Gathering the evidence: photovoice as a tool for disability advocacy

The participatory research method Photovoice capitalizes on the spirit of the old adage "a picture is worth a thousand words." We, a group of 10 individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and our project facilitator, used Photovoice as means to advocate for equal access to community resources. Often people with disabilities encounter difficulties in helping the able-bodied population to understand issues that are faced by persons who use wheelchairs to move about in the community. Our photographs provide visual evidence that helps us to identify and address issues of accessibility in our community of Charleston, South Carolina. We are using our photographs to educate the public, as well as those who have the political power to make change in our communities. In this article, we share some of the issues we addressed during our project and our thoughts about using Photovoice as a tool to support disability advocacy efforts.