Rooted in Rights Blog
We’re here to challenge the status quo, pushing readers and writers alike to think beyond the tired tropes of disability. The Rooted in Rights Blog publishes pieces that share perspectives on disability, amplify key issues and ideas, and make it known loud and clear that disability rights are human rights.
- Activism and Advocacy
- Autism and Neurodiversity
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I’m a Disability Activist Because I Have to Be, But Not Always Because I Want to Be
“Congratulations,” “this is amazing Shona,” “well done!” All of these are well meaning and probably deserved comments that I often receive in response to results from my activism work, but more recently they’ve felt less like positive encouragement and more…
Existing Between Two Worlds as a Person with Hearing Loss
When I was growing up, I did not consider myself to be a member of the disability community. I was born with a mild-to-moderate hearing loss that was not diagnosed until I was in kindergarten and I am the only…
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: Mothering with ADHD
Becoming a mother has been one of the most earth-shattering endeavors of my life. Motherhood fills me and drains me, unleashes and stifles. All of a sudden, my daily structures, routines, and systems have been thrown into the tornado of…
I Am Who I Am: Being an Autistic Latina Woman on Christmas
My autism means that I have always had an uneasy relationship with Christmas. When I was younger, the day involved straightening my unruly curls and getting dressed up for a large gathering at my great grandmother’s house, where my extended…
Taking Care of My Mental Health During This Pandemic Holiday Season
The holidays can bring about emotions ranging from happiness and excitement to stress, grief, and loneliness. Figuring out how to navigate the many different elements of the holidays can be complicated, but it’s even more so this year as the…
Picking Up the Pieces of Broken Glass: A Lesson in Speaking Up For Myself
From the corner of my eye I saw our patio umbrella catch the wind and pirouette off the deck. No big deal. It was March 2020, and this had happened before. Later that day, however, my husband J.P. and I…
How I Got Over My Fears and Started Using a Cane
The same nightmare kept replaying in my mind, in slow motion. At the height of morning rush hour, I am scurrying to my office. Head down, I’m making a mental checklist of the day’s priorities. The first intersection quickly approaches…
Four Ways to Improve Crisis Intervention Services for the Disability Community
Content note: includes discussion of mental health crises and police brutality In 2012, my own fear of the police due to previous trauma impacted my ability to call the crisis response team for a friend who was having a mental…