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What We’re Reading: September 8, 2020

September 8, 2020 by Claudia Paoletto

Disability Activist Melissa Blake Speaks Out After TikTok Challenge Mocks People With Disabilities | WBUR

To kick off the start of the school year, the “New Teacher Challenge” has taken off on platforms like TikTok and Twitter. Parents tape themselves showing their children an image of their new teacher — but in reality, the viral prank mocks people with physical differences. Some of these videos featured photos of Melissa Blake, a disability activist who was born with a rare genetic bone and muscular disorder called Freeman-Sheldon syndrome.

Disabled People’s Feelings About Cures Are More Complex Than You May Think | Forbes

“I don’t have to be cured to be happy. I don’t have to conform to the physical notion of perfection (whatever that is) to be a whole person.” — Disabled commenter at eparent.com.

Why Black Aging Matters, Too | Kaiser Health News

Old. Chronically ill. Black. People who fit this description are more likely to die from COVID-19 than any other group in the country. They are perishing quietly, out of sight, in homes and apartment buildings, senior housing complexes, nursing homes and hospitals, disproportionately poor, frail and ill, after enduring a lifetime of racism and its attendant adverse health effects.

Activist Ady Barkan tells top Republican to apologise over doctored video | the Guardian

The progressive activist Ady Barkan, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or motor neurone disease), said a top Republican in Congress owes “the entire disability community an apology” for spreading a digitally altered video of Barkan, who speaks through a computer, interviewing the Democratic presidential nominee, Joe Biden.

Blind people are suing over their voting options. In Virginia, their action brought results. | Washington Post

For vision-impaired voters in Virginia, there was no easy way to vote. They would either have to risk their health to vote in person, or forgo voter privacy by asking someone to fill in the blanks on their mail-in ballot forms.

National Council on Disability welcomes new council members | GlobeNewswire

The National Council on Disability (NCD) – an independent federal agency – welcomes the appointments of Mary G. Vought of Arlington, Virginia, and Daniel C. Schreck of Greenwich, Connecticut, to the Council. Both Vought’s and Schreck’s appointments to NCD are by President Donald Trump. Vought took the oath of office on Aug. 27 and Schreck took the oath of office on Aug. 26. Both began their time as NCD council members on those respective dates.

Elderly, ill and Black in a pandemic: ‘I’m doing everything I can not to get this virus’ | CNN Health

People who fit this description are more likely to die from COVID-19 than any other group in the country. They are perishing quietly, out of sight, in homes and apartment buildings, senior housing complexes, nursing homes and hospitals, disproportionately poor, frail and ill, after enduring a lifetime of racism and its attendant adverse health effects. Yet, older Black Americans have received little attention as protesters proclaim that Black Lives Matter and experts churn out studies about the coronavirus.

The information and links provided here are a courtesy. The National Advisory Board does not necessarily endorse or share the views contained in any article, report or web site. No link provided here should be considered an endorsement of any opinion, product or service that may be offered in the article or at the linked-to site.

Filed Under: Disability Issues, News, Technology, What We're Reading Tagged With: accessible voting, Ady Barkan, Black Aging, Cures, Melissa Blake, National Council on Disability, TikTok

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The information and links provided here are a courtesy. The National Advisory Board does not necessarily endorse or share the views contained in any article, report or web site. No link provided here should be considered an endorsement of any opinion, product or service that may be offered in the article or at the linked-to site.
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