The People’s Tribune wants to discuss disability from you and with you. We want to explore and educate people about what a physical, mental, cognitive, developmental, economic poverty, housing austerity that limits a person’s ability to live the best life possible.
Denial of accommodations of any disability for a person to engage in certain tasks, actions, or to participate in typical daily activities and interactions is what we are talking about. Disability is personal. Lack of accommodation for our disabilities is intolerable.
Definitions for disability: a chronic medical condition or injury that prevents someone from engaging in gainful employment, that results in serious functional limitations, disqualifies, restricts. Disabilities stigmatizes human circumstance by people who have accommodation difficulties, disadvantages people, and lacks legal qualification to do some things is the gist of our conversation.
- According to the World Health Organization, over one billion people have some form of disability, Cleve Gibbon, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2021.
- Fifteen percent of the world’s population lives with some form of a disability, and research is sparse and still emergent, ABC News, 24 Nov. 2021
- Depression remains the leading cause of disability worldwide and affects almost 300 million people, half of whom can’t find lasting relief from drugs or therapy, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2021.
- Among more than 56,000 people who responded in CDC phone interviews from the end of May until the end of June, about 5,000 reported having some form of disability. Travis Caldwell, CNN, 3 Oct. 2021.
There is so much more, and not just statistics. It’s personal. Like having your medical equipment taken away because “you aren’t using it right.” Or not being trained for work because “you need special help” that never comes.
Like being trapped in your 6th floor apartment for 12 consecutive days because the elevator doesn’t work. Like waiting hours on the floor because you fell and nobody was there to help you.
Like being yelled at because “you aren’t working fast enough.”
Like being stuck in your room at a nursing home with your COVID positive roommate.
Like staying in bed so long that you won’t even get up to go to the restroom. Yes, it happens.
What’s your story? Submit it to The People’s Tribune at info@peoplestribune.org or leave on our website contact page at http://peoplestribune.org/pt-news/contact-us/. This series will run as long as you need.
Kathy Powers is a lifetime Chicagoan. At 50, Kathy speaks out as the voice of the people. She became a revolutionary activist whose lifelong fight raises unheard voices. She is the Health Care Desk on the People’s Tribune Editorial Board.
