In November, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods and the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) hosted an event focused on Disability Activism History that included an overview of a historic context study developed by our Historic Preservation Program and a panel of local disability activists and thinkers. Panelists shared stories and experiences highlighting their advocacy efforts for equitable access and disability justice.
All four of us on this panel tonight have seen ableism at its worst, as well as how successful disability activism has been at changing the attitudes of people without disabilities from negative to positive. As it turns out, people with disabilities CAN achieve their desired goals, and they are counting on people without disabilities to not get in their way.
-Colin Wilfrid
The panel was moderated by Colin Wilfrid, a recent graduate from the University of Oregon (UO) with a major in political science and a minor in disability studies. Colin (he/they) has autism and also served on the leadership team for AccessAbility Student Union and is a member of the Coelho Law Fellowship, a program that works to increase disability representation in the legal profession. Colin also partnered with Seattle Department of Neighborhoods to support the storytelling component of our recent Disability Activism project.
Panelists included Carol Rozumalski, Elizabeth Ralston, and Michelle Bacca.
Carol is an accessibility coach and strategic advisor with over 20 years of experience in helping organizations create more inclusive and accessible environments. She spoke about the inaccessible environments and experiences she encounters daily, her recollection of participating in a protest regarding a lack of ramps on the University of Washington campus, and shared how she worked to find solutions before many accessible practices were commonplace.
Elizabeth Ralston is a consultant who guides organizations in the strategic development of an accessibility roadmap, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion. Elizabeth was born deaf and recently received cochlear implants. She talked about her experience growing up trying to integrate into an ableist world, her work fighting for captioning in local movie theaters, and accessibility challenges she faces every day. She has over 25 years of experience working with nonprofits, government agencies, and academic institutions.
Michelle Bacca is a recent graduate of the Master of Urban Planning program at the University of Washington, with certificates in Historic Preservation and Disability Studies. She grew up with strabismus, a cranial nerve malfunction. She recounted how she wasn’t given an actual diagnosis until she was in her 30s. She also spoke about shifting the societal focus on accessibility as an opportunity rather than a barrier and her discovery of how the disability community is continuously overlooked in Historic Preservation.
We want to thank Colin, Carol, Elizabeth, and Michelle for sharing their time and experiences at this event; the Museum of History and Industry for their partnership in planning and hosting this gathering; and the Seattle Channel for recording the presentation and panel discussion. Check out the full video of the event below!
This event was part of a larger series highlighting the experiences of our neighbors with disabilities. The Disability History Activism Storytelling series is live on our blog and we are continuing to add more stores in 2025.
