Close up of a ripe, juicy mango that is peeled and sliced to the seed but still attached.

Slippery Mango, Tart Tangerine: Compassion for Gastrointestinal Disabilities

CONTENT NOTE: brief mention of unintentional weight loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   You are at a holiday party and the crowd is tossing back eggnog…

Rooted in Rights 2023 and Beyond

Hello Rooted in Rights followers, contributors, and supporters! This is Allexa, the Director of Rooted in Rights (RiR), reaching out to you all to let you know of some changes to expect from RiR and some exciting things happening now!…
Artwork. A gold plaque has the following written on it in black text: "This institution has failed to provide disabled individuals with an accessible evacuation plan. In the case of an emergency, this is where my people will die. Please remember us. Please remember me."

In the Stairwell, We Will Die

During my sophomore year of college, I wrote my will. That year was filled with trauma. I’d noticed a constant ache in my lower back that soon trickled down my legs and into my feet. They started to look like
Denarii Grace stands outdoors on a sunny day, smiling at the camera in jeans and a black lace top, surrounded by trees..

Turning the Page: Meet Rooted in Rights’ New Editor-in-Chief, Denarii Grace!

CONTENT NOTE: brief mention of domestic abuse (no details)   I began with singing. Then I swam in songwriting. By the time I graduated from elementary school, I was riding the waves of poetry and playwriting. I would be in…
A White person with brown wavy hair looks up towards the sky in a forest. There is a Rooted in Rights icon, a Closed Captioning icon, and an Audio Description icon on the left of the image.

Access Nature

The physical, mental, and emotional benefits of access to nature are widely known, yet communities that need these benefits the most are often excluded from outdoor spaces. What does accessibility in the outdoors actually mean, and how can it be improved for all people with disabilities?
Rooted in Rights logo with interlocking trees in white and teal on black background

Accessibility for Social Storytelling

Accessibility as a Tool for Social Storytelling originally presented at Netroots.
A group of people stand on a balcony in Kenya. The Rooted in Rights and Mental Voices Africa Logos in the bottom corner of the image.

Mental Voices Africa and Rooted in Rights

Rooted in Rights has partnered with Mental Voices Africa to promote international advocacy for those of us with mental health disabilities. In October 2019, Noela Luka, Chairperson for Mental Voices Africa, and Allexa Laycock, Editor for Rooted in Rights,  led…
Rooted in Rights and Mental Voices Africa logo with Closed Caption and Audio Description logos. Harrison sits in front of a brick wall.

Mental Voices Africa – Harrison

Harrison describes the difficulty in acquiring a disability card as a person with bipolar disorder.
Rooted in Rights and Mental Voices Africa logo with Closed Caption and Audio Description logos. Nick sits in front of a brick wall.

Mental Voices Africa – Nick

Nicholas Odhiambo Osir has a BA in Philosophy. He is a Mental Health survivor meaning he got better over time, developed great coping mechanisms and is not always on medication. He is passionate about self-advocacy on Mental Health issues in…