A review by mollysmith1313
Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw: Reimagining Success as a Disabled Achiever by Eddie Ndopu

5.0

I’ve heard it said that “privilege isn't the presence of perks and benefits. It's the absence of obstacles and barriers. That's a lot harder to notice.” This book is a must read for anyone who wants to better understand just a few of the innumerable obstacles and barriers people with disabilities face, especially those with mobility issues. Eddie sharing his most humiliating moments should make us all feel uncomfortable and propel us to better pay attention and advocate for human rights as they apply to children and adults with disabilities. And Eddie’s experiences highlight to me why we shouldn’t just change things in one place for a short amount of time as an accommodation. We need to reconsider the design and accessibility for everything, all the time, permanently. Schools, cafeterias, dorm rooms, apartments, transportation, restaurants, movie theaters, hotels, etc. And my heart bubbled with joy when reading about all the moments that “make life worth living” for Eddie, including his accomplishments and his incredible support system. This book maybe only took me about 7 hours to read total, but I can assure you, I will be pondering all the things this book makes me think about for many years to come. I’m so glad to have a colorful hardcover copy on my bookshelf to revisit. Thank you for being vulnerable with the world, Eddie. You shouldn’t have sacrifice your privacy and disclose so much of your personal hardships to gain support for your rights and the causes you are so passionate about. But I’m glad you did, so others in experiencing similar struggles know they aren’t alone, but also so this privileged upright and uprights all over the world could learn from it and be better and do better.