Rather than understanding my decision to mask as a public health practice, Swarthmore’s administrators seemed to view me as a threat and an instigator. They deemed me incapable of “good faith dialogue” and refused to provide a direct response to my question, simply because I was wearing a N95 respirator. I saw clearly the ableist irony of senior administrators discussing students’ mental health while publicly disrespecting and belittling my public health precautions.
June 9, 2019. Ali Stroker wins Best Featured Actress in a Musical at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards. An actor, singer, and wheelchair user, Ali Stroker has been a trailblazer for disability representation on the stage. She was the first wheelchair user to graduate from the Tisch School of the Arts Drama Department at New York University. In 2015, she was the first wheelchair user to appear on Broadway, starring as Anna in the musical, Spring Awakening. For her performance as Ado Annie Carnes in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma!, Stroker became the first wheelchair user to win a Tony Award in 2019.
Take the quiz: Check Your Ableism!
Being Young and Disabled
By Noah Griffth, Auburn University
I Was a "Student of Concern"
By Kate Jackson, Rutgers University
In My Moment of Distress
By Anonymous, Temple University