CHANGE MAKERS Make Change
We have had the privilege of working with many remarkable colleagues who share life long passions to build a world that welcomes the talents and capacities of every person into participation in community life. We have created collections (libraries) of some of the key articles, videos and resources created individually and collaboratively. Most of these are ‘free downloads”, and many are treasured resources that reflect decades of work and development.
These are indeed a good start on a curated research archive as seen through by some of the key creators and actors in cultural struggle to introduce and nurture basic concept like ‘inclusion’ and ‘person-centered’ work
John O’Brien & Connie Lyle O’Brien
John O’Brien and his wife and partner Connie Lyle O’Brien have been in the forefront of thinking and creating precedent setting innovations that helped to created full lives for people with disability labels the world over. In addition to developing many of the planning systems used internationally, training thousands of facilitators and human service workers, they have also been writers with enormous insight and sensitivity.
Marsha Forest
Marsha Forest was a relentless life long advocate for Inclusion. Originally from NYC, she was trained as a teacher of the deaf – including sitting on their hands to prevent using sign language. True to form, Marsha rejected that approach and spent her life teaching and supporting families to explore any and all forms of communication. While teaching at York University, she met Judith Snow and Jack Pearpoint (who she married). The result was the Circle of Friends, and then the MAPS process and later PATH – conversational approaches to reveal and nurture the gifts and capacities in every person – no exceptions
Judith Snow
Judith Snow A remarkable leader, philosopher, teacher, artist, creator. Without Judith’s pioneering leadership, we would not have the Joshua Committee, the Circle of Friends and more. She was the first person to battle for Independent funding for a person living with complex disabilities – altho’ Judith didn’t believe in disability – just Giftedness and Capacity…
John McKnight
John McKnight co-founded the ABCD Institute—Asset Based Community Development—an institute, books and world leadership. His remarkable thought leadership had a very special connection to the Toronto Summer Institutes. John, one of the founding faculty members, was relentlessly consistent in making space in his calendar to lead a module every year for over 30 years. That is commitment and friendship.
