HAT Talk: Living with a Brain Injury by Ambrese Montagu

The Humanist Association of Toronto
http://www.humanisttoronto.ca/

Every Saturday we meet on Zoom to discuss a topic decided upon the previous week. These are topics of humanist interest, from a humanist perspective.

The topic of the discussion will be decided in a prior meeting, usually two weeks in advance.

This week we will be hosting a HAT talk by member Ambrese Jessica Montagu, telling her very personal story about living with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), following by a Q&A session and general discussion.
By Ambrese:
To have an ABI is to wake up in a world that suddenly treats you as “less than.” The injury may be invisible, but the stigma is not. People often recoil—not from the injury itself, but from the changes it brings: slower speech, emotional volatility, memory lapses, or a different way of thinking. Some respond with discomfort, impatience, or even cruelty, as if your altered brain makes you unworthy of respect.
ABI doesn’t erase personhood—it reveals it. It exposes the fragility of identity, the resilience of the spirit, and the urgent need for compassion. The struggle isn’t just neurological; it’s social. It’s the fight to be seen, heard, and valued in a world that often fears what it doesn’t understand.
ABI doesn’t just alter cognition—it disrupts lives. Individuals with ABI often face a double burden: the neurological challenges of recovery, and the social rejection that follows. Many are met with impatience, discrimination, or outright hostility—not because of who they are, but because of how their injury changes how they speak, behave, or process the world.
This is a human rights issue.
Policymakers and others should arguably recognize that ABI is not a character flaw—it’s a medical condition with profound social consequences. Without inclusive policies, people with ABI are pushed to the margins: denied employment, misunderstood in healthcare, excluded from community life. The lack of awareness and support systems perpetuates cycles of isolation and poverty.
A human-centered policy response means:

• Funding accessible rehabilitation and long-term support
• Training frontline workers to recognize and accommodate ABI
• Enforcing anti-discrimination protections in workplaces and public services
• Creating public education campaigns to reduce stigma

People with ABI deserve more than survival—they deserve dignity, opportunity, and full participation in society. We are human beings and this could happen to you too.

Meet our diverse group, trade perspectives in a free and open forum and learn from others as they learn from you!

BTW: don't be concerned if there are not many RSVP’s. Many HAT members attend regularly but don’t sign up on Meetup. Our online meetings have been very popular with 20-30 attendees.

NOTE: The HAT Forum adheres strictly to the City of Toronto Policy on Non-Discrimination (http://www.the519.org/public/content/policy-files/The519SpaceUsePolicy.pdf)

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