PART 1: Access is just the start

More than ramps are needed where we’re all going

This series of illustrations forms work created for a commission in collaboration between Women Enabled International and Revival Disability India discussing real climate justice from the lens of disabled activists, Àine, Lakshay and Tejaswi.

Digital illustration of a person with burgundy-coloured hair, wearing a green top and blue pants is sitting in a wheelchair, holding a white colour board with blue text that says, “Nothing about us, without us” in all caps. There are symbols for a wheelchair user and a hearing aid on it. The person is facing a closed door that is greyish blue in colour and has twinkling stars in light blue coming up from a large keyhole. The door has a pale-yellow sign hung on it that says “climate forum” in all caps, with text yellow in colour. The wall around the door has bricks that are orange in colour, followed by pastel green, yellow and brown colours. There is a blanket of green leaves that hangs from the top of the wall. A blue pot with an orange flowering plant sits beside the door and has a note in yellow with the text, “gone 4 lunch” in black and all caps. The ground is grey in colour. The person in the wheelchair looks dejected at not being able to attend the climate forum.

Grateful to Anna Maria Joseph (Instagram) for reaching out to me with such a powerful article as a backdrop to create some fresh illustrations on this very important subject.

To read Anna’s full piece with illustrations please visit here.


I pulled from personal experience to create this piece.

I don’t get out much, in my wheelchair when I do, usually it’s to visit a hospital or my GP where access is plenty; except for the car park where folks still think parking on the ramp access to a pavement is fine because it’s some form of space.

It’s not fine to be wheeled into oncoming traffic on a blind bend.

Part of the reason I don’t get out more is because I already know how poor wheelchair access is in my town, and most towns around me.
Any and all planning for a future with adjustments for climate has to also be fully accessible for any wheelchair or any person needing accommodations.

When basic needs begin with disability needs being addressed first, everyone benefits in the span of their lifetime.

Digital illustration of a person with burgundy-coloured hair, wearing a green top and blue pants is sitting in a wheelchair, holding a white colour board with blue text that says, “Nothing about us, without us” in all caps. There are symbols for a wheelchair user and a hearing aid on it. The person is facing a closed door that is greyish blue in colour and has twinkling stars in light blue coming up from a large keyhole. The door has a pale-yellow sign hung on it that says “climate forum” in all caps, with text yellow in colour. The wall around the door has bricks that are orange in colour, followed by pastel green, yellow and brown colours. There is a blanket of green leaves that hangs from the top of the wall. A blue pot with an orange flowering plant sits beside the door and has a note in yellow with the text, “gone 4 lunch” in black and all caps. The ground is grey in colour. The person in the wheelchair looks dejected at not being able to attend the climate forum.

“Cripping Climate Activism” is the title of the full article. The concept of crip time is that things simply take longer when you have to navigate an able-designed world. The “Gone 4 Lunch” sign is indicative of not taking into account how it’s not always possible for disabled activists to access the same event in a reasonable time.

How can this be addressed?


Thank you for reading As The Cosmos Hiccups. This post is public so feel free to share it.

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Continue to Part 2: In the Liminal

To read Anna’s full piece with the full set of illustrations please visit here.

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