Insights on Citizenship
“We have to listen with our hearts" from Jim Karpe
"SHOWING UP matters." Dan Trabue
"People need to feel seen." Linda Leavitt
"People are so quick to put everyone in a 'box' like it's easier to categorize them then to acknowledge everyone is their own person." Michelle Bazeley
"Groups/categories are formed and can really limit your citizenship." Kayla Bolink
"...citizenship involves participation in the community through working, volunteering, helping, building relationships, etc. Stable housing can lend itself to citizenship because people are more likely to want to participate in the community if they don't have to be worried about moving (becoming a regular at a pizza shop, joining an art group, meeting neighbors, etc.)" Sarah Rogers
"Citizenship is our service to others especially our people with disabilities or who are vulnerable." Lucina Clarke
"Our group discussed the ability to access affordable housing is a barrier to citizenship for many people, including people with disabilities. Addressing the housing crisis for all will improve access for people with disabilities." Heather Aylward
"We discussed not putting a ceiling on peoples abilities." Sarah Grandberg
“We have to help to UN-dis-enfranchise people…parents and their children…" from Jim Karpe
"In the corridors of my mind, I envision a state where the barriers of nationality and citizenship fade into the recess of collective consciousness. I want to be unburdened by bureaucratic delineations and witness the dismantling of autocratic fortifications, allowing the free flow of interconnected thoughts and shared humanity." Saniah Syeda
"Citizenship comes with letting go of our preconceived notions regarding working and housing. In Mass, having a live-in caregiver is seen as someone having a lot less skills than someone who lives in a group home. Someone who has individual 1:1 support hours, but does not live in a segregated community of people with I/DD, is seen as not having the same skill level. It is an artificial construct as the supports are exactly the same, it is billed the same. There is absolutely no difference. WE create the hierarchy." Josh Skolnick
"It's important to listen to how the people we support define citizenship and not "prescribe a one size fits all formula" for engagement." Heather Aylward
"Here in NYS, we are now seeing that bureaucracy being used to oversee the decisions of people who want to live in community, and veto the decisions to spend Self-DIrection budgets. The landscape has shifted, and now-a-days the bureaucracy states that the wrong choice was made by the individual (in most cases helped by their family, supporters). ...,The five pointed star is grea…and, we have to recognize that the bureaucracy is now using some of these points as weapons against the people with IDD." Jim Karpe
"The government CAN and DOES change— but it happens slowly. And, seems like we need more meals with lots of wine, to loosen the imaginations and tongues of people who are discontent…." Jim Karpe
"Yes, looking at the institutions of 50+ years (my lifetime) ago is horrifying! And we’ve made progress. But why does it take generations of personal cost of so many people? “Your grandchildren and great grandchildren will have it slightly better…” is helpful, but just barely." Dan Trabue
"In our group I brought up a band Wheel Chair Sports Camp that really challenges the way society views someone with a disability... (these songs may not be safe for work)" Jenna McKeone
"We artificially ascribe someone’s value. Based on a quick assessment of their skill levels and other attributes. It is based solely on the amount of support someone requires, which we then assume goes across all domains, and it is colored by our own preconceived notions." Josh Skolnick
My son was declared un-train-able by three different travel training programs. So I trained him myself, and now he travels on the subway on his own to get to his job at Trader Joes…. Jim Karpe
"I got a good reminder that slow but steady progress is still progress! One person at a time." Michelle Bazeley
“100 Year Change” is great and cool, but we also want change TODAY." Dan Trabue
"I want to be a citizen of the world." Saniah Syeda
Song choice from Sarah Grandberg ... "We Should Start Right Now"
Great Questions on Citizenship
"Citizenship is not accessible to everyone. How or what do we do to change that?" Jenna McKeone
Resources on Neighborhoods
Working on the Root System of Social Connections in a Community Cormac Russell and Joop Hofman
This manuscript explores the transformative potential of neighbourhoods as pivotal units of societal change, employing the metaphor of a forest’s root system to highlight the intricate web of social connections foundational to vibrant communities. Advocating for an asset-based, relational strategy, it underscores the importance of nurturing community connections to foster belonging, mutual support, and collective efficacy. Through the lens of Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) and the case of the Voorstad neighbourhood in Deventer, Netherlands, it demonstrates how grassroots initiatives can create sustainable, inclusive communities. By urging policymakers and practitioners to prioritize relationships as the cornerstone for addressing complex social challenges, this work suggests a nuanced approach for building more connected, resilient, and democratic societies.
Preparing - What The Hands Know
As we shift into creative mode, Beth Mount offers a guide to collecting objects to fuel our imaginations in the process of creating possibilities.
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