Where the Bodies are Buried

DAY 21

Isn’t it weird how things are distorted with age ? I am amazed at how elastic or malleable history is. I have been in this town since 1984. I have been mixing it up with different city, state and federal program which serve folks with disabilities and what I remember is quite different then what is being pass for history out on the street. A good friend of mine who does not live in this city but lives in this state did me the service of validating some of my memories last week. This was great because I thought I was loosing my historical perspective.

When I first moved to this city in 1984, I worked for a private non-profit as a community resource coordinator. The agency I was with was a bit of a rabble-rousing group trying to bring about the civil rights and social justice for people with disabilities. Many of our “battles” were waged with an agency whose job was to assist folks with disabilities obtain work skills and find employment. As a private non-profit, out agency, was directed by an independent board of directors. This board was committed to the philosophy of independent living—that people with disabilities have the right to live and control their own lives. One State agency in particular strove to control the private non-profit. There was not much money involved then, less the $100,000. I just could not understand why so much effort was being placed into this struggle.

Years went by and time has a way of wearing the edges of any object smooth—the board members wore out, resigned and moved on. Staff did the same. Those board and staff who could not tolerate the direction of the private non-profit moved on too. Needless to say that although the private non profit retained it’s 501C-3 status and it’s illusion of independence it had slowly become controlled by the State Agency. They advocated only for the “parent” agency”, they took no risks to speak of and had be come invisible in the community.

Now, this is how I see what has happened to the concept of Independent Living where I live. I have kept it mostly to myself. But, as I stated earlier I was speaking with one of the other past directors of Independent living in the state and I asked her if what I remembered of the history of this subject is similar to what she remembers. I was pleased to find that it was. In fact she would like to visit with me to discuss this issue. She indicates she is very worried. I would like that very much but she lives `a good distance from me and will take at 90 minutes to make the drive. I will have to combine my visit to this person with other business I might have in that area. I am not sure what good the visit will do but will allow two seasoned warhorses time to mingle and validate their memories and agree on one very import fact…they know where the bodies are buried.