Jury Duty Crippled: The Time I Was Exempt from My American Duty

At the beginning of the summer, I was summoned to jury duty. Since the day I turned 18, I had been anticipating this day; the chance of having the ability to step inside a court room without committing a crime or paying thousands of dollars excited me. When I received my summons in the mail, I looked forward to fulfilling my duty as a citizen of the United States. However, along with the summons information came a paper that I had to fill out; I had to indicate anything that could keep me from fulfilling my obligations as a juror. I wrote that I am in a wheelchair and that I need assistance to use the bathroom. I also wrote that I am legally blind. These statements are both true, but I was hoping that neither of these facts about me would keep me from sitting on a jury. After all, I do have a degree in Political Science. I submitted this information and waited for a potential response.

A week went by and I did not hear anything. Another week went by and I still did not hear anything. I began to become excited; at this point, I thought I actually was going to have the chance to sit on the jury. None the less, I did receive a letter; the government did not cease to disappoint, and sent me a response at their snail speed pace. However, the response was not an explanation of why I could not effectively fulfill my obligations as a juror, nor was it a simple we have enough jurors so you are not needed. I instead received a slip of paper stating that my request to be exempt from my jury duty was granted. I did not ask to be exempt. I asked for there to be a way for someone to assist me in the bathroom when participating as a juror; I wanted an accommodation -- no a cop out -- to my duty as a citizen. I really did want to have the experience of sitting on a jury, but my disability warranted an unwanted exemption.

My exemption letter. In the upper lefthand corner is the address of the Whatcom County Courthouse. Under this address is a barcode. In the upper righthand corner is my name and address with an official postoffice stamp stamped over my name and address. In the center of this letter, there is a message that states, "Your request for exemption has been granted for the term on you summons."

I honestly do not know if I was the only one to receive this slip of paper who did not request the exemption and I cannot for sure blame the unwanted exemption on my disability. However, I did not ask for an exemption, so there has to be an alternative motive for granting me the exemption. My hope is that not all people with disabilities who ask for accommodations are exempt from jury duty. The Supreme Court has ruled that a jury member cannot be removed for their race or gender, why should physical ability be any different? If I, or any other person with a disability, was exempt solely for the need of an accommodation to fulfill our duty as a juror, I do not see how that is any different than exempting a potential juror due to their race or gender.

We all have a right to a jury of our peers, which means people from the community. People with disabilities are apart of the community. It was not that long ago that neither blacks nor women were allowed to participate as a part of a jury, and this may still happen. However, my hope is that people with disabilities will not be excluded from the opportunity to fulfill their duty as a citizen of the United States either. 

When the Sidewalk Ends: An Experience Edition

The other day, I was on a walk with my mom. We were on our way home and decided to venture from our usual route and travel a different path. The way we went did shave about five minutes off our travel time, but we ran into a glitch that would prevent me from traveling this route on my own. We were traveling along just fine, excited that we had found a new, faster way. A couple overgrown blackberry bushes stuck out into the sidewalk, but as a Western Washington resident I am used to this and they did not stand in my way. I am thankful that I have solid tires as the pesky thorns on these bushes may have otherwise stopped me in my tracks.

A little ways past the blackberry bushes, the side walk came to an end; there was no way for me to exit the sidewalk to cross the street. I had traveled multiple blocks that did not have any cross streets (which would potentially prove a previous curb cut) nor any driveways (which would provide another means of exiting the sidewalk). I did not have the desire to backtrack multiple blocks back to the point where I had decided to take the shorter -- but unknown -- route. I am thankful my mom was with me and able to assist me down the curb on one side of the street and back up again on the other side. If she had not been there, I would have had to backtrack defeating the purpose of taking a shortcut.

Coming to the end of the sidewalk. While facing the curb, to the right there is grass, to the left is the road. 

The curb across the street that blocks me from taking the shortcut from High to Garden. There is a trail that heads down a slight hill, cuts through some trees, and leads to the road below. 

I am not writing this to encourage anyone to take pity on me. I am writing this to inform the population that the lack of a curb cut can mess up an otherwise perfectly good pathway. Just because the typical person who walks this pathway can access a pathway does not mean every person can. This should not be the case; if there is a pathway that is open to the public, it should be open to all members of the public. It is frustrating that something such as simple as a curb can send me out of my way in order to access the same destination as anyone else.

When I was on this particular walk, I could see where I needed to go, but without someone physically able to help me, I could not get there. I do not understand why this is the case, when two or three blocks away perfectly good curb cuts were being updated. Sure, follow the law and update the old curb cuts that have to be updated as there are currently curb cuts that are terrible; however, a terrible one is better than there not being one at all. It is more important for places lacking a curb cut all together to be updated before a place with an existing curb cut to be replaced. People who cannot step on or off a curb can enter or exit a sidewalk if a curb cut exits, but their paths are completely blocked when there is not a curb cut at all.

When the Sidewalk Ends: Renovation Edition

Sidewalks are a typical part of my day; I travel upon them on a daily basis. However, I cannot just cruise along on any given sidewalk without thinking ahead or have the understanding that I may end up needing to alter my path of travel. When it comes to sidewalks, the United States is one of the more modernized countries, but still has a long way to go to be completely accessible to all.

The Federal law here in the states mandates that every time an area of road is renovated, the sidewalks must be updated as well. This is a law with good intentions, and for the most part does keep sidewalks and curb cuts up to date. However, there are sidewalks that are terrible and fall through the cracks of being updated and are left in an unacceptable state, while sidewalks and curb cuts on main roads are replaced time and time again.  I have come across many places that are lacking a curb cut altogether.

It is frustrating, as a person in a wheelchair, to see curb cuts that already exist being updated, while there are places I cannot travel because there is not a curb cut out at all. I am grateful that towns and cities are required to update curb cuts as some could be potentially hazardous, but I do not understand how even those can be updated while there are still places that the sidewalk ends without providing equal access for all people to enter or exit the sidewalk.

It is entertaining when one side of the street has curb cuts, but the other does not. There are situations when the sidewalk on one side of the street has curb cuts, but then there not be a curb cut on the other side of the intersection and not be able to continue venturing on the sidewalk; instead, I must travel in the street alongside cars. Another scenario is when I approach the end of the sidewalk and find there is no curb cut, but across the way -- on the other side of the intersection -- there is a beautiful curb cut waiting to be used. This usually leads to me finding a driveway in order to exit the sidewalk or I will completely backtrack all the way back to the previous curb cut where I had entered this section of the sidewalk.

Here in Bellingham, there are many places where the sidewalk ends. On my walks I have encountered the sidewalk end when venturing past the public library. The block of the library has curb cuts, but a block away does not. When walking along State Street there is a bridge; at one end of this bridge, there is not a curb cut, but there is on the other side of the street. When wanting to enter or exit the north side of this bridge, there is a way to do so; at the west side of the bridge, there is a makeshift gravel pathway. This is not the most comfortable pathway, and if a person's wheelchair does not have good traction, I would not recommend this route of travel. There are also multiple neighborhoods that are not completely accessible with curb cut equipped sidewalks. In these neighborhoods, there are blocks that have sidewalks with curb cuts, then a block with out curb cuts, and then stretches without sidewalks at all; I do however prefer roads that do not have sidewalks at all over roads with sidewalks that do not have curb cuts as I do not have to end up backtracking.

Bellingham is not the only place that I have encountered the lack of curb cuts; there are many towns and cities that I have traveled to that have sidewalks that just end. This needs to change. I understand that there is a law that mandates the upgrading of sidewalks only when the road is being updated, but what about the sidewalks that still have not been updated since the law was put into action? Just because the road has not been updated should not mean sidewalks without curb cuts should sit without renovation for years while there are curb cuts being updated that are just fine. It would be amazing to go anywhere in the United States and not have to worry about something as simple as eight inches of concrete standing in my way in continuing on toward my destination.

The Solo School Cripple: Being Successful When No One Looked Like Me

I belong to a minority group that is one of the smallest minorities in the United States; along with approximately .6 percent of the US population, I am a wheelchair user. I have grown up in a community greatly lacking in people, especially mentors, that "look like me". I have never had a teacher that looks like me, not in elementary school, not in middle school, not in high school, and not in college.

There has never once been a time in the history of my elementary, middle nor high school career that there was an administrator, school counselor, secretary, school nurse, or coach that looked like me; it was not until my senior year in college that the DisAbilities Resources for Students (DRS) hired a counselor "who looked like me", and by this time, I was no longer in need of a mentor; I had made it though school, had formed my dreams and was (and still am) in the process of pursuing and achieving them.

There are not many people that surround me, in my daily life, that share the commonality of being in a wheelchair. Over the years, I have formed a community of fellow wheelchair users; however, we are spread out far and wide and not in each others' daily lives. I, on a daily basis, can see in passing up to about three people who are also in wheelchairs, but usually I am the only one. When I went to Western, it was possible to run across a couple more in one day, but there were only about six students in wheelchairs during my time there, and the campus is a small location. My final quarter at Western, I even had a class with another student who used a wheelchair.

When I was in grade school, I was the only student who used a wheelchair; when I was in middle school, I was the only student who used a wheelchair; and, up until my senior year in high school, I was the only student who used a wheelchair (with the exception of students who became injured and temporarily used one). I never knew an older student in a wheelchair who was in the Bellingham School District who I could talk to face to face.

So, to say my experience of seeing other students in wheelchairs in an academic setting was quite rare, is not exaggerating the truth; yes, this really has to do with there being so few of us, at least in the elementary, middle, and high school years. However, there only being ONE wheelchair user that could be considered a mentor during my nineteen years of schooling, would by other standards be unacceptable -- especially at the high school I went to.

When I attended Squalicum High School, there was a huge focus on hiring a diverse population of teachers, administrators and staff; this was to make sure students could go to someone "who looked like them", and would feel welcome. However, talk of hiring a person with a disability, let alone someone in a wheelchair -- never came into the conversation. This possibly had to do with there being too small of a population of us in wheelchairs to establish a need for hiring a person in a wheelchair. However, if a school is going to work so hard at helping one minority feel welcome and encourage them to be successful by hiring someone "who looks like them", then they need to do this for ALL minorities, even if it will only benefit a handful of students.

That said, I made it though the ranks without an academic mentor "who looked like me". I never found a mentor in the academic setting who totally got my exact needs and struggles, as they had not faced them firsthand. Never the less, I did come across many spectacular mentors who cared about me, who pushed me and helped me to become the best that I could be. I did not need a mentor who "looked like me", I needed mentors who looked at me as a person and took the time to invest in me.

So, to anyone who feels like no one gets you because your life is so different than anyone else's around you, stop pitying yourself; you are only making the situation -- you think to be so horrible --even worse. Realize that there are people around you who do care about you, even if they do not "look like you" or completely understand you. We all are people, but each and everyone of us is different; everyone is unique, and everyone has a different story full of unique -- and sometimes even terrible and hurtful -- experiences. So if you are struggling, let those around you who care help you be successful even if they may not completely understand you.

Cripple Etiquette: Letting Common Vernacular Slide

I love being outdoors, love going on adventures, and love going for walks. As a person who is unable to drive a car, I rely heavily on my wheelchair to get me from place to place, so it is a good thing that I love being outside and going for walks.

One thing that I do not like, however, is when people correct me when I say, "I walked to the store," or "I took a walk through the park"; they reply with, "you mean you rolled." When saying this, they are one hundred percent serious when correcting me as if I do not know what I am talking about. It does not bother me if someone is being sarcastic and does not say it every time I mention that I walked somewhere.

The reason that it bothers me is that saying "I walked" is common vernacular. I am not oblivious to the fact that I cannot physically walk, but for me or anyone else who is unable to walk, saying, "I went for a walk," is a common way of describing travel; it is like a blind person saying, "I see," when expressing that they understand something, or just like a person who is not in a wheelchair saying, "I am on a roll," when expressing that they are in a rhythm when getting something done.

People focus too much on words, and not enough on their actions. Society needs to stop being nit-picky about language, but instead focus on how one treats others; if society begins treating people with dignity and respect, then one's language will follow. If society focuses on treating people with disabilities with equality, allowing those who are in wheelchairs to say, "I walked," there will no longer be an issue and it will not prompt people to feel like it is necessary to correct a person in a wheelchair when they share that they walked somewhere. If it is typical for a person to say, "I walked...," and if people with disabilities are people, then their language will naturally include words like walk in their vocabulary.

Those of us in wheelchairs are going to continue to use the word walk; and it is not that we do not understand that we physically roll from place to place, but that we are people and can use the same vernacular as everyone else around us. So please, do not correct a person in a wheelchair who says, "I walked...," or some version of that phrase and, please do not feel bad or change your language when talking about walking somewhere with a person in a wheelchair.

While on the Home Stretch: Final (Winter) Quarter Review

I have officially graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Political Science and Social Studies. On March 21st, I put on my cap and gown and rolled across the stage to shake President Shepard's hand and receive my diploma case. I could barely contain myself as I overflowed with excitement to have finished my time at Western.

This last quarter entailed only having to take three classes, reading and writing pages upon pages, and having the opportunity to sit on both the Disability Council and the newly created Fire Safety Action Plan Council.

I finished off my undergrad at Western by taking three diverse classes that I had the freedom of choosing as I had no requirements left other than to fulfill twelve more credits. All my professors complied with my accommodations and did so without objection. I did not have a large quantity of exams and quizzes to take in the DisAbility Resources for Students (DRS), but every exam was there when I arrived so I did not have to wait before I could start taking my test like I have in previous quarters. I did receive a scribe for every exam, but did not for every quiz; however, each quiz was only five multiple choice questions which I could circle and then have a DRS student employee bubble in my answers for me on the Scantron.

I also had another quarter of amazing notetakers. They were always there, always on time, and even though they all had different styles of note-taking, they all took fabulously detailed and organized notes. One of my notetakers showed her level of integrity when she had to resign from her position as she had received an amazing job opportunity that would interfere with her ability to continue taking notes for me. She explained the situation to me -- in advance-- and then in the following weeks she proceeded to find me a replacement notetaker to finish the quarter, and my notetaker did!

Having basically no glitches in my accommodations allowed me to experience a more typical quarter. I only had to worry about getting to class and doing my school work. I did not have to worry about if I was going to have a terrible note taker or whether they would show up; I did not have to worry about my test not showing up to the DRS or whether a scribe would be available so I could actually complete my test; I could just experience my time as a typical college student without having to fight for my necessary accommodations in order to be successful.

Since I only had three classes and all my accommodations were fulfilled, I had a little extra time on my hands. I was given the opportunity to sit on both the Disability Council and the Fire Safety Action Plan Council. I wanted to sit on the Disability Council for the previous five quarters at Western; however, it just so happened that every time I was invited to sit on the council, it interfered with one of my classes. Never the less, during my last quarter at Western, the times and dates of the Disability Council meetings were based around my schedule so that I could finally attend.

Now that I have sat on the Disability Council, I have a better idea as to why nothing ever gets accomplished with regards to accessibility on campus; there was so much discussion on what could and should be done, but no discussion of how to carry out and accomplish the abundance of ideas; there were even excuses (i.e. not enough funding) as to why things could not be done. The Disability Council did not seem to be professionally structured with an overall goal in mind. Everyone who sits on the Disability Council should have a similar desire of bettering the accessibility of all students, not just to an education, but to a successful education. This means that all students have the ability to access all the same places, have access to all the same classes, and easily access the necessary accommodations to allow the student the most successful experience possible. When an elevator is broken that is necessary for students to get to classes and to professor's offices -- even if it affects just a handful of students -- there should not be a question of whether fixing the elevator should be factored into the budget. If a student cannot access a class or a prof's office, this takes away equal access and an equal opportunity to succeed. This is not welcoming and this is discrimination.

The other committee that I sat on, the Fire Safety Action Plan Council, resulted from an unwelcoming experience. At the end of my final fall quarter, I ended up getting stuck on the sixth floor of Wilson Library with fire alarms wailing and the perception that the building was burning up. The floor warden expressed that she did not know the plan of action for what to do when assisting persons who cannot exit the building in a fire. I had addressed the issue of not being able to exit buildings during a potential fire two years prior and again a year prior, and had been told that there was an access plan that I was welcome to peruse. However, when the floor warden was unaware of the plan, I knew that either the plan had not been distributed and taught to the entire campus or there was not a plan at all; either way, students and employees were and continue to be put in danger. This experience lead to the Fire Safety Action Plan Council. The Vice Provost of the Equal Opportunities Office (EOO), the head of the DRS and I were the only three to sit on this council, but we were able to make great progress in creating not just a fire safety plan, but how to distribute it as well. The disappointing factor about this plan is it never went anywhere; after we had finished brainstorming, a copy was never finalized or distributed. I was told that I would be given a completed typed copy by March 1, but March 1, came and went. Twenty days later, I graduated and have yet to hear or check back.

I was so ready to be finished with my undergraduate degree and so happy that I finally could leave Western never having to return. Up until right before the deadline of signing up to take part in the commencement ceremony, I had no intention of participating, but changed my mind due to my family's hopes of getting to watch me walk across the stage. The commencement process is one that may never be completely "normal" for a person who uses a wheelchair. For one, all disabled students (at least at Western) are given the opportunity to come the day before the ceremony in order to complete a run-through. This first difference results from a difference that has to occur during the ceremony; as a person in a wheelchair, I had to travel a different way than everyone else to arrive at my designated spot as I could not fit between the rows of chairs set up for the graduates. This meant that I could not just follow the person ahead of me when we all entered the venue. Since I could not just follow the leader like everyone else, it was nice to have had the instructions as to which way I needed to go as to not end up embarrassing during the actual ceremony. Even though I knew which way to go and where to sit, I still felt self conscious since I had to leave the line of my fellow graduates and travel solo to my seat; it was obvious that I had been segregated out from my peers as I could not walk with them. I also did not have the chance to sit with anyone that I knew from my department as I had to leave them to get to my designated spot; as they filed in, they did not end up landing in the seats next to me, but elsewhere in the sea of black gowns. After I was handed my diploma case and the commencement ceremony ended, I left the premises with no intention of looking back.

Now that my time at Western has come to an end, I can see that I not only earned an education in Political Science that will help me find a job, but I gained life experiences that have broadened my perspective on people and life. All my trials and triumphs have made me a better advocate for not only for myself, but others as well.  

The photo that my sister took of me and posted to Facebook. It features me smiling while holding my diploma case right under my chin. The diploma case is dark blue with the Western Washington University symbol printed in gold in the center. Under the symbol, the words "Western Washington University" are printed out in gold as well. 

When the Sidewlk Ends: Construction Edition

Well, it is that time of year again: the season of road construction!  Jeff Foxworthy got it right when he expressed, "if you know the seasons to be almost Winter, Winter, still Winter, and road construction, you live in Washington." Bellingham, Washington does not fall short of this stereotypical description; we locals are never disappointed with the abundance of neon workers and the sound of jackhammers spread throughout the city.

The summer has now been in full swing for a while, and is beginning to wind down. However, road construction has been in full swing since the first dry day of the year, and as the summer has gone on, Bellingham has amped up the amount of construction zones that exist across the city. It seems as if more are added before one is complete creating the issue of encountering a construction site every time one ventures out. Downtown, one can even expect to come across three or four construction sites in a single outing.

When a road is upgraded, the sidewalks and curb cutouts have to be brought up to code. This is to ensure that curb cuts are accessible to all pedestrians. The ironic thing that arises during the time of construction is curb cutouts become blocked off or drilled up which makes it impossible for most wheelchair users to exit the sidewalk when needed; missing or blocked off curb cuts could also interfere with a blind person's way of travel.

This inconvenience for most people, can end up putting people with disabilities in danger, or end up forcing them to reroute their path on the spot. I am in no way saying that people with disabilities cannot innovate on their own and overcome the glitch in the sidewalk. However, I am suggesting that others educate themselves and not take away accessibility in the process of trying to improve it.

When road construction occurs in Bellingham, it seems as if a site will be set up, the curb cutouts will be blocked off or drilled up, and then the site will sit there, unoccupied by workers for a week or two. There is also a lack of posting on the sidewalk, so a person may not notice the needed curb cut is unavailable to them until they are approaching it. There is also not an online location to inform what the alternative route to take is before adventuring out; this can lead to a person getting stuck and having to improvise on the spot in order to get to their destination. I know that life is not perfect and I do not mind adventures that require improvising along the way, but time after time, when the only thing that is standing in the way of moving forward is eight inches of concrete can get frustrating.

As a person who does not drive a car, I rely heavily on using my wheelchair to get from place to place; I go on walks throughout Bellingham pretty much everyday. Recently, I have encountered multiple roadblocks in my travels. At the end of W. Holly Street, where it veers into Bay Street, there has been a construction site pretty much all summer. The curb cut out is blocked off with neon orange plastic netting. Never the less, I was impressed to find a makeshift "curb cutout". There is a bright orange board that has been placed up against the curb right before the original curb cutout. I was super excited that someone had the initiative to set up this alternative ramp. This is the first I have in countered and still the only one I have seen. The negative part of the innovation is that the ramp, and therefore where people cross, is not in the typical place which can be shocking to drivers. If a pedestrian pops out into the street where there is not a typical crosswalk, this may cause a driver to panic, which can in turn lead to an accident. Even so, I am grateful for this innovation.  I am curious as to why this makeshift ramp is only at one intersection but not every other one. It is possible that it was set up by a private citizen rather than the city, but looks like it's up to code (the gradient and yellow bumps at end). So, thank you to whomever removed one roadblock from my life as well as others.

Blocked off curb cut at the end of W. Holly. There is a curb cut with the yellow rectangle with the grid of bumps. The curb cut is blocked with an orange, plastic netting fence.

The makeshift curb cut. This curb cut has been constructed out of wood, and painted orange. It has the same yellow rectangle grid of bumps as a typical curb cut. This curb cut sticks out and leads right into the street. To the right of this wooden curb cut are two giant, orange cylindrical cones. Across the street, there is another yellow rectangle grid of bumps that leads to a pathway surrounded by an orange, plastic netting fence. 

Not too far away from the makeshift curb cut, there are many drilled up curb cuts, therefore making them inaccessible. At the trailhead located at the intersection of Ohio and Ellis Street by Bellingham High School, all four of the curb cutouts have been torn out for over a week. When walking down the sidewalk away from Cornwall Avenue on the left side of the street, there is not a sign indicating that the curb cuts are out of commission. This forced me to backtrack and then exit the sidewalk via a driveway in order to cross the street and continue on my way. There is a sign suggesting that the sidewalk is closed on the right side of Ohio Street when walking away from Cornwall Avenue. Even though there is a sign, it is right where the curb cutout is blocked off rather than warning a pedestrian in advance. The sidewalk is also not closed, but rather just the curb cutouts. 

This shows the intersection of Ohio and Ellis. On the right side of the photo sits a white sign that reads, "SIDEWALK CLOSED", in big, black capital letters. On the left side of the photo sits an orange sign that read, "DETOUR", in big, black, capital letters. About the word "DETOUR" is a black symbol of a person. Below the word "Detour" is a big, black arrow that points in the direction people are supposed to go. Right beyond the signs are curb cuts leading to crosswalks. These crosswalks are blocked off with yellow caution tape, and large, orange, cylindrical cones. 

In order for curb cutouts to stay up to date, they do have to be out of commission for a small amount of time. However, in order to keep the amount of accessibility that already exists while improving it, there needs to be some innovations. There needs to be a webpage that allows all people to access the updated information about when and where construction will take place and suggest the best alternative accessible route. If possible, there should also be a makeshift ramp in place of the missing curb cutout; one may not be feasible if the entire side walk is chopped up too.   

People know the ways they can go, as not every route is accessible; if their accessible path is blocked, then there is a wrench thrown into their travel plans. Communication is the key to solving many problems, including this one. People with disabilities need to report when and where there is a roadblock in their path and the city needs to listen and respond to suggestions in order to better the city for all people. The city also needs to inform the public of their plans in order to equal the ability for all people to travel from place to place. It would be amazing to go on a walk without having the sidewalk end.