Disabled And Here

Disabled And Here Collaborators

  • A Black person laughs while sitting back in their rollator and holding a cane.

    October 17, 2024

    Interview with Claudia

    “My home is decorated with my old broken walkers. I have a small collection of canes with bright patterns that are covered in stickers. The walls are covered in art, ribbons, bookcases, photos of loved ones. I curate my clothing and my home, so that I will often be able to have my eye see something that delights me.”

  • A masked Latinx person stands on a sidewalk with their cane.

    October 10, 2024

    Interview with Fabián

    “Our current systems are constructed to isolate sick and disabled QTBIPOC from one another, especially with the disregard for COVID precautions, as many act like we’re living in a post-pandemic world...[M]asking is an act of solidarity with disabled BIPOC worldwide — a reality I wish more people, both in Portland and beyond, would acknowledge.”

  • A Native and Latinx woman sits outdoors in a chair and smiles at the camera.

    October 2, 2024

    Interview with Jesenia

    “I coined the term Collaborative Spoonie Model for the way we have been working and building communities and events honoring our spoons...I want people to learn what it is to BE in community with each other, to not ‘throw us away’, and to see what we can do when we believe together.”

  • A Black person with a buzz cut and glasses smiles at the camera.

    September 26, 2024

    Interview with Milo

    “It took years and years to understand that baking isn’t only an art, but also a science. Once I learned more about the science aspect – which ingredients react to others – I was able to enjoy the process of messing up and starting over. I view all mistakes as a learning experience and have been able to develop amazing recipes with that mindset.”

  • A Black woman with a nasal cannula smiling with hands loosely folded.

    April 11, 2024

    Interview with Miss Renée

    “Healed to me is not a PLACE. We are all on some level on our journey of healing — ON, not toward. As we journey, we learn through trial, error and grace... Nothing I’ve ever been through, no matter how painful, has ever been wasted because without fail, I’ll meet someone who will benefit from my personal experience.”

  • A Black woman with a lavender head scarf, pastel earrings, and white crop tank smiles and stands in the middle of a park.

    July 19, 2023

    Interview with Hesadiah

    “As a person who is highly passionate about advocating for social justice, I am particularly motivated to create more visibility for black and POC femmes who are disabled and/or neurodivergent.”

  • An Asian non-binary person with long hair looks neutrally at the camera while sitting casually on a bench in front of blooming flowers.

    July 14, 2023

    Interview with Artthew

    “I believe that if all of our basic needs were met and our communities were more connected, that would be the most accessible world. I dream of a world where all people are accepted and we are more connected with everyone and everything around us.”

  • A bearded Black man with glasses gazes at the camera neutrally, wearing a peach shirt, septum piercing, small ear gauges, and navy bandana.

    December 30, 2022

    Interview with Andre

    “At this point, I have gathered a decent amount of documentaries in American Sign Language. I soon plan to release references for ASL documentaries through a series of Video Podcasts in American Sign Language. I plan to keep developing more ASL programming until all media is equally accessible to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing [HoH] community.”

  • A Pakistani woman with a hijab smiles at the camera.

    December 23, 2021

    Interview with Haadia

    “Having deafness and diabetes makes me feel unique and more vital than ever; I make sure I keep myself positive and healthy. With this mindset, it changed my art from hidden politics into beauty. I see beauty in everything, and I share that with my art.”

  • A Black and Indigenous person wearing glasses and red lipstick takes a selfie with his phone.

    December 16, 2021

    Interview with Dice

    “The most important thing I want people to understand about disability and accessibility is the fact that we only want to live an easier life just like everyone else. It’s not crazy to believe everyone wants a simple and enjoyable life free from frustration.”

  • A Black person with black lipstick and pointed modified teeth looks at the camera while holding a bouquet.

    April 16, 2021

    Interview with Jonathan

    “...art and writing became a way for me to process the things I couldn’t or didn’t know how to talk about, and now I use it to imagine what futures without oppression might feel like. If ableism, racism and transphobia didn’t exist—how might we get there together?”

  • A Black woman with long braided ombre pink hair smiles at the camera.

    April 9, 2021

    Interview with Aisha

    “I live a lot inside my head - sometimes too much - so I feel like a lot of emotion bleeds into my work, though I can’t really say a lot of my work is introspective. I create art to escape. It’s only really recently that I feel like I’ve put more of myself in my work.”

  • Illustrated avatar of a Black person with short hair, glasses, and a green sweater.

    April 2, 2021

    Interview with Sherm

    “Public transportation that goes all over! Free fare! Transit centers with amenities like food vendors, bathrooms, and lots of seating. Super wide sidewalks and streets made for pedestrians. Absolutely everything: color coded. Androids are also a necessity.”

  • An East Asian person smiles while framing their chin with their hands and closing their eyes.

    March 26, 2021

    Interview with Dana

    “Of course, as much as my art is a place to process trauma and subvert marginalization, it’s also a place to avoid all of that and just draw meaningless shit to make me happy. Sometimes it’s not about making a statement — sometimes it’s just about coping.”

  • A Filipino person wearing glasses and a bandana smiles at the camera.

    March 19, 2021

    Interview with Campbell

    “I want to work on a project that I needed when I was younger. Whether it’s comic work or illustration series or something completely different...I want to work in diverse stories and put my true self in them to reach out to those who have always felt like they didn’t quite fit in.”

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