| “I am a person that was simply born the way that I was born. The same way that people are born with curly hair or red hair or blue eyes or green eyes, I was born with cerebral palsy.” Julia Munk, founder of Students For Barrier-Free Access at the University of Toronto and a passionate advocate of disability issues, writes these words to introduce her life as a person with a disability. Her story is one of many compiled in Carol Krause’s upcoming anthology that explores the experiences of a number of people with disabilities.
Disability is one of those terms that is thrown around so much that we often forget the person who is actually living the experience of having a disability, (whatever that may mean). For some, having a disability is just one of several aspects of life. Others celebrate their identity as a person who has their own way of living and being, alongside with everyone else in this world. Still others claim that they do not actually have a disability and do not want to be identified as a “person with a disability”.
The lives and experiences that fill this anthology are a celebration of this diversity. A variety of individuals, including people living with chronic illnesses, physical, sensory, developmental, and learning disabilities, as well as mental health issues, tell their stories through first person narratives and casual conversations. By exploring the stories of the contributors, this anthology will be demonstrating the need to acknowledge the richness of the lives of people with disabilities. Interested? Look for updates on Carol’s upcoming anthology on this website.
Carol Krause’s involvement in the disability rights movement has helped her meet many wonderful people who have made this anthology possible. Her advocacy work includes being the 2003-2004 Chair of Students For Barrier-Free Access at the University of Toronto. She was also involved in coordinating the development of a student-run access centre for dealing with inclusion and accessibility issues for students with disabilities at the university. As well, Carol assisted with planning last year’s Breaking Down Barriers 2003 Conference.
Carol has enjoyed presenting on accessibility issues at events, including the Breaking Down Barriers 2003 Conference, Ryerson University’s Equity Conference, and at the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education’s 2004 Conference at the University of Ottawa. She is currently preparing for a career related to law as a student at Osgoode Hall Law School. On a personal level, her experience living with a chronic illness as a teenager has helped her develop awareness and understanding of the complexity of living with a disability. Most importantly, Carol Krause thanks all of the amazing individuals who have made this anthology possible. |
