Senator Tammy Duckworth Discusses Disability, Discrimination, and Public Service at Event Hosted by Law School Disability Rights Organization

Duckworth and Briones
Senator Tammy Duckworth and DRAC President Nicole Briones

Allie Bitz, ’21, and Nicole Briones, ’22, are founding members of the Law School’s Disability Rights, Advocacy, and Community (DRAC) student organization. Briones is the group’s president, and Bitz is the event’s coordinator. This is their first-person account of the event.  

Even if Tammy Duckworth had known she would lose her legs as a US Army helicopter pilot in Iraq, she still would have pursued military service, the US senator from Illinois told 140 members of the University of Chicago community during a virtual event hosted by the Disability Rights, Advocacy, and Community (DRAC) student organization last month.

I gained a lot of personal satisfaction and met amazing people from that service,” Duckworth told the group, which included Law School and College students as well as recently admitted law students, professors, and disability lawyers who assembled via Zoom to celebrate the 44th anniversary of the 504 Sit-Ins, a disability rights protest that began in 1977. During the Sit-Ins, disability advocates occupied federal buildings across the nation to push for the signing of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  

“You don't have to be a civil servant or in the military,” Duckworth said. You can do it in pro-bono work. You can do it serving in a kitchen, or Meals on Wheels. … Find a way to serve. You will get more than you ever give up.”

As founding members of DRAC, which began in December 2019 as a community of allies, identifiers, and those interested in disability law, we couldn’t imagine a better person to lead a conversation on disability, intersectionality, and public service—or to headline our first major event. Our goal was to facilitate a wider conversation about the intersectional nature of disability, which cannot be defined by a single experience or narrative. And Duckworth is many things: she was the first woman with a disability elected to Congress, the first Thai American woman elected to Congress, the first US senator to give birth while in office, an Iraq war veteran, and a vocal advocate for working mothers and people of color.

She also exemplifies the type of service leadership many of us hope to achieve—and her words helped us appreciate that advocacy is a continuous and evolving pursuit, one that requires a willingness to listen and to incorporate the lessons we learn from others.

Despite her many accomplishments, Duckworth displayed a humility that was palpable, even in a virtual event. During the conversation—which was moderated by Andrew Webb, ’03, an attorney for Equip for Equality and a member of the disability community—Duckworth told us that her own perspective has evolved because she listened to and learned from other people.

That was particularly true in the past year, she said. Social justice movements highlighted structural inequities, including the impact of the cash bail system on low-income communities and people of color. The coronavirus pandemic underscored the vulnerability of those at the lowest end of the economic spectrum.

I have had my eyes opened,” she added. “I am a progressive Democrat, [but] I am conservative with taxpayer dollars and will always be that way. But this past year-plus has illustrated the importance of making public investments for the nation.”

During the event, Senator Duckworth spoke passionately about disability justice and discrimination against Asian-American and Pacific Islander Americans. She told the audience that true accessibility is still out of reach for many Americans, despite the prevalence of disability.

“The fact that I am 1 percent of the senatorial population and the only one with disabilities does not reflect the American people,” she said. 

She also discussed her work on both local and national disability initiatives, including making Chicago transit stops accessible and requiring airlines to report broken medical equipment. The senator acknowledged that although accessibility has improved, there is still a long way to go. Even the US Capitol building is not wheelchair-accessible in all areas, she said.

Duckworth said she is committed to “default design” as a way to make accessibility the norm, not the exception.

“People with disability should live with dignity and respect we apply to all Americans,” she said.

 Duckworth also spoke about #StopAAPIHate, a movement to raise awareness about violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander Americans. In recognition of intersectionality, Duckworth noted that AAPI women tend to be disproportionately targeted in such attacks. She also discussed her work with Senator Mazie Hirono on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which later passed the US Senate by an overwhelming bipartisan majority. 

Throughout the discussion, Duckworth emphasized the importance of public service. From serving in the US Army to running for office, the senator said that service has shaped and defined her career. This point resonated strongly with the audience.

Professor Jennifer Nou, reflecting on the event, stated that, “It was clear from her talk that Senator Duckworth has been a risk-taker her entire life and it’s wonderful that our students could learn from the examples she’s set.”

The senator said she shares her ethos of service with her staff, giving them public service days so they can engage in passion projects. 

“When someone tells me about what is wrong with the criminal justice system, I ask them to do the research,” she said. “They can lead the project and I will be their champion. We say, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’; let's be the slogan. Even my driver comes to me with ideas and we have acted on them.”

 She told students to remain open to possibilities, and to be gentle with themselves as they search for the work and service that carries the most meaning.

“Keep your eyes and ears open,” she told us. “Maybe you have all you can handle right now … [and] that’s okay too. Be kind to yourself and make sure you can do and handle the load that you have. … [But] in your journey, whether in your education or in practice, I hope you find space to find time in your life for service.”