Occupy Wall Street: Community Activism and the Disability Community

On September 17th, approximately 1,000 people gathered in NYC's financial district to stage the very first Occupy Wall Street event. Since then, what started as a sit-in/sleep-in, has turned into a global movement. (An interactive timeline of the movement's progressionis available online) I sat down with ILRCSF Executive Director Jessie Lorenz to talk about the Occupy movement and what, if any, action ILRCSF is taking in relation to it.

Lana: What does Occupy Wall street have to do with ILRCSF's mission, and disability rights, in general?

Jessie: The Independent Living philosophy, under which ILRCSF operates, is all about people speaking up, making their voices heard, and about what people need and want in their lives actually counting for something.  I think a lot of people forget that the Independent Living movement has always been part of the greater civil rights movement. 

This is an exciting time, in terms of activism and civic engagement. ILRCSF has always been involved in systems change advocacy. In the last few years, this has involved a lot of policy analysis, and advocacy at the legislative level. The Occupy Wall Street movement is taking activism back to the streets, and make no mistake - disability rights advocates are old hands at this sort of activism and community organizing. The historic 504-sit-in? That was us. The 2001 Laguna Honda protest? We were right there, with our friends from ADAPT. 

When you hear people talking about the 99 percent, you've got to remember that people with disabilities are part of that  99 percent. Our support of this movement, and even participation in it, is only natural. People with disabilities are activists, small business owners, employees, military veterans, parents, labor union members - you name a category, and I guarantee you, there are people with disabilities in there. 

Q: You're an activist, a parent, and a supporter of labor unions, as well as a person with a disability, yourself. Have you gotten involved with the Occupy Wall Street movement, at all? 

A: I joined a group of other disability rights activists on the day a General Strike was declared in Oakland (November 2.)  ILRCSF pooled resources with Berkeley CIL and the Silicon Valley Independent Living Center and sponsered a van so that advocates with disabilities from the Bay Area were able to get there and participate. We thought it was important to be there to show our support for the people who have been peacefully occupying Frank Ogawa Plaza, and exercising their right to free speech. It was also important to us that people with disabilities be out there in large numbers. We're angry and concerned about a lot of the same things many other Americans are angry and concerned about: unemployment, cuts to vital services, healthcare disparities.

The poverty rate among people with disabilities is staggering. Levels of unemployment have always been high for people with disabilities, and they're getting worse.  Proposed cuts to In Home Support Services (IHSS) would be devastating to thousands of people with disabilities who have every legal right to live independently and access community-based services. These are just some of the issues that disability rights activists are making noise about, and they'll all part of the same big picture. Participating in the General Strike was really great, because it was a huge, diverse group of people coming together over the things we all had in common.

Q: If someone interested in getting involved and making some noise in protest of cuts to vital services were to ask you how she could join in and participate with other like-minded people, where would you direct her?

A: I'd invite that person to join ILRCSF on December 2nd, when we participate in a Day of Action to stop the cuts. This will be a great opportunity for anyone who has never been involved in activism to jump right in. The San Francisco Labor Council has planned this day of action, and ILRCSF fully supports and endorses it - it's going to be a day when lots of different groups get together and show our strength in numbers and solidarity. People with disabilites are most definitely involved in the planning of this, and we'll be there, every step of the way. It's a day for everyone in the Bay Area who wants a fully supported public school system, fair and accessible services for people with disabilites and seniors, and the generation of more jobs. (Note: Details of the Dec 2 Day Of Action are linked below)

Q: What would you say to the person who says that community activism and advocacy aren't effective and don't lead anywhere?

A: I'd tell them that there wouldn't be a whole network of Independent Living Centers, if not for activism and self-advocacy. I'd also point to all of the victories - big and small - that the disability rights movement has garnered...from the passing of the Americans with Disabilites Act, to the development of an accessible public transportation system in San Francisco, to the corner store installing an accessible front entrance. Just today I got some great news about a ruling that will keep the Adult Day Health Care program from having to shut down. The ruling came about because of the perseverance of a group of disability rights advocates who were willing to fight for what they knew was right. (Note: Details of this ruling are below.) Political activism and community organizing have, over time,  proven to be incredibly effective tools of change. The only thing that guarantees things won't change? Doing nothing.

Settlement for Shoppers With Disabilities

Are you a wheelchair or mobility scooter user who shops at Whole Foods in California?  If so, you may be entitled to part of a cash settlement regarding accessibility.

A class action lawsuit settlement has been reached with Whole Foods Market for failing to provide wheelchair access to customers at California stores. As a result, anyone who visited a California Whole Foods store between 2006 and 2011 and used a wheelchair or other mobility device can file a claim to receive as much as $4,000 from the class action settlement.

While litigants stand to receive a cash settlement, the true victory lies in the fact that Whole Foods is making alterations to all 60 of its California stores to increase accessibility for shoppers who use wheelchairs or mobility scooters.

To find out if you're eligible to claim part of the cash settlement, and to download a claim form, check out the site devoted to the suit. Information about the suit is avialable at this site in a variety of languages.  

Making Sure Your Rally or Protest  is Accessible

Considering the fact that 1 in 4 Americans will become disabled before they retire, people with disabilities (PWD) make up a very important part of the 99% - let's work together to make sure they are welcome and encouraged to join the movement!

Simple ways you can make your occupation more accessible:

• Always keep a clear 36- inch-wide path throughout the camp so that folks who use wheelchairs can be right in the center of the action.
• Remember, when planning marches, that just because some of us can't walk or roll long distances doesn't mean we don't want to be included in these actions. Try getting accessible buses donated for these events.
• During GA's, encourage people not to shout and hoot to show agreement - extraneous voices make it hard for interpreters to translate and sign well - instead try wiggling fingers to signal agreement.
• Contact your local Independent Living Center (ILC) and ask to partner with them to make your occupation more accessible - some ILC's have money that can be donated and/or equipment and tools which can be loaned.
• Make websites as accessible as possible by using large, sans-serif fonts and writing descriptions of images, etc. You can do a web search for tips on ways to improve accessibility.
• Create an "Accessibility Committee" to ensure people with disabilities are included in every aspect of the movement. Tasks could include: procuring donations of ASL interpretation, organizing a crew of volunteer guides for the blind, and assigning monitors to keep aisles wide and clear.
• Actively encourage PWD to speak and join committees.