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Disability Rights Advocate
Fights for equal rights, accessibility, and inclusion for people with disabilities in all areas of life.
Did you know?
In the 1990 'Capitol Crawl', disability activists, including 8-year-old Jennifer Keelan, climbed the US Capitol steps; the ADA became law that July.
How subjects help
- Law: Use equality laws to challenge a school or employer that shuts people out.
- Psychology: Understand how being left out affects people's confidence and wellbeing.
- Sociology: Show how steps, stairs and attitudes, not just bodies, create barriers.
- Communication: Run campaigns that persuade leaders to add ramps, captions and easy read guides.
A famous name
Judith Heumann: Disability rights activist who led a 1977 sit-in that won US disability access rules.
Try it yourself: Map the helpers near you
- Draw a simple map of your neighbourhood from memory.
- Mark every place that helps people: a clinic, library, park, food bank, bus stop, place of worship.
- Ask a family member what they would add, and who in your area might find it hard to get help.
- What is missing? Write one idea that would help.
Social workers and community planners start by finding what a community already has and who is being left out.
Also try: Practise listening the SHUSH way.
Known for it in
USA, UK, Sweden, Australia, Canada