Patty Berne, a pivotal figure in the Disability Justice movement, passed away on May 29, which has intensified fears regarding the future of disabled rights. Known for challenging early pessimistic predictions about their lifespan, Patty lived an impactful life as an artist and activist. They fostered connections between disabled liberation and broader social justice movements. The recent passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," which proposes significant Medicaid cuts, threatens to reverse many hard-won advances in disability rights, heightening the sense of loss felt by many in the community.
Patty was told as a child that they would not live past 16 years old. This prediction was pessimistic, and wrong. Patty grew up to live a full life.
Patty changed disability history. They were a visionary artist and one of the primary architects of the Disability Justice movement, connecting struggles for disabled liberation with other fights for freedom.
It feels like many of the advances that Patty and other disabled activists have struggled to achieve over the past 50 years might be unraveling, which makes my grief sharper.
Lateef McLeod describes Patty as a phenomenal leader and true friend, stating she was the mother of disability justice and influential in the second wave of the disability rights movement.
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