Occupy niche awesomeness

Disability-rights activist, karaoke enthusiast, budding improv performer—Russell Rawlings spends his days in Sacramento flying by the seat of his pants. That may sound insensitive for a wheelchair-bound man who's lived with cerebral palsy his entire life, but the disarmingly friendly Rawlings isn't easily wounded. The 36-year-old Texas native is the president of Disability Organizing Group For Initiating Total Equality—or DOGFITE—a self-described “consumer-run advocacy group” that confronts systemic disability issues across the greater Sacramento Valley. Rawlings also juggles a crazy-busy social calendar and wears his passions on his sleeve, sometimes literally. Encasing his forearm, for instance, is a tattooed illustration of the “green guy” from the cover of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. “I do suppose I've just given away that I am a sci-fi nerd and a sucker for literary tattoos,” he said. “Whoops.” Rawlings paused just long enough to share his thoughts on Occupy Wall Street, improv comedy and Sacramento's bike lanes.

Can you talk a bit about your disability?

I have cerebral palsy—the sexiest of the palsies, as per comedian Josh Blue—so, I guess you could say that I have brain damage. Cerebral-cortex damage, to be specific. When I was born, one of my lungs failed to inflate, so birth trauma is likely the culprit. In 1977, these types of things were much harder to detect. Nothing was discernibly wrong until I reached the age of ambulation and didn't quite get the hang of it.

How easy is it for you to navigate downtown? Are there shortcuts and passageways only you know about?

The grid is amazingly accessible, honestly. It's funny, but when I lived in Midtown, I never gave thought to shortcuts and passageways, but now that I'm living in Oak Park, I discovered a whole new world: bike lanes. Sidewalks can be unpredictably uneven, but ever since bike lanes started popping up everywhere, I've found it makes trips faster and smoother.

Your friends say you’re quite the man about town. Do you consider yourself a social butterfly?

I blame my wildly varied interests for this one. Karaoke and a preclusion for spending far too much time in coffee shops are the primary activities to blame, but I do simply enjoy trying to find niche awesomeness anywhere it is to be found. Truthfully, I'm probably more akin to a social caterpillar—one of the extremely funky-colored ones that everyone remembers seeing.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?

The Dead Milkmen's “Punk Rock Girl” because … it's something I can belt over crowd noise and manage to pull off at various levels of intoxication. It's both obscure and identifiable, something I enjoy.

You also dabble in comedy. How’d that start?

As of last summer, this is true. I've been taking improv classes at the [Sacramento] Comedy Spot, and I've enjoyed the hell out of it. It's a terrific community, and [owner] Brian Crall has designed the most wheelchair-accessible stage I have ever seen.

What do you talk about onstage?

Well, it's improv, so anything and everything is fair game—in other words, dick and fart jokes. I'm beginning to spend a fair amount of time thinking of ways to be more physical with the chair on a stage that's just a few feet deep.

You’re also a pretty visible activist who’s been arrested a few times. Just what are you rebelling against?

I was, like many, quite taken with the energy of the Occupy Wall Street movement. While I've certainly toned down my visible activism, I'm still looking for ways to challenge and push at the capitalistic status quo. I really wouldn't consider myself rebellious, but rather a conscious agitator. I do believe in incremental change through education.

Last time you got arrested?

My last arrest was December 8, 2011, for violating Sacramento City Code 12.72.090: “Remaining or loitering in parks during certain hours prohibited.” All of these charges were dismissed in June 2012.

What’s the best way to be taken into police custody?

I wouldn't know! But I can tell you that the best way to avoid being taken into custody is to require [the use of] a large mobility device. I can't advise testing this theory extensively, but it seems to work quite well when violating silly ordinances that prevent the public from using public space.

You’re also a member of the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute, which aims for more diversity in politics. Do you have political aspirations?

More specifically, the BCLI promotes diversity in boards and commissions. I personally don't think of the average board member or commissioner as a politician, but I suppose there are definitely some that are. I don't believe that I have political aspirations per se, but I do have a very strong desire to help steer and direct public policy toward healthy, smart decisions that give an equitable voice to all members of the community. … If a political career is the result, it will only be in pursuit of that goal.