Author: admin_bmedia@able2

By Heather Lacey

As the Executive Director of ABLE2, I feel a personal duty to keep advocating for people with disabilities and to use my platform to shed light on the realities they encounter every day. As September is FASD Awareness Month it is especially important to me to highlight the challenges and needs of those with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). 

FASD is a lifelong disability that affects the brain and body of individuals exposed to alcohol in the womb. Each person with FASD has both strengths and challenges and will need special supports to help them succeed with many different parts of their daily lives. 

Despite affecting 4% of Canadians— approximately 1.5 million people— FASD remains significantly underrecognized and underdiagnosed, leading to a critical gap in support and services for those affected and their families. (Source: Canada FASD Research Network) 

FASD is often misrepresented due to its complex nature. Its symptoms frequently overlap with other conditions such as ADHD, Autism, and learning disabilities, making accurate diagnosis challenging. Furthermore, the absence of distinct physical features in most individuals with FASD contributes to its invisibility. However, a person with FASD may face significant cognitive and behavioural challenges. 

The lack of awareness and training among healthcare providers, educators, and social service workers exacerbates the difficulties. It is imperative that we, as a society, become more actively informed and bring more awareness, so that those with FASD can receive appropriate support and services that carry on into adulthood.

At ABLE2, we provide comprehensive support to children, youth, and individuals with FASD through our Fetal Alcohol Resource Program. This program offers community navigation and educational resources to help individuals with FASD and their families navigate the complexities of this lifelong condition. 

ABLE2 also offers FASD training to service providers and frontline workers, so that they can provide FASD-informed interventions to their service users. Our support group, facilitated by experienced professionals, provides a safe space for individuals and their caregivers to share experiences and strategies for managing daily challenges.

Supporting individuals with FASD is not just a moral imperative; it is also a societal necessity. Without appropriate support, individuals with FASD are at a higher risk of encountering difficulties in education, employment, and interactions with the criminal justice system. There is a growing need for FASD-informed services across various sectors, including social services and the criminal justice system, to ensure that individuals with FASD receive the understanding and accommodations they need to thrive.

As we approach FASD Awareness Month, it is vital that we continue to raise awareness about FASD and advocate for the necessary resources and support systems. By doing so, we can help individuals with FASD lead fulfilling lives and contribute meaningfully to our communities. We invite you to join ABLE2 in fostering a more inclusive community for those living with FASD, and their families. Everyone plays a part in shaping an equitable future for all.

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

What is on your ultimate summer checklist? Making smores by a campfire? A trip to the beach? Or simply enjoying nature exploring trails? Whether you’re on team camp or team beach, you can have a FUN-tastic summer at any of the barrier-free outdoor campsites, beaches and trails near Ottawa! 

While accessibility means different for everyone, Ontario Parks considers barrier-free parks as having level ground (to and from the site), a nearby water source and/or comfort station, a 25-cm high campfire pit, a level parking spot, and an accessible picnic table. Click on the site’s website pages below for more information or contact the park directly. 

Accessible Camp Sites 

• Rideau River Provincial Park (Kemptville)
• Voyageur Provincial Park (St. Eugene)
• Murphys Point Provincial Park (Perth)
• Silver Lake Provincial Park (Maberly)
• Sharbot Lake Provincial Park (Sharbot Lake)
• Bonnechere Provincial Park (Ottawa Valley)
• Algonquin Provincial Park (Whitney) 
• Presqu’ile Provincial Park (Brighton) 

Accessible Beaches 

• Petrie Island Beach (Orléans) – Beach-accessible wheelchair available
• Britannia Beach (West Ottawa) – Beach-accessible wheelchair available
• Mooney’s Bay Beach (South Ottawa) – Beach-accessible wheelchair available
• Bonnechere Provincial Park (Ottawa Valley)
• Presqu’ile Provincial Park (Brighton) 
• Sandbanks Provincial Park (Picton)

Did you know that seniors aged 65+ and people with disabilities are eligible for reduced camping and day-use fees in Ontario Parks?  You can find a park near you based on the facilities and activities you need. Visit the Ontario Parks website here.

Accessible Trails

• Rideau Canal and Ottawa River Pathway Loop
• Ottawa River Pathway: Andrew Haydon Park – Chaudière Falls
• Experimental Farm Pathway Trail (Carp)
• Mer Bleue Bog Boardwalk (Ramsayville)
• Chapman Mills Trail (Manotick)
• Beaver Trail and Chipmunk Trail (Carp)
• Leamy Lake Trail, Parc du Lac-Leamy (Gatineau)
• Sugarbush Trail (Gatineau)
• Pioneers Trail (Gatineau)
• New York Central Fitness Trail (Embrun)
• Millenium Trail (Renfrew)
• Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail (Algonquin Provincial Park)

As you head out to enjoy these accessible outdoor destinations, remember to put on some sunscreen, dress for the weather, stay hydrated, and know before you go! Enjoy and have a memorable summer with your loved ones!

The information provided in this article is intended for informational purposes only. Rest assured, while we strive for accuracy, we cannot guarantee that all details are entirely current or error-free. Please exercise caution and verify any information by visiting the Ontario Parks website or contacting the facilities directly.  

Celebrating Disability Pride Month: A reflection on inclusion and belonging for people with disabilities in the community – by Heather Lacey

July is Disability Pride Month! 

It is a time to celebrate the significant contributions of people with disabilities. People with disabilities are leaders in their communities and businesses and actively assert their rights by calling out injustices around disability inequalities and accessibility. 

It is a time to be proud of the progress society has made in increasing visibility for people with disabilities in the community. However, visibility is only the first step. The true goal is full inclusion and integration— creating a society where people with disabilities can fully participate in ways that make sense to them, with accessibility accommodations as the standard across all programs and services, not just an option. 

While visibility is a significant achievement, it is not the end goal. We have worked hard to ensure that individuals with disabilities are represented in various aspects of life. However, visibility alone does not guarantee true inclusion. It is about providing equal opportunities for people with disabilities to participate, contribute, and thrive in their communities. 

True belonging goes beyond providing accessibility options. It is about creating environments that are inherently inclusive. This means creating spaces, updating policies, and upholding practices that consider the diverse needs of all individuals from the outset, rather than retrofitting accommodations as an afterthought. 

“Diversity is a fact. Equity is a choice. Inclusion is an action. Belonging is an outcome.”

– Arthur Chan, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Strategist

At ABLE2, we are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). We have incorporated DEIB principles into our policies, processes, and everyday work. 

We operate on a hybrid work model, ensuring our employees have the flexibility and accommodations to meet their needs. Through a generous grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, we were also able to purchase adaptive office equipment such as power-adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs, and specialized hardware. These investments benefit not only the employees with disabilities but all employees, enhancing their resilience and capacity to support ABLE2’s program users and their families. 

The organization is also proud to have established a Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) to ensure the representation of ABLE2’s program users and people with disabilities in the community. The CAC is vital in influencing decision-making and providing valuable insights to our Board. Notably, a member of the CAC also serves on the Board of Directors of ABLE2 for full inclusion and participation in decision-making processes. The CAC members also organize events and fundraising initiatives and contribute to raising awareness, empowering them to lead and create even more opportunities for community engagement. Establishing the CAC aligns with our vision of an inclusive community where people with disabilities are seen as able, important, and valued and are active members of the community.

We have also developed a volunteer program based on a DEIB framework, emphasizing the importance of inclusive participation. This move is crucial to ensuring that all voices are heard and valued. 

When we instill DEIB into our work ethics, we create a more vibrant community where everyone can thrive, foster a sense of belonging, and break down barriers to full participation in all aspects of life. This is the direction we must take towards a genuinely inclusive society. 

Inclusion means empowering people with disabilities to participate in ways that are meaningful to them. This involves creating opportunities that fully engage them in social, economic, cultural, and political life. It means they have the same access to quality education, employment opportunities, leadership positions, or community activities. We need to continue to listen to the voices of people with disabilities and involve them in decision-making processes that affect their lives. By doing so, we can better understand their needs and aspirations and create policies and practices that truly support their inclusion. Finally, we must continue to dismantle the barriers that prevent people with disabilities to live fulfilling lives. 

This Disability Pride Month, I encourage you to reflect on how we can move from visibility to inclusion for people with disabilities. ABLE2 is dedicated to this vision of a community where everyone is seen as able, important, valued, and empowered to build lives of meaning and joy. We invite you to join us in making it a reality. 

Published by

Heather Lacey

Experienced Non-Profit Executive Director

Read Heather’s other articles here

“It has become my purpose; to voice for people who cannot voice for themselves or present their views for themselves in spaces that I occupy or have the ability to reach” 

– Rabia Khedr

If you are part of the disability community, an advocate for people with disabilities, or have been following the recent developments of the 2024 Budget, particularly the Canada Disability Benefit, you are likely familiar with Rabia Khedr. Rabia is a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Awardee, National Director of Disability Without Poverty and a member of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities Minister Disability Advisory Group. She is a fearless advocate and champion for accessibility and inclusion. Her influence extends beyond grassroots movements, shaping nationwide policies and standards. Rabia is a driving force in the fight for social justice, disability justice, and human rights, leading the charge for a more inclusive Canada. 

Rabia, who was born with low vision, hails from Pakistan and grew up with a Muslim heritage. Her family moved to Canada in the 1970s and Rabia has since lived in Mississauga, Ontario, where she has raised four children with her husband. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial Relations and Political Science from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts in Critical Disability Studies from York University. Her firsthand experiences as a racialized minority, living with a disability and having siblings with disabilities, have deeply influenced her perspective on society. This lens is coloured with empathy, tenacity, and a strong commitment to social justice, and has significantly shaped her advocacy work over the years.

Khedr and her sister, Uzma Khan, receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012

Rabia’s career in serving the disability community was not intentional; “It has become my purpose; to voice for people who cannot voice for themselves or present their views for themselves in spaces that I occupy or have the ability to reach,” she declares with conviction. Rabia began working in disability services and with Ethno Racial People with Disabilities Coalition of Ontario (ERDCO), where she had an awakening about the intersectionality of race, culture, faith, and gender. She has since then pursued a work mindset of being a “systems disrupter.”  She served as a commissioner with the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the City of Mississauga Chair of the Accessibility Committee. “I challenge systems to respond to the unique needs of people with disabilities, taking into account their whole identity, not just the disabled person components,” says Rabia. 

Rabia passionately talks about the intersection of disability and race and how mainstream disability discourse does not talk enough about the barriers that exist within faith and cultural spaces. “I took my lived experience, and I ended up applying it to much of my work. So, the gaps and barriers that I faced, that my family faced, I didn’t want other people facing. So, I decided to do something about it by getting more and more active in this space and establishing organizations, doing research, offering my perspectives in different conversations,” shares Rabia. 

Rabia recalls an unfortunate instance where she experienced discrimination as a racialized woman with a disability. “In a settlement agency, I was waiting for a meeting, and the staff assumed that I’m there for language testing. I’m like, ‘No, I’m here to facilitate a meeting,” she explains. “They only saw my skin colour, and maybe I was not making good eye contact, so they think I was there for support.” In many other instances, Rabia shares that the customer service staff will speak to her companion, instead of talking directly to her. “It’s really hard to dissect the experiences I have to just my disability or gender or hijjab, because it’s a combination. It’s because I’m a racialized woman who covers her head, and people think, you know, I’m oppressed,” says Rabia. She strongly emphasizes the importance of recognizing the intersectionality of race and disability and advocates for creating more opportunities for racialized individuals with disabilities. 

Her passions, inspired by her experiences, drove her to establish DEEN Support Services, an agency offering spiritual and culture-directed services for people with disabilities. She also founded Race and Disability Canada, an initiative dedicated to exploring and understanding the lived realities of Indigenous, Black and Racialized people with disabilities in Canada. 

Screenshot from the Canadian Muslim COVID-19 Task Force YouTube page

“One of the things I’m striving for is respite and residential services that meet the needs of folks with intellectual disabilities, given their faith and culture. There should be a continuation of a familial living environment when they cannot be cared for by family. We shouldn’t strip them of their identity as a whole person and just focus on categorizing and labeling and behaviour planning. It should be that they still have the right to have the same living experience,” stresses Rabia. 

As National Director of Disability Without Poverty, Rabia has led a nationwide movement to ensure the voices of disabled people are heard, to influence government decisions in reducing poverty and to secure public support for ending disability poverty. However, the recent outcome of the 2024 Federal Budget, which promised to lift people with disabilities above the poverty line, only proposed a $200/month benefit that will only affect 600,000 eligible Canadians. In the podcast Good Morning Hamilton, Rabia talks about the outcome of the Canada Disability Benefit and says, “Provincial Governments should definitely not claw back on this benefit because people with disabilities are living in significant poverty, and it’s not good enough for Canada and Canadians. It’s not a cost, it’s an investment in unleashing endless possibilities of contribution that disabled people have to make, like me. There is much more work left to do to #BetterTheBenefit,” But with Rabia at the helm of this movement, advocates and the disability community can continue to be hopeful.

Rabia Khedr and her family

When asked what she is most proud of, she shares, “I’m proud of my kids. I have a very supportive husband who has supported my career path and whatever I do in the community. We’ve raised four kids, and I’m very proud of that.” She also shares her achievement in building DEEN Support Services from ground zero, to an organization that operates on a seven-figure budget through direct fundraising and grants. The organization also has peer support groups for people with vision loss, people with mobility-related disabilities, caregivers, siblings, etc., and created a network of support in the communities. Moving forward, Rabia aspires to have more influence in making positive changes in the system and “to keep occupying platforms where I can reach,” says Rabia. 

Finally, Rabia imparts a powerful insight for people with disabilities: “Education is your biggest arsenal. Know who you are, recognize your barriers, and have a plan for your own accommodation. Be bold about it.” Rabia exemplifies that people with disabilities make positive and valuable contributions to our society. May we continue to be inspired by her tenacity and leadership as we collectively strive for a more inclusive and equitable Canada.