Media Salons are a new monthly discussion space during Community Nights at the IMC. Each month, facilitators will recommend 1-3 stories to read or watch or listen to; you can do that beforehand or come and read together at the beginning of the event. This is a drop-in discussion group and is free and open to the public. The goal is to lift up media from alternative news sources that tell stories of resistance, creative response, and/or social movement history. 

The February Media Salon on Thursday, February 6th was facilitated by M and Miriam Larson. We read “Palestine is Disabled,” by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha from the website Disability Visibility (Published Online Jan 26th, 2024). 

Here are some notes from our conversation:

Some Key Points:

1. Many Palestinians were disabled before 2023 and the recent war has affected them differentlyl
2. The restriction of resources can cause disabilities
3. We discussed a variety of perspectives and narratives about disability and how they have changed - how media often profiles stories of "overcoming" disability, how people with disabilities have shifted the narrative towards greater awareness, and more

Where to get information on disability: 

• Instagram: @liberaljane @rebirthgarments @espoir_noir00 @disability_visility @neurotatikal @audhdjazzy @autisticblackgirl @crutches_and_spice @blackandmasked @plagueprose @drdevonprice @long_haver_have @thesicktimes 
•  Article: “Disability and the Justification of Inequality in American History” Douglas C Baynton 
• Book: The Serviceberry By Robin Wall Kimmerer 
• Film: “Sound of Metal”
• Podcast: “Clothes Minded” - Episode on Palestinian Dresses 
• Book: Care Work by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha 
• Book: “The Spirit Catches You & You Fall Down” 
• Post: "To Be List" - https://www.instagram.com/p/DF0w97fygk9/?igsh=MWx1dG93bHBqcG1wNQ==