First, our deepest heartfelt condolences to Stephanie Thomas, Bob’s partner. During this difficult time, we will not forget their important work, instrumental in shaping attitudes and policy in Texas and across the nation, that true inclusion of people with disabilities benefits all of society.
In the coming days, we will provide a longer entry, but for now, please find below from Bob Kafka’s long running podcast, Barrier Free Futures, part of an interview between Not Dead Yet’s late Foundress and President, Diane Coleman, and Bob Kafka. It was Bob who came up with our organization’s name, “Not Dead Yet,” as detailed below:
Bob Kafka:
…But when did you start Not Dead Yet? And it really – that name is sort of grabbing. How did that begin and what is the mission of Not Dead Yet?
Diane Coleman:
Well, I started it on April 27, 1996, so, that’s almost 24 years ago now. And, it was actually, a number of people had been talking to me about starting a group like that. But it was actually, Bob, when I came up to you at a disability policy conference and you said, “Well, I got an idea for a name for your group.” You’d been hearing about it and it was out of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, “Not Dead Yet.” That kind of made it happen. I actually made a little sign with the words “Not Dead Yet” and I went around and got people to sign on to some testimony. It was my first time testifying in Congress. There were all kinds of people there that signed on that are very well known. Disability advocates like Justin Dart, Judy Heumann, and so forth. But it was actually you giving me the name that got it going.
Bob Kafka:
It’s funny because if people haven’t seen The Life of Brian, it’s actually in a very bizarre way, very relevant in that, in that movie it’s during the plague and it’s throwing bodies on this cart and there’s a guy who is driving the cart and the bodies are supposed to be people who have died but they keep popping up and he hits them with a hammer, and they keep popping up and say, “Not dead yet”…”
* * * * * *
In September, Bob had asked me to appear on Barrier Free Futures, but owing to a scheduling conflict where I had been previously scheduled to return to Canada, I was unable to be interviewed by the great man. We had purposed to circle back and reschedule a time to talk when it was mutually convenient. I had hoped for early in the new year.
Another reminder, that in everything we do and say – and think – in this common fight, that everything we can do now…we should.
From the Andrew Weber article linked above, for KUT Radio, NPR’s Austin Station:
“For Armbruster, he can’t help but hear Kafka’s other mantra, one that served as his email signature: “Don’t mourn, organize.”
“It’s kind of ironic in this situation with him passing, but I’m sure that’s what he would want us to do,” Armbruster said, “to lead on and to move on and to continue the fight.”
Onward,
Ian McIntosh, Executive Director
Not Dead Yet.