happy holidays!

photo: arquez

Happy holidays everyone! Have a great Christmas and I'll be back in January.

Dave

a letter to alison redford

I wrote this letter for one of my classes this semester and thought I'd share it.

Dear Ms. Redford,

My name is David Sobsey. I am 21 years old, and I am in my third year at Concordia University College of Alberta. One of the classes I am taking this semester is a Christian Ethics class. For the section on politics, one of our choices for an assignment was to write to you and tell you how to be a good Christian political leader. That is the assignment I chose, since I think it’s important to be an active citizen and try to make the world a better place.

I don’t know if you are Christian or not, but many Albertans are, and either way I think it’s important to think about what a good government does.

Throughout history, different Christian scholars have had different ideas and interpretations of what government should be. There are some common themes though.

St Thomas Aquinas thinks that the government’s job is to allow people the opportunity to lead rich, fulfilled lives. He argues that humans were created to be social (God created Eve because Adam shouldn’t be alone), and we need a social structure to reach our potential. A good government is one that tries to fill the role God had in the Garden of Eden, by making sure all citizens have a chance to have a good, social life. So for example, in order to flourish in society, people need education. We need to be alive, which means we need access to things like food, shelter and healthcare.

St Thomas Aquinas also thinks that people should have these opportunities no matter what their condition in life is (for example, health, class, or disability) and no matter what their calling is. So no matter what your job is, you should be able to afford things like food and shelter. You can’t live a flourishing life if you are worrying about not having any food, so the government’s job is to make sure that nobody starves.

Pope John the 23rd argues that the goal of the government should be to create goodness in society with truth, justice and respect. Truth means the government should be open and honest, and tell people the reasons for each law. Justice means that the government should be fair to its citizens and do what it says it will. Respect means that everyone is considered to be valuable and important, and so everyone should be considered equally when making decisions, not just the people who vote or have lots of money.

Here is one way to apply these ideas that is important to me. I have disabilities, and I attend college through an inclusive education program. I think an important part of what St Thomas Aquinas was saying would be making sure people with disabilities get a chance to go to university if they want to. So making sure inclusive post-secondary education continues to be funded would be a way to help all people access education. I definitely think that my experience in university has helped me grow as a person, just like Thomas Aquinas wanted.

I hope that you’ve found some interesting things to think about in my letter. If you would like to know more about me, you can look at my blog at dsobsey.blogspot.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say.

Sincerely,

David Sobsey

turtle on wheels

oskar the blind kitten

Check out this awesome video! It's a blind kitten named Oskar playing with his first toys.

the space between ability and disability

photo: Addison Berry

A couple weeks ago, my college had a fire drill at lunch time. I was eating lunch in the cafeteria, which is in the basement. There is an accessible way out...on the opposite side of the building. So I left my lunch, got up, and headed for the stairs.

I don't use stairs very often. And when I do, they are only a couple steps long, like to get to my front door or into the hot tub at the pool. In these cases, I usually try to take my time so I don't lose my balance.

That lunchtime, I practically ran up an entire flight of stairs, then down another few right outside the doors. I didn't have a jacket and it was chilly out, so I walked around the building to the other side of campus where the car was parked. I got there just in time for us to be let back in through the front doors.

Some people might look at this and say that I don't need to use elevators or my wheelchair- after all, I was fine going up the stairs and walking a decent distance during the fire drill. But that wouldn't be true. There are lots of things that I CAN do, that I just usually don't. It's not because I'm lazy or want people to do things for me all the time. It just takes a lot of energy for me to do things that other people don't even realize they do. I am just prioritizing what is worth the extra energy to do and what isn't.

Gary McPherson wrote about this in the book Breaking Bread, Nourishing Connections.

“Soon after getting polio, it seemed important to regain as much physical independence as possible. This was a time of intensive physiotherapy and experimentation. My quest to be as independent as I could be yielded some hard-earned lessons. For example, I was fitted with an elaborate sling that was attached to my wheelchair. The sling supported my left arm and hand so that I could physically feed myself from a tray top that was attached to my chair. I soon realized that the required energy to feed myself combined with my breathing difficulties created more problems than solutions. I made a decision to use my limited energy in a much more focused way. I had grown beyond the need to prove my physical independence and manhood through the act of feeding myself to the point of exhaustion."

 So the next time that you see someone in a wheelchair, don't assume they aren't capable of walking. If someone is communicating non-verbally, don't assume they aren't capable of talking. If someone is being fed lunch instead of eating on their own, don't assume they aren't capable of feeding themselves. Even if these things do happen to be true (and you can't know if they are), it doesn't mean anything about what kind of person they are or what they care about or what they have to contribute.

Check out this video- it's a funny look at some major accessibility fails. (I'd embed it but I don't think it's on youtube yet)

customer service

photo: sherlock77

Customer service is an important part of every business. When it comes to customers with disabilities, though, the same standards don't always seem to apply. This is likely due to people not knowing how to best serve customers with disabilities, as well as people underestimating the importance of treating customers like me well.

Accessibility and a welcoming atmosphere make a huge difference. They're good business -
 I know when I find a restaurant, for example, that is accessible and whose staff treat me well, I'm likely to return regularly (and I'm a good tipper!). Little things make a big difference, like greeting me when I come in, looking at and talking to me as well as whoever is with me, and bringing me my own menu.

Stop Ableism, an organization based in Ontario, has a quick accessibility test you can take to see how welcoming your business is to people with disabilities. The Ontario government also has some resources to help businesses become more accessible.

If you'd like to provide excellent customer service to everyone, including people with disabilities, but aren't sure how, there are some guidelines here. They're a pretty good summary; the only thing I would add would be tips for customers who may not speak. For more specific advice, York University has some really thorough tips on interacting with customers with  a wide variety of disabilities. You can also find some good information as well as individualized tip sheets for different disabilities here.

update on motala the elephant

photo: http://animom.tripod.com/motala.html

At the beginning of the summer, I posted about Motala the elephant who has a prosthetic leg. Since then, I've learned more about her story. She now has a real prosthesis instead of just a bag of wood shavings. This is a picture of her from this past February. You can see more pictures and read more about her story here.

photo: edomond

Hello all! I hope you've had a relaxing and enjoyable summer. Now that the days are getting shorter and classes have started up again, I'll be back to updating more regularly.

I've got a bunch of posts planned, including an accessibility guide to the University of Alberta, ableism in volunteering, and an inside look at inclusive education, so stay tuned! In the meantime, if you happen to be on the U of A campus, stop by APIRG in HUB Mall to pick up a copy of their just-released zine for new students, including an article by yours truly.

photo: oddee.com

Motala the elephant lives in Thailand and has been using this old-school prosthetic leg since 2005. It's just a bag filled with wood shavings.

on giving

Yesterday I spent the day helping out at the Edmonton Emergency Relief Society. I spent several hours sorting through donations and boxing them up so that they can be sent to Slave Lake once there are facilities in place up there to handle donations.

So far, TONS of stuff has been donated. In fact, the EERS has no more room for donations until stuff can be shipped up north. What they don't have, though, is enough volunteers to process all these donations. It's not an exciting job, but it needs to be done.

It's been amazing to see such an outpouring of support for the victims of the Slave Lake fire. But it's easy enough to give away some old clothes you don't need anymore. It takes more commitment to actually spend time working.

Now, don't get me wrong. I think donating resources is very important and should be encouraged, and I know a lot of people work during the day and can't take time to volunteer. Just remember that what is easiest for you to give might not be what is needed the most.

If you still want to do something to help the people in Slave Lake, you can donate to the Red Cross (www.redcross.ca), call the EERS and see if they need more volunteers, or hang on to your donations until there's somewhere for them to go. Thrift stores like Value Village also always accept donations, and the money always goes to a good cause.

nobuyuki tsujii

Nobuyuki Tsujii is a world-renowned piano player from Japan. He has won many awards and medals for his piano playing, and enjoys hiking, skiing, and swimming in his free time. He has been blind since birth.

not acceptable

If you haven't seen it yet, this PSA aired during last week's episode of Glee, and stars Lauren Potter and Jane Lynch. Check it out.

photo: oddee.com

how to help slave lake

photo: www.vancouversun.com

In case you haven't heard, the town of Slave Lake in Northern Alberta has been devastated by forest fires. If you want to help, you can donate to the Red Cross (www.redcross.ca) or to Edmonton Emergency Relief Services (http://www.eerss.ca).

how to make an accessible space, part one

Here are some pictures showing examples of accessibility and barriers to accessibility.

Let's start with the basics.

Automatic doors are great.

Doors with buttons are almost as great.

 

Non-automatic doors without buttons? Not so great.

Elevators are also very helpful.

Though a button people in wheelchairs could reach would be nice!

Signs telling you where the elevators are can be very handy.

Sometimes people need reminders!

Pro tip, though: most of us don't really enjoy being called "the disabled".

It's great when there are accessible alternatives to inaccessible routes- especially when the accessible way is right there, and you don't have to go around back!

Here's another example of a dually accessible entrance- the ramp is right beside the stairs. Convenient for everyone!

If the main entrance isn't accessible, it's nice to have a sign showing you where the accessible entrance is. Something more visible and closer to the main entrance would be even better.

 

Cutaway curbs make things a lot more convenient for those of us with wheels.

Although gravel in the spring makes things a bit tougher.

It's great when detours or temporary sidewalks are also accessible!

Though hard-to-notice gaps like this can be jarring.

Finally,

People in wheelchairs can have emergencies too! It would be nice to have a security phone where everyone could reach it.

That's all for this post. I'm planning on continuing, though, so if you have any suggestions for other examples of accessibility or barriers let me know!

update

 

photo: www.oddee.com

Hey all. Sorry things have been a bit slow around here lately- it's finally begun to seem a bit like summer, and I've been enjoying the weather (and the end of classes for the year!). I also have a couple other projects on the go, which I will keep you posted on. Regular updates will be back soon.

Dave

Photo: www.oddee.com

art gallery of alberta

image: www.virtualmuseum.ca

The Art Gallery of Alberta has some neat exhibits at the moment. I was there the other day and especially enjoyed the Emily Carr exhibit. This painting, "Indian House With Totems", was my favourite.

In terms of accessibility, the art gallery is okay. The main issue is that none of the doors to the galleries are automatic. If the security people see you they'll rush over to open the door for you, but this system doesn't work all the time, and plus it's kind of awkward standing around waiting for someone to open a door for you. Other than that it's pretty accessible.

ableism documentary

This short documentary was made by high school students in California. It's a pretty good outline of what ableism is, and features some sweet whiteboard illustrations. Check it out!

photo: animalswithdisabilities.org

thế vinh

Thé Vinh is an excellent guitar player, who happens to only have one arm.

He also plays harmonica. The video quality kind of sucks, but it's really cool to watch.

photo: CNN (click for story)

how to talk to people who don't speak

photo: moriza

I don't speak. At least, I don't communicate in the way most people think of when they see the word "speak". But ask anyone who knows me and they'll tell you that I definitely have ways to get my point across.

A lot of people, when they first meet me, are a little bit unsure of how to talk to me, because I don't speak in a typical way. So I thought I'd make a few guidelines to keep in mind when talking to people who communicate in alternative ways.

Talk TO me.

Even though I won't respond in the same way you do, I'm still listening. It might seem kind of weird at first to ask me questions when you aren't sure how to understand my answers, but it's a small thing that I really appreciate.

Look at me when you're talking to me.

This is another small thing, but it can make a big difference. It can also be tricky to remember sometimes- people I've known for years still sometimes make eye contact with my assistant more than with me. I mean, my assistant's nice and all, but I'm the one you're talking to, right?

Treat me just like anyone else.
I'm not a space alien. I'm also not a kid. I'm a 20-year-old guy. I don't care if you swear in front of me, and I probably won't be all that interested if you start talking about makeup or shoes.

It's alright to repeat yourself or rephrase what you're saying if you're not sure whether I understood something. Just make sure you're not talking down to me. If you're not sure about the difference, think about how you would talk to a businessperson who was still learning English vs. a young child. In both cases you would probably make sure to speak clearly and not use super-complicated words, but your tone would be a lot different.

Try not to overanalyse.
Don't worry too much about saying the 'right' or 'wrong' things. It's okay to say you've got to run if I'm in my wheelchair- I won't be offended. As long as you're not insulting me or mine we're all good.

Also try not to overanalyse me. Just because I'm not making eye contact with you doesn't mean I'm not listening. If I seem restless, it might be because I find you boring, but it could also be because my chair is uncomfortable or I'm stressed about a test I have this afternoon, or maybe I find what you're saying really interesting and I'm excited about it! Try not to jump to conclusions. Everyone has things going on in their lives that you don't know about. I'm no different.

Be yourself.

Don't feel like you have to put on a different face around me. If you're having a crappy day, don't pretend to act cheerful just for me (I won't for you either...). Relax and be who you are.

international day for the elimination of racial discrimination

photo: wissotzky

Recently in Edmonton four men were charged with assault and criminal harassment, among other charges, after a string of racially motivated attacks. With this in mind, I thought I'd take a minute to share a few resources and information about racism, especially since the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is coming up this Monday.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was created by the UN, and has been around since 1966. The official website has a lot of info and links to relevant resources.

Racism Free Edmonton is a local organization committed to fighting racism. One of their partners, the Centre for Race and Culture, is holding a bunch of events and seminars next Monday.

I know this is a little bit different from what I usually talk about, but it's another issue that is very important to me. The recent events prove that racism still exists, so we have to keep on fighting!

photo: jimnista

photo: Cambodia Trust

photo: www.humanesociety.org

respect

This is an awesome poster (courtesy of http://www.mouthmag.com/). I think it pretty much speaks for itself!