLICATIONS OF KETAMINE ADMINISTRATION FOLLOWING FORCIBLE RESTRAINT". However, the cause of death was still listed as "UNDETERMINED", rather than "homicide". Interestingly enough, in November 2021, the city of Aurora agreed to pay the family of Elijah McClain, $15 million to settle a federal civil rights action.
Next week, the first of the three trials is set to begin, as paramedics Cooper and Cichuniec have a court date on August 7. Nathan Woodyard, the first Aurora officer on the scene, will stand trial alone beginning on September 18. The judge that pushed back the Roedema and Rosenblatt case, expressed hopes for a rescheduling by October. Three years will have elapsed since Elijah McClain's death, before any proceedings against police will begin. That fact alone underscores other findings of "implicit bias" in regard to racial and disability justice. Unfortunately, that problem is not limited to Colorado.
It's reported that over 1100 people were killed by police in 2022, other reports say, "half of people killed by police have a disability". It seems to be a dangerous time if someone decides another is different, especially if that someone has authority. People with disabilities are not a "new thing", and represent about 26% of the US population. Why should it be necessary to teach those sworn to "serve and protect", basics like: understanding, accommodation, proper communication, and preservation of dignity, when it comes to invisible disability? Can things like human decency, actually be taught with "adequate training"? Considering Elijah and the story of Christian Glass, is it any wonder many individuals with invisible disabilities, are afraid to call police for help? How many such crimes are covered up or not reported? Will an ID card really change anything? More importantly, why did so many have to suffer, before anyone heard them call... "I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all".
OutOfExile_IDR © 2023
Elijah McClain's last words: CW
"I can't breathe. I have my ID right here. My name is Elijah McClain. That's my house. I was just going home. I'm an introvert. I'm just different. That's all. I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me? I don't even kill flies! I don't eat meat! But I don't judge people, I don't judge people who do eat meat. Forgive me. All I was trying to do was become better. I will do it. I will do anything. Sacrifice my identity, I'll do it. You all are phenomenal. You are beautiful and I love you. Try to forgive me. I'm a mood Gemini. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Ow, that really hurt! You are all very strong. Teamwork makes the dream work. [after vomiting] Oh, I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to do that. I just can't breathe correctly."PART ONE: https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/110710011783405013
PART TWO: https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/110732685184804207
PART THREE; https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/110738275935209052
PART FOUR – Christian Glass: https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/110755046372094242
Half of People Killed by Police Have a Disability: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/half-people-killed-police-suffer-mental-disability-report-n538371
Six minute video analysis of Elijah McClain's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGlHMZQtO7U
Full 3 hour video including multiple officers body cam footage and Elijah McClain's mother attempting to get answers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5NcyePEOJ8
Adams County Sheriff – no charges in the death of Elijah McClain: https://kdvr.com/news/problem-solvers/elijah-mcclain-indictments-why-colorado-ag-filed-charges-when-adams-da-didnt/?ipid=promo-link-block2
Adams County coroner amendments autopsy report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6WPP3-8AwU includes video of the incident
Timeline, analysis of body cam footage in Elijah McClain case: https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/elijah-mcclain/elijah-mcclain-body-camera-video-analysis-timeline/73-68537e78-add9-4e66-97c6-a22c080b1e1e
Police mock the death of Elijah McClain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giOB3LJj_g0
Accused killers plead not guilty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUU-xE-uouQ
Protesters targeted: https://www.thecut.com/2021/10/how-aurora-colorado-police-cover-up-misconduct-and-brutality.html
"Hundreds of Officers That Have Been Labeled Liars. Some Still Help Send People to Prison": https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2019/10/14/brady-lists-police-officers-dishonest-corrupt-still-testify-investigation-database/2233386001/
Example of Aurora PD's racial profiling: https://sentinelcolorado.com/metro/police-courts/aurora-cop-who-shot-boy-14-part-of-unlawful-search-settlement-of-black-man/
Legal analysis by Wolfberg and Wirth: https://www.ems1.com/legal/articles/legal-analysis-what-the-paramedic-criminal-charges-in-the-elijah-mcclain-case-mean-for-ems-wIPxkOn0Hn4ToKVk/
Wikipedia page containing a link to the 911 call and police body camera: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Elijah_McClain
#Justice4Elijah #ActuallyAutistic #BLM #InvisibleDisabilityRights #EndAbleism #POC #EndRacism #change #disability #accommodation #understanding #DisabilityCommunity #SpeakUp4Change #DisabilitySolidarity #MentalHealth #DisabilityRights #decency #dignity #SocialJustice #EndBigotry #PoliceViolence #NoJusticeNoPeace #StopKillingUs #ICantBreathe #TearDownTheWall
@disabilityjustice @disability @actuallyautistics -
Disability ID and Disability Deaths – How Police Killed Elijah McClain
CONTENT WARNING (CW): The details and linked videos of this event may be disturbing to some. Image-eye contact.Even with the positives disability designator IDs might bring, it's unlikely a card will prevent authorities from abusing and killing people with invisible disabilities. Aside from a change in attitudes, there are still far too many, long-overdue reforms needed. Many instances of police induced death involving the disabled, including people with autism, brain injury, and hearing impairments, were blamed on the victim. Most were, in fact, a direct result of: Ablest attitudes (ignorance), use of excessive force, and unacceptable treatment attributed to inadequate training. Utilizing invisible disabilities to scapegoat victims and bury the case, is another tactic often employed but, "inadequate training", is not what has killed so many people with disabilities.
Mentioned in part three of this piece, the history of one particular force, is a prime demonstration of a "pattern and practice", that has destroyed lives and families of people with invisible disabilities. According to other investigations, Aurora Colorado's pattern of policing, has raised concerns of implicit bias towards the disabled, POC and other marginalized people. Perhaps, one of the most famous examples from that city, is the death of a 23-year-old black man with autism and anemia, Elijah McClain. That case, sparked outrage from both the disabled and black communities, and with the first of three homicide trials set to begin in August, now is not the time to forget what happened to Elijah. The demeaning and despicable treatment he was subjected to, is not uncommon in "policing" of the disabled.
August 24, 2019: Elijah McClain, a massage therapist, violinist and "gentle soul", was walking home from a convenience store not, far from his home. Because of his anemia, which often made him feel cold, he was known to where a ski mask. On his way home, someone in a house he passed called police to report an unarmed, "sketchy" individual. Minutes Later, Aurora PD's Nathan Woodyard saw Elijah walking to his home and stopped. Within 9 sec. of exiting his car, Woodyard had his hands on Elijah McClain. Just seconds later, officers Randy Roedema and Jason Rosenblatt showed up, also engaging with Elisha. As he explained he was an "introvert" and was "just walking home", one of the officers responded, "Relax, or I'm going to have to change this situation".
The officers had McClain against the wall before taking the five feet seven, 143 lb man to the ground. One of their body cameras was detached and landed in the grass, capturing an officer slowly walking out of view. With Elijah and police no longer being filmed clearly, one officer can be heard claiming, "he just grabbed your gun dude". Within four seconds of the allegation, Elijah can be heard choking as a result of police applying the carotid restraint, restricting his airflow. FOUR SECONDS?! One of the officers later told investigators that McClain "briefly" fell unconscious and the officers released their grasp on his neck. The chokehold was implemented only one min. and four sec. after the first officer exited his vehicle. The three officers involved, Woodyard, Rosenblatt and Roedema, all claimed their body cameras "fell off " in the "struggle" with this small statured young man.
The video footage is very difficult to listen to. Elijah McClain can be heard gasping as he pleads with officers to stop, saying, "I can't breathe". Elijah continues to plead, saying his name and that he was "just going home". Through his sobs, came the words myself and many others with invisible disabilities, will never forget. "I'm just different. I'm just different, that's all". It's hard to hear the police on the audio of one body cam but, Elijah's words are clear… "I'm so sorry. I have no gun. I don't do that stuff. I don't do any fighting. Why are you attacking me?". As officers ignore his pleas, they seem to spin tales of their "struggle" with a 143 pound person. One repeated the accusation that McClain tried to grab officer Roedema's gun, and that they "had" to use the carotid hold.
About six minutes after the initial contact by police, Elijah McClain can be heard vomiting for the first time. One of the officers commands him to "STOP" to which McClain apologized saying, "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to do that. I just can't breathe correctly". In the next few minutes, McClain gets sick "a few more times" while officers held him facedown on the ground, telling him repeatedly to stop resisting. Reports say he was also handcuffed and still wearing the ski mask when he was sick, and as a result, was struggling to breathe. He may have been trying to roll on his side or remove the mask to breathe better, as police seemed to be acting out a show of "resisting arrest" for the body cam audio.
Police can be heard threatening him, "Don't get up. It's not gonna be good for you, I'm telling you right now". Another officer standing over him said "You keep messin' around, I'm unna bring my dog out here", saying he would let the dog attack Elijah. Approximately 11 minutes after the initial contact by officer Woodyard, the cameras capture police saying, "When the ambulance gets here, were gonna go ahead and give him some ketamine". This is also when they claimed "whatever he's on, he has incredible strength." Another concurs "yeah, crazy strength". It's alarming that police and individuals of such character, have authority to mandate the administering of this powerful sedative.
The timing of the accusation that Elijah McClain attempted to grab the firearm, only seconds after body cams were removed, is highly suspect. Again, McClain was 143 lbs, being held by three much larger men. While one of the officer's body cam was still attached, another can be heard telling him to "move" his camera. I don't believe the body cams dislodged, and firmly believe these accused murderers doffed them. The Maclean's attorney said police intentionally removed their body cameras "to support a false allegation that McClain reached for a gun". Though it is not clear on the video, there is absolutely, no doubt in my mind. The same is true, regarding their claims for body cam audio that Elijah was "struggling". If he was struggling, it was likely for air and survival.
The report from paramedics, Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec claimed that when they arrived, Elijah was displaying signs of "excited delirium". The snap "diagnosis" was made, despite never touching, talking to, or checking Maclean's vitals. Were these paramedics scapegoating in an effort to protect their fellow first responders? After incorrectly estimating his weight, the paramedics administered 500 mg of ketamine to McClain, a dosage for someone nearly 60 to 70 pounds larger. For those who believe in forcibly drugging people, the proper ketamine dosage for Elijah's weight, is about 325 mg. Approximately 23 minutes after Nathan Woodyard stopped "to talk" to McClain, the officers responsible were informed, Elijah, had no pulse. Less than a week later, he was declared brain-dead on August 27, 2019, and died, three days later on the 30th.
According to cpr.org–CPR news: "After McClain’s death, Dr. Stephen Cina, a contractor forensic pathologist for Adams County, completed the autopsy on Sept. 3, 2019. There were two Aurora police officers and two representatives from the Adams County District Attorney’s office in attendance". I'd be interested to hear that conversation, considering the findings of the autopsy. The Adams County corner ruled the cause of death as "undetermined" saying that, "a therapeutic amount" of ketamine was found in Maclean's system. The report, reeking of scapegoating, speculated about drug use and undiagnosed mental illness, while seeming to conclude nothing but suppositional "ifs".
Excerpt from Dr. Cina's report: "The manner of death may be accident if it was an idiosyncratic drug reaction,” . “It may be natural if (McClain) had an undiagnosed mental illness that led to excited delirium, if his intense physical exertion combined with a narrow coronary artery led to an arrhythmia, if he had an asthma attack, or if he aspirated vomit while restrained."... "It may be a homicide if the actions of officers led to his death (eg. carotid control hold…)”.
That's a lot of "Ifs". I can't help but wonder "IF", the presence of officers and DA personnel "may" have influence the doctors findings. In conjunction with the corners "undetermined" autopsy determination, Adams County DA Dave Young said, he would not bring charges against the officers. This seeming manipulation of justice, by those who controlled it, was met with outrage.
Another slap in the face, illuminating the culture of APD, occurred in October 2019, less than two months after Elijah's death. Several other officers returned to the scene, taking pictures while they joyfully reenacted the cardioid hold, used on McClain. In July, 2020, after the photos were made public, three officers were fired and one resigned. It's remarkable that they were fired for mocking and taking pictures, while the officers that killed Elijah were still patrolling the streets. The shouts of "Justice for Elijah", became louder as it seemed this heinous police action was being ignored. Once again, protesters took to the streets.
Protests, investigation, Arrests and trials. Conclusion – "Justice for Elijah" below.
OutOfExile_IDR © 2023
#Justice4Elijah #ActuallyAutistic #BLM #InvisibleDisabilityRights #EndAbleism #POC #EndRacism #change #disability #accommodation #understanding #DisabilityCommunity #SpeakUp4Change #DisabilitySolidarity #MentalHealth #DisabilityRights #decency #dignity #SocialJustice #EndBigotry #PoliceViolence #NoJusticeNoPeace #StopKillingUs #ICantBreathe #TearDownTheWall
@disabilityjustice @disability @actuallyautistics -
"Can a Symbol Help Stop the Harm – Disability Designator ID and Disability Deaths" –Part one:
(Approx 7 Min. read)In May, New Jersey passed bill S761, joining 12 other states in creating a "disability identifier" state ID program. With much of the media focus on autism, the law allows some with other disability related communication issues, to have an "official indication of their diagnosis", "notated" on their state issued ID. As a part, NJ will create "guidelines" for law enforcement to better accommodate people with invisible disabilities, through understanding and proper communication; rather than aggression, force, and unfounded assumptions of perpetration. Unlike other states, the NJ legislation appears to exclude many with disabilities and lack forethought regarding the medical privacies of participants.
Even with the positives of various state actions, some feel these efforts may be futile, or accompanied by inherent negatives. Here, I'll be providing details on some of these programs, their potential negatives and, in part two, the reasons for creating them. The focus will be on the tragic stories of some victims that ultimately inspired Invisible Disability ID programs. People, like Elijah McClain and others, whose wrongful deaths resulting from interactions with police and first responders, brought national attention to this epidemic. The harm and loss of life at the hands of those there to serve and protect, is a horrifying thought to many with invisible disabilities, their loved ones; and should be, to anyone of decency.
Alaska, was the first to pass disability ID "designator" legislation with two laws that seem to respect the medical privacies of' disabled citizens. Their "Disability Designator", is a "discrete symbol" on licenses, indicating a "medically verified cognitive, mental, neurological, or physical disability; or a combination thereof". Alaska and other states, use the Invisible Disabilities Association's (IDA) "i" symbol as the "designator". The reasoning behind this optional indicator is the same; to enlighten police and first responders, when they may view a person's communication or behavior as "different" or "unusual". Again, the goal is to prevent escalation and, as in many cases, harm to the individual with disabilities.
Utah's disability designator, is a symbol on a sticker affixed to the ID. As in other states that use a symbol, Utah's program offers more medical confidentiality. It indicates only, that the person has a disability, without revealing diagnosis or specifics. In comparison with NJ's "notation of diagnosis", this seems much less intrusive. Utah's list of "examples of disabilities" covers any physical or mental health issue "that may interfere with the ability to communicate with a law enforcement officer". The list is much more inclusive of all disabilities than the narrow scope of the NJ law, even including diabetes, heart conditions and drug allergies.
The Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) in Colorado, is a nonprofit organization that spearheads the effort to create the "National Disability ID" (NDID) symbol program. They advocate nationwide with state and federal government, and were part of the 2022 federal identifier bill, HB–7217. Unfortunately, that bill died in committee. The IDA logo, a blue lowercase "i" shaped like a vertical Nike-style "swoosh", is used as Colorado's DL disability identifier as well. They began issuing their NDID–National Invisible Disability ID cards, prior to the passing of any legislation. Below, is an IDA link where people with invisible disabilities can obtain their own NDID, or "International Invisible Disability ID" card with little effort or personal information.
Following Alaska, Colorado passed House Bill HB21–1014, making them the second state to pass "Symbolic" legislation which, also uses the wording "discrete" indicator. The law requires that the symbol on state identifications, must represent all types of disabilities under their program, in a state where history vividly illustrates the need for some type of solution. Colorado police and first responders have been responsible for causing the wrongful deaths of numerous people with invisible disabilities, attracting national attention more than once. The stories covered in part two, include several involving the same police force.
Potential Concerns:
In regard to the NJ action, the following phrase appears in the legislation:
"the chief administrator shall indicate the autism spectrum disorder or communication disorder diagnosis by notating such information on the person's driver's license ...under the column designated for restrictions".
There are many disabilities accompanied by communication limitations, that are not associated with autism, or (as NJ puts it) a "communication disorder". There are also aspects of disabilities, unrelated to communication, that can influence interactions with law-enforcement. Anyone of these may have been a factor in the known examples of police escalation causing harm or death to innocent people. NJ should consider this, designing their law to be more inclusive and respectful of the rights, privacies and protections of its disabled population.Broadcasting diagnosis on one's license is another concern to some, and raises some questions. How much protected medical information will appear in the NJ "notation"? Will the DMV gather medical history and driver's diagnosis' for its citizens with disabilities, then add unnecessary or unfounded "restrictions" to their licenses? With varying degrees of any disability, a generalized "notation of diagnosis" could present a lot of obvious undue challenges or barriers for many drivers with disabilities.
Aside from police and first responders, there are others that may see the "notation of diagnosis" or identifier symbol on an individual's ID. Identification is shown to many people, including those at stores, restaurants, nightclubs, and hotels. Some stores even scan IDs when "proofing", essentially compiling a database of the information contained in license barcodes. Some feel that individuals could be targeted for discrimination, harassment, exploitation or abuse by corporations, employers, ablests or other unsavory individuals.
For those who do not want the identifier on their license, these reforms may do little. If an individual without the voluntary "identifier" advises police they are disabled, will they be accommodated according to said guidelines? For those with the identifier, these changes are only as good as those who implement them. Will the guidelines and training be designed to actually accommodate or, be just another hollow disability regulation, created by oblivious abled politicians.
Will police abide by the guidelines? Body cams were implemented to prevent misconduct and create accountability. However, frequent claims by police that cameras "fell off", leave many feeling they were intentionally removed to obviate the recording of their transgressions. Will a symbol on a driver's license prevent such unnecessary harm to the disabled? Colorado's designator law passed two years ago but, another murder of someone with invisible disabilities occurred last fall. The individual, experiencing an obvious mental health crisis, called for police assistance after becoming stranded and, was ultimately shot. The many recurring incidences may cause anyone to ask; is the motto to "serve and protect", or to harm and kill?
In part two, I will focus on the people with invisible disabilities, autism, mental health challenges and hearing impairment, that were harmed or murdered by police and first responders. Unfortunately, we cannot ask many of those individuals if they feel a symbol on their license would've changed anything. With all the people that have been lost unnecessarily, this is no longer a #DisabilityCommunity issue – It's something everyone should be standing against.
OutOfExile_IDR ™ – © 2023
PART TWO: https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/110732685184804207
PART THREE: https://kolektiva.social/@OutOfExile_IDR_Voice/110738275935209052Identification card from IDA: https://invisibledisabilities.org/national-disability-id/national-disability-id-card/
For more on "National Disability Identification" (NDID): http://www.ndid.help/
NJ S761 bill: https://legiscan.com/NJ/bill/S761/2022
Alaska disability designator – GOVERNMENT SITE: https://doa.alaska.gov/dmv/akol/designator.htm
Utah's list of "examples of disabilities" –GOVERNMENT SITE: https://dld.utah.gov/invisible-condition/
Federal Bill – US HB-7217: https://legiscan.com/US/bill/HB7217/2021
"Invisible Man" image by Nangreenly: https://pixabay.com/users/nangreenly-10829698/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=3843385
#disability #DisabilityRights #equality #change #InvisibleDisabilityRights #NationalDisabilityID #InvisibleDisabilitiesAssociation #accommodation #understanding #DisabilityCommunity #SpeakUp4Change #DisabilitySolidarity #ActuallyAutistic #TBI #HearingImpairment #aphasia #OCD #MentalHealth #decency #respect #dignity #humanity #SocialJustice #EndAbleism #stigmatude #TearDownTheWall
@actuallyautistics
@actuallyautistic @disabilityjustice @disability