[nabs-l] Lives Worth Living disability rights documentary airs on PBS

[Carly]

Hi, Bridgit,

Here in Berkeley, we have the Ed Roberts Campus, which is designed to 
be this one-stop shop for agencies serving folk with disability. I 
have noticed that, though they spent tons of cash on this building 
which is all sup'd up for chairs, it is really inaccessible for folk 
who are blind. In the ERC's defense, It seems no easy feat to make 
the same facility accessable for both blind folks as well as chairs. 
This must be because our needs and abilities are so divergent.
Today, they are having problems making this building named for this 
disability pioneer, a meaningful, presence in the disability 
community.however, I have to point out that many, many other people have been
>instrumental in the disability rights movement, and the NFB is but one
>organization. Because a group like the Federation focuses solely on one
>disability, we aren't always aware of what else exist out there.
>
>Ed Roberts is actually one of the big names mentioned when discussing
>rights for those with disabilities. He started the entire independent
>living movement, and he's the first person to establish independent
>living centers for those with disabilities. Roberts was diagnosed with
>Polio at a young age; he was unable to move his body from the neck down
>except a few fingers, and he has had to wear an iron lung most his life.
>Roberts had a very independent and positive outlook on disability,
>spurring others to get on board with accepting disability as a part of
>life. He is known for saying "differently able," it was Roberts who
>initiated the dialogue with airlines so that people with disabilities
>could travel with whatever accomodations necessary especially those
>using wheelchairs.
>
>The pioneer program at Berkley providing services to students with
>disabilities, that eventually was adopted at colleges around the
>country, was headed by Ed Roberts. Because of this guy who few actually
>know of, students with disabilities are offered services on their
>respective campuses. Schools lacking stellar services should be ashamed
>because that was never Roberts idea of quality services. Berkley has one
>of, if not thee, best disability services in the country.
>
>So before assuming the Federation, which has done a lot and is certainly
>a powerful, important organization, double check facts. No pun intended,
>but we tend to keep our blinders on in terms of disability in general.
>The Federation has done a lot- probably the most- for blindness alone,
>but in terms of the disability rights movement as a whole, many have
>come before, and many are still around.
>
>Sincerely,
>Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
>Read my blog at:
>http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>
>"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
>The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>
>Message: 3
>Date: Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:43:04 -0400
>From: Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net>
>To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] "Lives Worth Living" Disability Rights
>         Documentary     Premieres on PBS Series Independent Lens;
>October 27
>Message-ID: b9626ff6-e05b-419d-9ef1-2d8812f5fc58 at samobile.net
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format="flowed"
>
>That's odd, where's the Federation in all this seems how Jacobus
>tenBroek kind of founded the Disability Rights movement through his
>scholarly work ? And really, the blindness movement is probably one of
>the strongest in the overall Disability Rights Movement.
>
>And also, has anyone heard whether or not the film will be available
>online as I don't have a television?.
>
>Respectfully,
>Jedi
>
>
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