Author: Grace W. Dow

Maddux Remillet is an 11-year-old who loves swimming, cars, adaptive baseball, and filmmaking. He recently received national PTA recognition for a documentary he produced with a classmate on his life as a student who has a physical disability. He’s bright, curious, and determined. He also has spina bifida and achondroplasia, uses a wheelchair, and has… Continue reading Inclusion Is Hollow Without Safety

CW: Death Alison is eighty-nine years old and lives in Northern Ireland. She spends nineteen hours a day in bed. Like elsewhere, the home healthcare system in Ireland is stretched thin. Caregivers arrive around three o’clock, give her dinner, and help her into bed. They administer nighttime medication, including sleeping pills. She stays in bed… Continue reading The Global Crisis That Makes Independence Impossible

CW: Xenophobia, Homophobia, Ableism, Racism, & Institutionalization Today, our neighborhoods come alive with barbecues, laughter, and fireworks. We settle into the familiar routines of our 4th of July celebrations, celebrating the beauty of America. But for disabled people, independence is not always a reality. It isn’t something that was written on a scroll centuries ago.… Continue reading You Cannot Light Fireworks While Extinguishing Our Rights

Among today’s largest climate change concerns are the effects of extreme heat on public health. The risks are far greater for disabled and chronically ill people, not only because they are more likely to be affected by high temperatures, but also because structural barriers and social conditions make coping with the heat much more difficult.… Continue reading The Heat Arrives Like a Warning, and Disabled People Feel It First

Not even a week has passed since I was told I had my nighttime PCA hours back. Now, I have another hurdle to deal with. I found out yesterday that I owe the Social Security Administration more than $1,000 due to an overpayment that occurred last December. To say this knocked the wind out of… Continue reading When Bureaucracy Punishes the Disabled

Today is the first day of disability pride month. My understanding of cerebral palsy has changed over time. I am comfortable with my disability. However, I can’t say that I am proud of my disability. I spent much of the last two months fighting with MassHealth after they took away my night PCA hours entirely.… Continue reading This Disability Pride Month, I’m Not Proud, I’m Exhausted

CW: Police Brutality & Death In Medford, Oregon, the city’s decision to settle a disability-related lawsuit marks a significant moment. However, it is also part of a broader narrative concerning the treatment of disabled people within the criminal justice system. The case centers on John Lee Malaer, who was arrested on July 11, 2019. He… Continue reading When Police Ignore Disability

I came home to America 26 years ago today, on June 29, 2000. Massachusetts will always be my home. I grew up here, and it’s the only home I’ve ever known. My family is the only one I’ve ever known. From the day I arrived, it was clear that I was cherished deeply. Many of… Continue reading 26 Years in America

CW: Ableism Disabled people have been made to prove their worth for too long. Society sees value in work, earnings, or productivity, and anyone who doesn’t meet these standards is expected to justify their value in society, in the community, in their family, and even in their own home. That’s not only unfair, but it… Continue reading Belonging Is a Right, Not a Reward 

CW: Institutional Bias Yesterday, after two months of grueling work, anxiety, and frustration, I received a notice from MassHealth informing me that I’d been approved for 60 PCA hours per week. Relief washed over me like a deep, sudden wave. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I’m glad I kept… Continue reading Relief, Roadblocks, and Resilience