May 19, 1987 – May 19, 2020
“I want to leave a legacy of disabled people knowing we are powerful and beautiful because of who we are, not despite it.” – Stacey Park
DREDF is saddened by the loss of Stacey Park, our respected colleague and friend who founded Disability Justice Culture Club and was a long-time Board member of the WITH Foundation.
What a blow to lose Stacey when our communities need her leadership more than ever, and at a time when her strength, insight, and grit were receiving increased recognition outside of disability circles, giving her a greater platform to advance her life’s work. We will not have the gift of learning where her charismatic leadership would have taken us. But let there be no doubt: What Stacey gave us, in a relatively short time, will continue benefiting others for years to come.
All of us at DREDF send our sorrow and our solidarity to Stacey’s parents and brother and sister, her Disability Justice family, and all of her dear friends who shared her commitment to compassionate and powerful action. DREDF is a better organization for Stacey’s efforts to hold us – and other disability organizations – accountable to still-excluded disabled people. She told the truth. And repeated it, as needed.
Going forward, DREDF will continue to embrace the truths Stacey gave us and to lift them up. For as long as we need to. As Stacey did. And as she encouraged others to do through her life and work, leading by example and with uncompromising integrity.