Crip News v.91

Happy Birthday ADA, workplace "inclusion," new works, and more! Thanks for being here.

Jul 24, 2023

The ADA Turns 33

This week, on July 26th, we celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. If you want a general orientation to this major legislative landmark, check out the resources from the ADA National Network. There are also lots of events and other ways to celebrate the day with #ADA33.

This will be the first ADA anniversary when Judy Heumann is with the ancestors. The “mother” of the Disability Rights movement will be on the minds of many organizers of celebrations this week.

Honoring Judy’s legacy, activists across the U.S. are using the occasion to continue to push for fuller access to public life that is the spirit of the ADA, including greater digital accessibility.

NEWS

The Deluge of Workplace “Disability Inclusion” Awards

It’s that time of year when my inbox is flooded with news alerts that all stem from the same place: the Disability:IN “Inclusion Awards.” Winning companies have produced a spate of press releases about their awards, effectively receiving PR subsidies and elevating “inclusion” over a necessarily anti-capitlist politic of Disability Justice.

New Works

The view of an outdoor stage at Lincoln Center with dancer Jerron Herman, DJs Who Girl and Crip Time, with a screen displaying real-time creative captions, and many colors on the stage's backdrop. — **Lanna Apisukh** for NPR.

NPR’s Jennifer Vanasco recently reported on “An Evening of Access Magic,” a silent disco party at Lincoln Center, part of the Cultivating Access Ecologies series curated by Kevin Gotkin.
- The series’ closing party (in-person in NYC and remotely) takes place this Thursday, July 27th, from 7 - 9pm ET with performances by DJ Nico DiMarco, Syrus Marcus Ware, and JJJJJerome Ellis.
Crip Authorship: Disability as Method, edited by Mara Mills & Rebecca Sanchez, comes out next week from NYU Press. (Use the discount code MILLSSANCHEZ30-FM for 30% off the hard copy.)

On top of a wood table sits two window-like altar forms reminiscent of the grotto garden statues. Inside the altar forms are tinctured plant material and dried herbs. On the table beside the altar sits pink ceramic votive forms, dried plant materials, two brown bottles of tinctured plant materials, and circular microscopic photographs of roots, branches, and leaves. — Photo by **Stefan Hagen**

tending to change by Jacq Groves at Wave Hill’s Sunroom Project Space “explores spatial and temporal experiences of the body and investigates alternative forms of knowledge production and healing.” On view until August 6th.
For Broad Street Review, Wendy Univer writes about the “access artistry” of Alice Sheppard, Natalie de Segonzac, and Carolyn Lazard.

A woman in a wheelchair wears jean overalls with short pink cropped hair. She smiles at the camera. She is surrounded by vibrant clothing and decor, mostly pink, black and animal print. — **Meghan Smith** / GBH News

Keisha Greaves and her fashion line Girls Chronically Rock were featured in a story on WGBH about new trends in disability-centric fashion design.

3 award winners hold their books, including a disabled woman in a long flowing orange dress in a black powerchair.

Disabled writer Saou Ichikawa recently won Japan's prestigious Akutagawa literary award for her debut novel Hunchback.

Fairy tale-like illustrations of a forest with disabled artists Gaelynn Lea and Kevin Kling. Invisible Fences.

Invisible Fences, a new play by Gaelynn Lea and Kevin Kling, recently had its debut performances at Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis.
Kendra E. Davenport, the President and CEO of Easterseals, writes about the organization’s relative anonymity to the public and the organization’s commitments to disability advocacy for The Advocate.
The 19th recently published a few disability-focused articles, including “How Fannie Lou Hamer’s disability informed her fight for voting rights” by Rebekah Barber and a feature about Susie Talevski’s recently Supreme Court victory by Sarah Luterman.

EVENTS

Orange brick background with an illustration of green ivy and butterflies at right. At left over the bricks, purple text says "Liberation Through Connection: Building Power Across Solidarity Economy and Disability Justice."

Liberation Through Connection: Building Power Across Solidarity Economy and Disability Justice

Thursday, July 27th, 3pm ET, on Zoom

PeoplesHub is inviting community to join new Co-Directors, Hafidha Acuay and Dustin Gibson with special guest Mariame Kaba - organizer, educator, librarian, and prison industrial complex (PIC) abolitionist who is active in movements for racial, gender, and transformative justice.

White, yellow, and blue text on a colorful background reads: Crip Crap Presents Crip Pride Beach Day 1-5PM Hollywood Beach Chicago, IL Saturday July 29 Masks required, accessible restrooms, beach wheelchairs, and care workers available All are welcome!

Crip Pride Beach Day (Chicago)

Saturday, July 29th, 1 - 5pm CT, Hollywood Beach

Please wear a mask if you’re able to when in close proximity to the group. Kathy Osterman/Hollywood beach has accessible gendered bathrooms and a family restroom that requires lifeguard support to access. We will gather near the wooden beach path and have accessible beach wheelchairs and care workers available. BYO snacks or purchase at concessions stand. For other accessibility requests, e-mail info@cripcrapmedia.com. All are welcome. Rain Date: Sunday, July 30th.

On a bright blue wave filled background are 4 silky bright orange ribbons with sparklie orange fringe. The ribbons are wide and seem to float on the water. Each ribbon has colorful sequin letters in light to bright blues and light to dark greens. The letters on the 4 ribbons say: wouldn’t it be nice to meet at the water? Between the wide ribbons are pale green letters saying: Join moira williams for a Beach Mat Take Over July 26 @ Coney Island Stillwell Ave at the end of the beach mat. Take D N F Q Train/ Bus B68 B82 to Stillwell Ave. Thanks Disability Unite and Art Beyond Sight for your support! — Graphic Design by **juliet johnson** and **moira williams**. Original handmade sequin letters by **Ariel Ruvinsky**.

Beach Mat Take Over (NYC)

Wednesday, July 26th, 11am - 1pm ET, Coney Island Stillwell Ave Beach Mat

Join disabled Indigenous artist and disability cultural activist moira williams for a Beach Mat Take Over! Wouldn’t it be nice to meet in the water? Let’s celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Anniversary and move NYC towards accessibility into the water with a Beach Mat Take Over on July 26th from 11am to 1pm @ Stillwell Ave Coney Island Beach NY! Bring your beach towels, chairs, umbrellas, music, snacks, sunscreen and take over the accessible beach mat! Why? Because beach mats are what makes NYC’s beaches accessible. Huh? Beach mats offer disabled communities a single path onto the beach but not accessible ways into the water. How do we make an accessible and pleasure filled beach with water accessibility for and with NYC’s disability communities?

Emerge 2023 Symposium

Friday, July 28th, 12:30 - 5pm PT, on Zoom

A chance to learn from the Summer 2023 Emerge cohort about disability studies today and the future of scholar-activism.

Disability in British Art Research Group presents The Othered Other Stories

Tuesday, July 25th, 2 - 4pm BST, online

Artist and PHD researcher Rachel Gadsden, Professor of Museum Studies and co-director of the research centre for Museum and Galleries at University of Leicester Richard Sandell along with Filmmaker and PHD researcher Richard Butchins will deliver papers that explore how disability is discussed in art history from the perspectives of museums and artists.

The 4th Annual ThisAbility Art Showcase

Saturday, July 29th, 5 - 9pm ET, El Barrio Artspace PS109

ThisAbility celebrates inclusion and recognition of artists with disabilities. The event will feature several artists showcasing their talents, including selected live performances. The show will act as a fundraiser sponsored by Level the Curve Inc., a company that helps people with disabilities by creating devices that improve independence in everyday life.

ART+ Positive & Electric Blanket in partnership with Visual AIDS

In the final public program for Images on which to build, 1970s-1990s, curated by Ariel Goldberg, this event celebrates two pivotal AIDS-related projects: Electric Blanket, a public projection created by Nan Goldin, Allen Frame, and Frank Franca with Visual AIDS in the 1990s, and the work of ART+ Positive, an artist collective that included Lola Flash, Julie Tolentino, Aldo Hernández, Hunter Reynolds, Leon Mostovoy, and Ray Navarro–among others. Moderated by curator Ariel Goldberg, this event will provide space for New York based members of these two groups, Lola Flash, Allen Frame, Frank Franca, and Aldo Hernández, to reflect on to reflect on endurance and resilience, collective organizing in their art practice, and the material realities of these works. Join us to hear memories and reflections on the re-presentation of these respective projects within the exhibition, with opportunities for audiences to view the works on view before the show closes and participate in the discussion.

Inclusive Fashion: Building a Holistic Ecosystem Beyond Product

Thursday, July 27th, 2 - 4pm ET, online

Dispelling the myth that accessible design cannot be functional and beautiful at the same time, Sinéad Burke will speak from her personal lived and professional experience of working with global fashion companies, such as Gucci and Ralph Lauren, to illustrate how innovative, accessible design could benefit all. Featuring Aaron Rose Philip, Teppei Maeda, Jay Calderi, and Rebekah Taussig.