Stepping Into Truth: Conversations on Race, Gender, and Social Justice
Talking with Disability Activist and Musician Gaelynn Lea
Season 2 Episode 17
To listen to this conversation click here.
Gaelynn Lea won NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest in 2016, and she's been on the road ever since playing her unique mix of haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes. So far the singer-songwriter and violinist played 600 concerts in 43 states and 8 countries.
Gaelynn also does speaking engagements about disability rights, finding inner freedom, and accessibility in the arts. Gaelynn is currently working on a memoir that she plans to release in 2022.
RESOURCES:
Connect with Gaelynn:
Gaelynn Lea Official Website: www.violinscratches.com
Gaelynn Lea Patreon Page: www.patreon.com/gaelynnlea
Social Media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
Gaelynn’s 3 Action Steps:
Gaelynn was kind enough to take the time to send a comprehensive* list of organizations to engage with and actions to take. Below is the information that she has compiled.
*There is a lot below. The idea isn’t to try and do all of them. Pick one or two and start there. Then you can come back to this list whenever you want.
1 - Learn about Disability Issues, especially in electoral politics: both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have addressed this specifically in their campaigns. Here are some good websites to learn about Disability Rights:
https://rootedinrights.org/
https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/
https://advocacymonitor.com/
http://www.rampyourvoice.com/
https://adapt.org/
https://www.aapd.com/
https://www.disabilityscoop.com/
https://disabilitythinking.com/
http://www.thismess.net/
A whole archive of disability blogs: https://www.meriahnichols.com/disability-blogs/
2 - Get involved in Disability Rights work through your local Center for Independent Living: here is the National Directory. The term "center for independent living" means a consumer‑controlled, community‑based, cross‑disability, nonresidential private nonprofit agency that is designed and operated within a local community by individuals with disabilities and provides an array of independent living services. Learn more about Centers for Independent Living Here: https://ncil.org/
3 - Stop spending money at inaccessible locations. Even better, when you make the decision to stop spending money there, send an email that says,
"I will no longer be frequenting your business because it is not wheelchair accessible. This makes it impossible for many people with disabilities (and often older customers with mobility issues) to enjoy access to your establishment, which does not recognize the equal rights guaranteed to them in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
It is my hope that you will take significant and meaningful action to remedy this issue in a timely manner, and then I will be happy to return as a loyal customer! Becoming accessible will not only make your space more welcoming to all, but it will generate additional income from those who have not been able to spend money at your establishment previously:
"Americans with disabilities are often overlooked for their purchasing power. According to a 2010 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, one in five Americans have a disability. That number equates to nearly 51.2 million Americans in 2015 with a disability. What’s more is that businesses can tap into this market providing accessible storefronts, products and services for people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Labor also found that Americans with disabilities have $175 billion in discretionary spending." - National Center for Business Journalism
I hope you will consider making positive changes to your building in the future. I understand that architectural changes take money, but there is nothing stopping you from fundraising on a site like GoFundMe for this project if it's truly not in your budget.
I am hopeful you will prioritize accessibility in 2020 and beyond. Unfortunately the only other avenue that the average citizen has besides dialogue is filing an ADA complaint with the Department of Justice, which is something that could often be avoided if businesses like yours prioritized accessibility in the first place. Hopefully, you will commit to making your business more accessible to all in the future. Thank you for reading, and take care."
Credits:
Harmonica music courtesy of a friend.