Saturday, 11 March 2023

My tribute to Judy Heumann

How does one pay tribute to someone you never got to know or meet? Judith Heumann is one such person I never got to know or meet, yet got to admire from afar. 

My introduction to Heumann came at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, courtesy of a documentary called Crip Camp. Her contributions to making America a more inclusive place for people with disabilities was richly documented. I learned about her advocacy, and also got to know some of her chutzpah and her feisty personality. 

The Washington Press dubbed Heumann the mother of the disability rights movement, and a “badass.” Thankfully she lives on through this movie, and through her podcasts, videos and literature. She also lives on in the stories and memories of everyone who either worked with her or were influenced by her. I believe the broader disability community is stronger because of her contributions.

I wish I had gotten to know her, but her outstanding achievements and the mentioned resources that she left behind will compensate for that. May she Rest In Peace, and in power. ♿️💪

Saturday, 14 January 2023

Remembering the Honourable David Onley


The first two weeks of 2023 have not been kind. I just learned that David Onley, the former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, disability advocate, media personality and a personal acquaintance, died today. He was 72. I first met him over 20 years ago when he was still a news reporter at Citytv Toronto. We kept in contact occasionally and he supported my journalism ambitions and writing skills. We also had a shared interest in advocating for the rights and interests of people with disabilities in Ontario and beyond. I got the shock of my life in 2013 when he nominated me for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Five years later, we had a reunion when we both appeared on an episode of Employable Me. By this time, he was a political science professor at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus (aka Scarborough College). I also admired his strong devotion to the Christian faith, and he served as an excellent witness to it. I have no doubt that he making a smooth transition to the next life. God bless The Honourabe David Onley. He will be missed.