Upon receiving the pitch about “Handrails of Seattle” by Bob Hayman for our Disability Activism story series, it dawned on us that while accessibility sometimes gets unfairly boiled down to curb ramps and captions, these more foundational elements are not just useful, but sometimes elegant, too. Bob’s reflections remind us… [ Keep reading ]
Throughout 2024, we have been working directly with the disability community to share stories and experiences that highlight advocacy efforts for equitable access and disability justice. We recently caught up with King Khazm and Kitty Wu from 206 Zulu to learn more about how they used funding from a Historic… [ Keep reading ]
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… [ Keep reading ]
In 2011, Seattle resident Bob Hayman faced a life-altering challenge: a brain tumor that left him paralyzed on one side of his body. As an active person and athlete, this new reality could have stopped Bob from doing what he loved most — moving. But instead of giving up, Bob… [ Keep reading ]
Meet Marta. This summer our team put out a call to inviting the community to share stories that relate to disability, disability history, and disability activism in Seattle. We received a bundle of ideas — you all are a treasure trove of experiences and memories! One submission came from Marta… [ Keep reading ]
By Beverly Aarons By the 1990’s, Seattle had made a name for itself as a deafblind Mecca by offering a level of community support and specialized services rarely found elsewhere in the country. And the founding of the DeafBlind Service Center (DBSC) in 1986 was critical to etching that narrative… [ Keep reading ]
Did you know that 1 in 4 American adults have a disability? Although this accounts for roughly 42.5 million people, accessibility support and infrastructure are still lacking across the U.S. As we approach the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we are taking a look back at the… [ Keep reading ]
By Colin Wilfrid In 2025, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will reach its 35th anniversary. Signed into federal law in 1990, the ADA is quite possibly the most important piece of disability rights legislation in United States history. This law has been responsible for elevators in multi-story buildings, handicap… [ Keep reading ]
By Colin Wilfrid WARNING: This story talks about a disability-accessible school that the person this story focuses on, Janet Taggart, founded. The school’s original name uses ableist language that some readers may find offensive. Just like all mothers across the world, Janet Taggart loved her daughter, Naida, and she did… [ Keep reading ]
In 2023, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation Program received a grant to support work toward building inclusion in our history writing and landmarking process. Historic Preservation staff have been supporting a team of researchers and advisors to gather information on the history of disability activism in Seattle for… [ Keep reading ]
