02/03/2023
DING DING DING!!!!
The answer to our DYK of the day for posted in our story is none other than the admirable Johnnie Lacey.
She's practically known as 'A Voice for Black Women with Disabilities'. She was born in 1937 in Huttig, Arkansas but soon relocated with her family to Mcloud, California.
Diagnosed with polio at the age of 19 that eventually left her paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. Upon completion of rehab, Johnnie went back to college and completed her degree, at a time when doing so meant overcoming discrimination based on her race, gender and disability.
She helped found the Center for Independent Living at Berkeley and became the Director of the Community Resources for Independent Living (CRIL) in its early days from 1981 to 1994. During her time at CRIL, she engaged the community in groundbreaking and essential conversations about identity and the challenges that come with being a Black woman with a disability.
Specifically, with her activism, she brought to light the intersectionality of race and disability and worked to tackle ableism in the Black community and racism in the largely white-dominated disability community.
To learn more about her visit:
https://www.centerforlearnerequity.org/news/johnnie-lacy-an-advocate-for-independent-living/
