Dear Brooklyn Borough President Adams,
We were appalled to hear you call the closing of Willowbrook State School, the Staten Island site of numerous abuses of people with developmental disabilities, a “mistake” on MSNBC’s Morning Joe last Tuesday, while downplaying the nature of the atrocities committed there. These comments suggest an incomplete understanding of the depth of institutional failure at Willowbrook, as well as the harm that disabled people often face in facilities meant to care for them.
It is imperative that we as a community — both citizens and elected officials — do not forget this history, lest we repeat these mistakes. Remarking that just “a few employees harmed those who were patients at Willowbrook” is a gross understatement that erases the lasting trauma of the thousands of Willowbrook patients and ignores the abuse that many of these same patients still receive today in smaller institutions. It is additionally upsetting that you would conflate the experiences of developmentally disabled people and people with mental illnesses, which ultimately marginalizes both communities and does a disservice to their unique lived experiences.
What happened at Willowbrook was a wake-up call for all of us about how disabled people are treated by the medical industrial complex, and New York City requires a leader who understands this. We encourage you to revisit some of the original coverage surrounding the Willowbrook exposé and listen to those who experienced life there in order to better understand the reality of Willowbrook.
We hope that you can use this as an opportunity to educate yourself and reflect on the harmful nature of your comments. The point that you appeared to be trying to make — that disabled people are woefully under-served by the state despite an abundance of resources — remains a salient one. We look forward to working with the next mayor in advancing opportunities for, while listening directly to, disabled people across New York City.
Sincerely,
The staff of Extreme Kids & Crew