The Forgotten
My name is Izzy Laderman. I am 16 years old. I live in Duluth, Minnesota, and I am disabled.
Because of the climate crisis, my future — my generation’s future — is at stake. My generation will have to deal with the gases and pollution pumped into the atmosphere and destroying the earth. We will be the ones breathing in the polluted air and drinking the toxic water — if there’s even water. Global warming is increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters, and these disasters disproportionately harm people with disabilities.
Climate crisis movements must be intersectional. Too often people with disabilities are left out. We have become what one writer calls “expected casualties” or “unpreventable losses,” with even the people fighting the crisis frequently failing to remember us. We have become background characters in a movement fighting a threat that will leave us especially vulnerable.
By 2050, there will be at least 200 million people displaced by the climate crisis, according to The Guardian. Of the displaced, 18 million will be people with disabilities. That number is expected to increase as catastrophes disable others.
Minnesota, and especially my hometown of Duluth, is already being touted as a center for environmental refugees. The New York Times named Duluth one of the two cities in the United States — the other is Buffalo, New York — will be least affected by the climate crisis. People are going to move here, and some of these people are going to have disabilities.
Is our federal government, which has done so little to mitigate the crisis, going to aid them? The government falls short in the aid it provides to people with disabilities already. In order for the government to truly protect people with disabilities, it must start planning to provide quality assistance now. They must set up accessible emergency transportation, ensure that all will have access to the medication they need and so much more. But they don’t need to start from scratch. The government can turn to excellent work already done by organizations such as the World Institute on Disability.
The fact that there are no protections or preventions, or conversations in place, is a representation of the ableist society we live in. We are forgotten and ignored, and that is not acceptable.
There is no time to wait. People have already died. During Hurricane Katrina, a woman drowned in her home because she couldn’t walk away to escape. I learned this story only when specifically looking up stories like these to help prove my point, which is disgraceful in itself. Disabled deaths are only infrequently talked about. But disabled deaths can be prevented. The government must act.
Of course, as a disabled person living in Duluth, I am privileged. I am most likely not going to die during a natural disaster. I have family and friends to help me if a disaster were to occur. But not everyone has that privilege. Too many people are already dead or are fighting for their lives while struggling with their health. I want to use my privilege to raise awareness on this issue, because too often it is not talked about and/or is ignored.
There are so many things people can do, but the first step is educating themselves and others. There are many resources out there, able to be found by a simple google search. Disability Awareness Around the Climate Crisis focuses on this issue and anyone can follow them on Instagram at @daaclimatecrisis and learn and share information. You can make sure that your movement and activism includes people with disabilities, including having us in leadership positions. You prioritize accessibility for all.
An intersectional movement must include those who are disabled, and the government must provide assistance. Too often we are ignored or marginalized.
We will not be silent.
I will not be silent.
