ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Reimagining Disabled Futures Podcast
A Podcast by (DisAbled Women Network) DAWN Canada that focuses on the intersection of disability, gender and social justice.
Show Notes: Episode 2 - How Disability Justice and Abolition Intersect Within
Episode Summary:This episode discusses incarceration, ableism, systemic violence and experiences of disablement within the criminal legal system. Listener discretion is advised.
Hosts: (DAWN Canada):
Erin Dekker, Former Junior Research Associate
Nashwa Lina Khan, Senior Research Associate
Guests (Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO):
Pam Reañ, Prison Project Lead, they/them
Brad Evoy Executive Director, they/them
Key Topics Covered in the Episode:
• Understanding Disability Justice and Abolition:
– Why DJNO identifies as an abolitionist organization.
– How prisons reproduce disablement, racial violence and colonial harm.
• Sites of Disablement:
– Isolation, poor healthcare and segregation as forms of violence.
– Most incarcerated people leave with new or worsened disabilities.
• Carcerality Beyond Prisons:
– How punishment logics shape schools, long-term care and housing systems.
– Links between local and global sites of disablement (e.g., Palestine).
• Community Care and Prevention:
– Housing and mental-health supports as alternatives to incarceration.
– Community accountability and solidarity as core to disability justice.
About the Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO): Website: https://djno.ca
The Disability Justice Network of Ontario builds a world where disabled people are free to be and free to hold systems to account. Based in Hamilton, DJNO organizes fordisability justice through advocacy, education and abolitionist action.
DJNO leads initiatives like the Enabling Justice Toolkit (https://enablingjustice.com), a resource supporting youth and adults navigating the criminal legal system, and programs that challenge ableism, racism and incarceration.
About DAWN Canada: Website: https://dawncanada.net/
DAWN (DisAbled Women’s Network) Canada is a national feminist cross-disability human rights organization that works to address systems of oppression. The organization is dedicated to promoting the rights and inclusion of women, girls and gender-diverse people with disabilities. Their work focuses on addressing systemic discrimination, advocating for equality, and advancing social, economic, and politicalinclusion. DAWN Canada provides research, programming, and advocacy initiatives rooted in intersectionality, emphasizing the unique experiences of Indigenous, Black, racialized, and LGBTQ2S+ individuals within the disability community.
Additional Resources & Info:
If you’re interested in learning more about DJNO’s advocacy and education work, visit https://djno.ca.
DJNO Offers:
1. Advocacy and Abolition Resources
2. Community Education Programs
3. Support Lines for Justice-Involved DisabledPeople
4. Toolkits like Enabling Justice tonavigate the legal system
