KosAbility is a community diary series posted at 5 PM ET every Sunday by volunteer diarists. This is a gathering place for people who are living with disabilities, who love someone with a disability, or who want to know more about the issues surrounding this topic. There are two parts to each diary. First, a volunteer diarist will offer their specific knowledge and insight about a topic they know intimately. Then, readers are invited to comment on what they've read and/or ask general questions about disabilities, share something they've learned, tell bad jokes, post photos, or rage about the unfairness of their situation. Our only rule is to be kind; trolls will be spayed or neutered.I wrote the kick-off diary for this group three years ago next month, and I have been the Sunday moderator almost every week since.
Many of us old-timers who considered KosAbility to be a labor of love have moved on. CJ (ulookarmless) passed away. Father John-Mark (jgilhousen) has a new ministry. Scottie Thomaston (formerly indiemcemopants) has a full-time job. Homogenius has a job and a busy life. Peter (plf515) is still an occasional contributor and remains my rock, but his business is growing. Me? I'm tired. Three years is a long time to give up every Sunday afternoon.
We've done great work with this group. Before KosAbility, you didn't see people getting donuts for comments like “retard” or “take your meds”. We earned a deserved place on the Daily Kos masthead, one of only five groups named as “Featured Groups”. Almost 1200 diaries bear the KosAbility tag, and most of our scheduled diaries have been on the site's Recommended List. A lot to be proud of; a great tradition for someone to carry forward.
That someone is my friend postmodernista. I was about to post a diary last week looking for a volunteer when Jill called me out of the blue and, when I told her what I was doing, she offered to take my place. It was as if the universe were handing me a gift! We're both here today, me to say goodbye and Jill to say hello to those who don't know her. I'll let her have the space below the squiggle to introduce herself.
I want to thank everyone in the community for helping make KosAbility such a success - our writers, our commenters, our moderators, and our board. You guys are the best of the best. ♥
