Thread by @JHMarble

I attended the @CalSCDD Meeting in Sacramento yesterday to offer public comment on the Paid Internship Program (PIP). While there, the SCDD Executive Director & @MicaelaConnery (@TheKelseyMore) offered a beautiful narrative on why society has moved away from institutionalization.

Both talked about how loving intent from citizens drove California to create institutions for developmentally disabled people 170 years ago. However, both also discussed how increased understanding of disability helped California realize the harm that institutionalization brings.

Where institutionalization of developmentally disabled people was once the norm in California, in the last decade the state has undertaken an effort to close its institutions and support institutionalized residents as they are returned to integrated community living.

Despite this development, a small but dwindling remnant of family members and organizations have fought against the right of disabled citizens to live in an integrated community setting with support. Hearing both Connery and the SCDD ED speak with empathy for them was powerful.

It reminded me that non-disabled viewpoints on disability issues are often rooted in care & love, even when those viewpoints are wrong and lead to our marginalization and harm. Our work in disability advocacy must recognize & honor intent, even where intent serves as an obstacle.

This is tricky work for disabled people and allies to do - to say “I appreciate and honor your intent, but your intent is serving as an obstacle to my normalcy, accomodation, and societal integration.” It’s almost a magic trick to say both “thank you” & “I must stand my ground.”

This bleeds into almost every aspect of life for the disabled person. It’s central to the criticism (and assurance of success) of employment approaches for autistic people and #AutismAtWork programs. It goes to housing, transportation, friendships, relationships, to all of life.

Non-disabled people often don’t recognize the pressure cooker in which their intent places the disabled person (although friends who are people of color often instantly recognize this). We constantly have to ask ourself “Do I smile here, or do I shout?”

That is a horrible place to be, but one in which the disabled person often finds themself. So to see two people like SCDD Executive Director Aaron Carruthers & Micaela Connery of ‘The Kelsey’ exercise themselves as allies to speak to that at the SCDD Meeting was wonderful to see.

Honoring the intent of those who often stand in the way of our progress, even unintentionally so, is a difficult task. I appreciated seeing two allies undertake that difficult, delicate work on our behalf.

Thank you.