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Women with significant speech and physical impairments, such as cerebral palsy and dystonia, are speaking
but few are listening.
We created this website to be run by and for women with cp/dystonia and similar disabilities.
This is a place to let your imagination run wild, to network with each other, and to build a strong community.
The primary movers of this website are Corbett Joan O'Toole and Meecha Bregante Corbett.
This mother/daughter team wants to build a network for women like Meecha, who has cp with speech impairment. Like many young
women with disabilities Meecha wants role models and resources. Creating a website to share ideas seemed like a useful idea.
APRIL BRYANT did significant work, particularly a needs assessment, to create this website.
I was born with Cerebral Palsy and raised in San Francisco. I'm a twenty-two year old college student majoring in English
and minoring in African American Studies. I'd like to become a fictional writer one day. Also, I have been playing Power Soccer
for three years now. Furthermore, I'm a proud Godmother!
Other Contributors to this site Include:
Robin Stephens: Robin is a disability
rights lawyer and activist who has a speech impairment. You can find her at her computer working or checking email, at a protest,
or just hanging out.
Martina Robinson: Martina is a
31-year-old artist, activist, and academic, who lives in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts.In 2006, she ran for Lt. Governor
of her state, along with Grace Ross, on the Green-Rainbow ticket. The pair garnered 43,032 votes according to the Boston
Globe.
Devva Kasnitz:I am an anthropologist trained at
The University of Michigan. I have an extensive background in medical anthropology, qualitative and applied research including
health and immigration, and disability rights research including personal assistance services at work, rural transportation,
leadership development, and accommodation policy.
I've been working at the University of California, Berkeley for
the last 5 years managing a postdoctoral program in disability studies and teaching a class Anthropology and Disability. I've
worked at the World Institute on Disability and served as the Chair of Membership of one California independent living center
and as Treasurer and then Executive Director of another. I'm one of the founding board members of the Society for Disability
Studies and the Association of Programs in Rural Independent Living. I was active in unionizing at The University of Michigan,
and I have been an entrepreneur who owned a retail clothing store and was active in community Enterprise Zones and Model Cities
programs.
I have Torsion Dystonia, a movement and speech disability of childhood onset which requires accommodation.
I use a voice interpreter revoicer for work and formal speech. I divide my time living in a cottage in Berkeley and in a Eureka
California Victorian with my husband, my 3 year old stepson, a dog, 4 cats, and 3 chickens. My passions are dance and my family.
My current goal is to find time to write and to dye my grey roots.
Kelly
Munger: Kelly is a PHD student in Disability Studies. Her research examines the lived experiences
of social marginalization in adults with cerebral palsy.
Julia
Nelson: Julia was born with Cerebral Palsy and grew up in New Jersey. She earned a BS in Business Administration
from the University of Arizona. Today she is an independent contractor for web design while she continues her pursuit
to find full time employment.
Patricia Hamilton: Patricia was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She attended Spelman college where she
earned a BA in economics. She also earned a MBA from Atlanta University. Patricia is married and have two children.
RIta Roberson: Rita has a BA in Therapeutic Recreation and a Rehabilitation
Technology Certificate from San Diego State University. She is a teacher's assistant in a class called “Disability
and Society” at S.D.S.U.; one of my responsibilities is to share my life story with the students. She also volunteers
at the United Cerebral Palsy Assistive Technology Center and with the Assistive Technology Advocate at the local Independent
Living Center, Access to Independence. She is very active in her church and loves to ride horses and play role-playing games.
Susan Fitzmaurice: Susan is a lifelong disability advocate, with over
30 years of experience in both professional and volunteer positions spanning all facets of the disability community.
Susan is the ADA Coordinator for the City of Dearborn and the liaison to it's Commission
on Disability Concerns, the director of the Reel
Life Disability Film Festival, the creator of both a disability
& sexuality and a disability
crisis resource website, the managing director of a micro enterprise Teddy's
Ts, on the board of United Cerebral
Palsy - Detroit, a blogger,
and the parent of an adult son.
Susan's most recent academic work has been at Syracuse University in Disability
Studies and in Rehabilitation Counseling. Susan
has recently incorporated all of her various enterprises into an organization
called IDEAAS - Information in Disability
for Empowerment, Advocacy, and Support.
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