Marching to Commemorate the Americans with Disabilities Act - 8.17.21

The skies opened, and the heavens shook with thunder. The gutters along Main Avenue in Durango flooded with overwhelming torrents of water. For some, it was a welcome summer afternoon monsoon in Southwest Colorado. For about 30 marchers gathered to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th, it was painfully ironic. “You can have this day,” the universe seems to say, “But we’re not going to make it easy.” Read More...

Challenging Historical Perceptions of Inclusion - 7.28.21

Thirty-one years the American with Disabilities Act was adopted, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities still do not have equal rights in the United States. While we have made some progress as a society, prejudices persist. Jeff Newman, Director of Community Integration at Community Connections, is on a mission to change that mindset. Read More...

Is There Such a Thing as a "Normal" Brain? - 7.7.21

Is any single person “normal?” Is there one type of brain that represents the vast breadth of human experiences, backgrounds, and differences? The concept of a normative standard for human brains has come under scrutiny in recent years. Research and the life experience of Neurodivergent adults suggest that the differences in neurological makeup, such as those we have come to associate with the Autism spectrum, are natural variations found within the human population. This concept, termed “Neurodiversity,” rejects the notion that Autism and other neurological conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, and tics are disabilities that should be fixed or cured. Rather, they are simply a part of the normal human condition. Read More...

The Old Normal Only Worked For Some People - 2.12.21

As the new vaccines begin to surge into the arms of our friends, families and neighbors, many of us are starting to envision what life after COVID-19 may look like. The pandemic has changed us, and some of those changes look like they might be permanent. Some might even be positive. Read More...

It's Time to Reframe Our Perception of Disability - 1.8.21

I once had a dance teacher who swore that some of the most innovative dance moves were created by dancers with injuries that prevented them from doing a move correctly. What they created to adapt for their bodies was even better than the original. Read More...