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Disability justice is part of the fight for racial equity, says advocate

Luticha André Doucette is the equity coordinator at the City of Rochester.
Luticha André Doucette
Luticha André Doucette is the equity coordinator at the City of Rochester.

 

When the pandemic reached Rochester, equity coordinator with the city government Luticha André Doucette says that she was concerned for her safety. Doucette has a disability and is immunocompromised.

However, amid the pandemic there was a silver lining. Doucette along with so many others began working from home. Her cats have made regular appearances on ZOOM calls. She said that while it’s comfortable, it’s also brought up frustration. 

“This is a hypocrisy that when non-disabled people need accommodations the world kinda bends forward for them but for us, for years we've been asking for this,” said Doucette.

Last year, Bloomberg Law reported that in 2017 and 2018, 21 out of 30 lawsuits over reasonable accommodation requests through the Americans with Disabilities Act sided with employers.

While disability advocates fought for policies like the ADA, Doucette said that disability activism led by white people has largely left out people of color.

“White disabled people have the same work that they need to do internally as non-disabled white people,” she said. “So, understanding their own privilege, just because you’re disabled, your whiteness still matters.”

As Black Lives Matter has raised a call to end racial injustice in policing, public health, and education, Doucette believes that justice for disabled people of color is also part of the equation.

“We can’t really talk about getting people out of prisons without talking about getting people out of institutions,” she said.

Data from the New York State Department of Health shows that people with developmental disabilities die at a rate two and a half times higher than others who contract the virus. Researchers say this is in part due to group home settings.

She says that even though she can’t join protests, she supports the Black Lives Matter movement and sees opportunity for a myriad of voices to contribute to the cause for racial equity.

“What could be really powerful for Black Lives Matter is to join forces with the black and brown queer disabled movement for justice,” she said.

Noelle E. C. Evans is WXXI's Murrow Award-winning Education reporter/producer.
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