“Art is universal and can drive change:” Interview with Ezra Greyson Wheeler
The original interviews I did for Youth to Power were longer than could fit in my book, but I wanted to share the valuable information with you all. These interviews will be up online as a permanent, free resource for people, young people in particular, looking for inspiration.
— Jamie Margolin
Ezra Greyson Wheeler (they/them), 20, is the founder of the We Exist Collective and Just a Bunch of Kids
Jamie Margolin: How would you describe yourself?
Ezra: I am a twenty-year-old accomplished activist, speaker, and writer. I also happen to be chronically ill. I am the founder of We Exist , a social movement to include disabled people in activism and start a real conversation about ableism. I am passionate about disability rights, including healthcare legislation, as well as women’s rights and queer rights.
I have been an advocate my whole life, growing up in a house filled with feminism and social justice and leadership but it has quickly become an all-engulfing passion. I have a lot of that, passion. I am passionate about making the world a better place and I am passionate about writing and making art and I am passionate about learning and I am passionate about dogs and I am passionate about the color yellow and I am passionate about a really good denim jacket and red lip combo.
I also have a lot of dreams. I don’t quite know what they all are yet but I know I’ve got a lot of them. I also know that I will not let anything get in my way of striving for them.
What are your artistic mediums and what drew you to those mediums?
A lot of it is digital art that is used for activism to be amplified on social media. I make a lot of things that can go on a sticker and a button and designed and drawn social media posts that talk about the issues of disability and queerness and start a conversation. I use my art to raise awareness and spark necessary conversations about queerness and disability. I was drawn to doing digital art on my iPad because I couldn’t draw for a long time because my wrists got bad due to my Ehlers Danlos syndrome, so that was a more accessible way of making art. I also do a lot of poetry, painting, and drawing about my experiences as a queer person with a disability.
You are very open about your struggles with disability and chronic illness online — how does your disability impact your art?
It impacts it in every single way because that’s who I am at the core. I can’t not use my art to uplift voices. It’s always been a given. I have Ehlers Danlos syndrome, which is a disorder that affects my connective tissues supporting my skin, bones, blood vessels, and many other vital organs and tissues.
What are you hoping to achieve with your artwork?
My art is a creative outlet to live my truth and share my story in an authentic way.
It is also a way to connect with other people. Art is really powerful, words are so powerful, and if you use them correctly you can create bridges between people that wouldn’t have been there before. Through my art and poetry, I connect with other people and it’s a stepping stone to get people involved and do the work that needs to be done.
How does your queerness affect your artwork?
My queerness affects my poetry because I write a lot about queer love. I write from experience and draw and take photos from experience. People often ask me, “Why does EVERYTHING have to be about being LGBTQ+?” And it’s because I am! I write, draw, paint from my experience. And my experience is as a queer individual, and that’s powerful.
How do you uplift queer and disabled voices through your art?
I came out [when I was sixteen] and I had a really hard time finding a community and finding people I could relate to. As a disabled queer young person, I felt that there was nowhere for me to turn. Even LGBT+ events made me feel alienated and like I didn’t belong. The LGBT+ Center Orange County where I lived was inaccessible. Every single Pride I’ve gone to [has been] inaccessible. The online community is also not representative, and you just don’t see disabled queer people. But we’re there and we want to be seen.
Disabled people are statistically more likely to be LGBTQIA+. So there’s this vicious cycle where people never see us, so nothing ever changes, and because nothing ever changes in those spaces, you never see us.
Through my organization, the We Exist Collective, and personal activism, I’ve worked on accessible Prides and making other accessible LGBT+ events. I work to make sure Pride and LGBTQ+ gatherings also give space to disabled queer identities.
What does accessibility for people with disabilities look like?
Accessibility is so much more than having wheelchair ramps. It is this al- encompassing idea that disabled people don’t have special needs, we have different needs. It’s about wheelchair accessible spaces and, accessible parking — but it’s also always having a sign language interpreter at events, printing things in Braille.
The part that is overlooked is making sure that the environment is safe and inviting for disabled people. That looks like having disabled people in the planning and execution stages of the event. Having dedicated resources. It is very easy to tell whether something is accessible by chance or whether someone has put in the work.
People think accessibility is some large huge hurdle, but it’s entirely possible. Just bring disabled people to the table.
How does artistic expression intertwine with your work at “We Exist Collective” — and can you tell us more about “We Exist Collective”?
We Exist is an organization that aims to create more accessible and intersectional activism and have a conversation about ableism through activism. The collective actually started through art. I wrote a poem and made a painting to go along with it and then posted it online. It got really great feedback and I realized this could be bigger — and it needed to be bigger. A lot of the people who work with us are artists as well and also use their art in similar ways as I do.
How are you using your art to fuel political change for queer and disabled people?
Part of it is just speaking the truth and sharing my story through my poetry and making myself heard. I’m here, I’m queer, I’m disabled and I’m proud, and I deserve to be in those spaces. When I draw people, I always try to make them as inclusive as possible. With my art I am creating a community and visibility for people like me.
Why does representation for queer disabled people matter?
Representation matters because it’s the first step to change. People don’t realize that there is a gap in this community. So giving the space, giving the microphone and a voice and holding a microscope to these communities is the first step to making people realize there is a gap, and then closing it. Nothing will ever change if people don’t realize that there needs to be a change.
What would you say to young, queer, disabled youth out there who want to use their creativity to make a difference?
Go for it! Don’t doubt yourself. A lot of people say, “Why does this matter? Why does it matter that I’m queer and disabled?” But my stories do matter, and your story DOES matter. Don’t back down on what matters to you. Don’t back down; you have a voice, and it’s going to make change if you let it.
Any tips to get started?
Don’t underestimate social media. It can be trivialized but it can also be powerful if you use it in the right way. It’s very accessible and you have the power to reach so many people, and you can give yourself a voice from your bedroom!
You’re gonna run into people who question what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, but you’re doing it for a reason, so hold on to that reason.
How do you do it all despite your disability? And what are your tips to other youth with disabilities about how they can find time to do what they want to do?
Take care of yourself and don’t push yourself to the limits. You don’t owe anyone anything. Take little steps. Post on social media. Write a poem in the Notes app of your phone.
You don’t have to be out in the community every day. If you have the energy to go out and do something, that’s great, but you don’t have to do something big to be effective.
Self-care tips?
Turning off my Instagram notifications lets me take some space when I need it and not be bombarded. That has helped so much.
And, know your limits. Only you can decide what is best for you. There are so many people who will take your time and energy and not think twice about it. But they are not the ones who will help you be the most effective. The people who respect your boundaries are the ones who will help you make the most change.
Just because you have to set boundaries for yourself doesn’t mean you’re a bad organizer.
Don’t let guilt take over your thoughts — you can’t put the weight of the world on yourself. It’s just going to bog you down, it’s not going to help you be more effective. It’s just going to bog you down.
How is art important in driving change?
Look back in history. So many of the greatest revolutions had some aspect of artistic element to it. Art is something that everyone can understand to some degree. This medium is super connecting, and whether someone is in a similar life position to me or not, I can share them my poetry or artwork and it will give us a common ground. And common ground is super important to making change and connecting with people. Art is universal and can drive change.
