Rachel Adams

My commitment: Furthering understandings of disability

From the beginning of my career as a scholar, I’ve had an interest in the history and culture of disability. When my second child was born, and I learned that he had Down syndrome, I had to think about how to bring together my academic commitments with my new role as a parent and an advocate. Having a person with a disability in my family has enriched my teaching, my scholarship, and my work with students and colleagues at Columbia and beyond.

We will all, if we’re lucky to live long enough, someday become disabled, as will those we know and love. This means that disability is not a question belonging to a particular interest group. It’s something that should be of concern to everyone. I am committing to furthering understanding of these issues, both in academia and in the public conversation.

Keep up with Rachel Adams:   @RachelAdams212