Support me in reframing the disability narrative in 2025
Readers on why this newsletter matters to them, and ways to support me to help those who want to be inclusive
Dear readers,
Season’s Greetings! As 2024 draws to a close, I hope you’ll find time to relax and reflect before embracing the New Year.
For me, thanks to all of you, 2024 has been fairly satisfying, apart from a few health issues that popped up. I’m learning to do things differently to take care of my health and well-being now.
[Image Description + Caption: That’s me, Priti, an Indian woman with shoulder length dark brown hair, standing outside the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. My pink floral kurta perfectly captures the essence of a rare bright day in Oxford. The pillar on my left has two boards, one with the name of the Institute and the other with Green Templeton College and Osler McGovern Centre. Behind me is the Institute’s building and visible prominently are the steps to the entrance door. It’s here that I learned from the greatest minds, and then, followed my path towards disability inclusion. I’m, as usual, wearing my pink-rimmed glasses and smiling.]
Looking back on my journey with Reframing Disability, I’m proud to see how, in just a year, it has evolved into a valuable resource for journalists, trainers, disability advocates, and indivinterested in disability inclusion. It has become a space to challenge and reshape how disability is represented in media and content. Many of you have shared how you’ve used this resource:
To enhance your teaching and training programs
To practice inclusive journalism
To find data and resources for your work
To deepen your understanding of disability and inclusion
To make your work more accessible and inclusive in simple ways
What readers say
“I remain a huge fan of the Reframing Disability newsletter. As someone who is deeply invested in contributing to a news ecosystem that prioritises accessibility, the newsletter is a resource I regularly read and go back to. It helps me to contextualize the work I am doing, learn about how disability is being reported across the world and also gain insight into the work/advocacy of journalists who are a part of the disability community. Thank you Priti for such a thoughtful and resourceful newsletter.” Zainab Sanni, broadcast journalist
“Reframing Disability has helped broaden my understanding of disability narratives across different frontiers. Its crisp style is a feature that has helped me improve my work as a disability issues blogger. Besides, the newsletter includes helpful resources and idea starters that anyone (individuals and organisations) involved with disabilities would find immensely beneficial.” Alexander Ogheneruemu, disability issues blogger
“Priti's newsletters make me realise how little I know about disability inclusion. They make me grateful for people like her, working tirelessly to make a difference. I once read about how being excluded/left out can result in pain that is equivalent to actual physical pain. We've all experienced that feeling at some point in our lives. It made me understand, in a very small way, how important inclusion is. I am hoping I am a little wiser and just a wee more sensitive towards the issue now. I have a long way to go, but I am glad she is there to help me along in the journey.” Ritu Mahajan, Learning Enablement Manager, Accenture.
“What I like the most about Reframing Disability is that the content is very matter-of-fact. It does not cross the fine line between facts and inspiration porn or a narrative of self-pity. It brings out stories that need to be told so that society gets a rounded view of what it is like to live with a disability.” Aditi Sowmyanarayan, award-winning author.
Thanks so much, I couldn’t have reached this far without you! I’ve created a page to share readers’ kind words, so you can read more about why this newsletter matters.
An attempt to bridge the gap
I started Reframing Disability in 2023 because I recognised a significant gap in the representation of disabled journalists in Indian newsrooms, which profoundly impacted how disability was portrayed—or rather, how it was often not represented at all—in the media. During my fellowship at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism in 2022, I researched this issue and wrote a paper that highlighted the lack of inclusion. When I returned to India and shared my findings with newsrooms, I was met with silence. It became clear that a single research paper could build critical evidence, but wasn't enough to drive the change needed in how disability is represented. There was a pressing need for greater awareness and action. That's why I created this newsletter: to continue the conversation and raise awareness. And so that content creators never have to say, “I want to be inclusive, but where can I find the resources?” While progress is being made, largely thanks to the growing disability movement in India, I want to continue to be a part of that movement, working to create change in the media landscape and beyond. As Puneet Singh Singhal once said, “You are the community’s representative in journalism.”
What the community wants
Many in the community have shared ideas to make Reframing Disability more useful for them, including:
Making the content accessible to Deaf sign language users
Translating the content into languages beyond English
Creating audio content
Featuring a column on topics like caregiving, which could benefit many
Creating multiple series on underreported issues such as disability and climate change, disability and sport, violence against persons with disabilities, and more
Sharing more disability news from India
Some also want to contribute to the newsletter
Reframing Disability is built on inputs from the community, ensuring its work meets their needs and addresses their challenges. In 2025, it will continue its work of listening to the community, responding, and solving their problems. While I’m deeply passionate about it, working on this newsletter is incredibly demanding, and takes up a significant portion of my time, meaning, I’ve had to give up a lot of my journalistic assignments to do this.
So far, Reframing Disability doesn’t have a funding model. Everything is free and I want it to remain that way. I’ve avoided paywalls and advertisements and invested my time without any monetary benefits from this newsletter.
But to make it sustainable for me to serve the community, if you can, and would like to, below are ways to support this newsletter.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Support with a paid subscription
Make a one-time payment of any amount or set up a custom or recurring monthly subscription. Through this link, you can pay in any currency. If you use PayPal, pay to pritisalian@gmail.com. Hit reply if you want to pay through UPI, do a bank transfer or need an invoice.
Support specific projects
Series covering issues at the intersection of disability such as climate justice, sports, and others.
Columns on themes such as caregiving.
Making the newsletter accessible in Indian Sign Language and other languages.
Creating custom toolkits for journalists and other content creators so that they have a ready reckoner for their work.
A monthly edition on disability news from India.
Paying writers for their contribution.
Hiring a social media executive.
Sponsoring one or more editions of the newsletter.
If you’d like to support any of these—or collaborate on a custom series or projects—please write to me at pritisalian@gmail.com or hit reply.
Connect me with opportunities
If you know anyone who might want to support Reframing Disability, please connect me with them.
Connect me with people or organisations who would like to hire me as a trainer or reporter on disability, accessibility, human rights, gender, development, etc.
Share widely
Share Reframing Disability with people you know.
In a decade of consistently working on stories centering disability, I’ve found that disability news and narratives from India rarely reach national and global audiences. Indian publications barely cover important issues. When I read academic papers or research from major international organisations working on disability or human rights, perspectives and research from India is missing. This gap is deeply disappointing. After the small impact Reframing Disability has created in the past year or so, I’m hopeful that working on some of the projects highlighted above will make a difference.
Your support will ensure that Reframing Disability not only continues but thrives—giving space to more voices, expanding its reach, and driving lasting change in how disability is framed.
Thank you for believing in Reframing Disability’s mission of inclusion.
Before you go, a few highlights from the past issues
Reframing Disability has been intentional in shifting narratives about disability. The most recent one on building newsrooms where disabled journalists can thrive got many eyeballs from newsrooms. Reimagining accessibility as an aesthetic is a useful read for filmmakers and the pervasive harms of ableism and inspiration porn for any storyteller. And of course, you can check out all the 34 issues as they are free to read.
Thanks for reading this edition! Keep writing - I love to read your messages to understand how I can serve you better. Tell me what you want to see in the newsletter next year.
May love, peace and happiness be with you in 2025! I’m glad to be in community with you!
Warmly,
Priti