'Civil Rights Are Not Just About Race'
Ms.
Christina
Curtis,
Chloride,
Arizona
In 1969, I wheeled 100 miles with Vietnam veterans and several other people in wheelchairs from Carbondale, Illinois, to St. Louis, Missouri. There were 10 of us. We wheeled into Busch Stadium, bringing the Dodgers and Cardinals their baseball. This was done to promote people in wheelchairs getting good jobs. I was the only woman in the group. Being physically challenged in the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s wasn't easy. I remember wheeling down Main Street in Tempe, Arizona, with 18-wheelers. At that time, traffic hadn't been rerouted to accommodate people in wheelchairs at Arizona State University, where I graduated with a master's degree in education. In those days, beveled curbs were a novelty.
Only in the United States do people with physical challenges have exceptional freedoms. I have camped at national and state parks from Arizona to Florida, up to New Hampshire, and as far off as California. I wanted to be a Girl Scout in the 1960s, but they would not accept me because of my disability. In my teens, I worked as a candy striper at Variety Children's Hospital, which is now Miami Children's Hospital. I remember being very pensive about signing up to be a candy striper, but I decided to try and had a wonderful experience for five years. I would deliver flowers, candy, and other things.
Truly, civil rights are not just about race. Civil rights are about disabilities and women and all the things that exclude us. In May 2003, I was in Italy and Switzerland and was shocked by how little I could do without help. I treasure my American freedoms.
As Helen Keller said, "Life is nothing if not a daring adventure." The struggle for justice and equality are well worth the effort. I may look different and move slower, but I get things done because I am persistent and believe in my rights: the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
