Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium

Honoring the historic struggle of Western Pennsylvanians with disabilities to attain human and civil rights.

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Using Disability History to Ensure Disability Rights

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ADA30 Red and blue ADA30 logo featuring symbols representing people with disabilities. ChazKellem Chaz Kellem, a black man using a wheelchair, wears a blue button down and black dress pants. He is behind a podium holding a microphone to his mouth and pointing out at the audience. PPS A black and white photo of children playing on a basketball court at Bedford School in nineteen fifty seven. Two children are seated in wheelchairs. Several are using crutches. Men-chairs Old black and white photo of men who are blind caning chairs at a long table.

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Featured Project: Voices of Change

Father George Strohmeyer, co-founder of L’Arche Erie & Mary Ann Zarnick, long-time staff member

Voices of Change, Uncovering Stories of the Western Pennsylvania Disability Movement
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Father George Strohmeyer, co-founder of L’Arche Erie, and Mary Ann Zarnick, long-time staff member, talk about their introduction to the spiritual mission of the L’Arche movement, the founding of L’Arche Erie, the early years, and its ongoing work.

L’Arche Erie is a faith-based residential community where people with and without intellectual disabilities share life together. It is part of a worldwide federation of L’Arche communities, and was the first established in the United States. The French name “L’Arche” translates to “The Ark,” a reference to Noah’s Ark.

Father George Strohmeyer, a Catholic priest, co-founded L’Arche Erie with Sister Barbara Karsznia, a Catholic nun, in 1972. Father Strohmeyer served as pastoral leader for many years. Mary Ann Zarnick is one of the community’s longest-serving staff members.

The international L’Arche movement dates to 1964 when Canadian Jean Vanier (1928-2019), former Catholic seminarian and philosophy professor, and now denounced founder (see note below), began living with two formerly institutionalized men in the village of Trosly in northern France.

As of 2022, the world-wide L’Arche movement has grown to 154 communities in 38 countries on five continents. L’Arche Erie participates in the North American section of L’Arche International, which include communities in Cleveland, Boston and Syracuse, NY.

Note: In 2020, L’Arche International published findings from an independent inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct by Jean Vanier. L’Arche International confirmed “credible and consistent testimonies from six adult women without disabilities, covering the period from 1970 to 2005.” The report on the inquiry goes on to say: “We are shocked by these discoveries and unreservedly condemn these actions, which are in total contradiction with the values Jean Vanier otherwise stood for. They are incompatible with the basic rules of respect and dignity of persons, and contrary to the fundamental principles on which L’Arche is based….L’Arche is committed to making sure that its 154 communities across the world are places of safety and growth for all its members, with and without disabilities.”

Download the transcript of the interview with Father George Strohmeyer & Mary Ann Zarnick.


Interview with Nancy Murray, disability rights leader, and her daughter, Marisa Niwa

Voices of Change, Uncovering Stories of the Western Pennsylvania Disability Movement
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Nancy Murray, disability rights leader, and her daughter, Marisa Niwa, are well known in the Western Pennsylvania disability community. Nancy is the president of The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh, an organization with a long history of disability rights advocacy. Marisa is an independent adult with Down syndrome.

As a young married couple in the 1970s, Nancy Murray and her husband Joe became parents to Marisa and her brother Mickey Scarcelli through a program that connected children with disabilities to welcoming families.

In this interview, Nancy talks about her career in disability services and advocacy. Since the 1970s, she has worked in the areas of public policy, family support, supports coordination, healthcare, and state government. Her primary area of interest is the resilience of families of children and adults with disabilities, and the long-term impact of caring for a person with a disability on a family.

Marisa talks about independent living, her employment with Giant Eagle for nearly two decades, her volunteer work with South Hills Interfaith Movement, and her accomplishments as a Special Olympian in golf.

Download the transcript of the interview with Nancy Murray and Marisa Niwa.


View other Voices of Change videos.

Preserve and Share

The Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium preserves and shares the historic struggle of Western Pennsylvanians with disabilities to attain human and civil rights.

Educate

We educate the public about disability history in order to improve community access, participation and equal opportunity, and to ensure disability rights through existing and new policies and laws.

Advocate

We join stakeholders across Pennsylvania to advocate on policies that ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities.

Western Pennsylvania has played a significant role in the history of disability rights. From Arc Allegheny’s efforts in the 1970s to expose abusive conditions in state institutions to Allegheny County’s development of the first paratransit system in the nation in the 1980s, Western Pennsylvania has taken a stand.

Our Sponsors

Disability History Partners

Achieva
UPMC Health Plan

Disability History Makers

Disability Options Network

Disability History Supporters

CLASS, Community Living and Support Services
Temple University College of Education and Human Development, Institute on Disabilities
Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf

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Western Pennsylvania Disability History Collections

Explore archival collections and repositories of local disability history.


NEW! Patricia Clapp Papers, 1947-2015: The Consortium and Heinz History Center collaborated to bring this important advocacy story to the museum. Learn about her critical role in developmental disability policy in Pennsylvania and across the United States.


Do you or your organization have disability history materials or collections? Take our survey to tell us about your materials. (Link opens in new window.)

News

WPDHAC Project Director Pancho Timmons participated in the 9th Annual Disability & Change Symposium

New “Voices of Change” videos feature L’Arche Erie, advocate Nancy Murray and Special Olympian Marisa Niwa

In Remembrance of Katie Clare Smith

WPDHAC Statement on Beaver County Special Needs Facility Former Caretakes Indictment on Federal Hate Crimes in Abuse of Patients

Read More News Posts...

Disability History Events Across Pennsylvania

Coming Soon

March 30, 2022, 9th Annual Disability & Change Symposium, sponsored by Institute on Disabilities at Temple University. Register here.

Summer 2022

The Summer 2022 issue of Pennsylvania History Magazine will be dedicated to disability history. The issue will be edited by Dennis B. Downey, Ph.D., Professor of History Emeritus, Millersville University.

Explore Our Site!

  • Visit our historic timeline
  • Learn more about the contribution of Western Pennsylvanians as documented in projects conducted by Consortium partners:
    • Voices of Our Region Oral History Project
    • Visionary Voices (interviews with key advocates)
    • From Wrongs to Rights (documentary)
    • Small Differences (documentary)
    • i go home (documentary)
    • User Guide for Preserving and Sharing the History of Pennsylvanians with Intellectual and Developmental Disability (PDF)
  • Sign up for our newsletter
  • Take our survey
  • Visit our Facebook page or YouTube channel

Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium
412-204-7199 / info@wpdhac.org

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The Consortium collaborates on disability history efforts with individuals and organizations throughout Western Pennsylvania.

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Using Disability History to Ensure Disability Rights

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