The Time to Question is Now.

Pl ... ease

Don’t see only our disabilit … ease,

Don’t deny us basic facilit … ease,

Don’t ignore our many abilit … ease,

Don’t compound our varied difficult … ease,

Deal head-on with the harsh realit … ease.

You never know what life has in store,

You may fall one day and rise no more,

You may join our ranks, afraid, unsure,

You may write words to plead; implore.

We are not an alien race,

We have a voice, we have a face,

We have our part to play; a place.

Let us join life’s lively dance,

Let us have an equal chance.

Pl … ease.

A poem written by: Clive Blake

The poem by Clive Blake takes the word “disability” and gives it a new meaning by showing us how to acknowledge the ability from within each person with disabilities. Instead of stigmatizing individuals with disabilities, what would it look like if we replaced negative labels with a person-centered understanding that promotes equality and productivity for all? As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brother/sisterhood.” Blake’s demonstration of the word “ease” deriving from “please,” shows how we can live up to the assertions made in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

A few questions came to mind while re-reading Pl…ease. How can each us as individuals start to invite the changes needed to reverse negative stigmas towards people with disabilities? What can society begin to do --from a micro, mezzo and macro level-- to support a vision for such changes? At the grassroots level, what can we do to end the use of harmful stereotypes? Within our workplace settings, what can we do to demonstrate the necessary change needed to transform such stigmas? From a political standpoint, how can government leaders promote a healthy a vision for change alongside people with disabilities?

The time to question is now. A special thanks to the poet Clive Blake for inspiring so many good questions and thoughts that challenge societal norms and invite us to work towards the transformations needed in society.

Blog post Written by Briana Nasti– Member of the Rivera Fund Leadership Cohort, BSSW senior student at the College of Staten Island and intern at Council Member Joe Borelli’s office.