Meet real people in ‘Profiles of Disability’ book
Disability advocate and educator Jennifer Chassman Browne introduces readers to 30 remarkable individuals who share their experiences with honesty, vulnerability and grace in her new book See Us, Know Us: Profiles of Disability. The release from Torchflame on October 6, 2026 carries the ISBN 978-1611536461 and is available from Amazon.
As she conducted the interviews, Chassman Browne found that repeated themes kept emerging. She said, “As I was interviewing each individual, repeated themes kept emerging: how similar our lives are to able-bodied people, how we want to be talked to directly/to be seen as whole individuals, and the need for able-bodied allies in the fight for inclusion.”
Through the profiles, Chassman Browne captures the humanity, complexity and richness of lives lived with disability. Her original poems, inspired by each participant’s story, add another layer of reflection and connection. Accompanied by striking black-and-white photography by Natalie Brescia, the book creates a powerful portrait of a community whose voices are too often overlooked.
Some names such as Charlie Carr, who helped secure passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Keith Jones, featured in the Emmy Award-winning documentary The Ride Ahead, may be familiar. Most, however, are ordinary people navigating everyday life while offering extraordinary insights into strength, belonging, and the universal desire to be seen and understood.
Chassman Browne added, “See Us, Know Us features 30 different stories, but there are so many more to be told. We need others to learn about disability access and inclusion and to be our allies in creating a more accessible world.” Accessible travel blogger Cory Lee remarked that the book is the kind of book that stays with you, adding that the stories remind readers that disabled people deserve to be seen as whole people, not stereotypes or inspiration.
Chassman Browne has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since she was six years old. For most of her professional life she has been an English teacher and school leader who loved the time spent with the teenagers she taught, many of whom remain in her life. For the past seven years she has worked as a DEI and disability advocate, educating others about the strengths and gifts that people with disabilities have and helping them understand the importance of allies, systems and structures that ensure access and inclusion. She has also earned certification as a listener poet and is invested in using poetry and storytelling to build connections and aid in the development of empathy, understanding and belonging.
Events tied to the book include an online appearance with The Good Listening Project on October 22, 2026, a session with Diversability on October 24, and a reading and signing at Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara on October 26.
