Blog Carnival #42 (Taking a Break)

I’m going to deviate somewhat from Greg’s original topic of “Summer Break” to the idea of giving ourselves a break. Sounds silly, eh? But I am sure there are plenty of people with disabilities out there who perhaps should hear this. What I’m talking about are not necessarily the “super crips” (I really hate that term as it seems to denigrate people who are pushing themselves to excel) but in particular disability advocates and activists. We are all trying to “save the world” and sometimes it is important to remember to make time for ourselves.

People with disabilities are exactly that: People. With. Disabilities. We demand to not be identified solely by our disability. We are brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, children, employees, neighbors and friends. In short, we are more than our limitations. Disability advocates and activists are passionate about their issues. We understand how peoples lives and lifestyles can lie in the balance and what we do, whether it is in the halls of Congress or protesting outside of corporate headquarters or even educating local school children can make a significant difference. But we also need to understand how to “let go” and give ourselves a break.

I bring this up because of my recent experiences with a number of wonderful disability rights advocates. They are doing a fantastic job and working very hard, but what has been disturbing to me is that even in a social setting, they were unable to carry on a conversation on anything but the policies and politics in Washington as they relate to disability. I would love to say that this has been a rare occurrence but that isn’t the case and when we focus to narrowly, we do ourselves and the community, a disservice. These individuals (my opinion) probably need a small break from their activities. Why? Because they had now LIMITED themselves to the identity of a “person with a disability” and nothing more.

To be successful, in lobbying or anything else in this world, we need to recognize that our successes are greatly influenced by relationships. And relationships are not just built on passion for a cause. This was illustrated to me a couple of years ago at a national technology advisory committee meeting with representatives from disability groups and major IT industry players. I had my fencing gear with me (yes, I mean fencing with swords) because I was going to practice right after work. Seeing my swords elicited a response that became a friendly conversation from two other committee members (from Apple and Sun Microsystems), both of whom, in their spare time, fence. My recreational activity actually became a point of connection with these other high level representatives.

I am proud of my disability-related work and I am just as proud of my life outside of work. I write fiction, I podcast (and not just Day in Washington), I make short films, I love to fence and I even do some fire dancing and bullwhip tricks. Together, all of this makes me an interesting person and gives me many ways to connect with others. Disability advocates, are some of the strongest and most passionate people you’ll ever meet, but we all need to make sure that we take the time to recognize that even though we are people with disabilities and passionate about our cause, we are also so much more.

Tags: activism, advocacy, blog carnival, break, burnout, disability, hobbies, PittRehab, Uncategorized