Dr. Rebecca Monteleone, an assistant professor of disability studies at The University of Toledo, partnered with the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities self-advocacy group SALUTE to put on a public performance about self-advocacy and personal growth.
On Monday, Oct. 17, Monteleone will bring those storytellers to the Carlson Library’s Main Event Space Room CL1005 for a performance in recognition of Disability Awareness Month.
Titled “Labors of Love: Stories of Hobbies and Passions,” the performance will feature seven to eight storytellers, all with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The performances will begin at 4 p.m. and last about an hour. There will be a 30-minute talkback session after the performances.
Monteleone has been working with the storytellers since September to agree on a theme, construct their stories and develop a performance.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to live with an intellectual disability,” Monteleone said. “Often, this is because the people with intellectual disabilities are not given a venue to speak for themselves. This event gives our UT community an opportunity to directly connect with self-advocates in our community, learn about their lives and enjoy some quality storytelling.”
