Sins Invalid

Limitations of Traditional Disability Justice/ Disability Rights Movement

• Ignores Intersectionality
• Race, Religion, Gender, SES, Immigration Status, Cultural Values
• White-male-hetrosexual-Centric. White-privilege centric
• (eg: Parallels in Psychology Research which is WEIRD-centric: Western Educated, Industrial, Rich, Democratic Countries)
• Power/Status-Centric
• Centered around people who have achieved status through legal framework,
• Why: Rights have to be won by litigation. So unequal access to rights across the board. You don’t sue, you lose

• Mobility-Impairment Centric
• Access needs as beyond architectural barriers. 

What are we looking for in a Disability Justice Framework

• All mind-bodies unique and essential
• All mind-bodies have strengths + needs that must be met
• All mind-bodies are Powerful, despite complexities
• Mind-Bodies are confined by & cannot be separated from our intersectionalities.

Key concepts

• Connectedness
• Interdependence
• Relational & transformative framework.

Sins Invalid. 10 Principles of Disability Justice

1. Intersectionality
2. Leadership of the Most Impacted
3. Anti-capitalist Politic
4. Commitment to Cross-movement organizing
5. Reorganizing wholeness
6. Sustainability
7. Commitment to Cross-Disability Solidarity
8. Interdependence
9. Collective Access
10. Collective Liberation

1. Intersectionality

Disability is another layer of intersectionality we experience
Impacted by White Privilege,/ Colonial legacy

Intersectionality is not about who is suffering the most but about who is impacted in which areas. 

• Within our own intersectionality we experience privilege in some areas and oppression in others; varying across context.

Intersectionality impacts access to spaces/ community/ resources /inclusion and funding.

Me -->  Autistic + ADHD + other medical/sensory/mood/communication issues + South-Indian descent + Tamil Hindu Iyengar Brahmin + vegetarian + multilingual etc.

What Can be Done

• Recognize Disability is not a vacuum.
• Collaborate on overlapping issues
• What else?

2. Leadership of the Most Impacted

• System impacts are not equal.
• People most hurt by the system often have a better understanding of what all is wrong with that system.

What Can be Done

• Prioritize the more marginalized voices
• Be aware of hierarchies within disability
• Eg: an unspoken hierarchy means unequal access
• What else?

3. Anti-capitalist Politic

• Disabled Mind-Body is anti-capitalist
• Why:
• Capitalism = Survival of Fittest
• Competition towards wealth accumulation, land acquisition for the ruling class.
• Therefore:
• By definition the “non-normative” mind-body of disabled people are invalidated.

What can be done

• Rethink Worth of an individual beyond as beyond productivity. Eg: some may not be able to “contribute” in the traditional sense due the more significant disability and THAT’s OK!!
• Work on issues that are exacerbated by capitalism Eg: homeless disabled, health care, poverty
• Access at times has a “price tag” in capitalist society- so either need to be creative with solutions or organize funding sources.
• What else?

4. Commitment to Cross-movement organizing

• A relational and transformation framework of Disability Justice means we need to think about disability and ableism in many different ways
• Learn from other movements
• Paraphrasing what Stuart James, Director of CIL said during class visit to Ed Roberts Campus, Spring 2018 Sem.
• “We need to learn from the Gay Rights movement which in just 30 years has become mainstream. “

What can be done?

• Disability does not exist in vacuum
• You can reach out for allies in unlikely places.
• Eg: Reproductive justice is Disability justice. , Climate Justice is Disability Justice
• Mixed movement organizing (“nurturing old ways & inventing new ways)
• What else?

5. Reorganizing wholeness

• Disabled people are whole people
• Everyone is a living breathing thinking individual with emotions, sensations, perceptions and quirks.

What can we do

• Reject capitalist notion of worth of an individual as tied to his perceived “productivity”
• Recognize & support: “We all struggle together” imperfectly
• What else?

6. Sustainability

• Transformation needs to be deep, longlasting and sustained.
• But Transformation does not happen overnight.
• Disabled mind-body needs to be paced according to the “spoons” available to us.
• “Rest is resistance, Survival is resistance, Anything else is extra”

What can we do?

• Group effort, flexible schedules/ deadlines
• Avoid Burnout
• What else?

7. Commitment to Cross-Disability Solidarity

• There can be NO Disability Justice, unless there is Disability Justice for all.
• “Honor insights of all community members”
• “We are trying to break down barriers”

What Can be Done

• Means working together. Collaboration
• Connections that cross living, advocacy and education.
• Eg: autism + deaf have communication access as a common issue.
• What else?

8. Interdependence

• State Solutions → they control our lives
• Interdependence → we control our lives & help each other. (Our interdependence with other humans & nature was already part of our unconscious before western colonization.)

What Can be Done

• Check ins
• How to ask for help & communicate needs
• Share spoons
• What else?

9. Collective Access

• Access Needs are not shameful / not a favor
• Access Needs are not fixed - depend on context and environment.
• We can share responsibility for our access needs.
• Needs community, shared responsibility and creative out-of-the-box nuances.

What Can be Done

• Pool resources
• What else?

10. Collective Liberation

• Disability justice is a vision.
• Moving together is what gets us to liberation
• We are all survivors. “Listen to the Canaries”
• “We honor the longstanding legacies of resilience & resistance” for all non-conforming mind-bodies.

What can we do

• Recognize: “moving together does not mean we move in the same way;” we are still valued in any way we move.
• What else?

Creativity

 Creativity is the fuel that ignites innovation.

Creativity is the art of bringing dreams to life.

Imagination is the foundation of creativity.

Creativity is the voice of the soul.

Creativity is the ultimate form of self-expression.

To create is to discover a world within yourself.

Creativity is the bridge between art and science.

Creativity is the language of the heart.

The beauty of creativity lies in its infinite possibilities.

Creativity is the key to unlocking the doors of the unknown.

Creativity is the gift that keeps on giving.

Every creation is a reflection of the creator's unique perspective.

Creativity is the heart and soul of innovation.

Creativity is the antidote to monotony.

To create is to be fully human.

Creativity is the art of making something out of nothing.

Creativity is the energy that drives progress.

Creativity is the power to inspire and transform.

The world needs more dreamers who can turn their dreams into reality.

Creativity is the spark that ignites change.

The creative mind sees opportunities where others see obstacles.

Creativity is the force that drives humanity forward.

To be creative is to be fully alive.

Creativity is the path to self-discovery and self-expression.

The beauty of creativity is that it has no limits.

Creativity is the ultimate form of freedom.

The world is a canvas waiting for the creative mind to paint its beauty.

- Hari Srinivasan

The Brain is Never Zero

The Brain is Never Zero

In the realm of thoughts, wonders reside
Brain pulses ceaselessly, a relentless tide
Neurons fire, synapses alight
The brain is never zero, its brilliance ignites.

Partly Cloudy

 https://youtu.be/PfyJQEIsMt0

"Partly Cloudy" is a heartwarming Pixar short film that takes viewers into a whimsical world where clouds are responsible for creating and delivering babies to their expectant families. Directed by Peter Sohn, the story centers around the relationship between Gus, a gloomy gray cloud, and Peck, a small and enthusiastic stork.

Unlike his fellow clouds, Gus specializes in producing challenging and unconventional babies like porcupines, crocodiles, and electric eels. Each morning, Peck tirelessly retrieves the bundles of joy created by Gus, braving their sharp quills and fierce jaws. Despite the dangers, Peck maintains his unwavering dedication to his friend, never faltering in his commitment.

"Partly Cloudy" showcases the power of friendship, forgiveness, and the beauty of embracing one's uniqueness. With stunning animation, heartfelt moments, and a touch of humor, this Pixar short reminds us that even the most unlikely pairs can find solace, love, and happiness in each other's company.

Severe Weather Nashville - Summer Edition

 Summer runs from Jun 21 to Sep 23. This is a running tab of the weather here. 

June is bringing hot temperatures and also lots sudden showers

Jun 29 - Excessive Heat warning all week with temp climbing to 101 on Thu

The entire southern US hit by a massive heatwave. 

I also read that across the world the nighttime temperature is increasing faster than the daytime temperature. Which means there is less chance to cool down before the day heat hits again.

Thu started off hot - headed into the heatwave and ended up with severe thunderstorm alerts instead. A heavy downpour in the afternoon.  

Jun 25 - severe storm risk

Sat Jun 3: Sweltering weekends. Today's High 93

Sun Jun 4: Possible Pop Up Storm

Creativity is the Gift that Keeps on Giving

- Hari Srinivasan

"Every creation is a reflection of the creator's unique perspective."

Hari Srinivasan

 Creativity is the heart and soul of innovation.

- Hari Srinivasan

Task Load Index

[See posts on other Screening/Assessment Tools, Psychological Measures]

The NASA-TLX (Task Load Index) questionnaire is a tool developed by NASA to assess the workload and subjective workload experienced by individuals performing a task. Though initially designed for pilots, it is widely used across various industries including autism research 

The questionnaire has 6 subscales/submeasures, that assess different dimensions of workload. 

• Mental Demand: mental effort and cognitive load required to perform the task.
• Physical Demand: physical effort and exertion involved in performing the task.
• Temporal Demand: perceived time pressure and the amount of time available to complete the task.
• Performance: individual's perception of their own performance during the task.
• Effort: perceived level of effort and energy expenditure required to complete the task.
• Frustration: degree of annoyance, stress, and dissatisfaction experienced during the task.

Scoring and Interpretation

Participants rate each submeasure on a scale of 0 to 100. Scoring and interpretation vary depending on the specific study or context. Generally, higher scores indicate a higher perceived workload in the respective submeasure. 

Researchers often analyze the individual submeasure scores and the overall workload score to gain insights into the specific dimensions of workload that are most significant in a given task or situation. The questionnaire can help identify areas where workload can be optimized or where additional support or resources may be required.

Examples of use in Autism Research in evaluating workload and cognitive demands 

Study: "Task load and verbal responses to questions in children with autism spectrum disorder"Citation: Nishida, T., Yuhi, T., Kaneoke, Y., Kurosawa, K., & Dan, I. (2014). Task load and verbal responses to questions in children with autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 937.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00937

Study: "Measurement of cognitive workload in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder using a virtual reality task"Citation: Park, S. M., Chong, S. C., Lim, S. L., Kim, J. S., & Kim, J. S. (2020). Measurement of cognitive workload in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder using a virtual reality task. Applied Sciences, 10(2), 581.
Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/app10020581

 Creativity is the antidote to monotony.

- Hari Srinivasan

Simultaneity Window

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

Simultaneity Window (SW) refers to a temporal window within which the brain perceives stimuli from different sensory modalities as occurring simultaneously. It represents the temporal range over which the brain integrates sensory inputs from different modalities into a coherent percept.

If stimuli from different modalities fall within the SW, they are likely to be perceptually integrated, whereas if they fall outside the SW, they may be perceived as separate events.

Commonly used research tasks to measure SW

• Temporal Order Judgment (TOJ): participants are presented with 2 stimuli, one in each sensory modality (e.g., a flash of light and a beep), and they have to determine the order in which the stimuli occurred.
• Simultaneity Judgment (SJ): Participants are presented with 2 stimuli, from different modalities, and they have to judge whether the stimuli were perceived as simultaneous or not.
• Temporal Alignment Task: Participants are presented with a stimulus in one modality and have to adjust the timing of a stimulus in the other modality until it is perceived as synchronous with the first stimulus. This helps in determining the temporal window of integration.
• Temporal Recalibration Task: Participants are exposed to a consistent asynchrony between stimuli from different modalities over a period of time. Following this exposure, their perception of simultaneity is tested to see if it has been recalibrated.

The perception of simultaneity can vary across individuals and is influenced by various factors such as attention, age, disability, the specific sensory modalities involved, and distance of stimuli (as determined by, say the PPS).

 To create is to be fully human.

- Hari Srinivasan

DSM v ADOS

DSM-5-TR (latest version of DSM) and ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition)  are two distinct tools used in assessment and dx of autism.

DSM-5-TR 

• Diagnostic manual that outlines the criteria for diagnosing ASD, including the presence of social communication deficits and RRB. 
• Serves as a reference for clinicians and researchers in making diagnostic decisions and ensures consistency in the diagnosis of ASD.

ADOS-2 

•  standardized observational assessment tool designed to aid in the diagnosis of ASD. 
• Administered by a trained professional and involves direct interaction with the individual  
• consists of a series of activities and social scenarios that allow the examiner to observe and evaluate the individual's communication skills, social interaction, play, and RRB. 
• It helps in determining whether an individual meets the diagnostic criteria for ASD and provides information to inform intervention and treatment planning.

ADOS-2 can be utilized as part of the diagnostic process, providing valuable information to support the dx under DSM-5. Both tools are commonly used together to aid in the assessment and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.