A community celebration has turned into a call for justice after a special bench dedicated to the disabled community was stolen from behind the Maya Angelou Library in south Stockton, just weeks after its installation.
The ivy-green bench, honoring famed disability rights advocate Helen Keller, was unveiled in late June during a ceremony attended by local dignitaries, community leaders, and members of the San Joaquin Lions Club. Now, the bench is gone without a trace.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Jennifer Gass, a leader of the San Joaquin Lions Club and an advocate for the blind community. “Who would do this to our disabled people, to our library? It’s really discouraging.”…