Georgia’s Global Impact on the Disability Movement Recognized at Seventh Annual Georgia Disability History Symposium

The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD), along with the Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, the University of Georgia’s Institute on Human Development and Disability (IHDD), and the Georgia Disability History Alliance (GDHA), sponsored and hosted the seventh annual Georgia Disability History Symposium, entitled “Home Grown, World Class: Georgia’s Contributions to the Movement. Held October 1, 2024, at the University of Georgia (UGA), the symposium honored Georgia’s role in advancing disability rights and explored its ongoing global impact in disability awareness and advocacy and brought together disability advocates, scholars, researchers, and public officials. 

Keynote speaker Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo, Global Disability Advisor for the World Bank Group, tells her personal story of growing up in exile in South Africa, as her parents’ interracial union was illegal under apartheid. 

“I witnessed the brutality of the system that maimed and attacked young people who dared to dream alternatively and dared to dream about freedom” she said. McCLain-Nhlapo was always committed to fighting systemic injustice, and she began to focus on disability issues after sustaining a spinal cord injury. 

McCLain-Nhlapo spoke about her work in the Prime Minister Nelson Mandela’s administration, where she contributed to the development of Africa’s first ever disability national strategy. She also helped draft the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, a global standard for community living rights. She noted that the U.S. has yet to ratify this convention.

Additionally, McClain-Nhlapo underscored the global significance of the Olmstead Decision, a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling originating in Georgia. “We need to know their names,” she said of Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, whose case challenged the unjust segregation of people with disabilities. 

She praised Georgia’s “home grown” solutions that have shaped global change and urged the audience to continue confronting the interconnected oppressions of ableism, racism, homophobia, and poverty.

Honoring Georgia’s Advocacy Legacy 

Following McClain-Nhlapo’s address, the discussions turned to generational advocacy. Tom Kohler, former coordinator of Chatham-Savannah Citizen Advocacy, presented his paper Home Grown, World Class: Georgia’s Contributions to the Movement and to the World. This paper discusses Georgia’s “gifts,” like Mark Gold, John O’Brien, and Mark Johnson, whose community-based activism reshaped societal views on disability and set new standards for inclusion.

Kohler also revisited key moments in Georgia’s history, such as Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, once the world’s largest institution for people with mental illnesses and developmental disabilities. He spoke about the injustices people with intellectual disabilities faced, including harsh capital punishment laws. 

These injustices fueled grassroots advocacy, which Kohler likened to Stewart Brand’s Whole Earth Catalog, describing it as a “cauldron of creativity by its design and an example of inclusiveness,” where “people with different agendas found commonplace to learn about one another and learn about possibility.”  

Local Voices, Global Resonance 

Derona King, former coordinator for Citizen Advocacy of Atlanta and Dekalb, facilitated a discussion with Ava Bullard and Derek Heard. Bullard, a premed student and founder of Ava’s Law, which mandates insurance coverage for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for individuals with autism, spoke about the power of persistent advocacy in achieving change. 

“We all have dreams to chase. I was fortunate to have people that fought for me and to help me learn how to advocate. I want others in the disability community to feel like they can chase their dreams too,” said Bullard.

Heard, a graphic artist and founder of Derek’s Doodles, discussed his involvement with Rev Up Georgia, a campaign encouraging individuals with disabilities to vote. Heard shared the importance of Supported Decision Making and accessible education. “Everybody wants a life that they can control, to be part of something that they can love and that will love them back,” said Heard. 

The session closed with a group discussion on the progress of allyship and strategies for supporting younger generations in advocacy. 

Afterwards, Tom Kohler returned to the stage to introduce his book, Waddie Welcome and the Beloved Community, which promotes grassroots activism and community engagement in the disability rights movement. Kohler encouraged attendees to host “kitchen table” readings as a means of spreading stories and building stronger community ties. 

Gillian Grable from IHDD then recognized 13 elders who have been pioneers in the Georgia disability rights movement. These individuals included Goldie Marks, John and Connie O'Brien, Mary Yoder, Zo Stoneman, Barbara Fischer, Rev. Calvin Peterson, Doug Hatch, Kate Gainer, Larry Frick, Eleanor Smith, Sally Carter, Jessie Coleman, and Jack Pearpoint.  

Grable acknowledged each individuals’ efforts in advocacy, policy work, or community-building, which laid the foundation for progress made today.

“They have paved the way and left a legacy, meaning our world has been made different because of their contributions,” Grable said. 

The “Honoring the Elders” session will become a recurring feature in future symposiums.  

Georgia is Still Climbing

Dana Lloyd, Program Director of the Georgia Advocacy Office, closed the symposium by drawing on Dr. Martin Luther King’s words, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." She urged the audience to actively “bend the arc,” just as Georgia’s advocates have been doing for decades. She reminded attendees that the disability rights movement is not about “special needs” but about basic human needs–belonging and community. 

“I want to be allied to people,” said Lloyd. “But I’m starting to think that there might be more power in being an accomplice.” 

She recounted the story of James Turner, a white man who used his privilege to help activist Bree Newsome remove the Confederate flag after the Charleston, South Carolina church shooting. Turner placed his hand on the flagpole to prevent authorities from tasing her, allowing Newsome to complete her act of defiance. His action demonstrated how an accomplice can support and elevate others’ activism. 

As her words echoed the symposium’s theme, Lloyd left the audience with a challenge: “We are making history right now. What do you want the story to be?” 

Georgia’s homegrown efforts have made a global impact, but the work is far from finished. Real change is driven by grassroots movements and those willing to step forward and push for justice and inclusion.

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