With the launch of the One Book program in Fall 2019, the University of North Alabama has built a communal space for faculty, staff, students, and alumni through the reading of books that promote “diversity, open discussion, and [an] understanding of differing viewpoints and life experiences.” This year’s selection continues that building by focusing attention on the stories of disabled people written in their own voices. In Disability Visibility: First-Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century and its young adult text companion, Disability Visibility: 17 First-Person Stories for Today, Adapted for Young Adults, the editor, and disability activist offers readers a glimpse into the varied experiences of those living with a disability. Readers are encouraged to think in new ways about what the world not only looks like but what it feels like when someone is disabled. As Wong says on the back cover of the YA edition: “One reason I tell my own story and share the stories of other amazing disabled people is because I want the world to reflect us – we are diverse, brilliant, and unique. More importantly, we should tell our stories in our own words; we are the experts about our lives.”

Helpful Links:

2023 UNA One Book LibGuide