“If We Don't Tell Our Stories, They'll Erase Us”: Understanding the Criminalization of Disabled Black American Activists

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of disabled Black American activists to examine how systemic criminalization intersects with race and disability. Guided by Black Disability Threat Theory (BDTT; Templeton 2024) and scholarship on the school-to-prison nexus, this research conceptualizes schools and activist spaces as interconnected carceral sites that disproportionately surveil, discipline, and exclude disabled Black American individuals (Gardner et al. 2024; Sojoyner 2013; Meiners 2010). We argue that the same racialized ableist logics that criminalize disabled Black American youth in schools also shape their treatment in social movements and activist organizations, creating a continuous carceral landscape throughout their lives. Through semi-structured interviews with 11 disabled Black American activists, findings revealed pervasive patterns of hyper-surveillance, tokenization, exclusion from both Black American and disability advocacy communities, and systemic barriers in education and employment. Participants described persistent experiences of criminalization, marginalization, and tokenization, emphasizing how societal biases position them as inherent threats rather than as individuals deserving of support. The analysis illustrates the urgency of implementing intersectional advocacy frameworks, policy reforms, and educational practices that prioritize genuine inclusion and dismantle institutional barriers. This study contributes to nascent research on racialized ableism and underscores the importance of centering disabled Black American voices in activism and policy efforts.