Disability Justice and Violence Prevention Spotlight: Catherine Titzer

Disability Justice and Violence Prevention Spotlight: Catherine Titzer

Image description: I am Asian (Filipino) and Caucasian. I have dark brown hair and brown skin. In the image, I am wearing a tied shirt with a geometric, black, green, orange, and blue pattern with a black tank top, white shorts, and silver jewelry. I am standing at a beach in California with the ocean in the background.

Although I am not a person with a disability, I have become interested in advocating for victims of abuse who are. After completing a series of research projects over sexual assault legislation in the United States my freshman and sophomore year, I became aware of the higher rates at which individuals with disabilities experience assault. This pushed me to pursue studying this area, so for my International Baccalaureate Extended Essay, a 21-page research essay on a topic of my choice, I researched how bias and stereotypes concerning individuals with disabilities affect the rates of sexual assault they experience. Through this, I was able to meet Dr. Nora Baladerian, who has helped me better understand the need to educate both teachers and guardians of individuals with disabilities on how to deal with sexual assault. As a senior in high school, I have not had the opportunity to publish formal research; however, this is something I hope to do in the future. In addition to writing this research paper, I have also began other initiatives to bring attention to sexual assault and violence in my community. I am a co-founder and host of a podcast, “A Pinch of Prevention,” where we discuss domestic violence and other women’ issues with professionals and those knowledge in the field. I also organize events, write blogs for, and am a member of the Prevention Youth Council in Evansville, Indiana, a youth-led organization that advocates for healthy interpersonal relationships among teens and in the wider community. I have co-founded a committee at my high school whose mission is to ensure that our campus is safe and comfortable for victims of assault; we arrange fundraisers and spirit weeks and get feedback from students on how our school can work to reduce sexual harassment. 

What do you do for fun?

In addition to my passion for advocacy work, I also adore dance and have trained in classical ballet for almost my whole life. I have performed in numerous productions with Evansville Ballet and am honored to be dancing the role of Dewdrop Fairy in this year’s production of the Nutcracker! (https://www.evansvilleballet.co)

What does disability justice mean to you as you practice primary prevention?

To me, disability justice means continually educating myself and those around me about the network of laws, stereotypes, and other frameworks that discriminate against and oppress individuals with disabilities. Disability justice revolves around inclusion and ensuring that every person has a voice and is heard. 

Does anything about primary prevention need to change to bring disability justice to the world? 

Dr. Nora Baladerian’s approach to preparing for an assault through having parents, caretakers, and individuals with disabilities take clear steps to acknowledge and understanding how to deal with sexual abuse has impacted my prevention work. I believe her strategies should be widely implemented. 

What are some resources that you have created or that you just love that you want to share (articles, toolkits, etc.)? 

I would love to share my research on how bias and stereotypes impact the rates of sexual assault that individuals with disabilities experience. Also, although these resources are not directly towards individuals with disabilities specifically, I would love to share links to my podcast and the Prevention Youth Council’s blog, where teens in my community share their ideas about domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other issues they are passionate about. Listening to “A Pinch of Prevention” at https://open.spotify.com/show/5IMgsfoB6ZuOrQg2vyOTnj?si=VV5NSugKQx-1nSXUhUX5hw and reading blogs at https://preventionyouthcouncil.wordpress.com uplifts the voices of young adults in my community!

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Arms Up for Blessings and Breath

Arms up for blessings and breath

This is my reflection of how nature is able to rejuvenate the spirit and the senses in many forms. These photos were all taken on my cell phone as I am traveling to many places with a fresh outlook on life.

By Christina Marie Martin 

  • Hay
    Close up of hay against the backdrop of the sky.
  • Tree
    Tree with sunset
  • A road disappears into wilderness while the sky decides whether or not to rain
  • Landscape image, big land, and big sky
  • A storm brews about a mountain.
  • A mountain side, Venus, and the waxing moon.
  • Amber in fingers against Aloe Vera plant
  • A homestead in Oregon left from early settlers
  • What is left of a homestead. An oven and chimney left by settlers.
  • Sunset in Eastern Oregon
  • A sunset
  • A full moon surrounded by clouds with silhouette of pine trees
This is my reflection of how nature is able to rejuvenate the spirit and the senses in many forms. These photos were all taken on my cell phone as I am traveling to many places with a fresh outlook on life.
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Disabled and Proud

When I roll through a door With my son in my lap,

I don’t deserve your praise, so please don’t clap.

The looks of pity and horror Hurt too, you see

Because be it your praise or fear Be it a cheer or a leer,

One thing is always clear,

You’re singling me out for my disability, And living life is no inspiration.

Do my words give you clarity? Clarity not needed by my son.

 

I live life from a wheelchair That gives full independence. I know you see it or hear it,

And of my chair you’re fully aware So can you just give full acceptance

To me in my chair?

Because I promise my son can see and feel The fear behind your stare.

 

I’m not so different from you.

I get happy.

I get frustrated.

I get sappy.

I get infantilized.

I get mad.

I feel all the feels Tell me how living on wheels Makes me different from you?

Being a momma on wheels Is nothing strange,

And I promise my son doesn’t wish me to change.

 

 

For 29 months I nursed my son On wheels.

I chase my son On wheels.

I discipline my son On wheels.

I cook for my husband and son On wheels.

I change my son On wheels.

I say prayers for and with my son On wheels.

 

 

You see the wheels I live on aren’t all-defining Suffocating or confining.

They are a disabled mom’s All access pass

To her toddler’s world,

A world full of peace and calm

And also a world full of giggles and sass.

 

 

My name is Megan. I am disabled, I am Lebanese,

I have Cerebral Palsy, I am legally blind,

I am from the U.S.A., I am a wife,

I am a mother, I am a writer,

And of ALL that makes me ME

I am PROUD!

About this poem: I wrote this poem after my husband and I had to have our first conversation with our two-year-old son about ableism. He asked, “Why people so mean ‘cause momma sit? Momma tell them mean.” After our family conversation, I wrote this in response to my son’s question. I hope this little poem helps people to realize that societal ableism is still taught and fostered today. Many people may be unaware that they are fostering ableism, but the hard, sad truth is that they are. My husband was internally ableist for a long period of time not because ableist thoughts were purposefully passed down and placed on his shoulders, but because family unknowingly continue ableism’s terrible legacy.

This is a picture of Megan Deahl, her husband, and son.

Abput the Author:

Hi! My name is Megan Deahl! I am a wife, momma, writer, disability advocate, animal lover, and avid crafter. Do you have questions about ableism? Please feel free to email me at deahldisabilityactivism@gmail.com. We can only eradicate ableism through education.

All That Is Mine Is Yours

I am sharing this project with all of you because I want to show the beauty of parenting with a disability and the beauty of being a child with a disability. I want to show the joy that my unique family shares. This project will probably continue as my son grows. I hope to share with him the same kind of amazing experiences I was given. I also hope to give him some that are all his own.

We adopted our son three years ago from the other side of the world. I found my son when searching the Internet. I read about a little boy who was so sweet and kind and had the cutest smile. As I read further, I found out that he had the same disability as me, spinal muscular atrophy. It felt like the stars were aligning. I had found our child.I am sharing this project with all of you because I want to show the beauty of parenting with a disability and the beauty of being a child with a disability.

We brought him home after a year-long process. When my husband brought him home from a 12-hour flight and I got him in my arms at the airport, I never let him go. I still watch with wonder as he grows into an amazing young man. I try to shield him from the hurts of life as best I can and at least let him know that I’ve been there before.

I started this project when I was going through photographs from my childhood. I noticed that there were a lot of photos of me growing up that matched photos we now have of my son. I wanted to show the journey we are both taking side-by-side. I wanted to show him that the love in our family is full-circle, and circles never stop.

Please tap/click on the pictures to’enlarge and view them.

In this picture of Katrina, she’s in her power chair, wearing brownish glasses, a white long sleeved top, blue jeans, and high black boots. She has white skin,
blue and purple curly hair. She’s also smiling.

Katrina Gossett Kelly wears several hats. She is an attorney at Faegre Baker Daniels in Indianapolis, specializing in the complexities of e-discovery and trade secret litigation. She also performs improv at ComedySportz Indianapolis and serves as a disability advocate throughout Indiana. Her favorite job of all, however, is being mom to her nine-year-old son who is also growing into a disability advocate in his own right. Katrina lives in downtown Indy with her son, two dogs, and a cat.