Victory! The End of the Ransom Notes Campaign

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone,

I am pleased to inform you that this afternoon the NYU Child Study Center

announced that they will be ending the " Ransom Notes " ad campaign in

response to widespread public pressure from the disability community. You

can read that announcement

here<http://www.aboutourkids.org/about_us/public_awareness>.

The thousands of people with disabilities, family members, professionals and

others who have written, called, e-mailed and signed our petition have been

heard. Today is a historic day for the disability community. Furthermore,

having spoken directly with Dr. Harold Koplewicz, Director of the NYU Child

Study Center, I have obtained a commitment to pursue real dialogue in the

creation of any further ad campaign depicting individuals with disabilities.

We applaud the NYU Child Study Center for hearing the voice of the

disability community and withdrawing the " Ransom Notes " ad campaign.

Twenty-two disability rights organizations came together to ensure the

withdrawal of this advertising campaign. Our response to this campaign

stretched continents, with e-mails, letters and phone calls coming from as

far away as Israel, Britain and Australia. The disability community acted

with a unity and decisiveness that has rarely been heard before and we are

seeing the results of our strength today. Our success sends an inescapable

message: if you wish to depict people with disabilities, you must consult us

and seek our approval. Anything less will guarantee that we will make our

voices heard. We are willing to help anyone and any group that seeks to

raise awareness of disability issues, but those efforts must be done with

us, not against us. This is a victory for inclusion, for respect and for the

strength and unity of people with disabilities across the world. It is that

message that has carried the day in our successful response to this

campaign. Furthermore, we intend to build on this progress, not only by

continuing a dialogue with the NYU Child Study Center and using this

momentum to ensure self-advocate representation at other institutions as

well, but also by building on the broad and powerful alliance that secured

the withdrawal of these ads in the first place. We are strongest when we

stand together, as a community, as a culture and as a people.

Thank you to all of you who have made this victory possible. Remember:

" Nothing About Us, Without Us! "

Regards,

Ari Ne'eman

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, President

http://www.autisticadvocacy.org

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