As a child, my beloved mom, who worked in entertainment law for major law firms, encouraged me to use my voice, and she told me that my voice was powerful. My mom made sure that I was aware of Black history and the contributions that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) individuals contributed to [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C., Feb. 16 – As we celebrate Black History Month, which takes place every February, RespectAbility recognizes the contributions made and the important presence of African Americans in the United States. It is important to note this includes more than 5.5 million African Americans living with a disability. Some celebrities and business leaders are [click to continue...]
Being a Black woman living with nut allergies in America has granted me a unique perspective on the world. From an early age I was taught to be vocal and advocate for myself. With a nut allergy as severe as mine, my parents wanted to make sure I knew when to “speak up” and ask [click to continue...]
“I am visible. I have worth. I can succeed.” –Ketrina Hazell My name is Ketrina Hazell. I am 26 years old and the daughter of immigrant parents. I am made of what I consider my three magic powers: I am a woman; I am Black; and I am uniquely made. I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at [click to continue...]
As a Black, immigrant woman with a disability (more on this below), I hold a personal and special interest in Black History Month, which originated in 1915 — half a century after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. It was founded by historian and author Dr. Carter G. Woodson when he established [click to continue...]
My name is Dr. Nelle Richardson. I am an African-American woman of Caribbean descent. I am a motivational speaker and an advocate for people with disabilities. I’m also CEO and founder of a nonprofit organization, “Will To Win Ministry,” where I empower women who have somehow lost their way. I assist them in the healing process [click to continue...]
Rockville, Maryland, Feb. 28 – When Quasimodo, nicknamed “Quasi the great,” a German Shepherd, was discovered as a stray in Kentucky, he was scheduled to be euthanized because he has short spine syndrome. Fortunately a family decided to give him a second-hand home. He is described as a dog who does normal dog things but [click to continue...]
African Americans have had a long history of hardships in the United States. Brought to the Americas as slaves, many African Americans built a nation with their blood, sweat and tears. Contributing to music, art, sports, military and more, black and people of color still do not get the credit or respect that they deserve. With [click to continue...]
Washington, D.C., Feb. 27 – “What’s a leg got to do with it?” This is the question Donna Walton poses to her audience in speeches regarding her experience as a woman with a disability. As an amputee, Walton has experienced her fair share of people mistaking her disability for a weakness that supposedly makes her [click to continue...]
UPDATED APRIL 2019 More than 5.4 million African Americans live with a disability in the U.S., 3.4 million of which are working-age African Americans with disabilities. Only 28.6 percent of working-age African Americans with disabilities are employed in the U.S. compared to 73.7 percent of working-age African Americans without disabilities. This is in line with the rest of [click to continue...]
