Deanna Parvin Yadollahi

Bio

Model: Deanna Parvin Yadollahi
Queer, non-cisgender, non-binary, disabled
Disability justice consultant

My Ten Affirmations of Disability Justice:
1. I am exactly how I am meant to be.

2. I am worthy of accessibility, no matter how difficult others think it is to provide.

3. I am worthy of meaningful connections, no matter what others think of me.

4. I am worthy of unlearning shame and internalized oppression, no matter what controversies exist in activist communities.

5. I am worthy of asking for help, even if others are not available to help me.

6. I am worthy of my knowledge and expertise being valued, whatever I decide that looks like.

7. I am worthy of identifying, changing, and setting boundaries, trusting myself no matter what.

8. I have learned that I need to allow myself to do a little bit of the thing I’m trying to unlearn to supplement it with something that better meets my access needs.

9. I have learned from decolonization for dreamers that I want to be a good ancestor-in-training, so others don’t have to struggle the ways I have.

10. When the world is on fire, it can be easy to confuse the enemy. While nobody is entitled to us, oppression is the enemy, and it can be easy to do the only thing we know to do – police each other. Hurt people can hurt people.