Profile

Judith Snow is an internationally recognized author, lecturer and organizer for the rights of all people to participate fully as citizens in society. She has been featured in many television and video programs - both as a fascinating person and as a leading thinker in her own right. Most recently, she is the co-author of a book entitled, The Inclusion Papers, which spells out some of the issues she is working on now.

Early in life Judith was "labeled disabled", lived at home and attended regular schools until she graduated from university. Tragically, she was forced to live in an institution for four years before escaping to a new life as a contributing member of the community, living in her own apartment with a personalized attendant care system designed to meet her unique needs. Judith has been a pioneer in developing social policy for attendant care needs of people with disabilities.

Judith was the founder and director of the first Centre for Handicapped Students at a York University (Toronto, Canada) and has served as a project coordinator with the Secretary of State Canada (Citizenship Branch). She is a frequent guest on radio and television shows on the issue of human rights. She has written many articles for educational and human service publications.

Jack Pearpoint's book about Judith's struggle (From Behind the Piano, Inclusion Press) tells the story of Judith and her support circle -- how they fought bureaucracy to win Judith's right to live fully, with dignity in the community.

Judith's work with families and her own stories give her a treasure chest of knowledge and experience to share with large and small groups at conferences, workshops, institutes, etc.

Judith Snow is currently the Creative Director at the Centre for Integrated Education and Community, a lecturer in the Summer Institute on Integrated Education and Community at McGill University, and a guest lecturer every spring at the Bolton Institute for Higher Education in Manchester, England. She travels extensively in Canada, the US, Britain and Ireland with the message: "Each Belongs" and "Together We're Better. "

Currently Judith is an advisor to an integrated housing cooperative through NABORS (Neighbors Allied for Better Opportunities in Residential Services.) She is assisting NABORS in the development of community participation through cooperative living in greater Metro Toronto.

Judith's formal education includes two degrees from York University, a BA in Mathematics and Psychology (1972) and a Master's Degree in Clinical and Counseling & Psychology (1976). She is presently a doctoral student at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), Univ. of Toronto.

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Judith Snow

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