"How About Having A Person": Representation of Intellectual and Developmental Disability in Washington State Archives

Conclusion

“Nothing About Us Without Us”: Building Inclusive Archives with the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Community

Within the Disabled community, the phrase “nothing about us without us” is commonly used when talking about the need for inclusion of people with disabilities. Archival and library spaces must actively include the perspectives of people with disabilities in all stages of their collection development process to incorporate the lived experiences of people with disabilities that are often shut out by the political power of institutions and governing bodies. Libraries and archival spaces must also actively assess who not only gets their stories told in the historical record but also who gets access to those records. These spaces share a historical mission to educate communities about the diverse communities we live in and to enhance the growth of their members. By actively incorporating narratives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, archival and historical spaces can remove what communities stay within the “shadow” of archives and who is represented as “having a person”.

Note of Dedication

Growing up, I lived with my grandmother and her partner, Mark Labdon, both of whom had multiple sclerosis (MS). From a young age, I understood how oppressive societal systems manipulate the way Disabled people live their lives, as I knew from a young age that if Mark were to have married my grandmother, he would have lost the health insurance that was providing him with the medical treatment he needed to manage his MS symptoms. Throughout my childhood, he was my best friend and significantly influenced the person I have become today. Mark passed away on August 7th, 2012, at the age of 52, from complications of his MS. 

As a child, I did not fully understand how ableism shaped the life experiences of myself and others with disabilities during our lives. Now, as an adult, I realize that ableism not only shapes our lived experiences and opportunities but also assigns value to the legacies and stories preserved in public spaces of memory. 

I dedicate this project to my friend Mark Labdon, who encouraged my love of learning and helped me understand the actual impact that a person’s legacy can have on others. From one recent MLIS graduate to a long-graduated MLIS student, thank you.

Mark was a white man with glasses, a brown mustache, and short brown hair. He is wearing a blue sweatshirt and sitting on a tan couch.
Mark Labdon

Thank you to:

  • Matt Parsons for sponsoring and advising me on this project on behalf of UW Libraries
  • UW Libraries for providing me with the space and equipment to share this project with the community
  • My MLIS capstone advising team: Ana Bennett, Chance Hunt, and Runhua Zhao
  • To the Disability Studies Program writing seminar participants (DIS ST 503) who gave me their insights and time on ways to enhance my project
  • To the archivists at UW Special Collections, Northwest Regional Branch State Archives, Washington State Archives in Olympia, and Seattle Municipal Archives who helped lead me to the archival materials I included in this project
  • To the UW Disability Studies Program and the Harlan Hahn Fund Committee for providing me with grant funding for this site
  • To my family, friends, and mentors who have provided me with support over the process of this project
  • To all advocates and activists who work towards a just and equitable society for people with disabilities