December- Disability Digest

Disability Digest

The monthly DISABILITY RIGHTS e-publication
of Disability Network Southwest Michigan

December 2016

#RightToFly

Like many of us gearing up for the holiday season, Storyteller Noah Seidel has been traveling a lot recently. Noah uses a wheelchair, and unfortunately, some airlines don't know how to transport mobility devices. In this Rooted in Rights video, Noah and others share their experiences with having their mobility devices damaged or broken by airlines.

Rise Up!
Disability Resistance, History & Pride

January 23 is Ed Roberts Day and Disability Network Southwest Michigan is celebrating by hosting a free Lunch & Learn event. Join us for lunch with discussion and activities that promote knowledge of disability history and support the journey to disability pride! Follow this link to our website for details about the event.

New ADA Mandate for Movie Theaters

Though the Americans with Disabilities Act has long mandated auxiliary aids and similar accommodations at public facilities, the U.S. Department of Justice said it moved to clarify the obligations of movie theaters in response to widespread complaints from the disability community about the lack of captioning and audio description at cinemas across the country. Follow this link for the complete article at Disability Scoop.

Deaf Community & Mental Health Services

The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services produced a series of videos that provide information on where members of the Michigan Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing Community can turn for assistance concerning mental health issues. This video is on the rights of people with mental health disabilities and the services available to them. You can follow this link to find the entire video series.

Lunchtime Book Club

At the March Lunchtime Book Club meeting we will enjoy a light lunch and discuss the book Trigger by Susan Vaught.

Jersey Hatch can't remember why he tried to kill himself. Coming out of rehab for the first time in a year, Jersey must piece his life back together, step by painful step. An eye-opening story that expertly navigates the triumph of family, the depths of despair, and the humor of the most mundane details of life.

Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion! The Lunchtime Book Club will meet on Wednesday, March 1, in both our Kalamazoo and St. Joseph offices. For more information about Disability Network Southwest Michigan's Book Club, visit the Book Club page of our website.