Event Spotlight | How to Survive Techno-Hellscapes: On Crip Wisdom and Critique

Cross-posted on the DSI website

by Lauren Brace

Panelists Beza Merid, Leah Lakshimi Piepzna, Christa Teston, and The Cyborg Jillian Weise share their expertise in navigating the current digital world as disability activists.

French philosopher Gilles Deleuze redefined health “not as a cure, not as wholeness, but as the small spark that lets us live, create, and connect even in or through illness or pain.” For those who live with chronic illness or disability, it becomes necessary to reframe health not as a life without pain, but rather a process of finding fulfillment despite the obstacles.

Panelist Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha quoted Deleuze’s definition of health during the virtual event, “How to Survive Techno-Hellscapes: On Crip Wisdom and Critique,” which was hosted by the DISCO Network and Digital Accessible Futures Lab (DAF Lab) on Oct. 16, 2025. Piepzna-Samarasinha was joined by panelists Beza Merid, Christa Teston, and The Cyborg Jillian Weise (Cy)*. Together, the panelists shared their expertise from both scholarship and lived experiences, weaving a path forward in a world where health standards are based on an imaginary “norm” rather than considering the real, whole population.

Despite the progress we’ve made in medical science, many practices remain outdated. We should know by now that calculating someone’s health based on Body Mass Index (BMI) fails to account for the thousands of other factors beyond height and weight. Especially for disabled people, some unique challenges cannot be defined by a simple formula. Cy, for example, identifies as a cyborg in the literal sense of the word, as Cy’s right leg is a machine with a computerized knee. Cy shared, “While learning how to walk may seem basic, I’m staring at your knees, totally mesmerized by all of you who can walk.” 

Disability activists are constantly fighting for their voices to be heard, hoping that their shared stories can help others understand their battles. Many disabilities make it difficult for individuals to regularly leave their homes. To find solace in this isolation, Cy and Merid invest more time in the arts by listening to music or writing poetry. For Piepzna-Samarashinha, it’s crucial to find community wherever and whenever possible. Piepzna-Samarashinha said that “Community is not just a group of people who magically get along,” but rather a collective of individuals who find commonalities across differences and work together to accomplish their goals. 

Establishing a community online has become a lifeline for disabled people in physical isolation. Piepzna-Samarashinha explained that they have been able to “hack” social media to share their work, using different platforms to participate in movements and find connections with others. Dedicated Facebook groups, Reddit threads, and Discord servers are designed for the disabled community to meet up in a virtual space. Chatting virtually may not solve every problem, but online communities provide a crucial space for disabled people to share their experiences with others who can understand what they’re going through. 

Merid encourages his students to “identify inequity, especially when it doesn’t directly impact them.” Each individual has their own set of needs; no technology is universally helpful. We’re faced with a balancing act—weighing the benefits against the harms of newer technology and finding realistic compromises. Redefining health and falling back on community support can provide a path through the techno-hellscape. 

*Beza Merid is an Assistant Professor of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Racial Justice in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society (SFIS) at Arizona State University. 

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is a poet, writer, educator, and social activist. 

Christa Teston, Ph.D., is Professor of English in the Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy program at The Ohio State University. 

The Cyborg Jillian Weise (Cy) is a poet, novelist, video artist, disability rights activist, and an Associate Professor of English at Florida State University.