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How Sidewalks Can Dis/Able Us

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Whether you are walking to class, going to the gym, or getting groceries, the sidewalk may be something you take for granted. Many of the different parts that make up our daily built-environment go unnoticed. For some people, however, the built-environment can be a significantly limiting factor that literally “disables” them.

In the fall quarter of my sophomore year, I took Disability Studies 101: Perspectives on Disability Studies. It was an introductory course to Disability Studies exposing students to different perspectives that frame people’s understandings of disability. One of the angles the class used in discussing disability was social and policy perspectives, which covered a wide range of topics including aging with disability, chronic illness, and the built-environment. I still vividly remember one of articles I read for the class that discussed how the built-environment affects persons with a disability almost two years later. The author, Christopher Baswell, was a visiting professor from the University of York who uses a wheelchair. Baswell’s main point in the article was how certain buildings in his university make him “crippled” more than other buildings do. For example, in the British Library, he was “able-bodied” because he could “move about as easily as other library users.” In Bodleian Library of the Oxford University however, he was “crippled, reduced to begging for help on the pavement outside.” Although it is not explicitly mentioned in the article, we can infer that the British Library was build such that wheelchair users can navigate the library independently, whereas the Bodleian Library lacked facilities such as ramps and elevators that would enable wheelchair users to move around easily. In sum, the article was a clear example of how our environment constructs how we experience disability.

As a blind student, I could relate to Baswell on a personal level, and I could immediately think of a number of areas on UCLA campus that “disable” mobility for people with different physical challenges. One such area was a sidewalk in front of Schoenberg Music Building near the Inverted Fountain. As shown in the picture below, the sidewalk was narrow and bumpy because of tree roots that were sticking out of the ground.

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Before construction. Photo via Sanna Alas

As I write this post, however, I am happy and grateful to say that this area is no longer “disabling.” A construction project took place at the end of the 2016 winter quarter, making this part of the sidewalk safe and accessible. Every time I walk by this place, I feel hopeful because it is a proof that UCLA is taking the right steps toward making the campus welcoming and accessible to everyone.

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After construction. Photo via Ana Bonilla.

One of projects in progress for the BE-Well pod this academic year is Sidewalk Campaign. Through this project, the BE-Well pod hopes to address the importance of having safe and accessible sidewalks on and around the campus. A study has shown that having a well-maintained walking surface was the main functional factor that is associated with people getting out and walking. Addressing the issue of accessibility and safety of sidewalks on and around the campus will not only make our built-environment “non-disabling,” but also encourage the UCLA community to engage in walking more, thereby living healthier.

Can you think of any areas on and around campus where the quality of sidewalk could be improved? Share on social media or comment below if there’s an area on UCLA’s campus you’d like to see improved by the Sidewalk Campaign!

Miso Kwak is an undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Disability Studies and Education Studies. In addition to blogging for the UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative, she plays the flute with the UCLA Woodwind Chamber Ensemble. Outside of school, she works as a mentor for high school students through Accessible Science, a nonprofit organization that facilitates science camp for blind youth.

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Far From The Tree: A Book that Will Expand Your Understanding of Disability

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Screen Shot 2017-04-20 at 10.16.30 PM.pngAs a person with disability and a student pursuing a Disability Studies minor, I have read a lot of literature on disability. While there are many great books on disability, my favorite is Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity.

A friend of mine recommended this book to me just before my sophomore year at UCLA began. At first, I was overwhelmed by the size of the book, as it is over 700 pages long. In fact, it took me most of my sophomore year to finish the book! Ever since finishing the book, however, I have been fervently recommending this book to many of my friends.

In this book, Andrew Solomon explores how horizontal identity affects the relationship between parents and children. By “horizontal identity,” Andrew Solomon means “an inherent or acquired trait that is foreign to his or her parents” due to a variety of reasons, which may include “recessive genes, random mutations, prenatal influences, or values and preferences that a child does not share with his progenitors” (p. 2). Examples may include sexual orientation, gender preference, and ability status. More specifically, Andrew Solomon focuses on deafness, dwarfism, Down syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, severe disability, musical prodigies, children conceived by rape, criminals, and transgender individuals in the book. Each of these topics represents horizontal identity; parents and children inevitably experience the world differently because of these physical and/or psychological differences.

The book is based on Andrew Solomon’s interviews with more than 300 families, but also includes Solomon’s own story of becoming a father. Each story featured in the book is genuine. Solomon did not shy away from including raw, challenging, and, at times, tragic reality of living with what the society considers abnormal conditions. Solomon was also careful to not exaggerate positive aspects, and he successfully avoided inspiration porn. Each story and commentary is insightful and unique in its own ways. However, all of the stories are also tied together by a common thread: a desire to embrace differences, express love, and exercise hope.

Overall, Andrew Solomon sends a message that what the society may see as deviant does not get in the way of living a fulfilling, meaningful life. He also contends that the concept of disability is fluid rather than fixed. Furthermore, it could embody strength. He eloquently writes, “We are all differently abled from one another, and context – which is socially constructed – often decides what will be protected and indulged” (p. 33).

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Despite the ongoing effort to raise awareness and bridge the gap between those who are viewed as disabled and non-disabled, people with disabilities are continually marginalized in many ways. Reading Far From the Tree (even just one of the chapters!) would be a great way to expand your understanding on disability and think about how physical and psychological differences can be valuable aspects of diversity in our society rather than deficits to be stigmatized.

Miso Kwak is an undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Psychology with a double minor in Disability Studies and Education Studies. In addition to blogging for the UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative, she plays the flute with the UCLA Woodwind Chamber Ensemble. Outside of school, she works as a mentor for high school students through Accessible Science, a nonprofit organization that facilitates science camp for blind youth.