The Real Disability Is Disconnection

Pat Worth had been labeled retarded as a child and was living on a park bench when he decided to organize people who shared his experience. The organization he formed is now known as People First.

In this video post, John tells the story of traveling across Canada with Pat, organizing local People First chapters, and talks about the unforgettable lesson he learned from something Pat said on that trip: We don’t need services; we need community.

 

Pat died in 2004. Learn more from him in three articles he wrote, posted at Inclusion Press.

About the Lead Author

John McKnight
John McKnight
John McKnight is emeritus professor of education and social policy and codirector of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute at DePaul University. He is the coauthor of Building Communities from the Inside Out and the author of The Careless Society. He has been a community organizer and serves on the boards of several national organizations that support neighborhood development.

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