Jennifer Chassman Browne releases disability inclusion book
Educator and disability advocate Jennifer Chassman Browne announced the release of her book See Us, Know Us: Profiles of Disability. The work demonstrates that facts and figures can raise awareness about disability yet personal stories hold power to build lasting human connection and foster inclusion beyond statistics alone. In her new book, Chassman Browne brings readers into the lives of 30 remarkable individuals whose honest, deeply personal experiences invite empathy, challenge assumptions and encourage a more inclusive world. She shares 30 distinct lived experiences that accomplish what statistics alone never could: build connections that invite readers to find common ground and understand what being an ally looks like.
Chassman Browne said: “When we hear someone’s story, we naturally look for points of similarity and connection, even when that person’s life is very different from our own. Stories can lower our defenses and help us approach unfamiliar experiences with greater empathy and understanding.”
The book delivers intimate profiles of 30 individuals with disabilities. Notable participants include 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. Most are ordinary people offering extraordinary insights into strength and belonging. Through these intimate 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, See Us, Know Us creates a powerful portrait of a community whose voices are too often overlooked. Some names such as Charlie Carr and Keith Jones may be familiar while most are ordinary people navigating everyday life and 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 endorsed the book as one that stays with readers and reminds that disabled people deserve to be seen as whole people, not stereotypes or inspiration.
Chassman Browne has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since age six. She spent most of her career as an English teacher and school leader. For the past seven years she has worked as a DEI and disability advocate educating others about the strengths of people with disabilities and the importance of allies, systems and structures that ensure access and inclusion. Certified as a listener poet, she uses poetry and storytelling to build connections and develop empathy and belonging.
See Us, Know Us: Profiles of Disability was published by Torchflame. The release date was October 6, 2026 and the ISBN-13 is 978-1611536461.
