Original work from our Writers, Guest Bloggers and Freelancers
Donald’s mother described his behavior as odd, even going as far as to refer to Donald as her “hopelessly insane child”. After a recommendation from the Triplett’s family doctor, Donald was sent to an institution. Unable to care for their son at home, Donald’s parents thought of this as the best decision to get their son the help that they could not provide. The year was 1937, and Donald was only three years old.
The first word that comes to mind when I hear the phrase “differently able” is strength. The terminology “differently able” is used to describe people who have disabilities or are handicapped. However, by using that phrase it gives a new found sense of optimism and provides a nondiscriminatory perceptive on those with disabilities.
When thinking of what I would write for my introductory Spork article, multiple news articles crossed my mind. I could write about movies and literature – their seemingly lack of showcased differences. I could talk about the people I meet in my day to day life. The people I see, observing and knowing. Then I thought about what affects me and my personal life. My fears and worries for a differently abled person who sits in my heart and home. This person is my little sister.
The Still Point Theater Collective has been a Chicago institution for nearly 21 years, with a focus on theater that gives a voice to those that have no voice. Founder Lisa Wagner has crafted productions that highlight social justice for outreach to schools, prisons and other communities of the disenfranchised of Chicago. The Imagination Workshop was developed in 1992 as a performance venue specifically for adults with disabilities.
The Ravenswood Players are at it again! Bring the whole family to this event featuring a story about Santa and his elves exploring letters that ask for non-material goods as gifts. Enjoy cookies, coffee, and a chance to donate to Santa Ben after the show!
He had ridden motorcycles since he was twelve years old, perching on the back of his older brothers for rides bummed to school or just to go riding in the summer. At the earliest age allowed by his parents, he had secured his very own. Through the years, he had owned one kind of bike or another, always moving up and getting larger. Now, after much hard work and saving, it was a six years old 1965 Harley Davidson salvaged from a police auction.
The Gimp Berry bush I grow on has many branches, at least one branch representing all the various disabilities. The physical disability branch is where I am fortunate enough to be born as a tasty fruit. Nearby are branches for being blind and Deaf and so on, and from the major disability branches sprout smaller twigs...
When Joseph Varisco, the creator and emcee behind ‘Queer, Ill, and Okay‘ took the stage, he explained that this evening of LGBTQ and Illness focused night of performance art was brought about by his inability to feel connected to similar queer-focused Chicago performance.
Paralysis is a problem that affects such a high number of people that it's nearly impossible to estimate how widespread it is. The many different forms of paralysis that exist make an already difficult problem harder to create solutions that can adequately help individuals afflicted with this condition to maintain more normal lives.
I like to equate literary tastes to the human palate, and when I plunk down next to my dear friends’ bookshelves, I hunt through them the same way you’d analyze the shelves of a refrigerator you’ve gotten the go-ahead to ransack. I linger with their fridge door open, hoping to see what foods we may have in common. Who knows- maybe they like my brand of jam, or they store their wheat bread in the crisper, too. The same goes for bookshelves; I constantly want to see what genres and editions we have in common.
