Rachel DL

Super excited to finally share this piece that I've been working on for over 5 months with the Disability Debrief. This one is about my time in rehab last summer - talking about the perils of receiving healthcare when the system’s ultimate goal is profit, shame, and toxic positivity. Would appreciate any shares!

“Nursing staff touched vulnerable parts of my body, and sometimes talked about them in painful ways. I endured over half a dozen straight catheterizations. Once I was left stranded on the commode for nearly an hour as I waited for help transferring back to bed.

In these moments, dependent and exposed, laden with shame, the only thing I wanted was independence. I imagined independence as building a wall around myself, a protective forcefield. If needing help meant being neglected, invaded, and hurt, then I never wanted to need help again."

Get set for independence Why I left the rehab hospital more disabled than when I arrived

Hello! I have a new illustrated article out this week in Tone Madison about bus stop inaccessibility. Check it out!

https://tonemadison.com/articles/drawing-the-inaccessible-bus-stops-of-metro-transit-part-ii/?fbclid=IwAR0SsKIn6Kqj_CoDvoopqA_fgZwuNh5D9SDtmx3JkQtAVF4EBhdiw5UurnQ_aem_Aa07qlio7-te7u49BvfGYUJqDU_jeeEJSMQH6Avv5-5AmDOePE2uw7qV6DP9IfEMSlg

Drawing the inaccessible bus stops of Metro Transit, part II Documenting issues old and new with Madison’s public transit system.

I have a new piece out in The Progressive Magazine this week about California's 'CARE court' and why it's dangerous and terrible for people experiencing homelessness and perceived mental illness. My perspective is informed by my personal experiences with homelessness and my work as an advocate within the homeless services sector.

California’s ‘CARE Court’ Isn’t a Real Solution to Homelessness The program makes it easier to involuntarily commit unsheltered people to institutions, but what they actually need is housing, Rachel Litchman writes.