As a part of the celebration of our founders Eliza & Jason Factor at this year’s Felix Awards, members of our community submitted clips of themselves thanking Eliza & Jason for their years of hard work and dedication to be included in a video shown at the gala. Watch the video below.
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
We are appalled at this week’s ruling by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals which struck down a regulation that would have banned the use of the graduated electronic decelerator, a skin shock “treatment” that is used to torture people with disabilities. This device — which has drawn criticism from human rights groups, disability advocates, legislators, and more — is used by the Judge Rotenberg Center in Massachusetts on children and adults with developmental disabilities and behavioral disorders, the only place in the country that still does so.
We stand with The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and the broader disability community in denouncing this ruling, and believe it is imperative that we continue to fight for a future where human rights are universal and not dependent on one’s identity. While we find this ruling despicable, we are heartened by the many advocates who continue to fight for justice in these spaces, and we will continue to be vocal in our solidarity. We urge you to do the same. None of us are free until we're all free.
We’re incredibly thrilled to see that Silas Raines, a 10-year-old member of our Crew and a visual artist, was announced as a winner in the 2021 Disability Unite Got Talent artist contest! Silas is one of ten artists that were selected by a community vote, and he’ll be receiving a featured performance in this year's Disability Unite Festival. Congratulations to Silas for his hard work and beautiful creation!
Alt text: A drawing by Silas Raines that shows a community of cartoon people drawn in green on a white sheet of paper. Many of the people are smiling and some have their arms in the air, and it appears that they come from a variety of backgrounds and walks of life.
Silas, who is also the son of board president Vanessa Connelly, is a visual artist whose work — done primarily by pen — depicts abstract and surrealist interpretations of life, often focusing on communities of people. He maintains an Instagram account that showcases the variety of his work. We can’t wait to see what he comes up with next!
June 22nd is primary day for plenty of important races across New York City — including the race for the next mayor. We combed through the platforms of all the contenders to see how they spoke about young people with disabilities, if at all, and how their policies would serve this population. Read on to see what each candidate had to say.
Alt: A photograph of Eric Adams smiling and look off to the side of the camera. Source: Krystalb97, via Wikimedia Commons
Eric Adams
says he will…
Conduct a full audit of students who have not received their education and therapies, and develop a program to provide make-up services.
Ensure that all new school construction is fully accessible.
Mandate universal dyslexia screening, as well as push for better screening for learning disabilities and mental health issues.
(Source)
Alt: A photograph of Art Chang smiling and staring straight into the camera. Source: Art Chang, via Twitter
Art Chang
says he will…
Provide free Universal Childcare in every neighborhood, and ensure that disabled children have their needs met in these facilities.
Expand the number of District 75 schools in each borough, to ensure fully-funded education to students with special needs.
Expand CUNY to support lifelong learning and workforce development, and make CUNY tuition-free.
Institute a user-friendly online system to manage student IEPs.
Ensure ADA-compliant access to all school facilities.
(Source)
Alt: A photograph of Shaun Donovan speaking at a public forum. Source: Sammy Mayo, Jr., via HUD
Shaun Donovan
says he will…
Provide New York City’s students with disabilities access to research-based, tested programs that meet their needs in inclusive environments, by learning from and expanding existing programs like ASD Nest and Horizon.
Address racial disparities in special education screening and tackle unfair disciplinary practices that disproportionately impact students of color and students with disabilities.
(Source)
Alt: A graphic of Aaron Foldenauer smiling at the camera against a blue and red background. Source: Aaron Foldenauer, via Twitter
Aaron Foldenauer
says he will…
Support all special educators to develop collaborations with learning programs so as to help meet the increased demands of special education.
(Source)
Alt: A photograph of Kathryn Garcia holding a microphone and speaking at an event. Source: Sachyn Mital, via Wikimedia Commons
Kathryn Garcia
says she will…
Empower parents of children with disabilities, particularly students of color, double down on evidence-based programs to meet their needs, and expand access to service providers so that families don’t have to travel beyond their neighborhood for the services they need.
(Source)
Alt: A photograph of Fernando Mateo looking at the camera. Source: Fernando Mateo, via Wikimedia Commons
Fernando Mateo
does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.
Alt: A photograph of Ray McGuire smiling with his arms folded and looking at the camera. Source: Sammyg1016, via Wikimedia Commons
Ray McGuire
says he will…
Ensure that programs outside of school hours are accessible to children with disabilities and other special needs.
Build on existing reading programs by ensuring there is a dedicated reading coach for every elementary school, who will focus on early intervention for kids with additional support needs and provide training on best-practices in reading and special needs instruction.
(Source)
Alt: A press photo of Dianne Morales smiling at the camera. Source: Dianne Morales, press kit
Dianne Morales
says she will…
Provide universal after-school programs that are accessible to students with disabilities, in foster care, with limited financial means, and more.
Fully fund the school capital plan to eliminate school overcrowding, enable class size reduction, and upgrade all facilities to be mold, asbestos, lead-free and properly ventilated and accessible to students with disabilities.
(Source)
Alt: A photograph of Paperboy Prince standing in front of a painted sign that says “Paperboy Prince” at the Love Gallery. Source: Fabebk, via Wikimedia Commons
Paperboy Prince
does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.
Alt: A photograph of Curtis Sliwa wearing a red jacket and beret at the 2012 West Indian Day Parade. Source: Bob Jagendorf, via Flickr
Curtis Sliwa
does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.
Alt: Scott Stringer speaking to a crowd and holding a microphone. Source: Thomas Good / NLN, via Wikimedia Commons
Scott Stringer
says he will…
Address chronic shortages in special education, as well as for multilingual students, English Language Learners, and students in the foster care system or otherwise temporarily housed.
(Source)
Alt: A photo of Joycelyn Taylor with her arms crossed and looking at the camera. Source: Joycelyn Taylor, via Twitter
Joycelyn Taylor
does not mention young people with disabilities in her platform.
Alt: A photo of Maya Wiley speaking at an event in front of a podium. Source: UN Women/Ryan Brown, via Flickr
Maya Wiley
says she will…
Address the current impartial hearing crisis and work to reduce the hearings backlog.
Eliminate disparities by race and disability in school discipline, including suspensions.
Ensure that the legal rights of students with disabilities are respected and met, and that they are provided with expanded programming.
Aim to serve as many children in as integrated settings as possible and break down boundaries between District 75 and the broader school system.
(Source)
Alt: A photo of Isaac Wright Jr. at an event. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Isaac Wright Jr.
does not mention young people with disabilities in his platform.
Alt: Andrew Yang speaking at a rally. Source: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr
Andrew Yang
says he will…
Establish a DOE public school for students with dyslexia & language-based learning disabilities.
Implement a universal dyslexia screening in all pre-K classrooms and extend training to teachers on how to bring students up to reading & speaking proficiency.
Ensure that teachers are trained to properly identify disabilities and support students in their individual education.
Prioritize students with different learning needs for in-person make-up services in the event of school closings.
(Source)
We can all agree that 2020 was a tough year! Our community — young people with disabilities and their families — was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. So, when New York shut down in March, we jumped into action to make sure our families had the support, information, and resources they needed to get through this difficult time. Our impact report takes a look at how we responded and where we’re going.
Click on the image for a PDF version.
To our community,
Amid a surge in violence toward Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities in New York and across the country, Extreme Kids & Crew stands in solidarity with the victims, survivors, and neighbors who are again experiencing the trauma and fear endemic to racism.
These heartbreaking attacks, like Tuesday night’s in Atlanta, may be spurred by xenophobic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they are just the latest chapter in our country’s long history of racism and discrimination against Asian-Americans. This is a wake up call that demands we be present in the fight against white supremacy and advocate for greater allyship at home, in the workplace, and in our communities.
Since New York City shut down last March, there have been hundreds of reported incidents of violence against Asian-American New Yorkers, and 76% of Asian-Americans across the country have reported feeling worried about experiencing hate crime, harassment, or discrimination because of COVID-19. Asian-American elders, already disproportionately impacted by the virus, are particularly vulnerable to attacks.
We recognize how important it is to build community-centered support networks grounded in anti-racist practices in order to begin the process of healing. Violence against any of us is felt by all of us, and it’s our responsibility to reimagine forms of public safety that center mutualism, accountability, and restorative justice.
Here are some actions you can take to join the fight against this crisis:
Report hate crimes where you see them. Inaccurate reporting, which can happen due to language barriers and fears over immigration status, can lead to misrepresentations of the reality of anti-Asian violence. Learn more >>
Donate to and amplify the work of Asian-American-led community groups and legal defense funds. Learn more >>
Educate yourself about this recent rise in violence — and America’s long history of anti-Asian violence enacted through both governmental policy and individual action.
Participate in community-based safety tactics. For example, volunteer for SafeWalks NYC to help escort community members who feel unsafe to and from subway stations.
Places you can donate to:
National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum
CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities
Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network)
More resources from Asian-American community groups:
Safety Tips for Those Experiencing or Witnessing Hate
Asian American Federation’s Anti-Hate Safety Resources
It's on all of us to #StopAsianHate. Join us.
Sincerely,
Caitlin and The Crew