WITH Foundation is pleased to present Expert Conversations, an ongoing series that features conversations with experts in the fields of healthcare, disability, digital health, and philanthropy.
Image Description: Sofia, a light skinned Ecuadorian-American woman with dark hair. She is wearing a green shirt and light glasses.
Today’s Expert Conversation is with Sofia Webster. She is an Ecuadorian-American woman living in Sacramento, California and is the Lead Consultant of Content Marketing and Strategy at LaVant Consulting, Inc, a social impact communications firm supporting brands speak disability with confidence. Sofia’s love of and appreciation for the disability community on the Internet acted as kindling for her work creating accessible social media experiences for people with disabilities. She feels called to do disability-focused social impact work, having been a part of Sins Invalid, the Crip Camp impact campaign, and chronic illness advocacy groups.
(Image Description: Sofia, a light skinned Ecuadorian-American woman with dark hair. She is wearing a green shirt and light glasses.)
We started our conversation with a question about Ableism, the focus of one of LaVant Consulting’s signature programs:
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How do you define Ableism, Sofia?
If you want a short and easy answer, ableism is the mistreatment of, prejudice towards, and oppression of people with disabilities. But the reality is that ableism is much more than that. Ableism is all around us and takes many different forms. Personally, I appreciate this definition of ableism offered by T.L. Lewis because it taps into a critical lens for understanding ableism: as a social justice issue. Like other forms of oppression, ableism can show up interpersonally (within conversations), institutionally (baked into systems), and internally (inside yourself). The power structures that uphold ableism are linked with those that uphold other forms of oppression, such as racism.
What is an example of “well meaning” ableist language?
I think a great example of ableist language that seems well-meaning, but in actuality is patronizing, is the term “special needs.” We all have needs! What makes one more special than another? “Special needs” is a euphemism. Euphemisms, by definition, are words we defer to instead of using the words we actually mean. In this context, many people use “special needs” to avoid saying the word disability, ultimately revealing their true feelings about disability: fear and distaste. Just say “disability!” It’s okay!
Tell me about LaVant Consulting, Inc’s Race and Disability customized training. What topics do you dig into?
Race and Disability is one of LaVant Consulting, Inc’s most requested customized trainings! Disabled people of color know a truth often overlooked by others: disability is left out of conversations about race and race is left out of conversations about disability. This training digs into the experience of being at the intersection of race and disability, covering topics related to current issues that disabled people of color experience, such as education access and the school-to-prison pipeline, historical context, such as the history of health inequities of disabled people of color, and great organizations who are doing work to empower disabled people of color.
You mention the history of health inequities of disabled people of color. Can you say more about that?
Both the rise of scientific racism and the beginnings of eugenics occurred in the latter half of the nineteenth century. There are stark similarities in both these movements, namely that they each believe in a firm “hierarchy of man” where some people are more fit to reproduce than others. In other words, those who felt that people with disabilities were inherently inferior used the same reasoning to label people of color as sub-human and that these communities were bad for the gene pool. These beliefs ultimately led to forced sterilization of many disabled people of color, a practice still happening today.
What issue related to healthcare for people with IDD do you feel needs more attention?
I believe that the impact of COVID-19 in IDD communities is undeniably devastating. A 2021 study has shown that intellectual disability “is the strongest independent risk factor other than age in COVID-19 mortality.” Public health officials need to center the healthcare needs of IDD communities when creating guidelines for protection against the pandemic.
Thank you, Sofia!
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