The Roll Model

New Post Alert! A few weeks ago I partnered with Tourism Kamloops to highlight some great family friendly (and accessible) jaunts in the Kamloops area. What a great (and exhausting) weekend it was #Rollmodel #ExploreKamloops #Accessibility #WheelchairTravel #ExploreBC #FamilyTravel #DisabilityTravel

It's rare that someone so accurately captures the experience of living with a visible disability. I have experienced every single situation described in this wonderfully illuminating piece (seriously, the last time someone interrupted my day and tried to pray my disability away was 6 weeks ago at a playground with my children - just......why). I dearly hope that you read this, and think about it. There are ways to live alongside disability that convey respect in conjunction ...with kindness. Yes, I sometimes need help and yes, I appreciate your assistance. No, I do not loathe my disability and no, I do not welcome your pity. Also, Rebekah has a book coming out (I've pre-ordered!) and I hope everyone buys it! Her voice is so beautiful, and so accurate. https://time.com/5881597/disability-kindness/

Via The New York Times: COULD IT BE that, at long last, that movement is starting to become real for actors with disabilities, as it did for African-Americans i...n 1970s-era entertainment, for gay people in the early aughts and for Asian-Americans in the last few years? If a successful cultural transformation can be defined as the moment when you can finally stop counting heads, the first sign of that may be when you realize that at least there are heads to count. As always, television because there is just so much of it has led the way: Suddenly, there’s a lot to notice, and not just once a year on awards shows, when Peter Dinklage wins another Emmy or someone makes an acceptance speech in American Sign Language. A study of networks, cable and streaming services in 2018 by The Ruderman Family Foundation revealed that 56 characters with disabilities were being portrayed by actors with disabilities. One asterisk: In the study, disability included characters who have struggled with addiction, a definition supported by the Americans With Disabilities Act but one that bothers many who feel the term should be reserved for those with a visible or apparent physical, cognitive or neurological impairment. Another, larger issue: The same study showed that the vast majority of disabled characters are still played by nondisabled actors. Nonetheless, the sense of momentum is real. Christopher Thornton, an actor in a wheelchair, shows up in the rebooted Will & Grace as a romantic interest for Karen. A tetraplegic actor, George Robinson, appears on season two of Netflix’s Sex Education, and Steve Way, a comedian and actor who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair, becomes a scene-stealer on Hulu’s Ramy. Netflix’s "Crip Camp" a documentary about a summer getaway for disabled kids in the 1960s and 1970s, premieres at the Sundance Film Festival and wins the audience award for U.S. documentaries. NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist features a musical performance of Rachel Platten’s Fight Song by the Los Angeles-based company Deaf West Theatre. Shoshannah Stern becomes the first deaf actress to play a doctor on Grey’s Anatomy. [thumbnail image description from article: From left: the actors Madison Ferris, Lauren Ridloff, Ali Stroker, Gregg Mozgala and Alexandria Wailes, photographed in New York City on June 26, 2020. Credit: Stefan Ruiz]

As the parent of two small children, I'm often the subject of many inquisitive questions from the Littles, and while I never mind answering them, my heart grows three sizes when a parent jumps in to help facilitate the conversation. Saying things like "Some people use wheelchairs to move around, and some people walk. Some people use canes, and some people use walkers. There are all kinds of ways to move around!" helps children to see disability as a neutral fact of life. Normalize, educate, and include. Easy as pie! https://www.abc.net.au//helping-your-kids-to-not-/11739256

Well that’s a wrap! A jam packed weekend of exploring my home town of Kamloops with the kiddos in tow. After all we did, these are the only photos I have of me at the moment (isn’t that always the way? ). We had the lovely @mary.locations tagging along for professional photography and I will be posting more when they are ready - clock that kayaking shot for a sneak preview of what’s to come We’re all home for a rest and hiding from the heat (38C today ). Excited... to share more soon! @tourismkamloops #ExploreKamloops #Accessibletravel #wheelchairtravel #freewheel #freedomtrax #exploreBC See more

Awesome initiatives are happening in small towns everywhere. Some of my favourites are the accessible playgrounds in the City of Quesnel and the adapted mountain biking available in Nakusp, British Columbia, courtesy of Kootenay Adaptive Sport Association. What are some of your favourites? Share below! https://www.cbc.ca//how-small-towns-are-creating-a-more-ac