activism – Health Story Hub

Crip Camp

“Crip Camp” is a Netflix documentary produced by Barack and Michelle Obama that traces the origins of the US Disability rights movement to a summer camp for disabled youth called Camp Jened. The film showcases the strong bonds formed at this unique camp that provided a place for self-discovery, authenticity, mutual support, and connection for disabled teens living in a predominantly able-bodied world. The film then follows a group of camp alumni who went on to become advocates for disability rights, putting political pressure on both state and federal authorities. Their tireless efforts eventually led to the passage of the historic Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Camper and staff member’s personal narratives are woven throughout the film, personalizing disability in a way that calls viewers to question stereotypes about disabled people, thus functioning as a tool for education and advocacy in and of itself. These stories, often heartfelt and humorous, touch on everything from personal relationships, sex lives, employment, and hierarchy within the disabled community itself. The documentary runs for 1 hour and 42 minutes and combines footage from the camp’s heyday in the 70s with present-day interviews with the attendees.

This film could be relevant to classes on healthcare, disability studies, public health, or social justice to facilitate discussion about physical disabilities, advocacy and activism, healthcare policy, or intersectionality. The film could raise questions about the role personal narratives play in shaping public perceptions of disability and health, who counts as “all” when we think about “access for all,” and what patient-centered care can actually look like, as exemplified by the individuals at Camp Jened.

Living with HIV: Six Very Different Stories

This article from The Guardian features six diverse narratives of individuals living with HIV, highlighting the evolution of the HIV/AIDS experience over the past 30 years in Britain. For example, Jonathan, diagnosed during the early epidemic in the 1980s, reflects on living with HIV for over half of his life, explaining how he managed without medication until 1996 and has come to embrace life with HIV through activism. Another example is Jo, diagnosed at 60, who discusses how she navigated the shock of her diagnosis and the perceptions associated with being an older woman with HIV. She’s open about her diagnosis because she wants to change perceptions about people living with HIV.

This article offers students an opportunity to reflect on diverse experiences with the same illness, and brings up topics such as stigma, activism, and media representation of illness and how these change through time.