Tellin’ stories:Experiences of impairment during Coronavirus
One of the things that has struck me about the pandemic is the narratives that we see. I know my own account, and have shared that. I’m also lucky in that I have a (small) platform through which I can talk about my own personal experiences.
What of others though? There are many stories to be told.
I’m often struck by the power of stories, and the capacity they have to powerfully demonstrate what we can learn through capturing them. Each story has its own power and value. Through harnessing that power, there is so much to be gained. To me, this feels especially true at a time when it feels that there is a risk that the impacts of coronavirus on and for disabled people may be overlooked.
What can I do though? My resources are finite. What I can do is use the platform I have to the voices of others. It is my hope that through doing so, the impacts of Coronavirus for those who have an impairment can be illustrated.
It feels in some ways like life is one big count at the moment. Figures, projections, graphs. All have a place. What of the stories behind the numbers though?
This is where I hope the present blog will be useful.
I also appreciate that stories can be hard to tell and take a variety of forms. So I do this with no expectation other than to see where it leads.
In doing this, I am inspired by my friends at WOWvoices, who continue to do important work to share stories of their own.
How to tell your story