Kalamazoo Library Launches #DWord Book Club for Disability Awareness

The new book club aims to change the conversation around disabilities and promote inclusivity.

Feb. 9, 2026 at 7:47pm

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The Kalamazoo Public Library has partnered with Disability Network Southwest Michigan to launch the #DWord Book Club, a quarterly book club focused on disability-themed books written by disabled authors. The club was created by Jade Woodridge, the manager of the library's Alma Powell Branch, who wanted to provide a space for discussions around disabilities and impediments after her own personal experiences. The club will read and discuss books like "Disability Intimacy" by Alice Wong and "I Will Die on This Hill" by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards.

Why it matters

The #DWord Book Club aims to change the narrative around disabilities, which are often stigmatized or seen as a "bad word." By centering the perspectives of disabled authors and creating a community space for these discussions, the club hopes to promote greater understanding, empathy and inclusivity for people with disabilities.

The details

The #DWord Book Club is a partnership between the Kalamazoo Public Library and Disability Network Southwest Michigan. The club was created by Jade Woodridge, the manager of the library's Alma Powell Branch, who wanted to provide a space for discussions around disabilities and impediments after her own personal experiences with stuttering. The club will read and discuss books by disabled authors covering a range of disability experiences, including "Disability Intimacy" by Alice Wong, "Convenience Store Woman" by Sayaka Murata, "I Will Die on This Hill" by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards, and "So Lucky" by Nicola Griffith.

  • The #DWord Book Club was launched in 2024.

The players

Jade Woodridge

The manager of the Kalamazoo Public Library's Alma Powell Branch who created the #DWord Book Club after exploring books about stuttering and other disabilities.

Max Hornick

The Community Education Coordinator at Disability Network Southwest Michigan, which partnered with the library on the #DWord Book Club.

Disability Network Southwest Michigan

A nonprofit organization that partnered with the Kalamazoo Public Library to launch the #DWord Book Club.

Kalamazoo Public Library

The public library system in Kalamazoo, Michigan that is hosting the #DWord Book Club.

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What they’re saying

“D-word, obviously, in this context does not mean a swear word, it means the word disability. And so, for us it's really important that the conversation is led by people with disabilities, so we chose books by disabled authors from different backgrounds.”

— Max Hornick, Community Education Coordinator, Disability Network Southwest Michigan

“I am a person who stutters, so I was exploring stuttering and I did a lot of reading. It had been years since I have confronted it, so I have read a lot and I wanted to provide space to read books about impediments and disabilities and just have that discussion because I thought it was really beneficial.”

— Jade Woodridge, Manager, Kalamazoo Public Library's Alma Powell Branch

What’s next

The #DWord Book Club will continue to meet quarterly to read and discuss books by disabled authors that explore a range of disability experiences.

The takeaway

The #DWord Book Club represents an important effort to change the narrative around disabilities, which are too often stigmatized or seen as a "bad word." By centering the perspectives of disabled authors and creating a community space for these discussions, the club aims to promote greater understanding, empathy and inclusivity for people with disabilities.