Rights, Visibility and Disability in Cultural Spaces

I stood in Parliament Square on the 6th June 2020, amongst thousands of people demanding justice and visibility for black lives. Protest chants spread through the crowds; voices were echoed and amplified; claps and cheers rippled through self and other. Dissent became contagious, harking back to the origins of the word – “con” meaning together and “tangere” to touch. I stood in Parliament Square, amidst the charged atmosphere of bodies urgently congregating, and one placard in particular touched me: “Up to 50% of all people killed by U.S police are disabled. To be black and disabled is a direct target. All Power to the people. Black Disabled Lives Matter.”