A MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY
Dear Community, I have been involved as an active participant in the battle for my individual rights as a human being with a disability since 1974. Beginning in 1977 my calling in the battle expanded to include my rights as an African American male. The dual battles became one as I…
Children with disabilities are people too. My wish for children with disabilities is we [the other] give our children the humanity they were born with. Each child comes into our world with their “OWN” God given right to be treated as he/she want to be treated. People in their sphere of influence and education must…
I have never participated in the elections process beyond voting until this year. This month I attended and participated in my first precinct caucus. I never participated before because I did not believe the process was fair, democratic, or inclusive. I do not have much faith in the democratic process, and less faith in politics…
Do Black people with Disabilities Lives Matter??
Do Black lives matter? I submit to all, if Black lives matter; Yes Black people with disabilities lives matter as well. I pose the two questions because the answers are not as clear as one would like to believe. Black is a culture unto itself. It manifests itself in…
Letter to the Editors and Mr. Cirrus
STOP THE MADNESS
I am A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY. As a leader in my community I demand retractions on the articles written in your newspaper describing, abusing, and discriminating to persons with disabilities. Your paper reaches all corners of this state. The abusive language used referring to and describing…
A tale of Two worlds
A few weeks ago I attended my 40 year High School Reunion. It was celebrated in St. Louis, Mo. where I was born and raised and of course attended high School. It was an absolute fabulous three days with great events each day. I left St. Louis in September of 1975…
President Obama established a program: My Brother’s Keeper. I think the premise of the program is to have Black men treat each other with the honor and respect we have earned.
Over the past month I as a Black male with a disability, business owner, employer, mentor, role model, caretaker, grandfather, father, brother, and many more.…
Over the past two weeks, I have had the opportunity to review portions of my “employment” history.
I have been under the impression that I understood completely the negative experiences I went through in Corporate America. Hindsight is 20-20, so upon reflection I find I missed many key phrases that were used to void my individualism,…
Winter and mobility impairments
We are in Minnesota and the least favorite of the two seasons we experience here: our dreaded winter with snow and ice. I request all of us to become, if we are not already, “our brother’s keeper.”
Our city is full of totally independent persons with disabilities. We deserve to be able to…
I am in the middle of my fifth decade of life. I acquired my disability at the age of two and one half years old. Living with a disability is a mighty challenge for anyone. My disability happened early in my life so I have always been a member of the disabled community. Identification as…
Many of you may be wondering; what is my disability? The medical term for my disability is [left side hemi-pelagic.] Simplified, I am partially paralyzed on my entire left side. My left leg is two inches shorter than my right leg. The shorter leg causes a noticeable limp. My left arm until my thirties was…
Why did I “survive” as a Black “crippled” child? I believe I survived so others can see it is possible. How did I “survive?” I believe I was born with the intestinal fortitude, true grit, and determination to survive.
What did I survive? I survived a traumatic brain injury as well as severe internal injuries with…
Survival, accident, luck, miracle: I wouldn’t change any of it
As I consider the wonders of life with a disability, I find myself pondering the survival-miracle-accident-luck narrative. “Survive” is defined as “to remain alive after the
occurrence of some event; 2. to endure or live through an affliction, adversity, or misery, etc.”
“Miracle” is defined as “an effect…
Living, surviving and thriving with a disability. Bring the disability skeleton out
of the closet
What is a disability? This is a multifaceted question.
My opinion: A disability alters the “natural” or “normal” state of something or someone. The qualifier for this is who is defining “natural or normal states,” and how the definitions are received and applied…
Hello, it’s me Kenneth Brown. Do we dare to dream? Do we have the right to have “HOPE.” Fear not, yes we do. Without hope and dreams we have no future. We believe in nothing. We cannot find a way, because we are stuck in our own way. Before I grasp the limitations of my…
