IN CASE YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN IN
THE FEW MINUTES BETWEEN THERE
AND HERE.
>> WE'RE ALL GLAD TO REFRESH
YOUR MEMORY.
WE'RE HERE TO MODERATE AND WE
USE THE TERM EXCEPTIONALLY
LOOSELY.
PEOPLE SHOULD CHIME IN AS THEY
SO DESIRE.
THE DISCUSSION ON THE FUTURE OF
DISABILITY RIGHTS ACTIVISM IN
FANDOM.
THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF THIS.
WE INTEND MOST OF THE DAY
TALKING ABOUT REPRESENTATION OF
DISABILITY, IN POPULAR CULTURE
AND VARIOUS FORMS OF MEDIA,
THERE IS ALSO WORK THAT I KNOW
MANY FOLKS HAVE BEEN DOING ABOUT
THE ACCESSIBILITY OF CONS AND
OTHER RELATED SPACES, AND A
BROADER DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE
CAN ENGAGE THIS CONSIDERABLE
FANDOM COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT THE
PRIORITY OF THE DISABILITY
RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
BUT OUR HOPE HERE IS TO
JUMPSTART THAT DISCUSSION, WHEN
YOU ALL GO BACK TO YOUR
RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES OF
ORIGIN, WE CAN HOPEFULLY START
SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST FAR
LONGER THAN EVEN THIS
EXTRAORDINARY CONFERENCE.
>> OKAY.
DITTO.
YOU HAVE HEARD THIS ACTUALLY
FROM ME EARLIER IN THE DAY AND
FROM ARI, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT
CON AND THE IDEA IS WE'RE
ADDRESSING THE IDEA OF
DISABILITY AND A VARIETY OF FAN
COME, COMIC, WE'VE HAD FILMS,
WE'VE HAD TELEVISION SERIES
TALKED ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, ANIMATION, A NUMBER OF
THINGS THAT COME UP.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I IMAGINED
WE'D ALL LIKE TO SEE IS THAT
THINGS WOULD BE BETTER A YEAR
FROM NOW.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE GET CAUGHT UP IN
WASHINGTON, WE'RE WORKING ON THE
POLICIES GENERALLY, FROM YEAR TO
YEAR WE HOPE TO MAKE THINGS
BETTER.
BUT NONE OF THAT HAPPENS
AUTOMATICALLY, AND SO IN SOME
WAYS, WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE
A POST CONFERENCE, EVERYTHING
THAT EVERYONE HAS TALKED TO EACH
OTHER ABOUT BOTH IN THE SESSIONS
AND TO EACH OTHER IN THE
HALLWAYS, AND SAY, ALL RIGHT,
SO, THIS IS EXCITING.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
WE, US HERE, AS A GROUP, AND WE
AS INDIVIDUALS TO ACTUALLY HAVE
THE STATUS QUO.
WHAT ARE IDEAS FOR WHAT, WHERE
SOME OF THE BIG ROADBLOCKS MIGHT
BE.
WHAT IDEAS WE HAVE SINGLE
LEVERAGE POINTS TO MAKE A BIG
CHANGE.
AND THEN WHAT ARE THINGS THAT
WE'RE WILLING TO COMMIT TO, YOU
KNOW, I'LL SIGN MY NAME IN BLOOD
AT THE END OF THE NIGHT SAYING
THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO COMMIT
TO SO A YEAR FROM NOW I CAN COME
BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW, MY GOD,
THIS IS WHAT WE AS A COMMUNITY
HAVE ACHIEVED IN FANDOM BETWEEN
HERE AND NOW WITH THESE
DISABILITY GOALS.
>> THERE IS BLOOD SOAKED IN
THE BACK OF THE ROOM SO WE'RE
PREPARED ON THAT FRONT.
>> LET'S KICK THINGS OFF, AND I
THINK THAT DAY AL-MOHAMED HIT
THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
I'LL PUT MY DITTO WITH HER
EARLIER DITTO.
AND WE'LL START WITH BARRIERS
AND OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE IN
THE FANDOM COMMUNITY.
WE'RE BOTH PEOPLE WITH
BACKGROUNDS IN PUBLIC POLICY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WORKING
IN PUBLIC POLICY REALLY SHOWS IS
THE LIMIT TO WHAT GOVERNMENT CAN
DO.
A LOT OF THE CHANGE WE SEE TAKES
PLACE IN THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL
SPHERES.
AND, FANDOM IS OBVIOUSLY GREAT
PLACE TO START THINKING ABOUT
IT, GIVEN THAT IT IS NEAR AND
DEAR TO MANY OF OUR HEARTS.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO VOLUNTEER
WITH JUST A THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT
THEY MIGHT WANT TO SEE CHANGE,
VIS-A-VIS HOW DISABILITY IS
APPROACHED IN FANDOM.
>> ANYONE?
WOW.
FANDOM IS PERFECT ON DISABILITY
ISSUES I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SURE, SURE.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO VOLUNTEER
AND WE HAVE ALEX, RIGHT OVER
THERE TO MY LEFT.
AND YOUR RIGHT.
WALKING AROUND WITH A PORTABLE
MIC.
JUST RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT
TO VOLUNTEER, TO NAME AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE THAT
EXISTS IN HOW THE FANDOM
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATES DISABILITY?
RIGHT IN THE CENTER THERE.
>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS
A PRETTY OBVIOUS ONE.
BUT THOSE MOMENTS AS HAPPENED A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN THERE
IS A MAJOR CHANGE INSTITUTED, IN
A CHARACTER, TALKING ABOUT
COMICS.
LIKE THE, YOU KNOW, THE REBOOT
OF ORACLE, AND THE OUTCRY AMONG
CERTAIN PARTS OF THE FAN
COMMUNITY AGAINST THAT AND THE
KINDS OF DISCOURSES THAT WERE
PRODUCED BY THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY WHAT WE
CALL A TEACHABLE MOMENT IN LIFE
HERE.
>> THAT'S A GREAT START.
>> TO SEIZE ON THOSE SORTS OF
MOMENTS.
>> SO HOW WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE?
>> HI, SO, IF I WOULD --
ACTUALLY, BASICALLY IT IS TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF EVENTS, I GUESS
WHERE DISABILITY EITHER IS OR IS
NOT PREVALENT.
>> SO LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET A
LIST.
A WORD FILE.
>> AND FEEL FREE TO PARAPHRASE
IT.
I'M A LAWYER AND I TALK IN LONG
SENTENCES.
>> WHO WANTS TO THROW SOMETHING
ELSE OUT?
>> I WAS THINKING SOMETHING THAT
DAY SAID EARLIER IN ONE OF THE
PANELS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE
BACKGROUND OF DISABLED
DEPICTION.
YOU KNOW, THE CROWD SCENE WITH
THE PERSON IN THE WHEELCHAIR OR
THE GUIDE DOG, OR THE, JUST THE
CANE EVEN OF SOMEONE VISUALLY
IMPAIRED.
OR TO SEE PEOPLE IN THE
BACKGROUND SIGNING.
TO SEE THEM, ONE OF THE ASPECTS
OF COMICS THAT I ALWAYS LIKED
WAS WHEN THEY WOULD COMBINE
EVERY DAY WITH THE COMIC WORLD.
I JUST -- WE JUST FINISHED, WE
FINISHED "KINGDOM COME" IN MY
CLASS AND I GUESS I'M A LITTLE
KINGDOM COMED OUT.
BUT THE IDEA OF THE BACKGROUND
PLAYS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ROLE I
THINK, WE DON'T GIVE IT ENOUGH
CREDIT.
SO I LIKE TO SEE ARTISTS ENGAGE
IN THAT A LITTLE BIT.
>> PUTTING DISABILITY IN THE
EVERY DAY OF THE COMIC WORLD.
THAT'S SPECTACULAR.
AND YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE
A PIECE OF LOW-HANGING FRUIT ALL
THINGS CONSIDERED.
>> VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I
THINK IT BECOME AS SUBCONSCIOUS
ISSUE THEN FOR THE YOUNG READER.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> FROM AN ORGANIZING
PERSPECTIVE WE WANT TO BE
LOOKING FOR IMPORTANT PIECES OF
LOW-HANGING FRUIT.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET THE
BALL ROLLING.
AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT
PLACE TO START.
>> HI, THIS PERTINENT TO THAT
LAST COMMENT.
WHEN WE DO SEE SOMEONE DO THAT,
INCLUDE DISABILITY IN THE EVERY
DAY OF THE BACKGROUND OF A
COMIC, TO BE SURE TO COMPLIMENT
THE COMIC'S CREATOR OR WRITER.
I WENT TO SEE A FILM CALLED MY
BROOKLYN RECENTLY, AND IT HAS
BEEN CIRCULATING A LOT TO A LOT
OF PROGRESSIVE AUDIENCES THAT
CRITIQUE THE ECONOMIC -- THE WAY
THAT BROOKLYN HAS BEEN
DEVELOPED.
AND, AFTERWARD I TALKED WITH --
THERE WERE SO MANY GOOD THINGS
ABOUT THE FILM AND AFTERWARD I
TALKED WITH THE FILM MAKER AND
SAID I WANTED TO SAY I LOVE THE
WAY THAT DISABILITY WAS DEPICTED
IN THE FILM AS PART OF THE
BACKGROUND, AS PART OF THE EVERY
DAY LIFE BROOKLYN AND SHE SAID
NOBODY EVER SAID THAT TO ME
BEFORE.
THANK YOU.
>> ACKNOWLEDGING POSITIVE
REPRESENTATION.
>> COULD YOU LEAN INTO THE
MICROPHONE?
>> DON'T APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR
THOUGHTS.
PUT THEM OUT THERE.
LET'S DO IT!
>> BRING IT ON!
>> THIS RIGHT WAY TO BE A FAN
STUFF, AND HOW THIS WHOLE IDEA
THAT YOU'RE NOT A TRUE FAN
UNLESS YOU -- UNLESS YOU OWN --
OR YOU SEEM, YOU KNOW, EVERY
EPISODE OF THE TELEVISION SHOW.
I THINK THAT REALLY DAMAGING AND
REALLY CUTS PEOPLE OFF FROM
FANDOM AND IT -- IT IS ALSO I
THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INPUT OF
SYMBOLISM IN THERE IN TERMS THAT
NOT EVERYONE CAN READ COMIC OR
NOT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO SUCH
NARRATIVES IN ONE FORM A FAN MAY
HAVE ACCESS AND ALL OF THOSE
THINGS ABOUT IT.
SO JUST DOING, JUST CHANGING
OUR ATTITUDES AND ADVOCATING FOR
ALL FAN, ALL GOOD FANS.
>> ALL FANS ARE GOOD FANS.
NO MATTER HOW -- FROM -- TO I
JUST SAW AN ANIMATED BATMAN.
ALL FANS ARE GOOD FANS.
>> THAT SOUNDS SPECTACULAR THERE
SNOW WRONG WAY TO BE A FAN, OR
TO (INAUDIBLE).
>> UNLESS IT IS MY RESEARCH.
>> AND I ALSO WANTED TO BRING
YOU BACK TO THE ORACLE MOMENT IN
RELATING IT TO WHAT THIS LADY
SAID.
WHAT WAS INSTRUCTIVE OR USEFUL
THE FAN DISCOURSES LED TO
ACTUALLY GAIL SIMON, THE WRITER
ACTUALLY ENGAGING IN HAVING TO
DEFEND HER DECISION, OR IT WAS
AN EDITORIAL DECISION, BUT
HAVING TO DEFEND THIS NEW
VERSION OF THE CHARACTER.
IN OTHER WORDS, ENGAGING WITH
THE CREATORS AND GETTING THEM,
YES, PRAISING THEM AND GIVING
CREDIT WHEN THEY DO THE GOOD
STUFF BUT WHEN THEY DO THE BAD
STUFF ALSO CALLING THEM ON IT
AND GETTING THEM INVOLVED.
>> CALLING OUT BAD ACTORS.
>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS,
THE FIRST THINGS WE NEED TO DO
IS ENGAGE IN A LITTLE SELF LOVE
AS FANS AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS
OKAY TO KIND OF LIKE THINGS THAT
ARE KIND OF AWFUL.
[ LAUGHTER ] LIKE, I -- YES.
I LOVE HORROR.
NOW, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT
WE COULD TALK ABOUT THAT ARE
WRONG WITH HORROR.
BUT ...
I'M OKAY FOR LIKING IT.
I JUST WANT IT TO BE BETTER.
THAT'S ALL.
IT IS NOT MATTER OF BEING A BAD
FAN AS YOU WOULD SAY.
IT'S JUST WANTING IT TO BE
BETTER.
>> IT IS SAFE TO BE A FAN.
SURE.
WE RECEIVED A REQUEST FOR FOLKS
TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER.
IT IS A LITTLE HARD ON OUR
INTERPRETERS AND PROBABLY
VARIETY OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE
BUSINESS.
>> OKAY.
SO, BACK HERE, SO THERE IS
ANOTHER ASPECT OF VISIBILITY AND
THAT'S MORE OF JUST ACTUALLY THE
VISIBILITY AT EVENTS LIKE TOM'S
AND EVERYTHING.
ONE DEFINITELY HAVING PEOPLE
WHEN THEY ARE NOT LIKE
ACCESSIBILITY, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S NOT ACCESSIBILITY
STATEMENT ON LIKE THE CON'S
WEBSITE.
ESPECIALLY HAVE SOMEBODY RAISE
AN ISSUE AND BRING THAT UP.
BUT, WHAT I REALLY THINK ABOUT
IT IS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AT THE
EMERALD CITY COMIC CON IN
SEATTLE THERE WAS A ONE-DAY
OVERLAP WITH THIS CONFERENCE ON
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY AND YOU HAD
A LOT OF PARENTS THERE WHO HAD
BROUGHT THEIR KIDS, YOU KNOW,
SORRY.
I SEEM TO BE GETTING A BUNCH OF
TEXTS AT THE MOMENT.
YOU HAD PARENTS BRINGING THEIR
KIDS TO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
USERS TO THIS.
SO ONE DAY OVERLAP SO YOU HAD
ALL OF THESE KIDS SEEING PEOPLE
IN COSTUMES AND THEY WERE
CURIOUS.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU HAD A
BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS
AT THIS CON, AND IT JUST LIKE
WHEN YOU HAVE THAT SORT OF
STRIKINGLY VISIBLE MOMENT.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT I LOT OF
DISABILITIES ARE INVISIBLE BUT
WHEN WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, FIND
IT MORE BLATANTLY SEEABLE, YOU
KNOW, IT MAKES PEOPLE GO, OH,
YEAH, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN WHEELCHAIRS THIS YEAR THAT
WAS COOL TO SEE.
YOU JUST GET INTO THAT, YOU
KNOW, IT GETS INTO PEOPLE'S
MINDSET.
OH, THAT WAS DIFFERENT.
IT WAS OKAY.
>> I HEAR TWO REALLY IMPORTANT
ISSUES THAT YOU'RE HIGHLIGHTING.
ONE IS THE ACCESSIBILITY OF CONS
AND FANDOM SPACE WHICH IS HUGE.
>> INQUIRING ABOUT THAT.
>> EXACTLY.
EXACTLY.
AND THE OTHER IS RAISING THE
PROFILE OF DISABILITY AND FANDOM
MORE GENERALLY.
>> INCREASE VISIBILITY.
>> EXACTLY.
>> THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK
YOU NEED TO DO IS ADDRESS THE
ISSUE OF OUR OWN COMMUNITIES
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE DEAF
COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WHEN I WENT TO GALLAUDET,
VERY FEW DISCUSSIONS EVER TOOK
PLACE AROUND HOW ARE WE
REPRESENTED IN POPULAR CULTURE
AND THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING
THAT I THINK FOCUSES ON PUBLIC
POLICY, PUBLIC CHANGE BUT WE
DIDN'T THINK ABOUT
REPRESENTATIVE, THAT MIGHT HAVE
CHANGED, SWITCHED AT BIRTH HAS
GIVEN PEOPLE SOME PRIDE.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
SOME ISSUES IN THE THEY ARE
SERIES, WE NEED TO CALL THEM OUT
ON OR PRAISE THEM.
AND I THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE
DONE THAT BUT I DON'T THINK IT
HAS ELEVATED THE ISSUES WITHIN
OUR OWN COMMUNITY ABOUT
REPRESENTATION, IT IS SOMETHING
THAT WE COULD DO ON OUR OWN.
AND WE NEED TO DO THAT.
>> THAT'S A GREAT POINT AND THAT
BOUNCES NICELY OFF THE LAST ONE.
THE LAST ONE WAS, GOING AND
MAKING OUR PRESENCE AMONG
GENERAL FANDOM BUT TALKING TO
OUR OWN DISABILITY COMMUNITY
ABOUT THE THINGS WE LOVE.
SHARING OUR PASSIONS, AND THE
THINGS THAT WE GEEK OUT OVER,
AND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT IT IS
A LEGITIMATE -- IT IS A
LEGITIMATE FORM OF ADVOCACY.
>> AND WE WANT TO BE THAT
BRIDGE.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT DISABILITY
SELF ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS TO
BE TALKING TO CREATORS.
WE WANT TO BE DRIVING
CONVERSATION WHERE THE
TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND
THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
LIKE NAD, AND NFD OR NICKEL OR
WHAT HAVE YOU, LOOK AT CULTURE
AS A SAFE -- (INAUDIBLE) JUST AS
MUCH AS GOVERNMENT.
>> TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP ON
THAT AND GO BACK TO YOUR
ORIGINAL POINT ABOUT WRITING
SOMETHING IN BLOOD, HAS ANYBODY
EVER THOUGHT OF PROPOSING A
PANEL AT THE SDS ON HOW TO CRIP
THE COMIC CULTURE OR THE POP
CULTURE WORLD?
>> THERE IS A COOL IDEA.
>> FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE NOT
SURE WHAT THAT IS, THAT MIGHT BE
MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE COMIC
BOOK WORLD, THAT'S THE ACADEMIC
FIELD FOR DISABILITY STUDIES.
SOCIETY FOR DISABILITY
CONFERENCE.
>> AND OUT OF CURIOSITY, WHERE
IS NEXT SDS CONFERENCE?
>> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT IS IN
ORLANDO.
IT IS IN DISNEY WORLD.
>> WELL, LET ME JUST TAKE A
BRIEF INTERLUDE TO SAY THAT IF
ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN HELPING
ORGANIZE AND ALL OF THAT NATURE,
IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE TWO
FOLKS WILLING TO BE THE
POTENTIAL POINTS OF CONTACT.
COULD I ASK YOUR NAME?
>> MY NAME IS LYDIA AND I'M
ACTUALLY DOING A PANEL THIS YEAR
IN ORLANDO ON A JUNKET WITH A
DISABILITY.
AND HOW TO BRING DISABILITY IN
THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO SOME
OF THE PEOPLE AT THE SDS ABOUT
DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
OBVIOUSLY FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S
CONFERENCE.
>> SURE.
FECTEAU.
>> ANY OF YOU INTERESTED IN
BRINGING THIS CONVERSATION TO
SDS, TALK TO LYDIA OR DAY.
>> LYDIA WILL LEAD AND I WILL
THE FOLLOW.
>> OKEY DOKEY.
>> RACHAEL.
>> DAY.
>> I SEE IT ON FACEBOOK AND
PINTEREST, THEY ARE NOT DISABLE
CHARACTER BUT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITY AND DRESS UP AS THEIR
FAVORITE CHARACTER.
THEY ARE KIND OF CRIPPING
CHARACTERS OR TAKING OWNERSHIP
OF CHARACTERS AND I FIND THAT
VERY INTERESTING.
>> I LOVE IT.
I WANT TO WRITE FOR THAT.
ONE DAY THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO
COME AND PLAY MY CHARACTER.
>> LIKE THERE IS A -- I JUST
BROUGHT UP A PICTURE, IT IS A
LITTLE BOY IN A WHEELCHAIR AND
HE IS DRESSED UP AS DR. WHO.
AND HIS WHEELCHAIR IS -- I THINK
I SAW THIS.
BUT RELATED TO THIS SDS COMMENT,
I THINK IT IS WONDERFUL.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID TODAY
WAS WE DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE IT
TOO ACADEMIC.
WE WANTED TO BRING IT DOWN JUST
A LITTLE.
BUT WE ALSO WANTED TO WORK
TOGETHER.
WE SPECIFICALLY ENCOURAGED
UNDERGRADUATES TO PARTICIPATE.
WE DID EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD
TO SKYPE PEOPLE IN BECAUSE WE
WANTED TO GET EXPERIENCED
PRESENTERS.
SO IT RELATES TO THE ISSUE WE
PUT IT IN OUR CULTURE PAPER IS,
WE NEED TO MAKE INFORMATION
ACCESSIBLE NOT JUST PUBLISHED,
BUT IN LANGUAGE WE CAN
UNDERSTAND, AND WE NEED TO MAKE
THINGS LIKE DISABILITY
UNDERSTANDABLE FOR EVERYBODY'S
DISABILITY.
>> I THINK THAT'S SPECTACULAR
POINT.
AND I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU
RAISED THE ISSUE OF THE OFTEN
INACCESSIBLE NATURE OF ACADEMIA.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE FELT
VERY STRONGLY ABOUT FOR SOME
TIME.
THERE IS A TENDENCY IN SOME
CIRCLES TO LOOK AT MAKING
SOMETHING HARDER TO UNDERSTAND
AS A FEATURE RATHER THAN A BUG.
AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
ACCESSIBILITY IN LANGUAGE THAT
95% OF YOUR CONSTITUENCY OR THE
GENERAL PUBLIC, CAN'T
UNDERSTAND, THEN, AT LEAST FROM
MY PERSPECTIVE YOU'RE DOING IT
WRONG.
THESE ARE IDEAS THAT EMERGE, YOU
KNOW, FROM AND FOR THE MASSES.
AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT
LET ACADEMIA APPROPRIATE THEM.
>> AND ACTUALLY, THIS CONVENTION
IS ACTUALLY A GOOD EXAMPLE OF
THINGS THAT I TEND TO LIKE.
WE DO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE
SPEAKING FROM THE ACADEMIC
BACKGROUND AND STUDIES IN
DETAIL, I THINK (INAUDIBLE) WE
ALSO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE FANS OF
THINGS AND PERSONAL PASSION AND
KNOWLEDGE AND WERE ABLE TO
PRESENT ON THAT AND THEN YOU
HAVE THE POLICY, LOOKING AT SOME
OF THE STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF
WHAT IT MEANS IN TRENDS AND I
CAN RAISE MY HAND.
AND I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER
PEOPLE FROM THE CREATOR SIDE OF
THE THING, SO IN SOME WAYS
YOU'RE COVERING THESE MULTIPLE
GROUPS THAT ALL HAVE SOME BIT OF
A STAKE IN IT AND IT ADDS A
BALANCE.
I DO THAT HERE, WE ENERGIZE, THE
KNOWLEDGE IS SHARED AND GO FORTH
TO THE SEPARATE ARENAS.
THE ACADEMIC CONFERENCE, THE FAN
BASE CONFERENCE, TALKING TO
OTHER CREATORS AND ACTUALLY
IMPACTING THOSE OTHER ENTITIES
AND ARENAS.
>> LET'S GO BACK TO WHERE WE
WERE BEFORE.
>> SORRY, THAT WAS REALLY LONG.
>> I REMEMBER WHAT I WAS SAYING.
AND RACHAEL REMINDS ME.
>> COULD YOU SPEAK UP.
>> SORRY.
THE THING TO ME, THE GREATEST
TRANSFORMATIVE IN FANDOM IS THE
TRANSFORMATIVE PART.
LET'S NOT FORGET THE CREATIVE
SPACE.
AND REALLY, SORT OF MOBILIZING
FAN CREATORS AND PLAYERS AND FAN
ARTISTS, TO DEPICT DISABILITIES
IN A SORT OF MORE INFORMAL WAY
IN TERMS OF STOPPING -- IT IS
NOT A -- YOU SIT ON A PANEL, AND
HAVE A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT
IT, ART OR SOMETHING AND IT IS A
WAY OF CREATING REPRESENTATIONS
ON OUR OWN TIME.
>> CREATING REPRESENTATION.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TAKING
THESE IDEAS AND PROMOTING THEM
FOR OTHER FIGURES, BUT I THINK
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT OF --
FOR THOSE OF US THAT HAVE THE
CREATIVE SIDE TO ACTUALLY GO
AHEAD AND DO IT OURSELVES.
>> I DO WONDER, AND MAYBE I CAN
SPIN THIS AROUND AND ASK
CONNECTED QUESTION.
I KNOW ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT
COMES UP IN A LOT OF
COMMUNITIES, WITH REGARD TO
WRITING IN PARTICULAR, IS THAT
THERE IS OFTEN NOT A GREAT DEAL
OF WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF
CREATIVE FIELDS TO ALLOW THE
VOICES OF MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES TO THE TABLE.
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE
IN A TIME WHEN THE INTERNET HAS
REALLY MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR
ANYONE TO BE A PUBLISHER BUT
THERE'S BEING A PUBLISHER AND
THEN THERE'S BEING A PUBLISHER
AND HAVING ACCESS TO TRADITIONAL
MEDIA OR EVEN LARGER INDEPENDENT
MEDIA CAN BE VERY VALUABLE.
SO I WONDER IF MAY ALSO NEED TO
BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT
BOTH HOW WE CAN GET OUR
COMMUNITY MORE ENGAGED WITH
CREATIVE PURSUITS, BUT ALSO, HOW
WE CAN OPEN SOME OF THE DOORS
THAT MAY NOW APPARENTLY BE
CLOSED TO THOSE PARTS OF OUR
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALREADY AT
WORK, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST
RUNNING INTO A BARRIER
(INAUDIBLE).
>> I WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND LET
PEOPLE KNOW THAT I'M -- ONE WAY
WE CAN BE VISIBLE AND THAT YOU
CAN DO TONIGHT IS LET ME
INTERVIEW YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO BE COVERING THIS
EVENT AND IT IS A MAJOR WEBSITE.
AND THEY THOUGHT THAT CRIP CON
WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH AND AN
IMPORTANT ENOUGH CON THAT THEY
SENT ME HERE SO THAT YOU CAN
LITERALLY BE VISIBLE ON THE
SITE.
>> HOW TO CONTACT YOU IS?
>> YOU CAN EITHER GO AHEAD AND
GRAB ME, AND I CAN GIVE YOU A
CARD.
OR I WRITE FOR ...
BECAUSE I'M A WRITER FOR IT, I
ALSO GET TO REVIEW THINGS FROM A
DISABILITY LENS AND IT IS ALWAYS
SORT OF ON THE SIDE, AND I HAVE
DONE THINGS LIKE THE TOP TEN
CHARACTERS WITH DISABILITIES,
MENTAL ILLNESS AND MOVIES,
THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IF YOU HAVE THE POWER TO,
EVEN IF IT IS REVIEWING MOVIES
ON YOUR OWN TUMBLR,
ACKNOWLEDGING THE LENS OF
DISABILITY AND I THINK THAT THE
MORE WE DO THAT, THE MORE IT
BECOMES A NORMALIZED WAY TO LOOK
AT MEDIA.
>> WHAT WANTS TO BE INTERVIEWED?
>> COME ON, GUYS.
I SWEAR, I DON'T BITE.
>> I DO!
>> SURE.
WE ABSOLUTELY.
THERE IS A BRITISH VERSION OF
OUR WEBSITE AND WE RECENTLY
STARTED THE UNITED STATES
VERSION OF THIS.
WE WRITE ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM
DAILY NEWS, THAT ABOUT STUFF
LIKE MOVIES AND COMICS AND STUFF
LIKE THAT.
WE WRITE YOUR TRADITIONAL TOP
TEN LIST, YOU KNOW, YOUR TOP TEN
FAVORITE CHARACTERS SOUTH PARK,
WHATEVER.
THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WE ALSO DO EDITORIALS, ON VIDEO
GAMES AND MOVIES AND COMICS
AND T.V. SHOWS.
AND THEN WE DO LIKE REVIEWS.
SO IT IS REALLY A LITTLE BIT OF
EVERYTHING IN THE GEEK WORLD.
I ALSO HAVE A TWITTER.
I MOSTLY DO HORROR AND SCI-FI
BUT I ALSO LOVE MY LITTLE PONY
SO YOU'LL FIND THAT ON THERE
TOO.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO INTERVIEW
PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, PUT ON THE
WEBSITE SO PEOPLE KNOW LIKE
WE'RE COMIC FANS, WE EXIST AND
THIS IS WHAT WE LOVE AND THAT WE
ARE VISIBLE IN THESE SPACES.
>> I WANT TO TAKE ONE MORE THING
AROUND BARRIERS.
AND THEN I THINK WE MIGHT WANT
TO START THE TRANSITION TO
TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIES AND
TACTICS.
>> AND COMMITMENT.
>> AND YES.
DEFINITELY GOING TO GET TO THAT.
SHOULD BE FUN.
>> I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF
WE WANT TO DO THIS TOPIC NOW OR
THE NEXT STRATEGIES.
>> WELL, I MIGHT AS WELL GO --
>> NO, GO, GO.
>> THE LAST WORD ON BARRIERS.
YOU CAN GO IN EITHER DIRECTION.
>> OKAY.
AS FOR STRATEGY, I THINK ONE OF
THE BARRIERS IS THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW.
AND IF YOU NEVER, YOU DON'T HAVE
DISABILITY YOURSELF, YOU HAVE
NEVER MET A PERSON WITH A
DISABILITY, HOW ARE YOU EXPECTED
TO WRITE ABOUT THEM?
AND YES, IT IS EASY TO ASK
SOMEBODY, WELL, YOU KNOW, HE'S
DEAF, HE OBVIOUSLY CAN'T HEAR
BUT WHAT SET OF EXPERIENCES
COMES WITH THAT AND EVEN KNOWING
SOMEBODY IS NOT ENOUGH.
AND SO I THINK THAT IT IS, IF
THEY DO WRITE ABOUT IT THEY GET
-- LAMBASTED FOR IT AND THEN,
YOU KNOW, IT IS KIND OF COUNTER
PRODUCTIVE.
THEY MAY WANT TO TELL BUT THEY
DON'T FLOW WHO TO TALK TO.
WE NEED TO, -- SOMEPLACE WHERE
IF THEY WANT TO TALK TO SOMEBODY
WHO HAS A DISABILITY AND BE OPEN
ABOUT IT OR GET ADVICE, I HAVE A
DEAF CHARACTER, AND HE OR SHE IS
IN THIS SITUATION, WHAT SHOULD
HE DO, AND I CAN SAY, WELL, WHAT
DIRECTION TO GO IN, REALISTIC
EXPERIENCES FROM DIFFERENT KIND
OF PEOPLE.
AND THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T
SACRIFICE YOUR CREATIVE CHOICES.
BUT THEN YOU ALSO WOULD BE TRUE
TO THE DISABILITY AND TRUE TO
YOUR STORY, AND SO I DON'T KNOW
WHAT WOULD BE CLEAR TO DECIPHER
TO DO THAT BUT, I WOULD BE MORE
THAN HAPPY TO TALK TO ANYBODY.
>> CREATE KIND OF A FORMAT FOR
THE COMMUNITY AND CREATORS AND
DIALOGUE WITH EACH OTHER.
>> I'M AFRAID OF JUST SAYING
LIKE, CREATING ONE SET OF
EXPERIENCES.
BECAUSE MY SET OF EXPERIENCE AND
ANOTHER PERSON WAS HERE, THEIR
EXPERIENCE IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT
AND I CAN NOT SAY, YOU KNOW, I
WOULD NOT SAY MY SET EXPERIENCE
IS THE DEFINITE EXPERIENCE.
AND I REALLY WANT TO SHY AWAY
FROM THAT.
AND BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY WAYS
TO BE DEAF, MANY WAYS TO BE
BLIND AND ALL OF THAT, AND
THAT'S IS ALL PERFECTLY OKAY SO
I WOULD RATHER GIVE THEM, GIVE
SOMEBODY A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT
THE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES THAT
ONE COULD HAVE DEPENDING ON HOW
LATE THEY ACQUIRE THEIR
DEAFNESS, MAYBE THEY WERE BORN
DEAF, THEY LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE?
ALL OF THESE THINGS.
I WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO
TALK TO SOMEBODY WITH A
DISABILITY IF THEY CHOOSE TO DO
SO.
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SPACES
THAT HAVE STARTED OR TRIED TO DO
THAT.
ONE OF THEM IS THE NATIONAL
NOVEL WRITING MONTH FORUM, I
DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PARTICIPATE,
BUT, EVERY NOVEMBER FROM THE
FIRST TO THE END, IT WAS
DECLARED NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING
MONTH AND YOU CAN GO TO THEIR
WEBSITE.
THEY HAVE FORMS AND ONE OF THEM
IS CALLED ASK THE EXPERT.
AND SO I'M WRITING A CHARACTER
THAT'S DEAF, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO I
DO?
AND ACTUALLY, YOU CAN DO
MULTIPLE PEOPLE CAN THEN ANSWER
THAT.
AND PART OF THAT, AND THERE IS
ALWAYS THAT CAVEAT THIS IS MY
EXPERIENCE.
MAY NOT BE TRUE FOR EVERYONE BUT
IT IS TRUE FOR ME.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY
TALKED TO THE WRITER ABOUT IS
YOU MAY GET CRITICIZED FOR THIS
BUT AT LEAST YOU CAN SAY YOU
KNOW THAT YOU WROTE IT TRUE FOR
AT LEAST ONE PERSON.
WITH THAT DISABILITY AND YOU DID
SOME HOMEWORK AND THAT OFFERS
SUPPORT FOR THAT.
I KNOW THERE'S ONE ON TUMBLR AS
WELL.
IT MAKES SURE THAT PEOPLE CAN
TURN AROUND AND ANSWER IT
QUICKLY.
BUT I KNOW THAT'S ONE.
I KNOW THE INCREASED DISABILITY,
IF YOU'RE GOING TO EVENTS AND
THERE ARE WRITERS THERE, OH,
SOMEBODY WHO IS DEAF, I HAVE A
QUESTION FOR YOU: AND THEY START
TO DO THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF
THE DAY, HALF OF THAT IS LOVING
WHAT YOU LOVE AND THE SECOND
PART OF IT THAT MAKES YOU A FAN
IS SHARING THAT AND THE MOMENT
SOMEBODY GOES YOU LIKE THE SAME
THING THEY DO THEY'LL ASK YOU
THE QUESTIONS AND YOU'LL GET
THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
THAT REALLY HELPS.
BUT IT IS THAT POINT.
IT IS WHERE DO PEOPLE GET THOSE
ANSWERS.
>> I SUGGEST THAT WE READ OFF A
LIST OF, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE COME UP WITH ALREADY.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS A REALLY
LONG LIST.
SO MAYBE WE DO WANT TO MOVE
STRAIGHT INTO THE NEXT TOPIC.
WHILE WE STILL HAVE TIME.
DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO
EVERYONE?
SEEING WHAT WAS JUST SAID AS
WELL AS TACTICS, MAYBE ONE OF
THE PLACES WOULD BE TO CREATE,
SYRACUSE IS DOING THE REPOSITORY
OF DISABILITY STORIES IS IT?
DIANE?
VISUAL REPOSITORIES?
I WAS JUST -- >> OKAY, SURE.
>> WE'RE DOING A BENEATH THE
SURFACE WHICH IS A DIGITAL
REPOSITORY ON DISABILITY IN
POPULAR CULTURE.
AND IT WILL INCLUDE THREE
COMPONENTS THE JOURNAL FOR WHICH
WE HAVE AN ISDN NUMBER FROM THE
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.
EVENTUALLY COME TO FRUITION ON
THAT.
AND WE HAVE THE CONFERENCE
PROCEEDING FOR EVERYONE WHO OR
WHAT HAPPENED FROM THE SYMPOSIUM
TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DIGITAL
REPOSITORY.
AND RACHAEL HAS BEEN RUNNING, OR
OPERATING A SITE ON FACEBOOK
WHICH IS GOING TO BE
TRANSITIONED ON TO THE DIGITAL
REPOSITORY AS WELL.
>> IT MAY BE A PLACE WHERE I
KNOW FOR MYSELF, MY STUDENTS --
(INAUDIBLE) I MAKE THEM WRITE A
FICTION STORY WITH A DISABILITY
THEME.
AND MAYBE GIVING PEOPLE A PLACE
TO POST MATERIAL WOULD BE A GOOD
START.
YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF -- >>
YEAH.
>> KIND OF THING.
>> DID I HEAR -- >> I RUN, YEAH,
I RUN THE DISABILITY CULTURAL
CENTER TUMBLR IF ANY OF YOU GUYS
WANT TO PUT ANY OF YOUR STUFF ON
THERE, AND IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW,
HORRIFICALLY OFFENSIVE, WE WOULD
LOVE TO PUT IT ON.
>> AND THE OTHER THING YOU COULD
ALSO BE, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO
BE -- YOU CAN ALSO PUSH FOR
SUBMIT THEM FOR ACTUAL
PUBLICATION.
I KNOW ONCE IT IS POSTED ON THE
NET YOU'RE BURNING YOUR RIGHTS.
SO JUST IF I'M GOING TO USE THAT
COMMITMENT WORD.
SO YOU HAVE HAD SOME OF THAT
COME UP SO ONE OF THEM WHAT
WE'RE HEARING NOW IS, IS I THINK
ONE OF THE -- YOU WANT TO FIND A
COMMITMENT OR AT LEAST IT SOUNDS
LIKE, YOU CAN'T PROMISE IT
BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE YOUR
CLASS, BUT IF THERE IS A PLACE
TO POST STUDENT STORIES WITH THE
DISABILITY TO RAISE THE
DISABILITIES SO OTHER PEOPLE CAN
FIND IT.
>> YEAH, I MEAN.
>> DO THAT.
>> FOR WHAT I HAVE SEEN FROM
STUDENTS, BOTH IN MY DISABILITY
CLASS, AND EVEN STUDENTS THAT
AREN'T IN THAT CLASS BUT HAVE
HAD ME AND OBVIOUSLY, I'M
VISIBLY DISABLED.
YOU SEE THEM IF THEY WRITE
FICTION, PUT A SERVICE DOG IN
IT.
(INAUDIBLE) THIS IDEA OF KIND OF
A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS CAN, OR
EARLY WRITERS CAN EXPERIMENT
WITH DISABLED CHARACTERS MIGHT
BRING SOME OF THAT STIGMA THAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER IN
YOUR PRESENTATION OVER THE KIND
OF DAMNED IF YOU DO, DAMNED IF
YOU DON'T ARGUMENT.
>> OKAY, SO, ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I'LL GO BACK TO, IS THE
ISSUE OF STAYING WITHIN THE
DISABILITY, IN ACADEMIA, I THINK
THAT KEEPING IT IN THAT FIELD
MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST
DETRIMENTAL THINGS THAT WE TEND
TO DO.
AND MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST
POSITIVE TOPICS THAT WE CAN DO
IS, MOVE IT TOWARD MAYBE THE
ARTS AND MAYBE TIME TO PUBLISH
IT IN MORE MAINSTREAM, MAYBE ART
OR LITERATURE PUBLICATIONS.
I THINK IT IS THE SAME AS A
DECENCY, ALTHOUGH I THINK IT IS
VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE PEOPLE
AWARE THAT DISABILITY CULTURES
ARE, DISABILITY CULTURES ARE OUT
THERE.
I THINK IT IS ALSO VERY
IMPORTANT TO ALSO CONNECT THEM
TO THE GENERAL MAINSTREAM COMIC.
>> CAN I ALSO SAY ONE THING: AND
THEN I WILL GET TO YOU.
I ALSO THINK THAT BUILDING OFF
OF THAT AND BUILDING OFF OF THE
DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ACADEMIA AND
EVERYTHING THAT IT IS REALLY
IMPORTANT TO REACH OUT TO, LIKE
INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE
TO TRAVEL OR AFFORD TO GO TO
CONS AND EVERYTHING.
AND REALLY DOING GRASS ROOTS
OUTREACH.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE THROUGH THE ARTS
AND VARIOUS MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, TO REACH OUT TO THE,
YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE MONEY
GROUPS.
>> I AM GOING TO BUILD ON THAT
POINT.
>> YES, BASICALLY, ECONOMIC
ACCESSIBILITY WHICH IS PROBABLY
ALREADY TALKED ABOUT BUT I'M
REINFORCING IT.
I WOULD SAY REACHING OUT TO
COMMUNITY GROUPS IN MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES.
LIKE ONE EXAMPLE MIGHT BE IN
SYRACUSE PERHAPS THE SPANISH
ACTION LEAGUE OR OTHER GROUPS
THAT DO WORK WITH COMMUNITY
ACTIVISM IN ARTS AND PLUS
EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT -- WHERE PEOPLE
MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO GOING TO
CONS OR EVERYTHING.
>> YEAH, SO THE ISSUE OF ACCESS
AND ALSO, LINDA?
LYDIA.
WHAT LYDIA WAS SAYING ABOUT
YOUNG CREATORS WORKING OUT
DISABILITIES IN A (INAUDIBLE)
WAY.
A LOT OF US ARE ALREADY CREATING
IN A FORM IN WHICH WE HAVE TO
RIGHT AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN A
BIG PART OF FANDOM.
AND IT IS ALREADY A PLACE WHERE
DISABILITY IS TO BE MORE
STUDIED.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE
WATCHED YULETIDE?
NO.
IT IS HOLIDAY -- >> IT IS A
HOLIDAY -- AND THEY'VE HAD THE
-- SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE HAD A LOT
OF SUCCESS, PUSHING PEOPLE TO,
IT IS CALLED DARK AGENDA AND
THEY HAVE BEEN HELPING PEOPLE TO
REQUEST CHARACTERS OF COLOR.
AND IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL
AND IT HAS ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF
YEARS.
THEY MANAGED TO HAVE A LOT OF
PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
RACISM, AND FANDOM, THROUGH THAT
MEDIUM.
AND I THINK THAT SOMETHING LIKE
THAT KIND OF, USING IT AS A WAY
TO WORK OUT.
>> I HAVE READ ENOUGH.
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO BUILD A
CRIP AGENDA?
>> I CAN DO THAT.
I ALREADY KNOW SOME -- I ALREADY
KNOW SOME FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN --
ACCESSIBILITY.
IT IS A LITTLE FAN FICTION OF
LIKE -- THAT IS DEDICATED TO
DISABLED CHARACTERS.
>> WHAT I THINK WAS ALSO
INTERESTING THAT YOU POINT OUT
AND THIS IS WHY, AND YOU HAVE
HEARD IT FROM ME BEFORE, I'M FOR
COMMUNITIES SUPPORTING
COMMUNITIES.
GO AHEAD AND TALK TO THE
(INAUDIBLE) BASICALLY TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THAT WORK AND
THEY'LL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOURS
NO MATTER HOW SMALL.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT YOU SUPPORT
EACH OTHER IN INCREASING THAT
VISIBILITY OF DIVERSE
CHARACTERS.
IT IS FANTASTIC.
AND START KICKING OFF
COMMITMENT, SO LYDIA HAS ALREADY
PROMISED TO HELP TO ORGANIZE FOR
NEXT YEAR PROPOSAL FOR PANEL
THAT COVERS THE IDEA OF CRIPPING
THE CON, AND IT IS SORT OF
VOLUNTEERED TO HELP TO CREATE AN
ARTS -- CREATING A CRIP AGENDA
SO THERE IS A SPACE THERE WHICH
WOULD HELP FOR SOME OF THE
STORIES.
WE HAVE AN OFFER FOR INTERVIEWS.
(INAUDIBLE)
THOSE ARE THREE VERY
FIRM COMMITMENTS OF THINGS
THAT ARE DOABLE.
>> SOUND LIKE THIS SESSION HAS
ALREADY BEEN VERY PRODUCTIVE.
>> BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT YEAR,
WHAT CAN WE DO.
I WOULD ACTUALLY ARE YOU WILLING
TO BE INTERVIEWED IF NOT TODAY
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THERE WILL
BE AN ARTICLE OR SHOW THAT WILL
COVER SOMETHING THAT YOU CARE
ABOUT AND THAT'S THE TIME TO
GIVE A CALL OVER SAYING I JUST
SAW THIS EPISODE AND I'M MAD,
AND IT WAS STUPID AND I WANT TO
TALK ABOUT IT SOMEWHERE WHERE
EVERYBODY CAN SEE IT.
>> VERY PROMISING.
>> SO, -- >> THERE WE GO.
>> AND HOW DO WE GO ABOUT
CONTACTING YOU?
>> I HAVE ALL OF THESE REALLY
FUN BUSINESS CARDS HERE.
I HAVE A TWITTER, IVY AN E-MAIL
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED.
I CAN PUT CARDS UP ON THE FRONT
TABLE.
>> THAT WOULD WORK WELL.
>> IF YOU SEE THINGS IN THE
NEWS, SEND THEM MY WAY.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT'S
ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY OR ABOUT A
SHOW, FOR INSTANCE, I HAVEN'T
COVERED "SWITCHED AT BIRTH" YET
BECAUSE I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I
DON'T COME FROM A DEAF
PERSPECTIVE.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I'M
INTERVIEWING YOU LATER MAYBE
WELL TALK ABOUT "SWITCHED AT
BIRTH."
>> E-MAIL, TWITTER, AND THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH THE BEST WAY TO GET
ME.
I HAVE MY OWN PAGE BUT IT IS A
LITTLE BIT WEIRD TO FIND.
AND I'LL PUT THE CARDS RIGHT UP
THERE.
I'LL DO IT RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY.
>> THOSE ARE THREE VERY -- AND
I'LL ACTUALLY PROBABLY POP
MYSELF UP AND MAKE A COMMITMENT
BECAUSE I TEND TO ALREADY DO A
SIMILAR -- TO LYDIA'S.
I DO DIFFERENT CONVENTIONS AND
GRANTED I TEND TO BE MORE
RICHMOND, MARYLAND AND
WASHINGTON, D.C.
WITH THE OCCASIONAL JAUNT TO
PENNSYLVANIA.
BUT IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS TO
HELP ME PUT TOGETHER PROPOSALS
FOR A DIFFERENT CONVENTION WHERE
WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO ONE ON
DIVERSITY IN FANDOM OR DIVERSITY
IN FICTION, COMICS, WHATEVER, I
AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT
WITH YOU.
SO I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT AS WELL,
AND DAYSMAIL@GMAIL.COM.
I HAVE FOUR OTHER CONVENTIONS
THAT I KNOW I'M ON THE AGENDA
FOR, BUT PLANNING AHEAD.
SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT'S MY
COMMITMENT AND I KNOW OTHERS OF
YOU HAVE OTHER DIFFERENT KINDS
OF CONVENTIONS.
LET'S RELY ON EACH OTHER TO HELP
BANG THIS OUT.
DAYSMAIL@GMAIL.COM.
THE COMMITMENT IS I AM GOING TO
OTHER FAN CONVENTIONS.
MOSTLY SCIENCE FICTION WRITING.
BUT IF OTHER PEOPLE ARE
INTERESTED IN PUTTING TOGETHER
PROPOSALS FOR IT, FOR OTHER
CONVENTIONS, AT LEAST NOT TOO
FAR FROM MY AREA, ALTHOUGH I
DRIVE QUITE A WAYS AWAY I WOULD
BE HAPPY TO IF WE DON'T HAVE
TIME.
>> I WANTED TO RESPOND A LITTLE
BIT TO THE PREVIOUS COMMENT ON
ACADEMIC OUTREACH, AND IT STRUCK
ME THAT I THINK IT DOESN'T HAVE
TO BE AN EITHER/OR.
THERE IS A CRITICAL MISSION FOR
ACADEMIA TO TALK TO OTHER
ACADEMICS, TO MIND THE HISTORY
OF DISABILITY, TO LOOK IN THE
INTRICACIES OF CULTURE, AND ALL
SORTS OF OTHER AREAS THAT YOU
KIND OF -- TRAINED ACADEMICS CAN
PROVIDE.
SO YEAH, I THINK THAT YOU 16 CAN
REACH OUT AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY
FORUMS LIKE ARE WONDERFUL BUT
THERE IS ALSO A ROLE TO PLAY
WITHIN THE ACADEMY IN
ESTABLISHING MORE DISABILITY
PROGRAMS, DISABILITY STUDIES
MINORS.
ALL OF THAT SO PEOPLE CAN MAJOR
IN THEM, AND ALL OF THAT HAS A
VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.
SO I THINK WE CAN DO BOTH.
>> ANYTHING ELSE FOLKS ARE
WILLING TO COMMIT TO DOING?
>> A WHOLE YEAR.
>> YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE YEAR.
>> >> I JUST LAUNCHED A MEDIA
COMPANY WHERE I'LL BE PUBLISHING
MY OWN COMIC BOOK.
AND FOR THE SAKE OF
CONFIDENTIALITY I CAN'T DISCLOSE
TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT WITHOUT
NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT.
BUT I WILL WORK WITH DIANE AND
IN FACT I'M COMMITTING TO THIS
THAT I WILL WORK WITH DIANE,
THAT ANY OF THE LINE THAT I
PRODUCE WILL MAKE IT AS
ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AS POSSIBLE WHICH
MEANS INVESTIGATING PERHAPS
BRAILLE OR RAISED PRINT, YOU
KNOW, CLOSED CAPTIONED WITH
VISUAL PRESENTATIONS, AND MANY
OTHER IDEAS THAT COME TO MIND, I
WILL DO THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO
SAY IS, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE
X-MEN BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT
OF A MODEL FOR, YOU KNOW, A
FEAR.
I THINK THAT FEAR IS LIKE AN
UNDERCURRENT HERE.
THINK ABOUT -- WHO ACTUALLY IS
AGAINST HUMANS IN A LOT OF THE
PLOT BECAUSE HE CAN SAY, WELL,
I'M SUPERIOR AND I DON'T SEE
WHAT WE NEED THEM FOR, AND THEY
ARE FEARFUL AND DANGEROUS.
WHEREAS, THE HUMANS ALSO
FEARFUL, AND TRYING TO PREPARE
FOR THE INCLUSION OR EXCLUSION
AND TERMINATION OF THE X-MEN.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT, IF WE
COULD PUTTING THINGS IN COMICS
IS VALID, BUT, I THINK THAT THAT
KIND OF GIVES YOU A SOFT LANDING
AS TO THE INCLUSION OF ALL OF
THESE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, BUT LIKE
IT IS WOLVERINE OR SOMEBODY
SHOWED UP AT YOUR PARTY YOU
WOULD PROBABLY BE FEARFUL OF
THAT SOMEONE.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO FRIENDS
MAYBE, AND CHALLENGE THEM AND
SAY, WELL, THIS IS A LIGHT
REPRESENTATION OF WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO GET ACROSS.
WHAT IF ALIENS CAME HERE, WHAT
IF WE MET SOMEBODY WITH SUPER
POWERS, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU
FEARFUL OF THIS?
YOU KNOW, SO INCLUSION AND
INTEGRATION AND I LOOK AT
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, WHO HAS
TAKEN TREMENDOUS LEAPS TO DO
THIS.
THE DISABILITY CULTURAL CENTER
AND THE OFFICE OF MULTI-CULTURAL
AFFAIRS, THINGS THAT MAY CARRY
SOCIAL STIGMA IN THE GENERAL
POPULATION HAS CAUSE FOR GREAT
AND OPEN AND SHARING
COMMUNITIES, HERE ON CAMPUS, AND
HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER
IN THE WORLD FOR DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION.
AND I WORK WITH THE DIVISION OF
STUDENT AFFAIRS AND I SEE THAT
FIRSTHAND THAT WE HAVE ALL SORTS
OF DEPARTMENTS IN PLACE TO
INCLUDE AND TRY TO BEAT DOWN THE
FEARS OF, YOU KNOW, DISABILITIES
AND LIMITATIONS AND STIGMAS THAT
COME ABOUT SOCIALLY.
(INAUDIBLE).
>> LITERARY SCHOLARS,
HISTORIANS, PEOPLE WHO ARE
TENURED PROFESSORS WHO HAVE A
CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FREEDOM, TO
WRITE ABOUT THE STUFF OR HAVE AN
IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY WITHIN
THE ACADEMY, IN TERMS OF
FORMALIZING THE DISCIPLINE AND
OBVIOUSLY, GETTING PEOPLE, MORE
PEOPLE TO MAJOR IN IT AND TO
OTHERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE
BUILDING OF A CULTURAL AND
HISTORICAL LEGACY.
FOR THESE OTHER GROUPS WHO ALSO
WORK WITH.
>> I'M ON THE CUTTING EDGE.
I'M TRYING TO MAINTAIN THE CUE,
SHOULD I TAKE THE MIC FROM
PEOPLE OR NOT.
SO, ALL GOOD.
>> (ININAUDIBLE) (INAUDIBLE)
WE WANT TO ENSURE
THAT WE CAN HAVE CRITICAL
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT
DISABILITY AND RACE AND GENDER
IN THE POPULAR CULTURE WITHOUT
HAVING TO GO INTO --
(INAUDIBLE)
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON THE
SAME PAGE.
>> ACTUALLY, WHAT WAS EARLIER
SAID WAS, AT LEAST --
(INAUDIBLE).
>> SO GOING BACK TO LYDIA'S
COMMENT ON FAN FICTION, I
KNOW--
WE HAVE A LONG WAY OFF BUT I
WANTED TO BRING IT BACK TO THAT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A GROUP OF
PEOPLE, AND YOU CAN ASK THEM
MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE, I KNOW
THAT THE PERSON WHO GIVES THE
TALK TODAY, SHE WROTE SOME FAN
FICTION WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG ABOUT
DISABILITY AND POPULAR CULTURES.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT
OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE
DOING IT.
BUT IT IS TENDING TO BE YOUNGER
PEOPLE ACTUALLY.
AND IN PLACES LIKE -- BUT FROM
WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WHAT IS BEING
SPREAD THROUGH PLACES LIKE
DISABILITY CAMPS AND SUCH AND SO
MAYBE IF THERE'S A WAY TO
CONNECT TO THE YOUNGER
GENERATIONS, I THINK THAT THAT
WOULD BE USEFUL.
>> IT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT
CONCEPT.
CONNECTING THE YOUNGER
GENERATION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS,
LEADERSHIP FORUMS.
HOW DO WE BRING THE CONVERSATION
ABOUT FANDOM INTO THE CIRCLE.
>> I'M THINKING OF YOUNGER
PEOPLE, LIKE PEOPLE LIKE MIDDLE
AND HIGH SCHOOL.
AND OFTEN THOSE CONVERSATIONS
LIKE I SAID HAPPEN IN
DISABILITY-BASED CAMPS.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF THERE
MAY BE A -- OFTEN TIMES THE
CAMPS ARE VERY ISOLATED AND
VERY, THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS
AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS A
WAY TO MAYBE BRIDGE A GAP BY
PLAYING TO -- GET THOSE
DISABILITY CAMPS INVOLVED.
BECAUSE THERE'S A SUBSET OF
CULTURES, SO WE CAN EDUCATE
MAYBE THE CAMP DIRECTORS AND THE
-- EDUCATION ABOUT MORE
DISABILITY CULTURE, BECAUSE THEY
ARE DEVELOPING WITHOUT THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE DIRECTORS
THERE.
BUT, HOW COOL WOULD IT BE TO
REALLY, TO YOU, TO EDUCATE THE
COMMUNITY THAT IS CREATING THIS
ENVIRONMENT, THAT -- ABOUT CRIP
CULTURE AND MAYBE, BRING THEM TO
THE NEXT LEVEL.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I STARTED
WITH, TALKED ABOUT -- SO MAKING
WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE AND VERY
VISIBLE SO PEOPLE DOING -- YES,
I'M INTERESTED.
YES, LET ME DO MY INTERVIEWS AND
HELP YOU TO WRITE PROPOSALS.
THE OTHER, YOU'RE LOOKING AT
(INAUDIBLE)
YOUTH CAMPS THAT YOUNG
FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES
ARE AT AND ACTUALLY, GOING TO
THOSE AND SAYING THIS IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF CULTURE, AND I
MAY GET WHAT YOU SAID WRONG.
IF I SO I APOLOGIZE AND THAT IS
THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE EITHER
THIS CULTURE AND RECOGNIZE IT,
AND GET A PART OF IT.
>> THE CULTURE, IT IS VERY
INTERESTING, WHEN PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITY GET TOGETHER, AND
THEY ARE ISOLATED BUT, WHEN THEY
COME TOGETHER, VIS-A-VIS IN
CAMPS, FOR PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY
WITH DISABILITIES, I THINK THAT
THOSE DEVELOP AS CULTURE BY
ITSELF.
WITHOUT ASSISTANCE OR THE
KNOWLEDGE OF THE CAMP'S
ADMINISTRATION SO I THINK WHAT
IF WE TRY TO EDUCATE THE CAMPS
OR TRY TO DEVELOP OUR OWN CAMPS.
THAT REALLY EMBRACE THE
DISABILITY CULTURE.
THAT REALLY -- SOME OF THE
CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT THAT
HAPPENS THERE.
>> ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT
COMES UP, VERY OFTEN THAT KIND
OF SHARED CULTURE OFTEN EMERGES
NOT ONLY WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE
OF STAFF ADMINISTRATION BUT
SOMETIMES IT EMERGES IN RESPONSE
TO, OPPOSITION TO THE KIND OF
ENVIRONMENT TO HAVE IN
CONGREGATE SETTINGS THAT DON'T
ALWAYS HAVE GREAT IDEAS -- ABOUT
DISABLED PEOPLE.
SO YOU HAVE TO THINK IN CREATIVE
WAYS HOW WE CAN SPREAD THAT
NEEDLE.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN
SEGREGATED SETTINGS AND WE WANT
TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CONNECT WITH DISABILITY CULTURE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE RUN INTO
THIS CHALLENGE, WE HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY HOW WE ADDRESS
AND MAYBE IT IS CREATING THINGS
LIKE LEADERSHIP FORUM FOR
YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
HOW DO WE REACH OUT TO THEM
WHEN SO OFTEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
IN CHARGE AND ARE BEING GIVEN
CUSTODY FOR PEOPLE IN THOSE
SETTINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS FRIENDLY
(INAUDIBLE).
>> YEAH, I GUESS MY POINT IS, I
JUST SEE, VERY AWESOME
OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THOSE CAMPS
TO REALLY, EVEN DEVELOP THE, AND
CREATING A FAN FICTION AND SUCH.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE YOUNG
GENERATION.
THAT'S MY ONLY POINT.
>> RIGHT.
VERY VALUABLE.
YOU THINK ABOUT THE WRITING OF
PEOPLE LIKE HARRIET JOHNSON,
THOSE KINDS OF SETTINGS SHOULD
BE RIPE FOR FICTION AND WRITING
AND CREATIVE WORKS.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY VALUABLE.
>> GO BACK TO THE ACADEMICS.
TWO WEEKS AGO, THE POPULAR
CULTURE ASSOCIATION AMERICAN
CULTURE ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL
CONFERENCE, IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
AND THERE ARE SO MANY TOPIC,
THEY TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING.
VAMPIRE, VIDEO GAMES,
EVERYTHING, AND ONCE SO IN THE
ONE SECTION THAT WASN'T THERE
THAT REALLY BOTHERED ME IS
DISABILITY STUDIES.
IT IS NOT IN THE SAME SECTION
THAT, WHEREAS YOU POINTED OUT
DISABILITY SCHOLARS CAN COME
AROUND AND TALK ABOUT THE THINGS
THAT -- AND THE CONFERENCE IS SO
LARGE, IT IS SO WIDESPREAD.
IT IS A REALLY DIFFICULT
CONFERENCE.
BUT THAT'S ALSO ONE WAY THAT WE
COULD GET TOGETHER AND TALK
ABOUT IT.
I MEAN, I WOULD BE WILLING TO BE
THE CHAIR, BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
I'M REALLY YOUNG, AND I'M NOT
SURE THAT I'M GOING TO THE NEXT
CONFERENCE.
BUT -- >> POSSIBLE COMMITMENT
THERE IF SOMEONE DOES ORGANIZE
IT THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO
BE INVOLVED?
>> I WOULD DEFINITELY GIVE A
PAPER.
WELL, AS LONG AS SO MANY
CONVENTIONS I CAN GO TO.
I HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE MY
CONFERENCES.
BUT, NO, THIS IS DEFINITELY
SOMETHING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO
SEE HAPPEN WITHIN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF YEARS.
GET A SECTION ON DISABILITY
STUDIES AND POPULAR CULTURE
ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL
CONFERENCES, AND THEN YOU KNOW,
KEEP BUILDING AND GROWING THAT
SO THAT IT IS BEING TALK ABOUT.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF REGIONAL
POPULAR CULTURES.
>> YES.
THERE IS.
THERE IS AN EASTERN COAST,
MIDWEST.
AND THAT'S THE INTERESTING THING
IS THE MID-ATLANTIC.
IT IS A MATTER OF SOMEONE
STEPPING UP AND TAKING
RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT, OR -- >>
I ACTUALLY PRESENTED A NUMBER OF
YEARS AGO AT THE MID-ATLANTIC ON
THE DISABILITY STUDIES.
I DID A PRESENTATION WITH
DISABLED CHARACTERS.
SO, THE MID-ATLANTIC HAS A
DISABILITY STUDIES.
>> IF THEY CAN FIND OTHER PEOPLE
INTERESTED, THEY'LL HAVE PANEL.
>> A POSSIBLE JOINT COMMITMENT?
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT BUT I
WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY SUGGEST, I
DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE THERE
ARE ACADEMICS, WHETHER THEY ARE
IN FACULTY OR STAFF OR STUDENTS,
BUT, JUST ABOUT EVERY COLLEGE
OUT THERE HAS A DISABILITY
AWARENESS WEEK.
AND ONE WAY THAT YOU CAN COMMIT
ON A SMALLER SCALE, WHICH IS
MORE DOABLE PARTICULARLY FOR
SOME OF THE STUDENTS HERE IS TO
APPROACH YOUR COLLEGE ABOUT
DOING A DISABILITY AWARENESS
WEEK TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO
WRITE FICTION OR DO ART, AND YOU
COULD EVEN REACH OUT TO THE
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL.
I KNOW WE HAVE DONE IT IN MY
COLLEGE A FEW TIMES, AND IT IS
ALREADY SUCCESSFUL AND THAT
MIGHT BE A WAY OF DOING IT,
GETTING PEOPLE TO DO COMMITMENTS
THAT ARE NOT QUITE AS
FINANCIALLY DEVASTATING AS CON,
WHICH I'M SURE THAT MOST OF YOU
WILL AGREE.
MOST OF THE CONVENTIONS ARE
EXPENSIVE TO GET INTO.
BUT THE LOCAL COLLEGE LEVEL AND
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL,
ESPECIALLY, USUALLY A HIGHER
DISABLED PORTION OF STUDENTS OR
STUDENTS OR ALWAYS ON THE
FRINGE.
SO THEY ARE MORE AWARE OF BEING
IN MINORITY STATUS.
YOU MAY FINE IT VERY RECEPTIVE
AND COLLEGE AS WELL.
THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO THEY'LL BE RECEPTIVE TOO.
>> WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT AS AN
INDIVIDUAL, IF WE WENT TO OUR
LOCAL COLLEGES OR EVEN IF IT
WASN'T COLLEGE YOU'RE IN, BUT A
COLLEGE IN YOUR COMMUNITY,
PARTICULARLY THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGES, AND SUGGESTED A
DISABILITY AWARENESS WEEK
PROJECT, IN WHICH THEY REACH OUT
FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN,
YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING HIGH
SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT ESSAYS OR
DRAWINGS, THERE WILL BE SUPPLIES
COMING YOU WOULD GUESS.
AND HOW MUCH INVOLVEMENT THE
LOCAL COMMUNITY WOULD BE FOR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
-- SPONSORSHIP IF YOU WANTED TO
GO THAT BIG.
BUT CERTAINLY MOST COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND LOCAL -- WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING
FOR DISABILITY AWARENESS WEEK
AND MA MAYBE A WAY OF BRINGING
THE YOUNGER GENERATION THAT ARI
WAS TALKING ABOUT IN.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT
IS FANDOM OR JUST POP CULTURE IN
GENERAL, I THINK THAT IT IS MUCH
EASIER TO REACH HIGH SCHOOLERS
AND MIDDLE SCHOOLERS THROUGH
THAT ROUTE.
AND THEN IF YOU ADD DISABILITY
AWARENESS, TO THAT POP CULTURE,
YOU ARE GIVING THEM ACCESS TO
ANOTHER COMMUNITY, AND A
COMMUNITY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
COMPLETELY AWARE OF.
BUT RATHER, FRINGE COMMUNITY.
AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES SEEM TO
BE A GOOD WAY OF DOING THAT OR
LOCAL FOUR YEAR.
>> I'M GOING TO GO IN THE BACK
HERE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE
YOUNGER GENERATIONS.
SOME OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION
IN THE BACK HERE.
YOU HAVE GOT SEVERAL MEMBERS OF
THE DISABILITY STUDENT UNION,
THEY MADE THIS SPACE POSSIBLE
ALONG WITH THE BEYOND COMPLIANCE
COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK THEY HAVE A LITTLE
NEWS FOR US.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS?
>> >> YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY
ABOUT THE, WHAT IS IT, THE
PROBLEM KIDS SITTING IN THE BACK
OF THE BUS OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT?
SO HI, EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS EDDIE AND I'M ONE OF
THE CO-FOUNDERS ALONG WITH
RACHAEL HERE AND ALEX AND OTHER
PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM
THAT I WILL NOT TRY TO NAME SO I
DON'T FORGET ANYBODY AND BE
RUDE.
BUT THE DISABILITY STUDENT UNION
WAS FOUND ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND,
WE DID RECEIVE AN AWARD TONIGHT
FOR OUR PROGRAMMING THIS YEAR
CALLED THE STAR AWARD, AND IT IS
RIGHT HERE!
[ APPLAUSE ] AND TO COMMENT ON
THE DISABILITY AWARENESS WEEK,
SOMETHING THAT WE STARTED WITH
HERE AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY THIS
YEAR, WE HAD WHAT WE FEEL THE
INCREDIBLE TURNOUT MAKING
BUTTONS AND USING CHALK TO DRAW
ON THE QUAD AREA ON THE WALKWAYS
AND PEOPLE TO SEE AND TO
EXPERIENCE DISABILITY AWARENESS
IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
MAKE IT AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE
WITHIN OUR MEANS, OF COURSE, AND
AGAIN THIS YEAR WE HAVE A SMALL
BUDGET TO DO SOMETHING IN
OCTOBER AGAIN.
AND CONTINUE ON WITH THAT TREND
AND TO MAKE DISABILITY AWARENESS
MONTH REALLY HERE AT SYRACUSE
UNIVERSITY, SOMETHING THAT IS
ONGOING AND WONDERFUL.
>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT NOTE TO
CLOSE ON.
DO WE HAVE ANY FINAL --
>> I DO. ANYBODY ELSE?
LET'S GIVE THEM ONE MORE CHANCE
AND I HAVE LIKE A TOTAL SUM UP.
>> BY ALL MEANS.
>> I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO
ELABORATE ON THE GENTLEMAN
TALKING ABOUT ENGAGING THE
YOUTH.
THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT
STRATEGY BECAUSE I THINK THAT
THE OLDER YOU GET THE MORE SET
IN OUR WAYS WE ARE.
AND BY ENGAGING YOUNGER
GENERATIONS EVENTUALLY THESE
KIND OF CULTURAL CHANGES KIND OF
GROW INTO SOCIETY.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH EXTRA
TIME I COMMITTED ALREADY, BUT I
WILL VOLUNTEER TO BE A CHAPERONE
OR A MENTOR FOR A YOUNG GROUP
OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PERHAPS,
THAT COULD SHARE IN AN
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OR PERHAPS
COLLEGE STUDENTS, IF WE COULD
WORK IT SOMEHOW INTO THE
CURRICULUM TO GET CREDITS, OR
SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A
LOT OF THE PROGRAMS REQUIRE
COMMUNITY SERVICE.
I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE ALSO
GOOD TO INVOLVE THIS PROGRAM,
WHERE THEY COULD SPEND A LOT OF
TIME HELPING OR WORKING WITH
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WHICH
WOULD THEN EXPOSE THEM,
INTEGRATE THEM AND THEY'LL SAY,
HEY, WE'RE ALL HUMAN.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP I WORKED
FOR AN OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL
THERAPY DEPARTMENT.
AND I LEARNED AS A YOUNG CHILD,
THAT EVERYBODY IS JUST REALLY
HUMAN.
AND I THINK THAT, TARGETING THE
YOUNGER GENERATIONS IS VERY
IMPORTANT STRATEGY.
TRYING TO CHANGE THE WAYS OF THE
ELDER HAD GENERATIONS, WHO MIGHT
BE SET IN THEIR WAYS.
>> SO YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER TO
BE A CHAPERONE AND MENTOR FOR
YOUNG ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES
IN WHAT PARTICULAR CONTEXT?
>> >> LAST WEEKEND I WAS AT A
DIFFERENT CONVENTION AND ONE
PANEL POSITION.
THEY CALLED IT VOICE OF
TOMORROW.
AND THEY INVITED YOUNG PEOPLE TO
COME UP AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY
THOUGHT THE FUTURE WOULD BE LIKE
IN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY
AND WHAT THEY HOPED TO SEE AS
YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEN,
(INAUDIBLE).
>> DO WE HAVE ANY FINAL
COMMENTS?
>> ONE THING WE ARE ALREADY
MAKING PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR, WE
HAVE IDEAS, WE'RE MAKING NOTES,
I HAVE A FIVE-PAGE LIST OF
PEOPLE BOTH IN ACADEMIA, AND
INDUSTRIES, THAT ARE ON A DREAM
LIST, SO IF THERE IS ANYBODY IN
THIS ROOM WHO HAS ANY IDEAS OF
WHO TO INVITE, YOU KNOW, E-MAIL
THE CRIP CON ADDRESS OR THE
WEBSITE, OR THE FACEBOOK PAGE,
ET CETERA.
WE DEFINITELY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT
IT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING IT AGAIN.
>> >> AND ONE -- THIS IS KIND OF
OFF, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE
KNOW IT BUT COMIC CON, IT IS NOT
JUST A COMIC CON, THEY HAVE AN
ACADEMIC CONFERENCE GOING ON AT
THE SAME TIME.
A LOT OF THESE CONS DO, SO I
THINK WE'D LIKE TO DO THAT TOO.
NOT ONLY WOULD YOU LIKE TO SIT
HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS BUT YOU
WANT TO HAVE VENDORS AND PEOPLE
DRESSING UP AND I THINK TWO DAY,
I WITH WEAR MY COSTUME, NOT JUST
PART OF AND IT THAT KIND OF
THING.
>> FOLKS, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH
FOR TAKING THE TIME, AND I CAN'T
WAIT TO SEE MANY OF YOU NEXT
YEAR, AND ALSO, WE ARE SURE THAT
WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.
>> ALL RIGHT, IT HAS BEEN GREAT
CLOSE TO A GREAT CONVENTION.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY!
>> THANK YOU!
[ APPLAUSE ] 
