Dreamspace Studio

Resistance Week. Every Act Counts

Hey Dreamspace friends,

Last month, disabled activists quietly hosted a 48-hour online “access check-in” marathon to offer support to those isolated by winter storms. Headlines focused on grid failures, but these mutual aid networks ensured no one went without food, medicine, or a kind word. It didn’t go viral, but it changed lives, one message, one connection at a time.

According to the CDC, one in four adults in the U.S. has a disability. Yet, disabled people are three times more likely to face food insecurity and almost twice as likely to be unemployed. (Disability | Chronic Disease Indicators | CDC, 2024) Despite these inequities, the disabled community leads creative, resilient resistance, often behind the scenes, always for a world that works for all.

This week, as the country debates new healthcare policies impacting millions of disabled folks, it’s more urgent than ever to recognize the power of everyday resistance, from accessible mutual aid to policy advocacy, even when it’s outside the spotlight.

Sometimes, we need to pause “business as usual.” This week, we’re setting aside regular programming to focus on resistance—in art, care, rest, and community—not just what’s seen in news coverage.

This isn’t just another themed week. It’s a public, open-to-all invitation to remember that every act matters. None of these posts, including this newsletter, is behind a subscriber wall. When the stakes are high, keeping resources locked up feels wrong.

Making resources public and accessible isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a necessity. Too often, paywalls, inaccessible formats, and complex language keep vital information out of reach for disabled people. Real-world barriers like websites without alt text, videos without captions, or unreadable PDFs are roadblocks to participation, advocacy, and care. (Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA, 2025) By keeping our work free and accessible, we’re taking a step toward dismantling these exclusions and building a community where all can show up, learn, and take action.

What Is Resistance? (And Who Gets to Do It?)

We often think resistance means marching in the streets. And sometimes, it does. But for disabled, neurodivergent, or chronically ill folks, resistance also looks like…

• Alice Wong is organizing the Disability Visibility Project, uplifting disabled voices and stories worldwide.

• Viral Twitter threads like #AccessibleEverywhere, where people share successes and struggles in advocating for public access.

• Everyday acts: someone live-captioning a Zoom call for a friend, or setting up a GoFundMe to help a neighbor afford medication.

• Digital sit-ins and hashtag campaigns that pressure companies and lawmakers to improve accessibility.

• Disabled creators on TikTok and Instagram using humor, art, and education to challenge ableism and build community.

Disabled resistance happens every day, in both small and large ways. Each act—public or quiet—makes a difference. (We’ll be sharing deeper dives into some of these stories all week long.)

• Making art that feeds the soul and shakes the status quo.
• Writing stories, poems, and essays that speak truth to power.
• Caring for others, building mutual aid, and refusing to let neighbors fall through the cracks.
• Resting fiercely, even when the world wants you to grind yourself down.
• Choosing joy, especially when the world wants you to feel powerless.

Resistance isn’t one-size-fits-all. You don’t have to do what you can’t; start where you are, with what you have. All ways of resisting matter, sharing a post, creating, or practicing self-care. Every act adds to the movement.

Our Place (And Privilege) in the Story

As a white, queer, disabled writer, I must be clear: Black and Indigenous leaders, especially women, have led much of the real groundwork against oppression for centuries. (Allsup, 2025) My voice joins a chorus begun long before me. This week, you’ll see stories, quotes, and resources centering these voices.

A few leaders and organizations to learn from and support:

• Talila A. Lewis, a Black disabled advocate, whose work on disability justice and anti-racism is groundbreaking (learn more at talilalewis.com).

• The Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network, uplifting BIPOC and disabled voices (awnnetwork.org).

• Sins Invalid, a performance project centering artists with disabilities, especially queer and BIPOC creators (sinsinvalid.org).

• The Native American Disability Law Center, defending the rights of Indigenous people with disabilities (nndlc.org).

These organizers and collectives show what transformative resistance looks like. Their work deserves support all year.

I invite you to share experiences or highlight the work of others. Together, we deepen our collective understanding and support a diverse tapestry of voices. Your contributions are invaluable to this ongoing narrative of resistance and solidarity.

What to Expect This Week

Each day, you’ll find different content: historical and current stories of resistance, accounts showing various forms resistance takes, and examples of how these actions unfold in daily life.

• You’ll get suggestions for books, blogs, and creators to follow to deepen your learning, especially from those deeply experienced in this work.
• You’ll receive recommendations for websites, documentaries, and apps that support action, no matter your location or mobility needs.
• Look for reflections on resistance when protest isn’t accessible, and why each effort (including rest) plays a vital role.

Your Invitation: Reflect & Respond

You have the power now, use it. Choose one action today: share a resource, post your story, or leave a comment below. Your voice drives resistance. Make yourself heard.

Reflection Questions:

• What does resistance look like in your daily life?

• Who inspires you to keep going, even when things are tough?

• What’s one barrier you wish more people understood, and what’s one thing we can do about it?

Share your stories or thoughts in the comments or by email. Your perspective matters and helps us all move forward. Join the conversation and amplify our collective impact.

Let’s take action and resist together, in every way we can.

With hope and solidarity,
Niki