New York Times Features Obituary of Diane Coleman

November 20, 2024Our News & Commentary BlogJules Good

We are pleased to see Diane Coleman’s impact and legacy recognized and honored through an obituary in the New York Times.

Here is the link to the NYT Obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/us/diane-coleman-dead.html?smid=url-share

Join Us: Virtual Memorial for Diane Coleman

November 19, 2024Our News & Commentary BlogJules Good

Please join us for a virtual memorial celebrating the life and legacy of our Founder, Diane Coleman. We will share stories from her life and work and create a community space to mourn our loss. Register to attend here. CART and ASL will be provided. Please email jules@neighborhoodaccess.org if you have additional access needs.

Registration Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuf-msrz4uGtOYEAGod_qyLmp6iJ1DXBlR

Flyer for the virtual gathering — ID: Flyer for the virtual gathering. Text reads “please join us for a virtual gathering celebrating the life and legacy of Diane Coleman. Monday November 25th at 3PM ET on Zoom. CART and ASL Provided. Please email jules@neighborhoodaccess.org with additional access needs or questions.” In the center is a picture of Diane, an older white woman with shoulder-length gray hair, glasses, and a respirator. She is smiling.

In Memoriam: Diane Coleman

November 6, 2024Our News & Commentary BlogJules Good

Dear Not Dead Yet Family, Allies, and Supporters,

It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved founder and leader, Diane Coleman. Diane’s legacy as a tireless advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, and as a fierce and unyielding voice against assisted suicide and euthanasia, will forever shape our movement and the world we strive to change.

Diane founded Not Dead Yet in 1996, establishing a national disability rights organization committed to fighting for the inherent dignity of every person with a disability. Through her vision and leadership, Not Dead Yet grew into a powerful force for justice, protecting our right to live and ensuring that disabled lives are valued, respected, and protected from discriminatory medical practices, including the non provision and forced removal of life sustaining care, QALYs, and most of all, the inherently discriminatory public policy of assisted suicide and euthanasia law. Her work was visible not only in the courts, boardrooms and legislatures the halls of legislative chambers but also on the streets, where she led protests, organized, and mobilized countless other disabled people people with disabilities from across the globe to fight for their rights.

Diane was an intellectual powerhouse, a strategist, a passionate advocate, and a mentor to so many of us. Her understanding of policy, her commitment to the principles of the social and disability justice models of disability, and her ability to cut through the ableist rhetoric surrounding assisted suicide and euthanasia were unparalleled. She spoke with clarity and conviction, both in the media and in legislative hearings, where she presented testimony before Congress, co-authored amicus briefs in state, federal and Supreme Court cases for the U.S. Supreme Court, and tirelessly worked to ensure that the voices of disabled people were heard and respected in the development and implementation of public policy.

As many of you have shared, Diane’s impact on individuals—colleagues, activists, students, and friends—was profound. She shaped the lives of so many, whether through direct mentorship or through the sheer force of her example. Diane was a leader who never wavered in her commitment to the movement. Her strength was, in many ways, a beacon for all of us who continue the fight for freedom, dignity, equality and inclusion of people with all kinds of disabilities, as well as women, elders, LGBTQ+, BIPoC and other marginalized populations.

Diane’s legacy will endure through all the work that continues in her name—through the Not Dead Yet community and through the work of every person whose life she touched. She built a movement that will not stop fighting, and she taught us to mourn for the dead and fight like hell for the living.

While we grieve her loss, we also celebrate her extraordinary life and the powerful mark she left on the world. Diane was a friend, a teacher, and a champion of justice. Her spirit, her intellect, and her fierce commitment to disability rights will live on in each of us who continue the work she began.

Our deepest condolences go out to Diane’s family, her colleagues, and to all who loved her. We stand united in our grief, but also in our commitment to carry on Diane’s work. Rest in power, Diane. Your legacy is eternal, and the fight for the rights of disabled people will continue in your name.

With Love and Solidarity,

The Board of Not Dead Yet

Emily Wolinsky, Chair
Samantha Crane, Treasurer
Lydia Nunez Landry, Secretary
Horacio Esparza
Amy E. Hasbrouck
Germaine Martin
Michael Volkman

Pam Heavens: Do not support legalizing physician-assisted suicide

October 25, 2024assisted suicide, better dead than disabled, health disparities, Illinois, letters to the editor, million dollar baby, Our News & Commentary Blogassisted suicide, Letter to the Editor, medical aid in dying, medical discrimination, Pam HeavensDiane Coleman

The Times Weekly published this opinion letter by Illinois disability advocate Pam Heavens on October 2nd:

The Illinois General Assembly is considering a bill that will legalize physician-assisted suicide. I am a 68-year-old Disabled woman and proud member of “Stop Assisted Suicide Illinois Coalition”, which vehemently opposes this bill. This organization includes representatives from diverse communities including disability rights, patients’ rights, health care, hospice care, human rights, senior rights, veterans, and various faith- based advocacy organizations. All parties are committed to keeping Illinois a physician-assisted suicide free state.

Since our health care system does not treat everyone equally, the practice of physician – assisted suicide raises the risk for those who often do not get the same access and treatment as others. This includes people with disabilities, veterans, people with mental illness, older people and those who cannot afford high-quality health care. How this manifests in the health care system is illustrated in the movie “Million Dollar Baby,” which feeds into the attitude that many non-disabled people who become disabled are then “better dead than disabled.” Disability and poverty are two major factors that have the potential of making assisted suicide seem desirable. Regarding mental illness, none of the physician-assisted suicide laws have strong requirements that a person seeking it be evaluated by a psychiatrist.

The doctor/patient relationship is sacred. It is a bond that is strengthened by mutual trust. Legalizing physician-assisted suicide irrefutably erases that trust. Illinois lawmakers must unequivocally reject legalizing doctor assisted suicide. To do less will leave a stain on our state of which we all will be ashamed.

Jensen Caraballo: The Misguided Compassion of Assisted Suicide in Disability

October 21, 2024ableism, access to health care, assisted suicide, disability, health disparities, long term services and supports, medical discrimination, Our News & Commentary Blog, quality of life judgmentsassisted suicide, disability, home and community-based services, Jensen CaraballoDiane Coleman

Head and shoulders photo of man with short dark hair, tan color skin, blue "Free Our People" shirt, and rectangular glasses secured by a black strap showing on his left side. — Jensen Caraballo

Introduction

Assisted suicide is often presented as a compassionate choice for those experiencing unbearable suffering. However, as someone who has navigated life’s challenges as a disability rights advocate and someone who was once confined to a nursing home, I see a troubling oversight in this narrative. It fails to consider the systemic barriers that prevent many disabled individuals from living full, dignified lives. This is true whether the disabling condition is viewed as terminal or not. This post explores how the discourse on assisted suicide overlooks critical issues of rights and inclusion in the disability community.

Section 1: Misconceptions about Disability and Assisted Suicide

Society frequently views disabled people as burdens. This perspective is not just harmful; it’s a reflection of deeply ingrained prejudices. Advocating for assisted suicide often comes from a place that views the elimination of disabled lives as a convenience to society. From personal experience, having lived in an institution from a young age, I know the feeling of being seen as a problem rather than a person with potential and desires. This worldview underpins the argument for assisted suicide, ignoring the intrinsic value every individual holds.

Section 2: The Real Issue: Lack of Choice and Autonomy

Proponents of assisted suicide tout it as a choice for those who find living with a disability unbearable. However, this ‘choice’ often comes without real alternatives for living a life of dignity. Many disabled individuals, including myself, face inadequate healthcare, insufficient access to necessary services, and exclusion from community involvement. When I was institutionalized as a teenager, not only was my physical freedom limited, but so were my choices for a future outside those walls. The supposed freedom offered by assisted suicide is a false choice, arising from unmet needs and societal neglect.

Section 3: The Impact of Societal Attitudes

The push for assisted suicide reflects a broader societal desire to manage or exclude those considered too challenging to support. This attitude devalues lives based on disability, suggesting some are less worth living. By endorsing assisted suicide without confronting these underlying biases, society perpetuates a message that fails to affirm the value of every individual, including people who have a terminal illness as well as those who don’t. As someone who fought hard to escape institutionalization and advocate for independent living, I see this as a failure to commit to real inclusivity and support.

Section 4: What We Truly Need: Freedom and Support

The disability community doesn’t need an easier route to death; we need robust support systems that affirm life, however long that may be. This includes extensive home and community-based services that have enabled me to live independently, policies that ensure educational and employment opportunities, and a healthcare system responsive to our needs without bias. Advocating for these changes isn’t just about improving lives; it’s about transforming societal views and expectations around disability so we can all make the best of the time we have.

Conclusion

Disabled individuals deserve the same rights to life, liberty, and happiness as anyone else. Our societal focus should be on removing the barriers that curtail these rights, not on facilitating an exit from life’s challenges. We must advocate for policies that genuinely uphold the dignity and independence of all people, drawing from stories like mine to illustrate the profound impact of true support versus the finality of assisted suicide.

Closing

As we consider the future of our society, we must decide: Will we view disability through a lens of inconvenience and burden, or will we embrace every member with equity and respect? The path we champion will fundamentally shape the community we build.

Jensen Caraballo is a disability justice advocate, writer, and activist who opposes assisted suicide laws, emphasizing their dangers to the disabled community and advocating for dignity, autonomy, and comprehensive support for all.