As an ally and activist in the disability rights movement, Rachel Bechtel examines the beliefs our society holds about disability and the social structures that have resulted from these beliefs. Through this examination, she questions how the experience of disability would change if our society appreciated the diverse ways in which people exist in this world.

TEDxCarrollCollege was filmed on March 14, 2020 under strict social distancing practices ordered by the local Montana government and Carroll College policy in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. These recordings were not open to the public.

Learn more about TEDxCarrollCollege by visiting www.tedxcarrollcollege.com or www.carroll.edu. Rachel is from Moscow, Idaho, where she had the opportunity to learn about disability culture through her brother and father who experience progressive hearing loss and the family’s furry companion Dash who serves as a hearing dog. Rachel is now in her final year at Carroll College, where she studies Psychology and Spanish. She is also currently completing an honors thesis on the disability wage gap in Montana. This research is funded through the Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant. At Carroll, Rachel serves as the Americans with Disabilities Act Student Representative and also works to promote accessibility across campus through the student Accessibility Task Force. Outside of campus, Rachel has continued to become a better ally through her internship at Disability Rights Montana. After graduation, she hopes to pursue further disability advocacy experience and eventually attend law school to become a disability rights attorney. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx