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Activism and Advocacy

Educating the world about disability is how we make progress toward change. Take some time to learn about the advocacy issues that matter most to the disability community, the different approaches to activism, and what issues drive activists to continue fighting.

A row of curved mirrors that distort reflections.

Too Disabled? Or Not Disabled Enough?

Imposter syndrome–the feeling that you are pretending to be someone you aren’t–slowly devours me from two sides. On the one hand, I feel “not disabled enough.” My first time voting, I couldn’t reach or see up to the tiny tables…
An empty room in a nursing home with a bed, chair, desk, and window.

An Account of Being Sentenced to Life in a Skilled Nursing Facility

Content notes: toileting, neglect, isolation, institutionalization This morning I watched my roommate eat her breakfast on a bedside commode that had been full since yesterday. Again. I don’t really know which stench was worse, the potty or the shame. If…
A pattern of of illustrated speech bubbles that have different emoji indicating harassment.

The Harms of Perpetuating “Illness Fakers”

I had not long been a part of the online chronic illness community when I discovered the Illness Fakers page on Reddit. I only saw it because someone I followed was being harassed, and their content being taken apart on…
2021 International Week of Deaf People logo - a circle made of two hands surrounding a rainbow of stars

Without Meaningful Allyship, Hearing People are Doomed to a Never-Ending Cycle of Poor Deaf Awareness

Deaf people exist, and if you’re a hearing person and are aware of that fact, then you win – though I don’t have any stickers left, and there’s no way for me to know that you are aware of my…
Malvika Padin standing in a well-lit hallway wearing black-rimmed glasses, shoulder-length dark brown hair left loose, clad in a black top, jeans and a grey coat with her hands in her coat pockets.

The Cultural Implications of Being Disabled in India

It’s been eight years since I began experiencing debilitating flare ups of a chronic condition, and despite having a parent who is a doctor, it never crossed my mind that what I was struggling with could be considered a disability. …
An illustration of a young woman curled up with her head in her heads, sitting on a large laptop with people coming out of the screen and pointing at her, taunting. The image is meant to convey cyberbullying.

It’s Never Okay to Accuse Disabled People of “Faking”

For nearly 2 years I have watched a hateful group of cyber bullies grow in the dusty corners of the internet, a forum of people attacking and degrading those who were just reaching for support in the midst of living…
Lemon bars and sieve with powdered sugar on wooden table

The Pandemic Helped Me Disclose My Multiple Sclerosis

A simple question started it all. Last summer, a woman at my church named Jan was coordinating a socially-distanced approach for our annual school supply giveaway, and she asked if I’d be willing to staff a tent as part of…
Blurred photo of people sitting in a cafe.

The Pandemic Created a Systemic Shift for Disability Rights and Accessible Space, Even If It Was Accidental

For the past 18 months or so during the pandemic, time stood somewhat still. Normal routines shifted or changed while still others fell off entirely. One that I missed deeply was my daily Starbucks run. Yes, they quickly adapted and…
A wide rounded screen of blurred faces, all on webcam, under a row of spotlights.

Virtual Events During Lockdown are Proof that Greater Accessibility is Possible

Before booking a ticket to any event, I have to figure out whether my disability will be accommodated. Although there are one billion disabled people globally, access is always stuck at the back of the priority queue for organisers …