Lettering Works Launches Disability Pride Collection
Accepting disability and confronting ableism.
The disabled community has been under-served and underrepresented for too long, often fighting to be seen and recognized. Through the Disability Pride Collection, Lettering Works aims to promote acceptance over awareness, while empowering those of the disabled community to unapologetically be who they are, take up space, and dismantle ableism.
Disability is defined as a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities. Common disabilities include learning disabilities, mobility disabilities, medical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities, visual impairments, deaf and hard of hearing, and autism. Disabilities can be apparent but also hidden or invisible. While there are many movements to raise awareness for the vast range of disabilities, it is ultimately important to work towards acceptance and creating a more accessible world.
On the flip side of disability acceptance is ableism. Ableism is defined as discrimination in favor of able-bodied people. The belief that typical abilities are superior is harmful and contributes to creating a less accessible and inclusive world. Ableism is rooted in an assumption that disabled people require fixing and leads to harmful stereotypes and unfair generalizations of people with disabilities.
Ableism is more common than you might think. Some examples of ableism are lack of compliance with disability rights laws like the ADA, segregating students or adults with disabilities from others, inaccessible websites, and refusing to provide reasonable accommodations. More everyday forms of ableism include choosing an inaccessible venue for an event or meeting (which excludes some participants), framing disability as either tragic or inspirational, casting non-disabled actors to play disabled characters, and asking invasive questions about medical history.
For those who do not identify as disabled, I hope this collection encourages you to accept and support the disabled community as well as confront your ableism. To get you started if you are new to understanding ableism and taking action to become a more inclusive-minded person, three ways you can recognize and avert ableism are 1. Don’t assume you know someone’s needs; 2. Listen to people when they request an accommodation and 3. Talk about disability with children and young people to normalize inclusion and acceptance. The key to building a more inclusive and accessible world is to Include diverse perspectives and consider those different from ourselves.
Inspired by an evolution of passion projects and purpose
This new collection is truly the evolution of previous passion projects (Steph’s Stickers, Cool Beans, Chronically Positive, and Scoliosis Strong) alongside continuous learning. The overarching mission of Lettering Works designs is to build community through quality art and design - the community can be centered around a place or action or an interest, a specific practice, or even a shared circumstance. This collection celebrates the disability community while contributing quality designs to an important cause.
There are many wonderful advocates and organizations already doing the work. My mentor Randi connected me to Lauren of The Nora Project after I mentioned my initial interest in doing more work with and for the disability community. It was through a conversation with Lauren alongside takeaways from reading Disability Visibility by Alice Wong and watching Crip Camp on Netflix that this collection took shape.
My hope is that these designs can be shared with nonprofits like The Nora Project and offer a solution to their design needs at a more affordable rate. Many nonprofits pour so much of their resources into their advocacy and design often has to take a back seat. All designs in the Disability Pride collection are available for purchase in both a licensing and wholesale product capacity. Request a project catalog here.
A look at the designs + why their messages are important:
Disability Pride
Disability pride means you take pride in your whole self, which includes your disability. It means you understand your limitations, including chronic pain or illness, but accept and love who you are. Because there are many forms of disabilities, I wanted to create multiple designs of this phrase.
Access is Love
Access is Love
Accessibility is key to creating an equitable world. Instead of thinking about accessibility as a burden or after-thought, it should be an act of love and thoughtful intention. Everyone deserves access and everyone deserves love.
Work Your Quirk
Work Your Quirk
Work Your Quirk
We are all different - disabled and able-bodied - and have unique quirks. Our quirks should be embraced in loving and accepting ourselves fully. Own your uniqueness and disability with pride - because it makes you who you are.
I’m not a burden to the world. Inaccessibility is a burden to me.
I’m not a burden to the world. Inaccessibility is a burden to me.
In an ableist world, it can be easy to internalize inaccessibility and feel guilty, like our disabilities make us the problem. It’s important to remember that everyone deserves equitable access regardless of disability. Inaccessibility is a burden that the world places on disabled people, and not the other way around.
This quote is by Emily Ladau, a passionate disability rights activist, writer, storyteller, and digital communications consultant whose career began at the age of 10, when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. Emily is the co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.
Disabled Babe
Disabled Babe
Let’s show some love for all of the disabled babes out there. A favorite phrase I’ve seen circulating Instagram in the disability community is Hot Disabled Summer. This design was inspired by that and daydreaming of a summer where everyone can confidently be themselves.
The Lady in the Ramp
The Lady and the Ramp
I saw this phrase in the background of a scene in the movie Crip Camp and knew I had to make my own version of it. A fun play on the title from the 1955 Disney movie Lady and the Tramp that I hope makes you smile and remember to own whatever mobility aids you need.
My existence is not your inspiration
My existence is not your inspiration
Disabled people are often objectified to inspire and motivate able-bodied people. This phrase was requested by Lauren of The Nora Project and comes from Stella Young, who has a must-see TEDx Talk that you can watch here.
Don’t let your ableism define me
Don’t let your ableism define me
If you’re unsure of what ableism is, check out the beginning of this blog post. It’s important to recognize ableism and dismantle it to create a more inclusive and accessible society.
Medical history is not small talk
Medical history is not small talk
Asking invasive questions about medical history and the personal life of someone with disabilities is all too common. This design serves as a friendly reminder that medical history is not small talk and asking questions like “How did you become disabled?” aren’t appropriate. Another everyday form of ableism is questioning if someone is “actually” disabled or “how much” they are disabled. Please keep invasive questions to yourself.
You are enough
You are enough
Always remember that you are enough. Just the way you are - disabled or able-bodied, there is nothing you need to change about yourself. Society on the other hand… there are some changes that are needed to make everyone feel included and loved as they should be.
WE NEED YOUR INPUT!
The designs from this new Disability Pride Collection are going head-to-head in an NCAA-Tournament style competition and need your votes to advance! Vote for your favorites the week of June 7th on Instagram @letteringworks. The winning designs will be made into stickers and other merchandise.
We are looking for partners and collaborators to allow this collection to go further in its impact of the disability community. If you or someone you know would like to work with Lettering Works, send us a message here.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Chelsie Tamms is an award-winning lettering artist and designer based out of Chicago. She is the owner of Lettering Works, a branding studio that connects businesses to their audience through creativity and strategy. With over 10 years of practice of lettering and design, Chelsie is passionate about craft and intention. When she’s not designing, she can be found eating ice cream, traveling internationally, or starting a new passion project.
Chelsie has scoliosis and had a spinal fusion surgery at age 14, as well as Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD).
