You might be an ableist
And apologies to comedian Jeff Foxworthy; I am applying one of his routines, to the needs to support people with DAFN, from Emergency Managers.
It may be relatively easy to identify the other ‘ists’ out there, when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion – but we all live in a world where belonging should be more like a four-sided couch, than a three-legged stool. And that means applying a fourth element to the formula. It’s more than DEI – it’s IDEA, to include Accessibility, to determine a greater sense of belonging. For emergency managers, this is key for both how we serve our constituents and how we see ourselves. And in the same vein that a ‘racist’ can be more than just against one race, an ‘ableist’ can be against more than one ability (or lack of ability).
So, in the comedic spirit of self-deprecation (in other words I too, have been guilty of a few of these myself) and self-awareness, here is a short list to see if you too might recognize yourself as part of an ableist organization or maybe even being an ableist Emergency Manager, too:
If you announce the names and introduce the ASL performers on your sports telecast, and then do not actually televise their performances… you might be an ableist.
If you think pepperoni pizza slices and coffee are the best feeding solutions for internal meetings and external events or sites… you might be an ableist.
If you have ‘checked the box’ for ADA-compliance at your EOC, by having a parking space up front with a blue wheelchair stencil spray-painted on the ground and a sign, but still have stairs in front and the ramp in the back… you might be an ableist.
If you schedule meetings, courses, webinars, conferences, etc. on Friday nights and/or during Passover, Ramadan, etc. and not on Sundays or Christmas… you might be an ableist.
If your jurisdiction has ‘special needs shelters’, rather than integrating the serving of people with disabilities, access and functional needs into general population shelters (there’s a special word for this - it’s segregation)… you might be an ableist.
If your jurisdiction has a ban on plastic straws, but you did not advocate for their ‘emergency’ use by residents who have personal mobility concerns for feeding in shelters… you might be an ableist.
If you have crisis communications in Spanish, because a big chunk of your residents speak it, but you do not have any emergency management training courses taught in Spanish… you might be an ableist.
If you believe powdered formula is a ‘reasonable accommodation’ substitute for human milk in a shelter… you might be an ableist.
If your school system does not account for the full cycle emergency action planning for everyone, including your neurodiverse students and staff… you might be an ableist.
If you require everyone on your EM team to have a driver’s license, but you really mean they should have their own car to drive back and forth to work… you might be an ableist.
If this is your store’s consult waiting area for people who use wheelchairs… you might be an ableist.
There are numerous Emergency Managers and by the way, we are not the only ones – who are missing that fourth element in this formula: the need to elevate, highlight, and advocate for more Accessibility. What is important to know about accessibility, is that it is not only about disabilities. It is also about access to services, resources, etc. for those who cannot access them in the ways in which others can, as well as supporting functional needs (which for Emergency Managers, envelopes the support for activities of daily living of their constituents and their own staff). As professional Emergency Managers, we need to be advocates, upstanders, cheerleaders, and sometimes sticks-in-the-mud, when it comes to promoting the concept of I.D.E.A. equals belonging.
At the CEMIR, we recognize the need to belong – and we want to treat everyone who needs or is even the subject of EMINT – with a sense of belonging. We have included a section on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility on our website, since its inception. We are continuously searching for articles, websites, etc. which amplify the need for justice and an increased state of belonging for those impacted by disasters and other incidents. In some cases, there are U.S. laws which protect this aspect of Emergency Management, others not. Still, it is absolutely the ethical and moral thing to do. Professional, too. If you want to learn more about IDEA=Belonging™, please see a new one-hour introductory training course being offered by our primary corporate partner, Barton Dunant, at their Knowledge Blog site.
Mike’s first book Emergency Management Threats and Hazard: Water has been sent to the publisher for copyediting and formatting. Check out the table of contents and draft index/glossary at https://michaelprasad.com/media/f/new-book-coming-soon. You can also sign up to get updates on the book publication announcement there, too.
Advocating for accessibility, as you note, is more than just meeting standard ADA requirements, it is about truly dissecting each EM-based process and expectation we have - whether sub-conscious or not - and asking why these exist and what the "intention" behind them is. It is crucial to stop hiding behind facades and implications as to the reasons why we have certain requirements (i.e., must have a drivers license) when the implication is that we are looking for people to drive regularly; which it should be noted, is not inherently a bad thing or should be entirely dissolved in every scenario. But this overall notion that if you cannot drive, you cannot meet the job responsibilities that have been set, is often wrong as there are many ways persons with Disabilities and Access and Functional Needs can be successful and meet these expectations (i.e. with accommodation), it just requires, however, open and clear language not stifled behind false facades and implications that can, in fact, discriminate against equal opportunity and access. It is important to remember that this is not a "zero-sum" game and not every single requirement of a job description, for example, is discriminatory.