Last Updated on 09/01/2024 by Crip Life
Everyday Citizenship is part story, part guide, written by and for people with learning disabilities who want to be the authors of their own choices in a world that denies them their autonomy.
Our co-founder and writer Joanna Baker-Rogers got the opportunity to read the book ahead of its release. She gives a review of the book, describing how she gained a “connection with the author” and how much of Wendy’s words “resonated” with her.
Everyday Citizenship is about the actions someone with a learning disability can take to live their best life. Presented as seven themes, or keys, they make up what it is to be a citizen.
Each key is clearly explained and several actions are presented, together with how to avoid negative outcomes. For each key, the author, Wendy Perez, provides an example of the action she has taken to achieve a goal in life.
The opening of Everyday Citizenship made me eager to read on. It’s an easy read as the text is in short sentences with images. I wasn’t familiar with the concept of the seven keys, so having them clearly explained near the start of the book was very helpful. In Everyday Citizenship, each key is a chapter, making the book easy to follow.
Chapter One gave me a connection with the author and an understanding of her motivation to write this book. I can imagine the life that Wendy leads. One that is well-lived, fun, exciting and full of dreams that she achieves using the seven keys. Wendy is a citizen in every sense of the word.
Wendy’s focus on action to promote citizenship is unique and a positive step forward from other books that present only theory. The phrase “Citizenship means a life well lived” (p11), resonated with me as this is something everyone is entitled to.
Another quote that rang true for me is, “Not only can people with disabilities be citizens, they’re often the best citizens there are.” (p13)
Wendy has considered all eventualities for each key. She describes where you could be coming from and then focuses on the actions you could take to use the key to unlock the door to your citizenship. The warning signs, things that could stop you from achieving your goals, are a great idea to include. When progress is not presently what someone had hoped for, reading these sentences could be very motivating.
What I particularly love about this book is that it addresses values. For example, freedom, love, practical issues, money and help. The highlight of the book is how Wendy managed to travel overseas for a business trip in very bad weather. Her colleagues were amazed she had made it. This is such an empowering example of how Wendy used the Freedom Key to achieve her goal.
Wendy says, “I have learned this: do not just say you are going to do things; start today! Action is louder than words.” (p27). This is what this book is all about and why you should start by reading it today.
You can read Everyday Citizenship from cover to cover. Alternatively, you can re-read a chapter if you want advice on using a particular key to unlock something you would like to achieve.
I would recommend Everyday Citizenship to anyone who wants to have the best life, regardless of any impairments they may have. Similarly, to family members, friends, and anyone with an interest in special needs and disability. I give this book 5 stars, and I look forward to the author’s next book on this subject.
Everyday Citizenship will be released 9th January 2024.
About the author: Wendy Perez
Wendy Perez is a leading self-advocate, disability activist and consultant, and she runs her own organisation – See Me As Me. Wendy championed and co-authored an accessible version of Keys to Citizenship with Simon Duffy to make the idea of citizenship relevant to everyone.
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