A legend in the community
Barb Goode reads a passage from her book, “The Goode Life: Memoirs of Disability Rights Activist Barb Goode”
Barb Goode has been a self-advocate since the 1970s. She was one of the earliest innovators and change agents in “community organizing” among people with disabilities. Her work has made significant impacts in the lives of people with developmental disabilities living in Canada. In 1986, Barb served as the chair person of a committee in the landmark E. (Mrs.) v Eve Case, which helped Eve and other people with developmental disabilities win the right to make their own medical decisions. In 1992, she became the first Canadian with a disability to speak at the UN General Assembly.
“There have been roadblocks along the way, but it is the people that I work alongside that make self-advocacy work rewarding,” says Barb. “I am not doing this work alone. There are many self-advocates working to change the public’s opinion of people with developmental disabilities.”
Barb has been invited to several local, provincial, national and international conferences to participate or speak about her own life experiences. She currently shares her expertise with Community Living BC by supporting other self-advocates, facilitating workshops, advising on language in booklets, sitting on the Simon Fraser Community Council, and representing the Start with Hi initiative (www.startwithhi.ca) promoting safe, inclusive communities.
“I just don’t want kids or parents to forget the history of people with developmental disabilities,” says Barb. “I feel that people need to tell their stories and have a voice.”
Now Barb can add author to her list of achievements, she recently published her biography, “The Goode Life: Memoirs of Disability Rights Activist Barb Goode”. She says the book has something for everybody – inspiring stories about her life, quotes, photos and even recipes.
On May 9, members of the community dropped in to the Heritage Hall in Vancouver to join Barb for the official launch of her book at a special reception hosted by Spectrum Press, the book’s publisher. Barb shared smiles and stories with the many attendees, and signed several copies of her book. She also treated those gathered to a short reading from the book.
For more information about Barb’s book, including information on how to order a copy, please call Judy at Spectrum Press at 604-323-1433.
