Patricia (Patty) Berne died on May 29, 2025. I never had the pleasure of meeting her. We were not friends, or even in the same social circles. Hundreds of miles separated us. But nonetheless I felt grief, pain, and a bit of emptiness.
Tag: disability justice
It's difficult to ground teaching practice in Disability Justice when so much of the educational system is antithetical to those values. Still, I try, and I am very open with my students about that. Things are a bit easier as a mentor. My first-year college students are able to comprehend more quickly the tenets of DJ, and we can meet outside of the crushing pressures of the educational system.
Just as an adrenaline-filled moment wrestling with a friend was my first queer awakening, Care vs. Cure was my first true disabled awakening. All at once, I learned what Disability Studies was and became confident that I belonged in it. But it was Disability Justice that made me realize that disability is a political identity as well.
Ashton Rose 