Helen Rottier

@helenrottier.bsky.social

2829 Followers 1543 Following

PhD in Disability Studies. Disabled Dis-Epistemologies and Knowledge Production. Opinions are my own. she/her

a television with Dr. Emily Friedman in the D20 dome on Adventuring Academy, surrounded by nerdy art, books, and plushies in Helen’s living room.
title slide that says “Everything you need to know to watch John Oliver on General Hospital, By Helen Rottier” with the GH logo and cutout photos of John Oliver
Another day Just another day, they said. But July 22 will be stamped on my soul. With March 6. And May 25. And August 30. Another life lost. Another neighbor murdered. Another display of tremendous violence, so-called “power,” from people too afraid to dream of better worlds. Another press conference. Another opaque investigation. Another platitude, and a reminder that this neighborhood is traumatized. (They never mention who is doing the traumatizing.)
A poem typed in the Notes app: What did you expect- when you poisoned our Earth? when you raised rent? when you called our groceries “luxury?” when you held education and health care and existence behind walls of debt? when you watched police kill our classmates, friends, and family? when you paid for bombs to kill our fellow people? What did you expect- when you took everything, gave us nothing to lose, that we would stay silent?
Art print with handwritten letters that say, “Rage with us. #DisabledRage”.
Art print with handwritten letters that say, “Rage with us. #DisabledRage”.
Art print with handwritten lettering, “We need you to rage w/ us. #DisabledRage”.
Art print with handwritten text that reads, “Undocumented people are being kidnapped without access to their medications or treatments. #DisabledRage.”
Handwritten art print that reads, “Unhoused people might be forced into treatment and institutionalization. #DisabledRage.
Art print with handwritten text that reads, “Disabled people face reductions in community-based services due to Medicaid cuts. #DisabledRage.”
Art print with handwriting that says, “Medicaid cuts mean more people will delay or avoid needed care.”
Art print with handwritten text that says, “Where is your disabled rage? #DisabledRage.
Jeopardy Clue, Fictional Characters, $400. In “Little Women”, in a chapter called “The Valley of the Shadow”, this March sister takes her last breath.
Andy Dwyer in Park’s and Rec, wearing sunglasses and a wrist brace with hives from allergy testing on his arm.
scuffed wooden pub tabletop with a printed articles on implementation leadership, a cocktail napkin, and a plastic mug of Diet Pepsi.
black frame with gold border holding a diploma from the University of Illinois for Helen L. Rottier, Doctor of Philosophy in Disability Studies.
"What’s also striking to me is that autodidacts often begin with some very tiny topic, and through researching that topic, they end up telescoping out into bigger-picture concerns. When research is your leisure activity, you’ll end up making connections between your existing interests and new ideas or topics." quote from Celine Nguyen, research as leisure activity, www.personalcanon.com.
collage centered on an art print with lettering that reads, “Make time to dilly dally,” surrounded by scraps of pink paper, glitter, and stickers.
ceramic shard with painted pink and orange flowers and black text that reads, “disabled oracles light the way! - Alice Wong.”
screenshot shows Aabria Iyengar in the Dimension 20 dome covering her mouth and laughing while Brennan Lee Mulligan sits wearing a ribbon labeled “Mr. Questions.”
hand holding book at an outdoor table with flowering trees in the background. The book cover says, “Your Body Should Be a Part of the World. Ellen Samuels.” with a colorful collaged figure.
blooming cherry blossom flowers across branches with the blue sky in the background.
statue of Olympic rings in a park plaza.
What did you expect- when you poisoned our Earth? when you raised rent? when you called our groceries “luxury?” when you held education and health care and existence behind walls of debt? when you watched police kill our classmates, friends, and family? when you paid for bombs to kill our fellow people? What did you expect- when you took everything, gave us nothing to lose, that we would stay silent?
book cover The Practice, The Horizon, and The Chain by Sofia Samatar.
linocut print of the Virgin Mary with a crown and star-covered veil stepping on a snake labeled ICE, reading “Hail Mary Full Of Grace, Kick ICE out of this place.”
Helen and Joseph dressed up and seated at a fancy dining table.
Hurricane cocktail at Cornet.
selfie of Helen and Joseph on the deck of a riverboat.
email that says, “Received, this all looks good. I will be there by 11. Helena.”
Thin, golden brown cookies rolled into cones, lined up on a cooling rack.
fat brown bear standing in a river.
curved road with bus and cars, large building with arches and windows.
Out an airplane window, a thick layer of cloud stretches out like the sea, and the horizon shows an ombré orange sunrise.
Helen sits at a podium with a microphone. Behind her, slides are displayed, with the title “Disabled Dis-Epistemologies: On Academic Ableism, (In)Access, and Knowing Anyways.
photo of Helen wearing a white coat and holding drumsticks.
mini sticker album, convention program, and weekend badge all decorated with stickers.
Illustration by Brittany Frost Designs with repeating pattern of ghost marshmallows on sticks, campfires, s’mores, bats, and spiderwebs. Text reads, “I’m not burned out, I’m fully charred. I’m a human marshmallow with a calendar.”
selfie of Helen, a white person with short brown hair and sunglasses with a background of plants and metal tables and chairs painted orange, green, and yellow.
colorful letter magnets that spell out “don’t forget to include yourself on the list of things to take care of this week”
Abby Howells standing in a lab saying “They’re the planets.”
flag pole with US, Dane County, Madison, and Disability Pride flags waving against a blue sky with wispy clouds in front of a cream-colored brick building.
screenshot of the Outlook app with an illustration of a hot air balloon and text that says, “Nothing Left to Read. Enjoy your empty inbox.”
easel with illustrated “team flag” of a roly-poly bug and a worm sitting on a table with a painted ceramic blob and a decorated wooden fish
Helen, a white person with short brown hair and glasses wearing a red shirt and holding up a blue bound copy of her dissertation.
one female duck leading 12 fluffy ducklings over a paved terrace along a concrete raised garden bed.
a silver railing, blue lake and sky on a sunny day with trees in the horizon
Helen is smiling in front of a UIC photo backdrop wearing red and blue academic regalia and holding her diploma cover.
selfie of Helen at commencement. She is wearing a blue tan with long gold tassel and red and blue robes. She has an honor cord in the colors of the Disability Pride flag.
Old Style logo with red and blue shield.
Helen and Joseph smiling in front of a brick wall. Joseph is wearing a suit. Helen is wearing graduation robes, hood, and tam.
Washieka and Helen, laughing in a close embrace in front of a brick wall. Washieka is wearing a purple dress and patterned hair wrap. Helen is wearing graduation robes, hood, and tam.
three people stand and smile in front of a brick wall. Eric is wearing a suit. Helen is wearing graduation robes, hood, and tam. Amy is wearing a black and white blazer and red blouse.
Helen, age 22, holding up a Giordano’s menu and smiling across the booth.
blue background with illustrated red heart stamp and postmark and text that reads, “We (heart) the USPS.”
white background with two illustrated ladybugs with arms outstretched and text that reads, “I freaking love my husband.”
Photo Booth strips with pictures of Helen and Joseph.
green plate with strawberry shortcake and fork
Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig smiling at the camera wearing Wisconsin basketball jerseys, player in a Michigan jersey behind rubbing his head
Frank Kaminsky wearing a red Wisconsin jersey, yelling and raising his arms in the air