{"id":8158,"date":"2020-06-11T02:31:23","date_gmt":"2020-06-10T21:31:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.newmobility.com\/?p=27147"},"modified":"2020-06-11T02:31:23","modified_gmt":"2020-06-10T21:31:23","slug":"the-black-experience-versus-the-white-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wheelchair-experts.in\/the-black-experience-versus-the-white-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"The Black Experience Versus the White Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/a><\/p>\n

From right to left are Theo Braddy, his son Theotis, his wife, Rovenia, and his daughter, Kimberly.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Recently, U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O\u2019Brien stated<\/a>, \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s systemic racism in the US police force.\u201d There are others like him, who still believe there is no racism in America, even as more and more of White America is beginning to see the truth.<\/p>\n

You can see this in almost all the protests, as people from all nationalities are coming together and fighting for justice, crying out Black Lives Matters<\/a> and \u201cI Can\u2019t Breathe<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

But as a black man, the questions to me are still, \u201cWhy did it take so long? And, why do some of White America still need to be convinced?\u201d<\/p>\n

I offer this to be considered. Not only am I a black man, but I am also a person who has lived with a disability \u2014 quadriplegia \u2014 since the age of 15. So for 45 years, I have been a wheelchair user. For over 35 years I have worked as a system change agent trying to convince all the nondisabled people that there is systemic discrimination<\/a> and oppression of people with diverse disabilities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All of these years later, myself and many great advocates living with diverse disabilities are still trying to educate people without disabilities in positions of authority that this systemic discrimination and oppression has prevented people with all types of disabilities from participating in all walks of life, such as employment, education, transportation, social recreation, as well as the removal of physical and attitudinal barriers.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t know me unless you see me,\u201d Theo Braddy lovingly says, while presenting to the Disability Leadership Institute at Millersville University.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

We Know What We Experience<\/h2>\n

I have constantly asked myself, \u201cWhy can\u2019t nondisabled people see the injustice of stereotyping, the misinformation, the myths, the discrimination and oppression, and the mistreatment of people with disabilities?\u201d<\/p>\n

Why can\u2019t mainstream society see it? It comes down to this! Nondisabled people only know their ablebodied experiences. They only know what they experience on a day to day basis.<\/p>\n

They are not deaf, so why would they know about the deaf experience? They are not blind, so why would they know the blind person\u2019s experience? They don\u2019t use a motorized wheelchair, so why would they know the wheelchair experience? They don\u2019t have an intellectual disability, so why would nondisabled people know anything about a person with an intellectual disability\u2019s experience?<\/p>\n

So, the same thing applies to Black America and White America. It is why some white people still believe there is no systemic racism.<\/p>\n

White Americans just know what they experience! They don\u2019t know the Black experience!<\/p>\n

Often, when people with disabilities try to explain what we go through in an able-bodied world, we get frustrated because people without disabilities just don\u2019t get it. So, we, people with disabilities try things like having them go to work using a wheelchair for a day or week. Nondisabled people will always return with a better understanding of how many physical barriers exist that hinder them from full participation. But then the nondisabled person jumps up and goes on his or her fully-functioning way.<\/p>\n

Black America can\u2019t make White America black for a day or week!<\/p>\n

White America must open their eyes and see what Black America experiences on a day to day basis. The evidence is there. I know you don\u2019t experience it but there are a bunch of non-white people who experience mistreatment, injustice, discrimination and oppression every single day!<\/p>\n

For those who are now seeing it, I thank you on behalf of myself and the millions of others who look like me, as well as others who are oppressed.<\/p>\n

Theo Braddy was the CEO of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania for over 30 years until his 2019 retirement. Currently he teaches courses on disability and oppression at Millersville University and runs a consultancy, Theo Braddy Consulting<\/a>.
<\/em><\/p>\n

** This post was originally published on https:\/\/www.newmobility.com\/2020\/06\/the-black-experience-versus-the-white-experience\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From right to left are Theo Braddy, his son Theotis, his wife, Rovenia, and his daughter, Kimberly. 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