Classic BBoA

From the Audience

From Judith at Peace for Inclusion Tour:

At one point the main singer, (I think he said his name is Jim Carter), was led out into the middle of the rocking, dancing audience by the tour manager Chuck. People reached out to touch him as he sang, danced and reached out to them. At points Chuck would start to lead Jim back up the steep step to the stage, and Jim would get part way up and turn around and practically drag Chuck back down into the joyful jumping crowd.

Although it initially looked like Chuck was trying to make Jim stop and return to the safety of the stage to end the concert at a time appropriate for a nearly 90 year old man, it was soon obvious that the two were playing a game, likely well practiced, and designed to give Jim full contact with his unseen listeners and their exquisite pleasure in the group’s performance. The two men were having a lot of fun.

Beyond the memorable performance I reveled in this demonstration of personal assistance at it’s best. Chuck facilitated Jim’s joyful, humorous play, and his full quality performance while making it safe without minimizing the risk or making a big deal of the “extra” work he was called to take on. We all had the chance to see team work at it’s finest but I suspect few will appreciate as much as I do that this demonstration of superb facilitation was brought about by men, some of whom started their lives in the deepest dual segregation, both racist and ablist, and that they are people who started the creation of the dance called personal assistance decades before the Independent Living Movement started in Berkley, California in the mid-60’s.

Higher Ground