Able SC Statement On Black Lives Matter (BLM) And Police Violence
We are devastated by the killing of George Floyd and the innumerable other Black lives that have been lost by police violence. We speak out a lot against restraints—typically within psychiatric institutions and when used against people with disabilities, but the same applies for Black people and all people of color who experience the same restraints and unspeakable violence out on the streets for no justifiable reason. It is never okay.
At Able SC, we are people with disabilities for #BlackLivesMatter. In fact, our communities are not separate at all. Based on Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) data, Black people are the most likely ethnicity/race to have a disability. Regardless of disability – all Black lives matter.
As a disability rights organization, we pledge to continue to challenge systemic racism whenever we see it, and work towards a future where ALL people are respected and treated equitably. We are committed to making sure that our own workplace culture is as anti-racist as possible. That means we are doing a lot of listening, learning and reflecting during this time. We stand (or sit) in solidarity.
We are also committed to making sure that protests are accessible for EVERYONE who wants to participate. Depending on the nature of the protest, this could mean American Sign Language interpreters, live-captioning and video captioning, no physical barriers, etc. While protesting is not the ONLY way to affect change (especially if you are at high-risk for COVID-19 and do not want to put yourself in danger), it is one that should be accessible to everyone, and we are working with local organizers to ensure that people with disabilities can participate if they wish.
Here are a few resources on making protests and activism accessible:
- 7 Ways to Make Your Activism More Inclusive of Activists with Disabilities
- What is Police Violence? Plain Language Toolkit
- How to Be an Activist When You’re Unable to Attend Protests
- Can We Stop Arguing About the “Right Way” to Be a Disability Activist?
- Digital Accessibility Basics
- Detailed Step-By-Step Directions for Accessible Videos
- Quick Accessibility Explainer Videos and Tips
- The Overlooked History of Black Disabled People