Ross Edelstein

Background

About Ross Edelstein

My name is Ross Edelstein. I study cultural experiences, and help create them. I research access to culture, and help make it a reality. I am a person with autism, and an autistic person. I am a Special Education PhD Student at Indiana University, graduate assistant at the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public lands, a self-advocate who seeks to lift the voices of others, and a collaborator with museums across the country. My research aims to center the experiences of disabled people in ways that foster tangible changes in cultural institutions. This is the work I do to help develop “cultural special education” – the concept that learning for people with disabilities does not end at the school bell, but instead permeates all aspects of life experience are a form of learning just as valuable as learning math, history, English, and science. My work focuses primarily on access and inclusion in these spaces of culture – whether it is an art museum, science center, theater, park, or any other place where cultural experiences occur. These are the spaces that fostered my own love of learning, and helped lead me to be the person I am today, and yet many disabled people lack the chance to engage in these spaces thanks to the numerous social, economic, and structural barriers faced by people with disabilities, both at the organizational and societal level. It is why I use the fact that I have had good fortune in life to help place the voices of those who do not have my platform or privilege at the forefront of my work. Imagine not being able to go to the movies, or to your favorite museum, or even just finding a simple visit to Wal-Mart a massive undertaking. Imagine a world where those around you were so focused on checking a box – grades, attendance, or any other more tangible need – that your humanity was forgotten about. This is the world that many disabled people – including myself – live in. This is the point of my work, and what I bring to the field. So often we forget that we are working for people – not just in the sense that we are trying to provide supports, but as scholars we serve those who will benefit from our research. When we lose sight of this, we lose sight of what we wanted to do in the first place: make the world a more inclusive place. I hope to clear a path, so that the immense work that needs to be done can find others who want to help make the world a more welcoming place.