February newsletter: finding your voice

Qudsiya's thoughts on embracing leadership

Hello dearest DTTS community,

It’s so good to be with you in these troubled times. I hope you are finding ways to keep your cups as full as possible in the midst of it all. Our solidarity has never been more important, and I am grateful to share space with each one of you through the podcast community we have built together.

While we are in between seasons, a reminder that we are rebroadcasting favorites from each of our nine seasons. Also, you can share your audio or written testimonials about what Down to the Struts means to you by simply sending an email with a couple of written sentences or an attached voice note to downtothestruts@gmail.com. It’s been a joy to hear from you about the impact the podcast has had in your life.

Finding your voice

I must admit that I feel challenged to find my place and my purpose in a world that is so rapidly changing. I have previous reflected in this newsletter on my struggles to embrace leadership as a disabled person. The same is true when it comes to finding my voice. There is so much I want to say, but I find myself afraid to say it, either because I fear judgment, I don’t trust myself, I am worried I will cause unintended harm, or some combination of these. I imagine I am not alone in this feeling.

The great Alice Wong has grappled with the literal loss of her voice when a series of medical crises left her with a tube in her throat connected to a ventilator so she could continue to breathe. She mourned the loss of her natural voice, but also appreciated how using text to speech has improved her writing by forcing her to be succinct and clear with every sentence. She reflected: “Communication isn’t solely my responsibility. Everyone should take a beat, care, and make an effort to understand one another.”

This encapsulates the impetus for starting Down to the Struts. I wanted to get to know other disabled people, understand their experiences, and play a small part in amplifying their messages. It was also an effort to gain insights from their stories that would help me better understand myself. My guests’ generosity in this regard was far greater than I ever could have imagined. They opened their own stories up to me, and they also took the time to care, and listen to mine. They offered me advice, new connections, and friendship.

My voice is still a work in progress—I am trying to be brave and share it more and more, but this podcast and this community have been essential in helping me to take those first steps.

If you are finding it hard to share your voice, like I am, here are a few thoughts I can impart from my own journey:

• Listening is the first step. Be curious about others’ experiences, ask questions, and you’ll be surprised to discover your own ideas take shape.

• The power of your voice does not depend on its volume or form. We all express ourselves in different ways, as clearly evidenced from Alice’s experiences. The change in the way she voices has never diminished the power of what she has to say about disability justice and access as a form of love.

• You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room—your truth and authenticity will always cut through the noise.

• Speak when it really matters. In the wise words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

Community shout-outs

There are so many beautiful things going on in our community right now. Here’s a snapshot of resources, opportunities, analysis, and disability media that I highly recommend you check out.

• DTTS alum Karla Gilbride penned this fantastic piece for Slate explaining the value of workplace programs that promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA), and the consequences of dismantling them.

• Conchita Hernandez Legorreta and the Unseen team have put together a robust repository of resources to ensure that disabled immigrants and other affected communities know their rights in the face of harsh and widespread immigration enforcement actions.

• I’m currently listening to the Disability Inclusion: Required podcast from the Disability and Philanthropy Forum, hosted by DTTS guest Justice Shorter. The violent rhetoric against and assault on the transgender community has been painful to witness. But the episode, “Dreaming Freedom, Finding Joy: Funding the Transgender Justice Movement” filled my cup with hope and possibility this week.

  
  Justice guides a beautiful conversation with trans activists and philanthropy leaders Aldita Amaru Gallardo and Rainier Miles about transgender movement-building, gender liberation, and the collective efforts of disabled and transgender organizers. I particularly appreciated the links that Aldita and Rainier drew between the transgender and disability communities around bodily autonomy. Please do check out this powerful conversation as soon as you can.

• It was an honor to be featured on the Contra* podcast to talk about my experiences with remote access and the ways in which it has strengthened and expanded my connection to disability community. Even better, Labs for Liberation, a collaboration between Northwestern and Vanderbilt Universities, has co-created the Summer Institute on Disability and Design. Participants will immerse themselves in the world of critical design, guided by disability justice and black feminist frames. Workshops will be co-led by DTTS alum Aimi Hamraie, among many other design and access pioneers. You can submit your application here by March 7.

Thanks for reading, we’ll be back next month with more.

In solidarity,

Qudsiya

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