A Credo for Support
Do Not see my disability as the problem.
Recognize that my disability is an attribute.
Do Not see my disability as a deficit,
It is you who see me as deviant and helpless.
Do Not try to fix me because I am not broken.
Support me, I can make my
contribution to the community in my own way.
Do Not see me as your client, I am your fellow citizen.
See me as your neighbour. Remember, none of us
can be self-sufficient.
Do Not try to modify my behaviour.
Be Still and listen. What you define as
inappropriate may be my attempt to
communicate with you in the only way I can.
ect.ect.ect.
Dedicated to the memory of Tracy Latimer
© 1996 Norman Kunc and Emma Van der Klift
This is supposed to be before that Credo...very powerful stuff:
Throughout history, people with physical and mental disabilities have been abandoned at birth, banished from society, used as court jesters, drowned and burned during The Inquisition, gassed in Nazi Germany, and still continue to be segregated, institutionalized, tortured in the name of behaviour management, abused, raped, euthanized, and murdered. Now, for the first time, people with disabilities are taking their rightful place as fully contributing citizens.The danger is that we will respond with remediation and benevolence rather than equity and respect. And so, we offer you ……..
the credo... there is also a movie and much more associated with this. THe individuals that wrote it live in Canada.I kept this at my desk when I was a Disabilities Coordinator. When I was going through some boxes from the move a year ago I found it. Then I looked it up online and found a wealth of info...just thought it interesting and wanted to share it.