Anyone who knows me will tell you that I talk a lot. Loud, verbose, outspoken; these are adjectives that I don’t think anyone would deny me. And yet, as of May 1 of this year, despite more than two years in public office, more than 15 years of leadership positions, and well over 25 years of public speaking engagements, you would have been hard pressed to find more than the occasional public record of my thoughts and opinions on anything.
It’s not that I didn’t have them. As a liberal New York Jewish lawyer (at least according to this conservative blogger), I have opinions about just about everything, whether I have any business talking about it notwithstanding.
It is rather that I really didn’t think that anyone would want to listen to what I had to say. Living in the echo chamber of my liberal, Jewish, disability activist world, I really wasn’t sure that I had anything unique to offer. Nonetheless, after years of gentle urging, I launched this blog two months ago yesterday, first at www.matankoch.svbtle.com,and then this week migrating over to WordPress, where we are right now if you are reading this.
I have been overwhelmed by the response. In the two months that we have been live, I have received over 3000 visits, including over 1000 to WordPress this week alone. The comments, feedback and encouragement, along with the flattering shares of those who push my words to even larger audiences have truly moved my soul. It’s enough that I encourage other people to take a stab at blogging, if you think you might have something to say.
I have also had the opportunity to find my voice, and share my opinions on topics about which I am passionate. My three top posts, each of which has had well over 700 views, have each allowed me to speak to an issue that I feel is timely and important.
In “Chutes and Ladders”, I got the chance to explore with you my take on the most critical policy barrier facing employment of people with disabilities. I was truly gratified by each of you that responded that, having been previously unaware of this pressing issue, you were interested in opportunities to change the paradigm.
In “From Objects of Sympathy to Objects of Desire” I explored with you the evolution in the societal conversation around the sexuality of people with disabilities, a critical component to understanding us as fully fledged human beings. From feedback in some disability fora where it was reposted, I know that I was lucky enough to give voice to an issue which troubles many of us that is completely hidden from many in the able-bodied world. Then, spurred by the powerful words of my friend Ariella Barker, Ms. Wheelchair North Carolina, I examined the effect that this distorted conversation has on the body image of people with disabilities, in “It Starts in the Mirror.”
Rounding out the top three, this week I had the opportunity to share the incredible power of my camp experience with you, and the benefits that I think that camp presents to people with disabilities in, “My Launch Pad.” I have been incredibly moved by the reminiscences and kind words of so many of my camp friends who spoke of the positive impact that my inclusion had on their lives, and I will be following up in the near future with a post focusing on the amazing human element of my camp experience, highlighting some of the thousands of people that made my experience what it is. Even more encouraging, the post is beginning to circulate among those who work in the world of inclusion, and I would love to see the net result be that more people are afforded the opportunity that I had.
But now we come to the request. In the two months that this blog has been active, I have written more than 30 articles. I encourage you to check them all out, if only because many of them were written on issues about which I feel very strongly. That said, I’m running a little low on inspiration.
I started this blog because other people felt that they had topics on which they wanted to hear my opinions. So, I’m asking you, my readers, to tell me if there other things that you would like to hear me write about. I’ve set up an email address, matansblogideas@gmail.com, specifically for that purpose.
Please feel free to send me articles questions or thoughts which you feel could be good potential subjects for this blog. I may not write posts about them, as I really don’t believe in writing on any topic unless I have something worthwhile to say, but I promise to at least respond telling you that a post is on the way or explaining why I don’t feel qualified to express a particular topic.
I am gratified to have had the opportunity to start some important conversations. I fully intend to continue. I gratefully welcome your help and participation in this mission.
