Good morning! It’s #LeadOnADA30 time!

Today is the Deafblind Protest 101 thread.

I went to a rally this morning. Let’s talk about how I decided to go, what I did for safety, and how allies can support disabled protestors

The ADA exists in part *because* of protest and social action. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Check out ADAPT, the Capitol Crawl, the 504 sit in (there’s even a Drunk History segment!).

Also check out @actupny for other disability related protestors.

Ok. So I’ve been doing protests since I was uhhhh... a toddler? I went to ActUp protests, Desert Storm protests, Pride before it was corporate, you get the idea.

I started organizing in HS and college.

So the first tool I have is experience.

If you’re new to protests and disabled I highly suggest acquiring a disabled Protest Auntie - someone who can teach you their particular tricks and tips. Because we all have different tools.

Ok. So here’s what I take with me to a protest -

- a hard case for my hearing aids. If a protest gets intense I take my aids out

- a fully able bodied person whose job it is to keep me safe (I’m Deafblind, I miss things)

- an adaptive aid (more on this soon)

- clothes that I can move in, and that cover most of my skin

- a cell phone

- a mask

- hand sanitizer

The adaptive aid changes depending on the protest.

At protests that are marches in the middle of the street, I take a white cane because the guide dog does NOT like walking in the middle of the street.

At today’s rally I took the dog in a bright orange vest.

The choice depends on a) if I think the dog is in danger and b) if I think the action will disrupt his training.

Ok. So how do I decide whether or not I’m going? I look up the location. I decide if I have accessible options for leaving if I am uncomfortable. I look at the intentions for the event, and if they think about disabled people.

So.

What can YOU do if you’re able bodied?

If you’re organizing you can create space for disabled protestors to feel safe and respected.

You can volunteer to be the person who keep watch and is the support human when asked.

If you’re organizing you can make sure someone knows ASL on the ground.

You can ask people not to interfere with adaptive devices.

And you, as a protestor can not interfere. Told you we’d get back to the dog.

At every protest I take the dog to, people approach me, they talk to my dog. When asked not to, they say “oh yeah I know”

My guide dog is there to keep me safe. Other people’s service dogs are there to keep them safe

I had four people approach my guide dog today. At a protest where it was not entirely peaceful despite my assessment of a morning protest on the west coast.

That made it unsafe so we eventually left.

Folks disabled people HAVE to be able to be safe at your events.

Anyway, this is where I invite you, my disabled colleagues in arms, to share your own tips and thought processes!

A couple addendums:

- I do not go to protests where I feel that my being left behind in a dangerous situation is a possibility.

- I do not stand on a front line when tear gas is likely because of my medical health.

That means I’m home a lot right now.

And I hate it.

People who care about me do worry. They worry because they should.

Policing systems do harm disabled people - especially Black Deaf and disabled people.

I don’t want to end this thread without saying that.