The Intersection of Disability and Blackness in Protest and Liberation

On Practice: Walking asks how does walking shape our experience of the city? How can it be used as a tool for resistance and change? Featuring artist Sam Curtis’s Changing Play project with children from the Portman Early Childhood centre, Which Way Now? alongside interviews with anthropologist Tim Ingold, campaign group Voice of Domestic Workers and writer Katouche Goll.

In this episode of On Practice we highlight the work of two of our long-term partners, The Voice of Domestic Workers and The Alliance for Inclusive Education, ALLFIE. 

The Voice of Domestic Workers, is a grassroots organisation made up of multi-national migrant Domestic Workers in the UK. 

They work to empower migrant domestic workers to stand up and voice their opposition to discrimination, inequality, slavery and all forms of abuse. You can read more about their support network, campaigns here, donate here, or support by purchasing their new Our Journey book

ALLFIE is a Disabled people-led organisation in the UK.

They campaign for the right of all Disabled pupils and students to be fully included in mainstream education, training and apprenticeships with all necessary supports. You can find out more about them here. You can stand up for inclusive education by signing their manifesto or help ALLFIE build a better, more inclusive world by becoming a member of the Alliance.

On Practice is produced by Reduced Listening.

Image credit: Joy Yamusangie

Show Notes

Sam Curtis is an artist and curator based in London. Working with other people is central to his practice. Through dialogue, walking and making with others; his work explores ideas around agency, autonomy, exchange and labour.  

He has exhibited and worked with Seymour Art Collective, Whitechapel Gallery, Edgware Road Project: Serpentine Galleries, Turner Contemporary, CREATE London, The Showroom, Eastside Projects, Arts Admin, Ateliers de Rennes Biennale, Beursschouwburg, News of the World and Pi: Artworks Istanbul. He has an MFA from Goldsmiths College and his work is represented by Division of Labour. He is currently curator at Bethlem Gallery.

https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/whats-on/which-way-now/

Portman Centre

The Portman Early Childhood Centre provides education, care and family support services for young children and their families living in the Church Street area of Westminster, North London. These include a nursery school, adult education classes, family support, employment services, parenting groups and workshops.

http://www.westminster-ne-centres.co.uk/en/about/ 

Tim Ingold

Tim Ingold is Professor Emeritus of Social Anthropology at the University of Aberdeen. He has written about environment, technology and social organisation in the circumpolar North, on animals in human society, and on human ecology and evolutionary theory. His more recent work explores environmental perception and skilled practice. Ingold’s current interests lie on the interface between anthropology, archaeology, art and architecture. His recent books include The Perception of the Environment (2000), Lines (2007), Being Alive (2011), Making (2013), The Life of Lines (2015), Anthropology and/as Education (2018), Anthropology: Why it Matters (2018) and Correspondences (2020).

Voice of Domestic Workers

The Voice of Domestic Workers is an education and campaigning group calling for justice and rights for Britain’s 16,000 migrant domestic workers. They provide educational and community activities for domestic workers – including English language lessons, drama and art classes and employment advice, and mount rescues for domestic workers stuck with abusive employers. Their work seeks to end discrimination and protect migrant domestic workers living in the UK by providing or assisting in the provision of education, training, healthcare and legal advice.

https://www.thevoiceofdomesticworkers.com/  Instagram: @thevoiceofdomesticworkersTwitter: @thevoiceofdws

Disabled People Against Cuts

Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) is an organisation for disabled people and allies to campaign against the impact of government spending cuts on the lives of disabled people. Formed on 3 October 2010 DPAC promotes full human rights and equality for all disabled people, and operates from the Social Model of Disability. DPAC was formed by a group of disabled people after the 3rd October 2010 mass protests against cuts in Birmingham, England. The 3rd October saw the first mass protest against the austerity cuts and their impact on disabled people - It was led by disabled people under the name of The Disabled Peoples’ Protest.

https://dpac.uk.net/

ALLFIE

ALLFIE is a Disabled people-led organisation, which seeks to build alliances with individuals and organisations who share their vision. They successfully work with Disabled learners and parents and carers across a very wide range of educational needs, backgrounds and experiences and gain strength from that diversity.

Their relationships and influence stretch over a wide range of networks and alliances interested in education, inclusion, Disabled children’s services, Disabled people’s rights and equality, and human rights more generally. They have an impressive track record in successfully influencing change and a positive reputation nationally and internationally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJWDUmYv2iY Instagram: @disabledpeopleagainstcuts

Katouche Goll  

Katouche Goll is a disability activist and writer. She is passionate about fostering a productive dialogue about the intersection of Black and disabled identities. A recent first-class grad in BA History, Katouche enjoys sharing the knowledge of her degree through her advocacy for Black disabled young people. Featured on platforms such as Buzzfeed (2016), Kandaka (2017), BBC Radio 1Xtra (2018), TABOU Magazine and BlackBallad (2020). Katouche is also a makeup enthusiast who creates online content to promote diversity in beauty and highlight issues of inclusion.

Instagram: @itskatouche