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Ramping Up Rights: Disability Power in Teesside

Ramping Up Rights: Teesside. Three disabled speakers sit in armchairs during the “Ramping Up Rights” event at Stockton Library. The person in the centre holds a microphone and wears a T-shirt that reads “#TakingThePIP.” A Joy Division bag is on the floor nearby. The setting is relaxed and informal, with bookshelves in the background and water glasses on a table in front. The image is tinted purple.

Article Summary

Celebrate Wins & Keep Fighting: Ramping Up Rights Ignites Hope! Rachel Charlton-Dailey's "Ramping Up Rights" book launch in Stockton was powerful! We celebrated a huge win: community action forced the government to change harmful welfare plans. This proves together we win! This is important even if we've not got everything we want! The book shows how understanding our history helps fight today's battles. We heard moving stories, like Joy Dove's fight for justice after losing her daughter Jodey to cruel benefit cuts. Sadly, while Joy spoke, her MP voted for more cuts. The fight isn't over. We need everyone! Join Difference North East to build community power, sustain the fight, and win more rights for disabled people. Get the book!

Ramping Up Rights: Teesside Ignites Hope & Community Power

Celebrating Wins & Forging Fury: Teesside’s Book Night Ignited Disability Rights Hope

In a powerful evening marked by raw truth, shared grief, and defiant celebration, Rachel Charlton-Dailey’s “Ramping Up Rights” event at Stockton Library, chaired by Claire from Difference North East proved one thing: Our community isn’t jA collage showing moments from a book launch. Top left: Three disabled speakers sit in armchairs during the “Ramping Up Rights” event at Stockton Library. The person in the centre holds a microphone and wears a T-shirt that reads “#TakingThePIP.” A Joy Division bag is on the floor nearby. The setting is relaxed and informal, with bookshelves in the background and water glasses on a table in front. Top right: two women smiling for a selfie. Bottom left: three women standing in front of a banner with books behind them. Bottom right: a panelist holds two books while standing in front of a Difference North East banner.ust fighting back, we’re winning, together. And the fight needs you.

Roots & Rage: Why Disability History Fuels Our Fight

Rachel Charlton-Dailey’s “Ramping Up Rights” isn’t just history; it’s our blueprint. Claire opened with the event’s defining quote: “Pushback from disabled people… influenced [the government] to change the welfare vote. That’s the power of disability activism. But history tells us the fight isn’t over.” Rachel unpacked this, tracing the long arc of struggle – from the militant “Piss on Pity” direct actions of the 80s/90s (resonating powerfully even with those not born yet) to the insidious stereotypes (“Supercrip“, “Charity Case“, “Scrounger”) deliberately used to divide and disempower. Why does this history matter? Because, as Rachel illuminated, understanding how systems designed to oppress us is the first step to dismantling them.

Austerity’s Brutal Cost & Joy Dove’s Unbreakable Spirit.

The atmosphere shifted palpably as discussion turned to the austerity years; a period defined by cruel policies (WCA, sanctions, Bedroom Tax) that led to countless, preventable deaths. Then came Stockton’s own story: Jodey Whiting. As Claire shared the harrowing details of Jodey’s death by suicide in 2017 after DWP cruelty, and the department’s chilling calls after her death, Joy Dove, Jodey’s mother, took the stage, Joy spoke with fierce clarity about her tireless fight for justice, her recent tribunal win, and Jodey’s legacy.

A Facebook post from Joy Dove thanking Claire Louise and author Rachel Charlton-Dailey for the book launch event, mentioning her daughter Jodey. Below the post are six event photos, including group shots, books on a table, and Rachel speaking. The background of the image includes a purple-tinted photo of Rachel holding a microphone.

Her message was unwavering: she will never stop campaigning against benefit cuts. The sickening punchline? At the exact moment Joy shared her pain and resolve on stage in Stockton, Stockton North MP Chris McDonald was in London, voting for the very benefit cuts that fuel such tragedies. The dissonance was staggering – a visceral reminder of why our fight is so urgent.

THE WIN: How Our Community Forced the U-Turn!

But this night wasn’t defined solely by past pain. Claire paused to deliver electrifying news and heartfelt thanks: “The direct actions of people in this room – DPAC North East, Crips Against Cuts North East, Taking the PIP – and across the UK MADE THE GOVERNMENT ROLL BACK ON ITS WELFARE REFORM PLANS TWO WEEKS AGO.” This wasn’t a handout; it was a hard-fought COMMUNITY VICTORY. While acknowledging it wasn’t everything needed, the room thrummed with the power of collective action. This win proves our pressure works. It proves change is possible. It proves we are the force. History, as Rachel’s book shows, tells us they will come again. But this win tells us we can stop them, even if we didn’t get everything that was being demanded. We never have, and so we fight on!

Sustaining the Fight: Solidarity, Identity, & Avoiding Burnout

The audience Q&A crackled with the energy of a movement strategizing its next move. Key themes emerged:
  • Solidarity is Survival: Discussions highlighted crucial cross-movement alliances (Trade Unions!), intersectionality (being disabled and trans, and Black, and poor), and the desperate need for more allies. “Disabled people are tired,” resonated Claire. “We need others to speak with us.”
  • Identity & Self-Definition: A question on “Deaf and Disabled People” sparked vital conversation about self-identification. Some Deaf people identify as Disabled, some don’t, just as others with health conditions might or might not. Respecting individual identity is core.
  • Burnout & the Reality of the Long Haul: When asked by young campaigner Dylan (representing Bright Minds Big Futures) if groups like DPAC would ever “finish,” the answer was a resounding “NO.” “Whilst disabled people don’t have their rights… these groups will always exist,” came the response. Rachel and the group shared realistic self-care strategies, the vital need for rest, switching off TV like, and finding joy amidst the struggle. The fight is perpetual; sustaining ourselves is non-negotiable.

The Call! Join Us, Build This Power!

The echoes of Joy Dove’s strength, the thrill of a recent community win against the odds, the shared laughter and deep discussions, the “Ramping Up Rights” evening was a potent reminder.

Disability rights history is our power. Community is our strength. Action is our tool.

This win belongs to every email sent, every protest attended, every story shared. But the fight is far from over. We need more voices, more hands, more hearts. More wins!
Ready to turn celebration into sustained action? Ready to be part of the next win?
Together, we ramp up rights. Together, we win.
Get the book that Ignites the Fight:
  • Find our more about and support DPAC North East, Crips Against Cuts North East, Taking the PIP.
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