Images(3)

Quilt, Art

Object number2024.17.4

Made by Amy DeLancey Selders

Date2011

MediumFabric; Cotton; Thread; Ink; Plastic

Credit LineGift of Amy Selders

DescriptionRectangular fabric art quilt constructed of patterned fabrics and T-shirt sections. Corners are diagonal. Red border fabric. Perimeter band has patterned fabric at top, left, right, and bottom; each section has applied fabric letters and top section includes plastic buttons; each corner of the perimeter band has pieced square of patterned fabrics framing central T-shirt section with printed list of cities and dates. Central rectangular area has 21 sections; these sections include: T-shirt sections with printed designs and text, patterned fabrics with embroidered text, and pieced squares with patterned fabrics framing central T-shirt section with printed list of cities and dates. Reverse is same red fabric as the front's border.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 54.75 x 98.75 x 0.375 in. (139.1 x 250.8 x 1 cm)
InscriptionsApplied colored fabric text along perimeter at top "HOW DO YOU SPELL POWER? ADAPT", viewers' right "THE / WHOLE / WORLD / IS / WATCHING", bottom "PEOPLE ARE DYING SHAME ON YOU", and viewer's left "FREE / OUR / PEOPLE".

Pieced perimeter squares have printed black text:
Viewer's top left corner "Las Vegas 10/94 / Baltimore/D.C. 5/95 / Lansing 10/95 / Houston 5/96 / Atlanta 11/96 / Washington, D.C. 6/97 / Washington, D.C. 11/97 / Memphis 5/98 / Washington, D.C. 11/98";
VIewer's top right corner "Houston 5/96 / Atlanta 11/96 / Washington, D.C. 6/97 / Washington, D.C. 11/97 / Memphis 5/98 / Washington, D.C. 11/98 / Washington, D.C. 5/99 / Columbus, Ohio 11/99 / Washington, D.C. 6/00 / Washington, D.C. 10/00 / Washington, D.C. 5/01";
Viewer's bottom right corner "Baltimore/D.C. 5/95 / Lansing 10/95 / Houston 5/96 / Atlanta 11/96 / Washington, D.C. 6/97 / Washington, D.C. 11/97 / Memphis 5/98 / Washington, D.C. 11/98 / Washington, D.C. 5/99 / Columbus, Ohio 11/99";
Viewer's bottom left corner "ATLANTA 10/90 / BALTIMORE 4/91 / ORLANDO 10/91 / CHICAGO 6/92 / SAN FRANCISCO 10/92 / WASHINGTON, D.C. 5/93 / NASHVILLE 9/93 / WASHINGTON, D.C. 5/94 / LAS VEGAS 10/94".

Quilt square text, squares are recorded starting in the viewer's top left corner, moving from viewer's left to viewer's right, from top to bottom:
Printed blue text "POWER / THROUGH KNOWLEDGE / Celebrating / Human Diversity / 1997 INDEPENDENT / LIVING CONFERENCE";
Embroidered blue and cream text "OUR HOME / NOT / NURSING / HOMES";
Printed red text repeated eight times in circular pattern "A DISABILITY ODYSSEY 2001 MiCASSA" with central red and white printed text "FREE OUR PEOPLE / ADAPT";
Embroidered green and pink text "WHAT DO WE / WANT? / FREEDOM! / WHEN DO WE WANT IT? / NOW!";
Printed black text "ADAPT IS / "THE CURE" ";
Embroidered red text "I SAY / FREEDOM! / YOU SAY / NOW!";
Black printed text at top "Don't Tread on the ADA" and bottom "Integration NOT Segregation";
Embroidered orange text "ACCESS / IS A / CIVIL RIGHT";
Red printed text "Atlanta 10/90 / Baltimore 4/91 / Orlando 10/91 / Chicago 5/92 / San Francisco 10/92 / Washington, D.C. 5/93 / Nashville 9/93 / Washington, D.C. 5/94 / Las Vegas 10/94 / Baltimore/D.C. 5/95 / Lansing 10/95";
Embroidered blue text "FREE OUR BROTHERS / FREE OUR SISTERS / FREE OUR PEOPLE / NOW";
Orange printed text "BALTIMORE/D.C. 5/95 / LANSING 10/95 / HOUSTON 6/96 / ATLANTA 11/96 / WASHINGTON, D.C. 6/97 / WASHINGTON, D.C. 11/97 / MEMPHIS 5/98 / WASHINGTON, D.C. 11/98 / WASHINGTON, D.C. 5/99";
Embroidered purple text "The PEOPLE / UNITED / will NEVER be / DEFEATED";
Black printed text "Atlanta 10/90 / Baltimore 4/91 / Orlando 10/91 / Chicago 5/92 / San Francisco 10/92 / Washington, D.C. 5/93 / Nashville 9/93 / Washington, D.C. 5/94 / Las Vegas 10/94";
Embroidered yellow text "I'd RATHER GO TO JAIL / THAN TO DIE IN A / NURSING / HOME";
Printed black text repeated eight times in a circular pattern "REAL CHOICE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM" with central black and gray text "FREE OUR PEOPLE / ADAPT";
Embroidered pink text "HEY HO! / HO HO! / Nursing HOMES / HAVE GOT TO GO!";
Printed red and gray text at top "FREE OUR PEOPLE" and bottom "ADAPT / Don't Tread on the ADA";
Embroidered navy blue text "WE'RE / ADAPT / you're / TRAPPED / GET USED / TO IT!";
Printed gray text at top "FREE OUR PEOPLE" and bottom "ADAPT / CAMPAIGN FOR REAL CHOICE";
Embroidered yellow and white text "FREEDOM! / NOW! / FREEDOM! / NOW!";
Black printed text at top "LET FREEDOM RING" and black and gray text on the Liberty Bell including "ADAPT / FREE OUR PEOPLE".
MarksBlue embroidered text in the viewer's bottom right corner "AMY AND GIL 2011".
Historical NotesAmy DeLancey Selders is a disability rights advocate who worked at various Centers for Independent Living across the country. A native of Castle Shannon borough, Selders lives with Epilepsy, Lupus, Chronic Kidney Disease, hereditary Hemochromatosis, and Sjögren’s Syndrome. During her formative years, Selders observed the quilting tradition of her great-grandmother, who crafted quilts to celebrate family milestones. After completing her formal schooling, Selders worked as a Vista volunteer with Three Rivers Center for Independent Living (TRCIL) from 1990 to 1992. Here she received exposure to the tenets of the Independent Living Movement. The Independent Living Movement brought about a tectonic shift in the way people with mobility disabilities and complex support needs were supported in larger society. Formerly, these disabled individuals relied upon their families for home-based care and support. Personal homes frequently were not accessible for people with mobility disabilities. Individuals who encountered these barriers and did not have support at home were frequently sent to state-run institutions or nursing homes. Centers for Independent Living emerged from within the disability community as centers of advocacy and support to promote the transition of disabled individuals into community-based supported housing with appropriate attendant care. The Independent Living Movement centered the individual self-determination of disabled individuals to live independently. CILs also served as community centers and provided employment support. In 1998-1999, Selders began working for the Three Rivers Center for Independent Living (TRCIL) in Pittsburgh. Selders worked as a housing counselor, with the goal of transferring of people with mobility disabilities from nursing homes into community-based housing. In this role, Selders collaborated with the disabled individual to assess their support needs. Selders then worked to locate accessible housing within the confines of Section 8 housing. She also coordinated attendant care support for clients. This work was funded by a state Supportive Housing Demonstration Project grant. Selders worked for nine years at TRCIL. Selders incorporated her family legacy of quilting into her disability rights work. Selders created quilts that reflected facets of the Disability Rights Movement, including ADAPT and visitability. Selders is a self-taught quilter and experimented with different quilting patterns when creating a quilt honoring the Independent Living Movement. Selders also worked on short-term contract positions for numerous CILs across the country, including in San Jose, Chicago, San Matteo, Indianapolis, and San Francisco. Selders incorporated quilting into her outreach work at CILs. Selders is credited with leading the first Disability Pride parade, which took place in Chicago in 2004. Selders worked with disabled students from Chicago Public Schools on topics such as disability culture, life skills and financial training. Selders was also active in American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT), an activist organization within the Independent Living Movement. Selders participated in multiple ADAPT demonstrations, known as National Action events. Selders has a particular fondness for disability rights advocate Justin Dart, Jr., who helped to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act and is regarded as the “Godfather of the ADA.” An uptick in seizures prompted Selders to retire from her professional work.