After a round of introductions, the panelists discussed strategies for engaging people in grassroots work. Wiley stressed the importance of listening to all voices, recognizing that no one is only one facet of their identity. Kelly said that it is important to create opportunities for people to organize or be involved with organizing. And Blahovec urged cross-movement solidarity: “We need to show up for other rights as well,” she said, pointing out that the disability rights movement can’t sacrifice transgender rights to advance its own cause (referring to Texas v. Becerra, a case filed by 17 states arguing that the Biden administration's interpretation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is unconstitutional and seeking to invalidate the updated regulations that include protections for people experiencing gender dysphoria).
Wiley also briefly discussed common microaggressions toward disabled people both external to the community (such as “everybody has a disability”) and internal (“she can’t identify because I have been disabled all my life”). To advance disability policy, Wiley said, individuals in the disability rights movement must be willing to engage with different voices and perspectives.
Kelly discussed New Disabled South’s faith organizing program, which involves learning about the experience of individuals with disabilities as members of faith communities. “By approaching that strategically, you can bring people into the community and … into the political process,” he said. Wiley discussed her “LLE” approach to engaging people in the political process: Learn, Listen, and Engage. “We have to learn from each other’s backgrounds,” she said. “Listening is critical because we have to recognize what the practices are and how they’re impacting our community. Once you have learned and listened, then you engage. You establish allyship and civic engagement and thought partners.”
Kelly described the disability justice movement: “Cross-movement work is how we fight fascism,” he said. Wiley emphasized the instrumental role that the civil rights era played in the disability rights movement. During the Section 504 sit-in, Black activists such as Brad Lomax and Chuck Jackson worked with Judy Heumann to make things happen. Blahovec pointed out that amid the DEI rollbacks, people within the disability community have set themselves apart from other marginalized groups, highlighting their distinct challenges. She responded that disability has always been political and controversial, and we are part of all those communities.
Wiley said that recognizing the intersectionality of our communities is essential “to create a pipeline between disability activism and community-based movements.” “How do we show up for these other groups?” Blahovec asked.
Looking ahead, Kelly said that “we need to be screaming from the rooftops about Medicaid.” Wiley stressed the importance of personal stories, which can bring about “a lot of common-sense solutions.” Blahovec emphasized the importance of the state-level battles, too, such as documented proof of citizenship laws and mask bans.
The event concluded with Kelly calling upon the disability community to “stay focused and think about how to be in solidarity with other communities and movements.” Wiley added, “Don’t forget the joy; it will eliminate the noise.”