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A Place to Know More About Ability
I had an interview with BBC. BBC features a lot of news around Tokyo 2020, but they also want to focus beyond sports and hear especially the living environment of people with disabilities in Japan. I had shared my experiences and knowledge of education, employment, physical accessibility (building, restroom etc.) as well as the social benefit.
This week has been very special for me. On September 27th, I was invited to a reception of disability community with Senator Thomas Harkin at the U.S. Ambassador Residence in Tokyo. Senator Thomas Harkin is one of the important people that push ADA (The Americans with Disabilities Act) to be signed into law and has put strong effort to eliminate discriminations against people with disabilities over 30 years.
It has been 1 month since Sagamihara stabbings. This news shook not only Japan but also the world. After thinking “What I can do as a Japanese with disability?” , I decided to collaborate with Rooted in Rights (*) to create a clip about disability rights of continue living. Living is a basic human right. Everyone gets the right to continue living. People with disability do as well. Please check the clip out from here. You are welcome to share the clip to spread the word and defend human rights.
1 and half year ago, I was selected as a fellow of Duskin Ainowa Foundation, and I joined their lecture to learn about the history of disability movement in the US. I spent 2 years in the US for college, so I knew the accessible environment for wheelchair users as well as that disabled people live actively in a community. However, I am ashamed to say that I didn’t know the historical background of disability movement. This time in Washington DC, I had a precious opportunity to meet Judith Heumann, who is one of the key persons of disability movement in the US. She is a special advisor for international disability rights at U.S. Department of State.