top of page
Community-Support-Network-logo

How Disability and Race Intersect

  • Writer: Audrey Pearson
    Audrey Pearson
  • Mar 29
  • 3 min read

Updated: May 3


You can’t always see a disability–just like you can’t always see the ways that identity shapes people’s lives. For many people, race and disability are woven together in ways that affect how they’re treated in their communities. These factors of identity can control what opportunities they get, and even how they see themselves. Being disabled isn’t just one story; it’s many. And when race enters the picture, those experiences become even more complex.¹



The Overlap of Ableism and Racism


Ableism is discrimination against people with disabilities. However, it doesn’t happen in isolation. This discrimination can go alongside racism, classism, and other systems of inequality. Black, Latinx, and Indigenous people with disabilities are often hit hardest by this overlap. They face higher rates of poverty, limited access to healthcare, and biased education systems.² These challenges come from structural barriers, not individual shortcomings.

A 2025 study introduced the Symbolic Intersecting Ableism and Racism Scale (SIARS) to measure how these forces combine in real life. Researchers found that people of color with disabilities often experience “double discrimination”–being judged both for their race and their disability.³ For example, a Black student with ADHD might be labeled “disruptive,” while a white student with the same diagnosis might be described as “energetic” or “creative.” These subtle biases stack up over time, and can limit both opportunities and self-confidence.


Disability in Communities of Color


Culture can shape how disability is understood and talked about. In some communities, disability is rarely discussed openly. This is often due to stigma or fear of being judged.⁴ This silence can make it harder to access support or medical care. It can also make people feel like they have to hide parts of who they are.

However, there is now another side to this story; many people of color are reclaiming disability identity in powerful ways. Disabled Black feminists like Audre Lorde, who is a standing figurehead in racial conversation and layed the groundwork for activists such as Imani Barbarin and Alice Wong, have connected disability rights to racial and gender justice. Their message is clear: genuine equality must encompass everyone’s experiences.


Changing How We See Identity


Recognizing how race and disability intersect can help us understand that oppression doesn’t operate in separate, isolated boxes. When we see diverse disabled people represented in schools, workplaces, and media, it challenges stereotypes about what success or strength looks like. People who identify with multiple aspects often show both resilience and empathy; qualities that strengthen whole communities.


What You Can Do


You don’t have to be an activist to make change. Small steps add up:

  • Learn and listen: Follow and share disabled creators of color who share their experiences firsthand.

  • Educate others: Inquire and talk about disability and race when they come up in class or conversation.

  • Check accessibility: Confirm if your school events, clubs, or social spaces are welcoming to everyone.


The Big Picture


Building a fair world starts with awareness, but it grows through action. When we connect across differences and challenge the systems that divide us, we’re helping create a world that works for all kinds of races, bodies, and identities.


Footnotes


  1. Intersectional-Agency: Choosing Who I Am as a Ticket to Opportunities.

  2. Intersecting Identities and Career-Related Factors Among College Students with Disabilities Across Ethnic Groups.

  3. The Symbolic Intersecting Ableism and Racism Scale (SIARS).

  4. Disability and Other Identities? — How Do They Intersect?


Works Cited

Palm-Leis, Kaia B. “Searching for Authenticity in Disability Identity Development.” University of Vermont, 2023. https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/tvc/vol44/iss1/18/

 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page