About the Project
Our “Voices of Change” project documents and shares the stories of people who navigate the overlap of disability with other aspects of identity, such as race, gender, LGBTQ+ identity, mental health experiences, and more. These stories have often been overlooked, not only in the narrative of disability history but also in the contemporary disability rights movement.
In addition to expanding the historic record, these stories provide a starting point for community conversations about the struggles of people who have been marginalized in multiple ways, and their inclusion in the broader struggle for equality, civil rights, and social justice.
Research on these stories explores questions around multiple, layered identities, such as:
- What do we need to know about people who live at these crossroads?
- How have they led efforts to establish disability rights?
- How has intersectionality affected access to treatment or services?
- How have people faced interpersonal or systemic discrimination and/or ableism?
Launched in 2022 with funding from FISA Foundation, the first phase of the project focused on Race & Disability. Funds to expand and continue the project throughout 2023 were provided by Mellon Foundation.
The Histories
These histories feature individuals and organizations who represent different types of disabilities, past eras of disability services, pivotal disability rights movements, and seminal leadership. Explore our histories currently available in the following categories:
Get Involved
We are always seeking to expand into additional categories (e.g., LGBTQ+ & Disability, Veterans & Disability, Immigrants & Disability, etc.) and locating subjects to participate in history collection for existing and new categories.
If you (or someone you know) would be interested in having your story collected, please email info@wpdhac.org.
Our Project Scholars (past and present)
- Taylor Akers
- Alonna Carter-Donaldson
- Heather Cowie
- Heather Glasby
- Jessica C. Neal
Our Community Advisory Committee (Race & Disability)
A community advisory committee initially guided the first phase (Race & Disability) of our storytelling project. Members were:
- Dr. Diego Chaves-Gnecco, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician; Director, Salud Para Niños (“Health for the Children”) bi-lingual clinic
- DaNia Childress, Associate Curator, African American History, Heinz History Center
- Melva Fair, Executive Director, CLASS Community
- Dustin Gibson, Access, Disability and Language Justice Coordinator, PeoplesHub; Member, Policing in Allegheny County Committee
- Chaz Kellem, Program Manager, Enterprise Equitable Health Institute; Member, Pittsburgh Human Relations Commission; President, Achieva Board of Directors
- India Scott, Self-advocate
- Michelle Walker, Founder of Lend An Ear Consulting
