Â鶹¶ÌÊÓƵ

Still Standing: Dean Kahler and Disability Rights examines the legacy of May 4, 1970, through the life and activism of Dean Kahler, one of nine students wounded during the Â鶹¶ÌÊÓƵ State shootings. Paralyzed by a bullet fired by the Ohio National Guard, Kahler transformed personal trauma into a lifelong commitment to disability rights, peace, public service, and democratic engagement.

 

The exhibition features archival photographs, personal artifacts, original artwork, and interpretive content. Design and display fabrication by Â鶹¶ÌÊÓƵ Interior Design students in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design incorporates accessible, disability-friendly display strategies throughout the gallery. Additional interpretation and interactives have been designed by students in the School of Peace and Conflict Studies.

 

To enhance the May 4 Visitors Center's outreach efforts related to Dean Kahler, the Center commissioned a comic that illustrates Dean's tenets through the lens of disability and advocacy. The exhibition now features artwork by Cleveland illustrator and comic creator John G., whose work draws on his own life experiences to interpret these themes. A longtime contributor to Northeast Ohio's arts and comics communities, in addition to comic books like Lake Erie Monster, John is known for his autobiographical illustrations that explore disability, accessibility, and inclusion.