Part Two: High Expectations

"We Can't Go Back" e x p l a i n s th a t p e o

a
p le
ve
Ricardo d t o h
-Ricardo T. Thorton Sr. w i t h d i s a
x
b
pe
i l
c
i t i
t
e
a
s
t i
nee
o n s , j u s t l i
t
ke
he
h i g h e en g i v e n Community Integration
e l s e . W h f o r
an y o n e s up p o r t
t u n ity a n d a n d and Collaboration
o p p o r l l ris e u p
th e y w i
success, In his narrative, Ricard
flourish. discusses the importance
o
of
being a contributing memb
er
of society. He highlights th
e Us e
Don't Defin immorality of institutions,
(Dis) Abilities they were deprived of th
as
d t o " s h ow eir
h a s i z es t h e n e e right to make decisions
Rica r d o e m p b i li t i e s " in
PC:https://twitter.com/tashtweet/statu
s , n o t o u r d i s a their own lives. Being
off ou r a b i li t i e n t h e an
s/1024297268344774656
.8 7). F o c u s i n g o active member of socie
g , A ., 2 0 2 0 , p ty
"We ask that you ensure that people (Won u a l e n a b le s t h em allows
t i e s o f a n i n d ivid y people with
continue to be given chances to have abili m em b e r o f s o c i e t disabilities to have a sen
c o n t r i b u t i n g se
good lives and to grow in their to be a a y s . W h e n t his of
m u lt i t u d e o f w purpose, develop
in a c a n b e a m ore relationships, and a voice
communities with support." s , o u r c o m m unit y in
occ u r e e n v i r o n m e n t .
- Ricardo T. Thorton Sr g a n d s u p p ortiv their community.
accep t i n
(Wong, A., 2020, Disability Visibility: First-Person
Stories from the Twenty-First Century, p. 88)
 Collaboration
The narrative d
epicts the ways
Part Three:
in which individ
uals contribute "Why My Novel is Dedicated to My
their persona
accommodate
l abilities to Disabled Friend Maddy"
each other in
collaboration.
A.H provided
- A. H. Reaume
her friend, Ma
ddy with a job
that was flexib
accommodate
le enough to Connection and Support
the demands o
her disability a f
nd a sense of A. H. Reaume's also expresses the significance of connection
purpose to le
ave the house and support in collaboration. Being able to relate to someone
M a d d y .
-
nce-as-Novel-
p rovided A.H. with
- e n d e
pen /I n t er dep r - Wh y - My dy a b il the who experiences similar tribulations of an invisible disability
tp s : / / o
st s O d ity to transfer the p
PC: htca/Columni-and-Praxis- -Friend-Ma rint
book. l ed- Poet i cs My- Di s abl ed ed it s o f her manuscript allows a person to feel understood on a deeper level. The
Disab icated-to- to the
is-Ded computer, as sh connection she had with Maddy also allowed her to cope
e had a difficult
time looking a
t the compute organically. She understood the loss and grief a brain injury
screen. While h r causes. Instead of "forcing her to make sense" (Wong, A. 2020,
aving different
goals, their ma p._) of it, Maddy listened and nurtured her need to express it.
in goal was the
same; reclaim Through their shared experiences and connection, A.H.
their ability to
work and do wh accredits her healing, her voice, and her ability to chase her
at they love.
dreams again to her dear friend. Her once black and white
"We both have ‘broken’ brains but they function in different world became a colorful world of opportunity and beauty
ways – together we often make up for each other’s limitations." rooted in a "transformational force of interdependence"
- A.H. Reaume (Wong, A. 2020, p. _)
(Wong, A., 2020, Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First
Century, p. 154)
 Part Four: Accessibility i
n Our Commu
nity
"The Beauty of Spaces nTehis narrative exemplifies the
ed for accom habitual
Created for and by spaces. Havingmodaations in community
people with ccessibility
Disabled People" environmen disabilities to navigatealtlhoews
t with inde ir
- s.e. smith confidence.
Rather tha
pendence a
n
nd
thought, th an after
ese spaces
designed wit should be
h inclusion at
the forefront
.
Sense of Belonging
As s.e. smith watches the Social Identity and Inclusion
theatrical production for
The author addresses the crip space paradox
people with disabilities, they
of wanting a place that encourages inclusion
describe the intense feeling of and embodiment of oneself while
being in a space where they simultaneously refusing "to consider the "Crip space us unique, a place where
don't have to justify their diversity of human experience" (Wong, A., disability is celebrated and embraced-
existence. The author highlights 2020, p.274). While it is vital to have this sense something radical and taboo in many
the importance of having of belonging, they explain that "disability is a parts of the world and sometimes even
equal representation in
broad sociocultural identity and experience" for people in those spaces"
community spaces, where (Wong, A., 2020, p.274) and these spaces -s.e. smith
accommodations are at the should be open to the intersectionality of (Wong, A., 2020, Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from
forefront of design. identities. the Twenty-First Century, p. 273)
 Reference
Reaume, A. H., (2020). Why My Novel is Dedicated to My Disabled Friend Maddy. In A. Wong
(Ed.), Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century (pp. 149- 158).
Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House. (Original work published 2019)

smith, s.e., (2020). The Beauty of Spaces Created for and by Disabled People. In A. Wong (Ed.).
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century (pp.271-275). Vintage
Books, a division of Penguin Random House. (Original work published 2018)

Thornton, R.T., (2020). We Can't Go Back. In A.Wong (Ed.), Disability Visibility: First-Person
Stories from the Twenty-First Century. Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House.
(Original work published 2012)

Wong, A., (Ed.). (2020). Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century.
Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House.

Woody, J., (2020). The Isolation of Being Deaf in Prison. (Thompson, C. Trans.). In A. Wong (Ed.),
Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century. Vintage Books, a division
of Penguin Random House. (Original work published 2018)