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| [Image Description: Jivana Heyman, a white man wearing all white clothing and glasses, is facing away from the camera while instructing a chair yoga class. Multiple participants can be seen doing a seated variation of Vrikshasana (tree pose) in the background.] |
A Letter from the Editor:
The Accessible Yoga Blog is currently in a phase of an exciting transition. As the Accessible Yoga Association has grown in size, impact, and scope over the last several years, we’ve also been working behind the scenes to ensure that our tools and technological platforms adapt to meet the needs of our growing staff and community, and that the content we offer via this blog, our podcast, monthly programming, and annual conferences continues to be reflective of our ever-evolving understanding of expansive-nature of what "accessibility" really means.
You will learn more about this transition very soon, and I’m excited to more formally introduce myself, thank our outgoing editor Priya Wagner for her years of dedication and service in this role, and to show you some of the updates we’re making improve the blog! In the meantime, I want to make sure we continue to offer our community and dedicated readers great content every week, even as we turn some of our attention to handling the back-end particulars of this transition. Luckily for all of us, the extensive archive of posts from our incredible list of past contributors contains a true wealth of wisdom that remains just as poignant, pertinent, and valuable as when we first published it. I’m excited to be able to re-share some of those posts alongside original content as we move through this transition.
Today, Friday, December 3rd, 2021, is the 29th annual observance of the International Day of People with Disabilities, originally declared by the United Nations in 1992 as a day to celebrate and promote “the well-being and welfare of people living with disabilities,” (idpwd.org). In honor of IDPWD and in the spirit of sharing some of the incredible voices and perspectives from our archive, I’ve rounded up three selections from our blog archive to re-share with you all today.
Whether you’re new to our community or are a dedicated reader engaging with these posts for a second time, I hope you enjoy and learn from the wisdom that’s been shared on this platform over the years by some incredible members of the Accessible Yoga community. Thank you!
- M Camellia (they/them), Editor
"Disability Culture 101"
by Virginia Knowlton Marcus
Originally published January 6, 2020.
"Disability culture is richly diverse. When we refer to the 'disability community' it may create a false impression of a homogenous or monolithic group, but the opposite is true. Disability intersects with every other form of identity to create a rich tapestry of human diversity. Our vision is that someday the world will see and appreciate this beautiful tapestry and recognize that disability is a natural part of human diversity, not something to avoid."
"The Invisibility of Disability"
by Sarit Z. Rogers
Originally published November 29, 2016.
"Thick, like cold honey, oh how hard it is to move, to breathe, to rise and dissolve the sleep from my eyes, with bones, stiff and swollen, this immovable framework tangled in bed-sheets.
An invisible disability is only invisible to you. To me, to us, it is glaring, screaming at us from within, beating the drum of felt insignificance. The “I can’t do this” becomes a mantra, the “I’m too tired” becomes a way of life, as we wear our loneliness like a shapeless shift. It doesn’t have to be this way."
"Disability Rights in a Pandemic: Discussion with Ryan McGraw" [Video with Closed Captions]
Originally published on June 8, 2020.
"In this Accessible Yoga Community Conversation, Jivana Heyman speaks with disability activist, Ryan McGraw. Ryan discusses his advocacy work and 'Disability Rights in a Pandemic.' In particular, Ryan explains the challenges facing people living in nursing homes with little access to communication with the outside world."
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° DONATE here to help us bring yoga to people who don't have access or have been underserved, such as people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, children with special needs, and anyone who doesn't feel comfortable in a regular yoga class.
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