Independent Living Institute

Read also:

• Disability Community Leaders Denounce Jack Kevorkian, by Paul Longmore
• "A serial killer of disabled people, out on the streets" - by Diane Coleman
• Protest letters against legalizing physician-assisted suicide

Colleagues:

Yesterday Jack Kevorkian assisted the suicide of a disabled woman. At least half of the people whose suicides he has abetted have been disabled. As leaders in the disability community, we are outraged that Michigan authorities allow his killing spree to go on. We are incensed that his repeated declarations of contempt for the lives of our people have been ignored.

The movement of disabled Americans has entered its second phase. The first phase has been a quest for disability rights, for equal access and equal opportunity, for inclusion. The second phase is a quest for collective identity. Even as the unfinished work of the first phase continues, the task in the second phase is to explore or to create a disability culture.

This historic juncture offers a moment for reflection and assessment. It is an opportunity to consider the aims and achievements of the disability movement over the past generation and in the last few years.

In August 1985, The Disability Rag reported an incident that captured the essence of the disability movement's first phase:

Dr. Lilvak is Senior Research and Policy Analyst with the World Institute on Disability, Oakland, CA.

The following is an article from American Rehabilitation Volume 24, Number 4 Winter 1998 Personal Assistance Services Part 2 of 2. American Rehabilitation is the official publication of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) 330 C Street S.W. Washington D.C. 20202-2531

The Problem

Labor Day weekend radio event
to benefit Literacy Volunteers of America (Sept. 5, 1999)

"Konferensen om Lagstiftning för Mänskliga Rättigheter"
Stockholm, Sweden, 24 augusti 1998

Bengt Lindqvist, FN:s speciella rapportör om standardreglerna

On the 12 of March 2000, the World NGO Summit on Disability, in Beijing, People's Republic of China, adopted a resolution regarding an international convention on the rights of all disabled people.

The full text of the Resolution follows:

We, the leaders of Disabled Peoples' International, Inclusion International, Rehabilitation International, the World Blind Union, and the World Federation of the Deaf, as well as national non-governmental organizations (NGO's) of and for people with disabilities from all continents, have convened in Beijing from 10 - 12 March 2000 to develop a new-century strategy for the full participation and equality of people with disabilities.

Re-printed by permission from the Summer 1997 issue of THE VOICE OF LOW VISION - the newsletter of the Western Pennsylvania Council of Citizens with Low Vision.

Jayne Leone is active in a number of disability and advocacy organizations. Those who wish to respond to her final question may e-mail her at cfvi@trfn.clpgh.org.

The four words in the title are scary -- especially when grouped together! Overwhelming, maybe!! But essential if one is to survive and to cope with life. Let's examine each of these words.

Telekom - firande inför kvinnodagen

av Ms. Fadila Lagadien

In English

 Presentation for National Women's Day 1997

Telkom Women's Day Celebrations

by Ms. Fadila Lagadien

På svenska

Disabled Women and the Media

Introduction