Disabled Women of Color

• Women
  • Ayesha Vernon
  • Cheryl Green
  • Barbara Hardaway
  • Claudia Gordon
  • Kathy Martinez
  • LaDonna Fowler
  • Safi Na Nairobi
  • Sylvia Walker
• Important Works
• Links
• Bibliography

WOMEN

Ayesha Vernon

Vernon, A. (1999). The dialectics of multiple identities and the disabled people's movement. Disability & Society, 14(3), 385-398.

Cheryl Green

“Cheryl Green is currently the Dean of Resource and Community Development at Eastfield College. She received her B.A. in Psychology from Yale University, M.A. in Psychology from Ohio State University and a PhD from Southern Methodist University. She is the author of “Child of Promise: One Woman’s Long Journey from Tragedy to Triumph.”

“One Resilient Baby” by Cheryl Green in Listen Up: Voices from the Next Femist Generation, Barbara Findlen, Ed., Seal Press 2001

Barbara Hardaway

Barbara Hardaway, with background as a costume/make-up artist and set designer, received a Ph.D in non-verbal Intercultural communication from Howard University in Washington, DC and currently is an English professor at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. As a collage artist, she creates fun and fantasy in mixed-media and paper works of art that range from wall hangings to furniture. She shows beauty in places where one might not expect and transforms objects into artifacts that go beyond their intended use. Her work moves in directions of bold colors and contrasting elements to create visual tension and playful energy. Hardaway's webpage has wonderful images of her work.

Claudia Gordon

Claudia Gordon, the first Black deaf female attorney in the U.S., has been an advocate for people with disabilities since high school. It was her desire to address societal barriers faced by people with disabilities that motivated her to pursue a legal education and career. Since graduating from law school and being admitted to the Maryland Bar, Claudia has conducted numerous empowerment and legal education outreach and training to communities and organizations in both the U.S. and St. Thomas USVI.

Claudia has a longstanding association with the National Black Deaf Advocates Association (NBDA), having served since 1989, and is currently its Vice-President. She has also provided advocacy leadership at the National Association of the Deaf Law Center; the Civil Practice Clinic at the Washington College of Law, Washington, DC Public Defender Service-Mental Health Division; the Black Law Students Association; the National Black Deaf Advocates Association; and the Consumer Action Network. Currently, she is an independent consultant to the National Council on Disability (NCD).

Kathy Martinez

Martinez' home page

LaDonna Fowler

LaDonna Fowler (Turtle Mountain Chippewa/Santee Sioux/Assiniboine) is the Chairperson, Subcommittee on Disability, National Congress of American Indians and Co-Founder, American Indian Rehabilitation Rights Organization of Warriors (AIRROW)

Sylvia Walker

She is Director of the Center for Disability and Socioeconomic Policy Studies and the Howard University Research and Training Center. Dr. Walker is the former Chairman of the Department of Psychoeducational Studies at Howard, and
has also conducted research and training projects in South America and Africa. In addition, she has taught at Hunter College, New York, and the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, West Africa. Dr. Walker has served on the President's Committee's Subcommittee on Employee Disability Concerns
since 1987. (See Howard University)

Also see International Women

IMPORTANT WORKS:

Hunt, R. (2000). What is it about "all" that you don't understand?: Disabled women in the Asia/Pacific Region and Beijing+5: a progress report. (10-12/00), [webpage]. [2001, Feb 2001].

National Council on Disability. (2003) UNDERSTANDING DISABILITIES IN AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE COMMUNITIES: TOOLKIT GUIDE

National Council on Disability. (1993) MEETING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF MINORITIES WITH DISABILITIES

RESOURCES: LINKS

American Indian Rehabilitation and Research Training Center
The mission of the AIRRTC is to improve the quality of life for American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities through the conduct of research and training that will result in culturally appropriate and responsive rehabilitation services, to improve employment outcomes and facilitate access to services for American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities, and to increase the participation of American Indians and Alaska Natives in the design and delivery of rehabilitation services for employment outcomes.

The Howard University Research and Training Center for Access to Rehabilitation and Economic Opportunity (HURTC), Overview of Individual Projects, accessed Feb 2001

Wellness & Native Disability Conference

RESOURCES: BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barile, M. (2000). Understanding the personal and political role of multiple minority status. Disability Studies Quarterly, 20(2), 123-128.

Bradsher, Julie E. (1996). Disability Among Racial and Ethnic Groups. Disability Statistics Center, Abstract 10, January 1996.

Briggs, E. D. (2000). Disability Is Diversity (Feature Article, March 23,2000, NCD #00-286). National Council on Disability. Available: [2003, Sept. 29,2003].

Bristo, M., & Disability, N. C. o. (1993). Cultural Diversity Outreach. National Council on Disability. Available: [2003, Sept. 29,2003].

Cheu, Johnson (2004)

D'aoust, V. (1999). Complications: The Deaf community, disability and being a lesbian mom - A conversation with myself. Restricted Access: Lesbians on Disability. V. Brownworth and S. Raffo. Seattle, Seal Press.

Fowler, L. (1997). Native American Communities - A more inclusive society? One in Ten. 17: 6-7.

Nakanishi, Y. O. (1998). Situation of women with disabilities in Asia. In B. Duncan & R. B. Bieler (Eds.), International Leadership Forum for Women with Disabilities: Final Report. New York: Rehabilitation International.

Vernon, A. (1999). The dialectics of multiple identities and the disabled people's movement. Disability & Society, 14(3), 385-398.

Women with Disabilities in Asia
Request the issue of Women in Action No. 2, 2001 by mail from Isis-International-Manila, P.O. Box 1837, Quezon City Main, Quezon City 1100, Philippines or via email communications@isiswomen.org