DiStory: Then and Now

Who We Are

We are a group of self-advocates and educators working together to reclaim and teach others about intellectual disability history.

Some of us are from a younger generation, who did not live in institutions. Nonetheless, many of us still experience institutionalized and unwanted forms of care and support. We have first-hand knowledge and diverse perspectives of what it means to live in communities that may continue to discriminate against people with intellectual disabilities.

Our group also includes community advocates and researchers. These people help to organize the storytelling and activist work of survivors and younger generations with lived experience of intellectual disability.

Our Mission

The stories and experiences of intellectually disabled people are not always known or well understood. Even though many institutions are closed, past systems continue to shape the lives of people with intellectual disabilities today. The discrimination we face takes on new forms. We face inequalities in healthcare, housing, employment, and education among other important parts of society.

Our mission is to teach others about our history and its impact on our lives today. In doing this work, we are part of larger movements working toward change. We want to build a brighter future informed by the lessons learned from the past.

We do this work because people’s lives depend on it.

It’s time for society to listen to our stories and experiences. The survival of people with intellectual disabilities relies on a transformation of attitudes and systems. We believe that through teaching and learning, we can make change.

How We Work Together

We are committed to disability justice. For us, disability justice means:

1. We must make sure that people with intellectual disabilities from all generations are actively involved in crafting intellectual disability history;
2. Our stories deserve to be remembered, and to be included in our culture’s lessons about history; and,
3. People with intellectual disabilities have a place in the future. It is important to carry forward knowledge about ourselves and our people as we live our lives.

Honouring disability justice means that we have a right to work together on our terms, in ways that are safe and comfortable for us. Our power comes from the collaborative way we are building different forms of knowledge about the past and the present as we look toward the future.