Flightless by Framing The Future

Turning Pages:

Flightless

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We are a group of uninvited settlers residing on the unceded and stolen territories of the sc̓ əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Kwantlen, Stz'uminus, and xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) Peoples, and what is colonially known as British Columbia. We continue to directly benefit from Settler Colonialism and the ongoing genocide, assimilation, and extermination of Indigenous Peoples from their own land in Canada.

author's note The premise of this story stems from a conversation I had with my little sister. I mentioned in the conversation that chickens can’t fly in the way we normally understand flying; they can hover a few seconds before they drop to the ground. My sister responded with something that in retrospect was quite absurd, but nevertheless provocative; she asked me, “If a bird can't fly, is it even a bird?” Obviously the term “bird” is a informal way of addressing a class of mammals, regardless of whether or not they can fly, but in our day-to-day lives we’ve been accustomed to attributing the ability to fly with birds, so much so that whenever we see a flying animal in the air, we immediately assume it’s a bird. In the same way, we attribute such labels to each other as well. As a society, we often assume that everyone can walk, that everyone can hold things, that everyone can read/write and attend school. To walk, eat, and learn, in our lens, is to be human. Everyone who doesn’t fit this mold seems subhuman to us, either consciously or subconsciously, as they do not fit our general understanding of what a human should be. This book at its core is an extended metaphor of ableism, and it illustrates how we ought to redefine how we understand ability and recognize those who are not included in our societal view of what a human is able to do. Everyone who’s born human is human, and each of us have our individual flaws and superpowers. We have a lot to learn from each other, and it is my hope that this book inspires readers to rethink their understanding of disability, less so as an illness but rather as another way of approaching life.

dedication I dedicate this book to my little brother, Moses, who is my inspiration for the character, Kiwi.

Every year, on the first of August, Robin and

Fincher go out and hunt for bugs in the trees.

ROBIN ROBIN ROBIN, are you ready to fly today?

I don’t know Fincher, you look like you hurt your wing.

And you look like a slowpoke. Catch me if you can!

The two soar through the air. Fincher loves to show off. He does many spectacular tricks and stunts.

Robin, did you see that?! And that?! And that?!

For his biggest trick yet, Fincher dives through a crowded row of socks

Hey Robin! Check this out!

Fincher! Look out! The window-

Fincher! Are you okay? Yeah, I’m fine!

That didn’t hurt at all.

Fincher was not fine.

His wing was stiff and heavy. 6

Alright, if you’re feeling okay, we should just go back home. You ready, Fincher?

Totally!

Fincher jumps up and down,

furiously flapping his wings. 8

What are you doing? I-I can't fly.

Oh no, oh no, I can’t fly! Why can’t I fly? I CAN’T FLY! What if the other birds don’t want to be friends with me anymore?

If I can’t fly, then what can I do? I can’t go fishing, I can’t play catch, I can’t swim, I can’t go to my favourite places, I can’tBut if I can’t fly, am I even a bird?

I still want to be friends with you.

Fincher, you’re the coolest bird I’ve ever met, and your ability to fly doesn’t change that.

robin hugs Fincher. Fincher, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.

The two birds waddle to a nearby lake, where they see another bird pecking away at the ground.

Hey, Kiwi!

Hey, Robin! Who’s that? It’s my friend, Fincher.

What are you doing? Food? But good food is only found in trees. You should just fly up and get some.

Oh, I’m just getting some food for today’s dinner.

Oh, I can’t fly. That’s why I’m here picking food from the ground. I call it my grub spot! Here, try some.

Wow, this is delicious! I’ve never tasted anything this good.

Yeah, not being able to fly helps me appreciate the ground below me.

Don’t you ever feel bad that you can’t fly?

Nope, I’m a bird, not a pair of wings. There’s so much I can do without having to fly around.

Huh, I guess so.

I’m glad I met you, Kiwi. It feels good to know other birds like me. Sure! How about you, Robin? Are you going to get some worms from the trees? Are you kidding? Of course not! Flying is overrated anyways.

Thanks, Fincher! Hey, I know a place with a lot more grub spots. You can come along if you’d like?

Kiwi, Robin, and Fincher continue to explore the forest floor,

and together they have plenty of meals and adventures.

After a long while, Fincher’s wing finally began to heal, but even then, Fincher decides to stay grounded. He has learned that there is nothing wrong with being flightless.

acknowledgements We acknowledge that our team consists of people who are complicit and involved in our ableist society. We are learning and striving to be better advocates.

We would like to thank Andrea Lam, and Minaho Chiew for providing feedback and reviewing this book.

Huge appreciation also goes out to TakingITGlobal, the Government of Canada, and the Canada Service Corps for generously funding our projects! Learn more about the RisingYouth grants and apply for your own youth-led project at www.risingyouth.ca! Framing The Future Presidents: Mary Ortega, Asra Fatima Writer: Syndio Chun Illustrator: Siu Sum Yuen Marketing: Minahil Chaudhry, Kennice Wong, Siu Sum Yuen Outreach Leader: Tayla Barbosa Editors: Silvia Li, Nika Roven

Ableism: Systemic discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities based of the belief that normatiabilities are superior.

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Fincher loves showing off his flying tricks to his best friend, Robin. One day, while showing off one of his biggest tricks, Fincher goes through an unfortunate accident. How will Fincher deal with this unexpected outcome?

Flightless is the third book in our Turning Pages project. This book is an extended metaphor of ableism; please see the author's note for more context. With this book, we hope to raise awareness and encourage readers to challenge the biases that can rise when we assume that everyone is able-bodied.

Who Are We? Framing The Future (previously known as Helping Hands) is a youth-led charitable organization based in Richmond, BC. Our mission is to provide youth with the proper knowledge and resources on social and humanitarian issues. By empowering fellow youth through our local and global service projects, we strive to encourage them to make positive changes in their communities

To learn more about Turning Pages, or to read more of our other books, scan the QR code below.