Another Blogger's Tale

One of the few bloggers who wades into on-line intellectual warfare with an avowedly Disability Studies perspective is Michael Berube. This article from the Valley Advocate gives some background on Michael's initiation and motivations for this mode of intellectual contest. A veritable Don Quixote tilting at the Conservative windmills.

NPR profile of artist Sunny Taylor (x DS-HUM)

Check out this NPR sound-bite featuring the brillant artist and activist, Sunny Taylor, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4520398
She will be speaking at the upcoming "Building a DisAbility Movement" conference at the University of Florida. The conference is free and open to all. Register at http://grove.ufl.edu/~usd/
best wishes,
bethany stevens, hedonic uppity crip activist
Sat, 12 Mar 2005. Archives of DS-HUM (Listserv for Disability Studies in the Humanities)

Disability Sport: 'Murderball' wins award at 2005 Sundance Film Festival

Thanks to Colin Guthrie for passing along this Paralympic News item. 'Murderball' (Think Film Company), a documentary about a unique fame of rugby on wheels, was awarded the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in January. This film offers a revealing look into an increasingly popular Paralympic Sport. Apparently spectators love the sport, but teams find it difficult to secure corporate sponsorship. This high contact sport really dispels popular stereotypes of disability and sport, that may have been fostered over the years by the Special Olympics. One wonders if we will be able to view 'Murderball' in theaters or on television in the near future.

Update: The New York Times for March 26, 2005 features a review of the film, as it is to be shown in Manhattan over the weekend as part of the New Directors/New Films festival. Be on the lookout as the directors of Murderball move towards commercial release later in the spring.

NY Olympic bid a boost for athletes with disabilities?

This Sunday, March 6 article from a New York metro news source, The JournalNews.com, features recent discussions on how New York's 2012 Olympic bid may benefit athletes with disabilities from across the state. Progress is apparently being made with pressure from the Special Olympics, but there is still a long way to go.

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Our Brazilian correspondent, Jared Goyette, has posted some interesting initial findings to his new blog, Disability in the Brazilian Context. I'm sure that he could use the help of our readers as he unravels this puzzle. Interesting to reflect on the emerging place of Afro-Brazilian history in the school curriculum, and the groundwork that still needs to be laid for Disability Studies. I intend to post some of my thoughts to Jared's blog, time allowing, over the rest of Temple University's Spring Break (March 6 - 12, 2005).

Autism is a World

Autism is a World, the Academy Award nominated documentary will be airing on CNN on May 22nd at 8PM EST. Set your VCRs.