Disability issues crop up in significant news events
As you might remember, the diversity areas that I believe more journalists should focus on are disability issues. Recent articles in USA Today confirm how people with disabilities and their issues crop up in many significant news events.
In their story about the top 25 Lives of Indelible Impact, they mention a number of people with disabilities:
> Cancer survivor and Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.
> Christopher and Dana Reeve and their work on behalf of people with spinal cord injuries.
> Ryan White, who brought awareness to AIDS when he was diagnosed as a 13-year-old.
> Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state. The court battle over her gave the nation an understanding of the importance of living wills.
> Michael J. Fox, who told the world about his Parkinson’s disease, and continues to bring awareness to issues such as stem cell research.
> Tennis great Arthur Ashe, who spoke out internationally on behalf of people with AIDS, which he also had.
> Mattie Stepanek, a boy with muscular dystrophy, who wrote five books of inspirational poetry before his death at age 13.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/top25-people.htm
USA Today also listed the top 25 headlines that have shaped history and several of them involved the disability community. For example, the injuries from the Iraq War are creating a continually growing group of disabled veterans, who may become the disability rights activists of the future like the Vietnam War disabled veterans before them. http://www.usatoday.com/news/top25-headlines.htm
Beth Haller, Towson University