Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric Jun 2024 Open Access

Engaging Mêtis as a Site of Disability Activist and Leadership Possibilities

Stephanie K. Wheeler

Abstract

This paper emphasizes the importance of mêtis—adaptable and responsive rhetorical action—in achieving responsible, sustainable, and access-based community action for social justice. It specifically connects this concept to disability and access, arguing that centering disability and the embodied material experiences of disabled people are central to sustainable, effective, and ethical civic engagement practices for all. By drawing on the author’s experience working with the Latino Leadership Institute (LLI) in Orlando, Florida, this paper details the challenges encountered and the responsive decisions made, emphasizing how integrating disability-centered methodologies foster inclusivity and accessibility. Ultimately, this paper argues that a mêtis approach informed by disability perspectives allows for effective and ethical civic engagement that prioritizes access and empowers marginalized communities.

Journal
Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric
Published
2024-06-10
DOI
10.59236/rjv23i2pp40-74
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Topics
rhetorical criticism service learning race and writing disability studies
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