Shellie's Educational Approach and Research Focus In, 2008, Susan Schwartzenberg, published a book titled “Becoming Citizens: Family Life and the Politics of Disability. The book shares a narrative of how a coalition of parents with special needs children in Seattle, Washington, following the Second World War, came together to change the way society treated their children. They became activists, refused to institutionalize their children, and galvanized communities toward political action to fight for children’s rights, ultimately culminating in the landmark legislation “Education for All,” in the State of Washington. This legislation would pave the way for a national law which would “secure educational rights for every person with a disability” (Schwartzenberg, 2008, jacket cover). My work aims to continue the narrative beyond that of “becoming citizens” to firmly state that our uniquely abled populations are already citizens and inherently deserve every opportunity to be included in and within the whole of society, well beyond the educational experience, fully engaged and contributing throughout their life journey in meaningful ways which may inform decision-makers toward creating the communities this population needs and wants.
Seventy years has passed since those brave parent's challenged the thinking of the day. I believe it’s time that we move forward in embracing our vulnerable populations and find the means to include their voices as citizens. Presently, I have been examining ways of empowering our differently and uniquely abled friends towards creating a community beyond the educational system. My personal interest in this topic was thrust upon me more than nineteen years ago by the birth of my son. Because of this experience, I cannot claim a detached neutrality of the motivations behind my research or perhaps, even the outcome. However, my life experience brings me to a place of understanding and compassion for the individuals I am including in my research. This work will endeavor to capture equity and inclusion in public participation processes within the greater community, especially areas within a local community that is called to serve all of its citizens in meaningful and relevant ways. Research Domains
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