Week of March 21: at CCW  EXCEPT FRIDAY 3/24, WHEN IT'S CLOSED 

I would like to examine Petra Kuppers' thoughts regarding how we define ourselves and one another. In the Introduction to "Disability Culture and Community Performance," she writes: "We live in tension and in love with (these) labels, and carve out space for our creativity where we can" (Kuppers, 7). In the texts, movies, and people that we have encountered thus far in our course, we have come across artists who prefer to be referred to as “disabled artists,” and others who like being known as simply “artists,” with the marker of disability playing a secondary role.

For me, there were two eye-opening moments during the documentary Invitation to Dance. First, when Simi Linton showed disability activism through using her two hands, one with open and one in a fist. The fist was the disabled community and the open hand represented all social constructs. She then says that doctors and organizations like Autism Speaks are focussing on 'fixing' the disabled population while activists are focussing on chaging social constructs. This simple representation provided tons of clarity for me. Secondly, there was a point when one of the dancers talked about how tdancing is not theraputic for them, it is art. When they dance, they want to be judged for the quality of their work not the 'niche' aspect of being in 'disabled dancers'.

March 22

Family history of military service

Travis Manning Foundation -- engaging survivors in public service to others, to give back in name of deceased family member

"It's all about the stories." 

GSSWSR

trauma course

Plan for Talk

1) presentation on cultural competency -- individuals who are military or veteran connected, connected to that culture -- also people exposed to military kinds of operations (beyond people in uniform)

Largest number of children affected are siblings of people serving in the military. Family context for discussion is difficult -- harder to have child serving than to serve yourself.

Important to think broadly

important to be recognized

Friday, 9am
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"If a writer’s writing constitute a body of work, then my body of work must feel fragmented…that feels good to me. It feels like life, it feels like the world. " Disability brings in new perspectives by broadening our normative idea of what is beautiful and what is acceptable. Reading the introduction, I was struck by the portrayal of fragmented bodies. While non-disabled people would try their best to hide the "flaws" in their bodies, disabled people like Kuppers embrace their bodies and recognize its beauty. They even dance on stage, performing an act that naturally calls for attention to their bodies. Watching the dance between Linton and her husband, I can't help admire how fluid Linton's motions are and how her wheelchair and her husband's roller-skater suit so well together.

This postcard is a photo of an art piece at the Center for Creative Works. I see it every day as I go down the stairs into the main studio space, and it always makes me think. It is a lucky find that gives me more questions than answers.

Questions like,

It’s been a while since the last set of field notes, and this one’s going to be a bit short because Friday’s visit to the Center was very odd. I walked in, signed in, and looked for the placement coordinator. She wasn’t at her desk, and I couldn’t find anyone in the office. The meeting room where I usually stored my jacket and bag (with my phone, wallet, etc.) was being used, by what appeared to be a staff member and a family. Not wanting to intrude/hear personal things about someone’s disability or medical history, I stuffed my jacket in my bag and took the whole thing downstairs, hoping to find “Clyde”, the sculpture instructor.