Disability Inclusion Toolkit

DISABILITY INCLUSION Toolkit BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE MULTICULTURAL RESOURCE CENTER & STUDENT ASSOCIATION DISABILITY SERVICES

RESOURCE TOOLKIT FOR THE UALBANY COMMUNITY The Multicultural Resource Center in collaboration with the Student Association Disability Services has created a toolkit that provides a host of resources to help you explore, plan, communicate, and engage in dialogue on disability justice.

This toolkit contains links to videos, photos, articles, and shared folder to be used at the University at Albany to explore the intersections and experience of people with disability both historically and in American life today, while also sharing the various ways our Student Association Disabilities Services collaborates with the Office of Intercultural Student Engagement.

Figure 1 Disability Inclusion Toolkit logo

1. Getting Started a. What is DDAM? b. Awareness Month Theme 2. Getting Involved a. SA Disability Services b. What is Disability Justice? c. Disability Awareness films d. Disability Etiquette and Awareness 3. Taking Action a. Resources and further information b. Week of Action 3/2024 c. Shared Resource Folder, click here.

Figure 1. The logo that will be used to unify our efforts in educating and raising awareness about inclusion and addressing the barriers people with disabilities face to ensure everyone has equal access to opportunities in all aspects of life.

The Disability Inclusion Toolkit presents the four major types of disability: physical, developmental, behavioral, emotional, and sensory impaired disorders. The logo's sign language 1 and 3 symbolize the estimated 1.3 billion people with significant disabilities. This represents 16% of the world's population or 1 in 6.

WHAT IS DISABILITY? It is important to remember that in the context of the ADA, “disability” is a legal term rather than a medical one. Because it has a legal definition, the ADA’s definition of disability is different from how disability is defined under some other laws, such as for Social Security Disabilityrelated benefits.

The ADA defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability. The ADA also makes it

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Figure 2 March is developmental disabilities awareness month with a blue ribbon.

unlawful to discriminate against a person based on that person’s association with a person with a disability.

WHAT IS DDAM? March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. It’s a nationwide event to raise awareness about inclusion and address the barriers people with developmental disabilities face to ensure everyone has equal access to opportunities in all aspects of life.

This is a key awareness month for DSHS Developmental Disabilities Administration. “It aligns with our mission and the work we do every day,” said Shaw Seaman, a DDA office chief who oversees provider compliance, quality assurance, and communications.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan made a public proclamation – dedicating the month to increasing public awareness of the needs and potential of Americans with developmental disabilities. The goal is the same today and focuses on the importance of inclusion and living life side-by-side. To learn more, click here.

The 2023 theme is Beyond the Conversation, focusing on the question, “what next?”

STUDENT ASSOCIATION DISABILITY SERVICES (S.A.D.S.) The department advocates for the student body by pushing for more accessibility on campus, from asking for ways to make campus easier to navigate physically to raising awareness of disability needs on campus. They communicate with outside groups to invite them on campus to share their experiences and with campus administrators to share the needs or complaints students bring to their attention.

Director: sadisablityservices@albany.edu Location: Campus Center West B84

Instagram: @sads.ua

Figure 3 purple and gold student association logo.

The department oversees our Developmental Disability Awareness month with the support of multiple Student Affairs offices.

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DISABILITY ACCESS & INCLUSION STUDENT SERVICES (D.A.I.S.S.) Disability Access and Inclusion Student Services (DAISS) supports and empowers students by cultivating an accessible and inclusive living and learning environment at the University at Albany. Note: Their office was formerly called the Disability Resource Center (DRC).

We take a student-centered approach while determining reasonable accommodations, teaching college skills, fostering self-advocacy, and educating the UAlbany community.

Students registered with DAISS should log into Accommodate for all requests related to approved accommodations, including accessing your letters and signing up for exams.

To schedule an appointment or register with DAISS, click here.

HOW TO BEGIN DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES AT UALBANY 1. Review the Office of Disability Access and Inclusion Student Services (DAISS) webpage for information.

2. Complete the Registration form here.

3. Students should keep a copy of all disability documents and their accommodation plan. It may be helpful in graduate school or professional licensure.

4. Students are encouraged to stay in touch with DAISS while at UAlbany.

HOW TO MAKE ACCESSIBLE, INCLUSIVE SELFINTRODUCTIONS The process of introductions during group gatherings are an important way to ensure a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible experience for all. Here is a recommended overview of what to share when introducing yourself.

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Name Role Pronouns (Click here for guidance on personal pronouns) Land Acknowledgement (UAlbany Campus Land Acknowledgement https://www.albany.edu/about/land-acknowledgement o Land acknowledgments can be spoken at the beginning of public and private gatherings, from school programs and sporting events to town halls. Making a land acknowledgment should be motivated by genuine respect and support for Native Peoples.

Brief description of your visual appearance and surroundings. People without vision disabilities take in a lot of visual information about the people and environment around them. To offer context and access for all, provide a brief (a few sentences) visual description of yourself.

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You may choose to describe your gender identity, race or ethnicity, skin color, hair color and style, whether you have facial hair, what clothing and jewelry you’re wearing, and a short description of your background. (Example: I am a Black woman with straight brown hair and round red glasses wearing a blue shirt. Behind me is a gray wall with several framed pictures next to a bookshelf.)

Access check-in. If you feel comfortable, sharing your access needs can ensure they are met. No one should be forced to share their needs, but sharing them helps to destigmatize them. You might say things such as: • • • • •

“For accessibility, I need people to speak up and keep their hands away from their mouths when they speak.”

“I need people to say their names before they speak.”

“I may have the camera off occasionally because I need regular short breaks.”

“My access needs are taken care of because there is captioning today.”

“All my access needs are met.”

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA is divided into five titles (or sections) that relate to different areas of public life.

In 2008, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) was signed into law and became effective on January 1, 2009. The ADAAA made several significant changes to the definition of “disability.” The changes in the definition of disability in the ADAAA apply to all titles of the ADA, including Title I (employment practices of private employers with 15 or more employees, state and local governments, employment agencies, labor unions, agents of the employer and joint management labor committees); Title II (programs and activities of state and local government entities); and Title III (private entities that are considered places of public accommodation).

To learn more, click here.

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SOCIAL JUSTICE: WHAT’S DISABILITY GOT TO DO WITH IT? Advocates from the disability community highlight why a disability lens is essential to all our social justice work and what you can do to accelerate our collective impact and build a fully inclusive world. To watch the video, click here.

Additional resources: • Why disability rights are central to social justice work – and what we’re doing about it https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/stories/posts/why-disability-rights-arecentral-to-social-justice-work-and-what-we-re-doing-about-it/ • Disability and social justice https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09687599.2016.1256273 • Social Justice Must Intersect with Disability Rights https://givingcompass.org/article/social-justice-must-intersect-with-disability-rights • SustainED Toolkits - https://sustainedglobal.org/disability-justice-toolkits

WHAT IS DISABILITY JUSTICE? Disability Justice centers intersectionality and the ways diverse systems of oppression amplify and reinforce one another.

The term “disability justice” is often used interchangeably with terms such as “disability rights” and “disability inclusion.” Yet it’s important to recognize that “disability justice” refers to a very specific framework of thinking about disability.

Disability inclusion is a broad term to describe approaches to advance access and inclusion for disabled people. A disability justice approach centers the priorities and approaches of those most historically excluded groups, such as women, people of color, immigrants, and people who identify as LGBTQ+. To learn more, click here.

Figure 4 Illustrator: Micah Bazant, three people holding signs for disability justice.

Additional resources: • Moving From Disability Rights to Disability Justice - https://wid.org/moving-fromdisability-rights-to-disability-justice/ • Disability Justice Self-Study Guide - https://students.wustl.edu/disability-justice-selfstudy-guide/

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Disability Justice Strategies – an introduction - https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/1disability-justice-strategies-introduction The Story of One Union’s Journey Toward Disability Justice: Expanding Our Beliefs and Demands for Inclusive Education - https://rethinkingschools.org/articles/the-storyof-one-unions-journey-toward-disability-justice/

WHAT IS DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION? Disability discrimination is when you are treated less well or put at a disadvantage for a reason that relates to your disability in one of the situations covered by the Equality Act. The treatment could be a one-off action, the application of a rule or policy or the existence of physical or communication barriers which make accessing something difficult or impossible.

The discrimination does not have to be intentional to be unlawful.

To learn more, click here.

DISABILITY TERMINOLOGY Our words matter. How we choose to write and speak about people has the power to help or hinder efforts to create inclusive experiences and a culture respectful of all.

Many commonly used words hold negative connotations that the speaker may be unaware of.

Becoming familiar with these words — and their appropriate alternatives — is essential for everyone.

For a list of words or phrases to avoid, what to use instead, and a short rationale for each, click here.

Additional resources: • •

Figure 5 Pink, blue and grey. Tips on disability etiquette.

Disability is not a dirty word; ‘handicapable’ should be retired https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2019/04/23/disability-is-not-a-dirty-word-handi-capableshould-be-retired/ When talking to and about individuals with disabilities, it is important to use language that reflects dignity and respect. - https://www.freewheelchairmission.org/person-firstlanguage/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw3a2iBhCFARIsAD4jQB1znWuKBRTMT2zzmjvkxeS7MaQ cuIacdMm-pWfxL6rwQFWostPrATYaAibjEALw_wcB

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Figure 6 Judy Heumann in a blue blouse with purple and blue flowers. Lighted background

“Disabled” vs “Disability”: Which Term to Use When Referring to People with Disabilities https://udservices.org/which-term-use-people-with-disabilities/

JUDY HEUMANN | DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATE Judith (Judy) Heumann is a lifelong advocate for the rights of disabled people. She contracted polio in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York and began to use a wheelchair for her mobility. She was denied the right to attend school because she was considered a “fire hazard” at the age of five. Her parents played a strong role in fighting for her rights as a child, but Judy soon determined that she, working in collaboration with other disabled people, had to play an advocacy role due to continuous discrimination. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • The Life and Legacy of “The Mother” of the Disability Rights Movement https://judithheumann.com/project/about/ •

Judy Heumann: ‘Crip Camp’ didn’t win Oscar, but it’s still a win for people with disabilities - https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2021/04/23/why-oscarnominated-crip-camp-victory-disability-rights-column/7333682002/

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO CHANGED THE WORLD Disabled people are often overlooked for their accomplishments. Even if you did learn about some of these people in school or elsewhere, you may not have known they were members of the disability community.

Fannie Lou Hamer, Stephen Hawking, Thomas Edison, Sojourner Truth, and many more.

Figure 7 blue and white images of different disabilities with Native American concept

NATIVE AMERICAN CONCEPTS OF DISABILITY “Everything in Nature goes in curves and circles.”

Native American culture has a very different concept of reality than dominant western culture as the Iroquois Elder explained in the above quote. Native Americans as a culture are comfortable with the idea that reality is inherently chaotic and believe that true health comes from “finding balance in chaos…truth is not a fixed point, but rather an ever evolving point of balance, perpetually created and perpetually new.”[2] These beliefs are sometimes phrased

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as “Metaphoric Ontology,” or plainly, they deny the existence of a single perspective or interpretation. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • Improving Outcomes for Native American Students with Disabilities While Respecting and Honoring Native Culture - https://sites.ed.gov/osers/2022/12/improving-outcomesfor-native-american-students-with-disabilities-while-respecting-and-honoring-nativeculture/ • Native American Disability Law Center: Empowering Native People with Disabilities https://www.nativedisabilitylaw.org/ Figure 8 Alice Wong in a blue multicolored shirt and grey background

DISABLITY VISIBILTY PROJECT Alice Wong (she/her) is a disabled activist, writer, media maker, and consultant. She is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture created in 2014.

Alice is also a co-partner in four projects: DisabledWriters.com, a resource to help editors connect with disabled writers and journalists, #CripLit, a series of Twitter chats for disabled writers with novelist Nicola Griffith, #CripTheVote, a nonpartisan online movement encouraging the political participation of disabled people with co-partners Andrew Pulrang and Gregg Beratan, and Access Is Love with co-partners Mia Mingus and Sandy Ho, a campaign that aims to help build a world where accessibility is understood as an act of love instead of a burden or an afterthought.

Alice’s areas of interest are popular culture, media, politics, disability representation, Medicaid policies and programs, storytelling, social media, and activism.

She has been published in the New York Times, Vox, PEN America, Catalyst, Syndicate Network, Uncanny Magazine, Curbed SF, Eater, Bitch Media, Teen Vogue, Transom, Making Contact Radio, and Rooted in Rights. To learn more, click here.

Additional Resources: • An Evening with Alice Wong https://www.youtube.com/live/fBe2OSCb4EE?feature=share • Activist Alice Wong reflects on The Year of the Tiger and her hopes for 2023 https://www.npr.org/2023/02/04/1153937530/activist-alice-wong-lunar-new-year-yearof-the-tiger-rabbit

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THE NORA PROJECT Their mission is to promote disability inclusion by empowering educators and engaging students and communities.

The Nora Project trains and coaches educators and offers a suite of SEL programs that dive deeply into the concepts of empathy and inclusion, explicitly addressing disability and difference as a part of human diversity. To learn more, click here.

The Nora Project Resources: • Tips for Creating an Accessible Halloween for All • 10 Tips for Hosting an Accessible Holiday Gathering • Models of Disability: The Medical, Social, and Biopsychosocial

Figure 9 Blue, grey, and red. A cartoon character addressing the A-Z of Disability Etiquette.

DISABILITY ETIQUETTE AND AWARENESS Etiquette and awareness refer to educating people regarding disabilities and terminology or languages. The biggest barriers people with disabilities encounter are most often - other people - Disability Etiquette and Awareness.

Additional resources: • 10 Ways to Be Inclusive https://www.easterseals.com/support-andeducation/facts-about-disability/helpfulhints.html WHEELCHAIR ETIQUETTE

The first rule of etiquette when interacting with people in wheelchairs, or power chairs, is to remember that one should not focus on their disability. Instead, focus on the person.

Another rule of etiquette is the act of shaking hands, even if their limbs are limited in use.

Focus on the person, not on his or her disability - Wheelchair Etiquette.

Additional resources: • Wheelchair Users Poll o Poll asks people who use wheelchairs what annoys them most - Things That Annoy People Who Use Wheelchairs.

WE SEE COLORS DIFFERENTLY About 1 in 20 people are colorblind in some way. This means that one or more of the types of cone cells in their eyes — the cells we use to detect color — does not work normally. Because of this, a person who is colorblind sees a reduced color space; two colors which appear distinct to a person with normal color vision may appear to be the same to a person who is colorblind. This phenomenon is not random. Mathematically, there are lines through color space — called "confusion lines" — such that every color on a confusion line appears the same to a person who is colorblind as every other color on that same confusion line. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • Designing for Color Blindness - http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/colorblind/palettes.mhtml • Why Your Data Visualizations Should Be Colorblind-Friendly https://towardsdatascience.com/is-your-color-palette-stopping-you-from-reaching-yourgoals-bf3b32d2ac49 WHEN YOU MEET A PERSON WHO IS BLIND

Visually impaired people, whether they are totally blind or have some degree of useful vision may, at times, require the assistance of a sighted guide. For the sake of simplicity, the term "blind person" is used in this booklet to refer to the person who is being guided, whether totally blind or partially sighted. Tips on meeting a blind person including when to offer assistance and awareness hints for helping the blind - When You Meet a Blind Person.

Additional resources: • Language of Disability Awareness o How do I address a person who is blind? Can I ask about it, what should I say?

Examples of ways to address a person with a disability such as being blind or deaf - Language of Disability Awareness.

WAYS TO MAKE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MORE ACCESSIBLE Social media is a huge part of everyday life. From allowing us to connect with friends and family to viral memes that dominate pop culture, to provide quick access to the news; social media is an easy way to keep us connected and informed. For most, it’s easy to navigate, we can log in at anytime from anywhere to enjoy content throughout the day. However, if you have a disability, your experience with social media might be different. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • American Foundation for the Blind Social Media Accessibility Guidelines https://www.afb.org/consulting/afb-accessibility-resources/afbs-social-mediaaccessibility-standards • Creating Accessible Social Media Content - https://disabilityin.org/resource/creatingaccessible-social-media-content/ • Federal Social Media Accessibility Toolkit Hackpad https://digital.gov/resources/federal-social-media-accessibility-toolkit-hackpad/

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A Guide to Basic Accessibility on social media https://www.accessliving.org/newsroom/guide-basic-accessibility-on-social-media/ What are tips for creating accessible social media post? https://www.washington.edu/doit/what-are-tips-creating-accessible-social-media-posts

WHAT IS AN EMOTIONAL DISABILITY? Every single one of us has a unique genetic makeup that comprises who we are as people, and no one else on the planet with have the same combination of atoms as you do. Our uniqueness means that we all have different physical, mental, and emotional health and that we express our feelings in different manners. For some, emotional disabilities might be holding them back from performing at their very best. To learn more, click here.

Figure 10 Fist with the logo images on disability

ABLEISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY ARE INTERTWINED — WE MUST CONFRONT THEM TOGETHER Ableism is a systemic oppression and an expression of privilege that finds common ancestry with white supremacy.

Disabled people are often asked to give an account of themselves to quell nondisabled people’s discomfort, while striving toward conformity. It is understood that our lives do not matter enough to fund robust public transportation infrastructure, rethink city planning, improve workflows for benefits administration, or to codify universal health care access. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • (Re)Producing White Privilege through Disability Accommodations https://medium.com/national-center-for-institutional-diversity/re-producing-whiteprivilege-through-disability-accommodations-4c16a746c0dc • Ableism Is the Go-To Disguise for White Supremacy. Too Many People are Falling for it - https://rewirenewsgroup.com/2018/11/19/ableism-is-the-go-to-disguise-for-whitesupremacy-too-many-people-are-falling-for-it/

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RESOURCES Take a course in Special Education at UAlbany!

State Directory • List of State DD Councils • List of State P&A Agency • List of State UCEDDS 6 Ways to Be a Disability Rights Ally 1. Take action to support the Disability Access to Transportation Act. 2. Hire people with disabilities.

3. Routinely include people with different access methods in program development and usability testing.

4. Teach disability history.

5. Make your social media content accessible.

6. View and share accessible, archived webinars on disability inclusion.

10 Books on Disability Justice: • https://bookriot.com/disability-justice/ TED TALK - https://www.ted.com/topics/disability Indigenous Disabled Creators https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2020/12/26/ep93-indigenous-disabled-creators/ 30 Black Autistic People You May Want to Know about - https://the-art-of-autism.com/24-blackautistic-people-you-may-want-to-know-about/ 5 Latinas with Disabilities who are Thriving https://boldlatina.com/5-latinas-with-disabilities-whoare-thriving/ Disabled, Asian American, and Proud https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/disabilityis-diversity/202207/disabled-asian-american-andproud 11 Outstanding People Living with Disability https://www.aaaplay.org.au/news/2019/11outstanding-people-living-disability

10 Influential disabled LGBTQ+ activists to follow https://disabilityhorizons.com/2021/06/10-influentialdisabled-lgbtq-activists-to-follow-this-pride-month/

DISABILITY AWARENESS FILMS Riding the Bus with My Sister 2005

A woman takes time off from her career to spend time with her sister, who has an intellectual disability, only to learn that her sister's life is much richer than she ever imagined. (PG) DISABILITY DOCUMENTARIES “Documentaries can open windows to our past. They allow us to re-live iconic moments in history. Below is a list of powerful documentaries exploring Asian history and culture in America.” PBS.org Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution Season 10 Episode 4 aired Oct. 20, 2020

Co-directors/producers Jim Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham talk about their awardwinning film, Crip Camp, giving insight to the disability revolution in America. This film tells a story of Camp Jened and offers a unique perspective on equality. Lebrecht and Newnham discuss their initial involvement with the project and the way that it has impacted their lives as well as millions of viewers.

Vision Portraits 2019 1h 13m

An in-depth exploration of the creative paths of blind and visually impaired artists including a photographer, dancer, writer, and filmmaker.

Unrest 2017 1h 38m

When Harvard Ph.D. student Jennifer Brea is struck down by a fever that leaves her bedridden, she sets out on a virtual journey to document her story as she fights a disease that medicine forgot.

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Figure 11 Four intersecting circles between racism and ableism

INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN RACISM AND ABLEISM “Racism and ableism are often thought of as parallel systems of oppression that work separately to perpetuate social hierarchy. Not only does this way of looking at the world ignore the experiences of people of color with disabilities, but it also fails to examine how race is pathologized to create racism. Meaning that society treats people of color in specific ways to create barriers, and these poor conditions create disability. The concept of disability has been used to justify discrimination against other groups by attributing disability to them.” To learn more, click here.

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Additional resources: • We can’t address disability without addressing race. Here’s why. - https://learnplaythrive.com/we-cant-address-disabilitywithout-addressing-race/ Ableism: A Tool of White Supremacy – watch recording here.

Dismantling Racism & Ableism with Lydia X. Z. Brown 31mins Podcast https://learnplaythrive.com/podcasts/dismantling-racism-ableism/ What is intersectionality? - https://www.townofchelmsford.us/885/What-isIntersectionality

CONFRONTING SPECIAL EDUCATION’S RACE PROBLEM Students of color are disproportionately misidentified with learning disabilities and behavioral disorders, often altering the course of their lives. The reasons why Black children (and other children of color) are being disproportionately misdiagnosed with learning or behavior disorders are numerous, complex, and often systemic. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • What is Special Education? - https://www.k12.wa.us/student-success/specialeducation/family-engagement-and-guidance/what-special-education • History of Special Education: Important Landmark Cases https://www.fortelawgroup.com/history-special-education-important-landmark-cases/ • Landmark Cases in Special Education Law https://specialeducationlawyernj.com/special-education-law/landmark-cases-in-specialeducation-law/

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FAITH AND DISABILITY While sixteen percent of the global population is disabled, religious communities and spaces around the world are replete with ableist barriers of all kinds, whether it’s a meditative pose that excludes certain bodies, a synagogue’s bimah only accessible by stairs or a Christian hymn that equates blindness with sin. Despite these setbacks, disabled leaders and allies have been advancing accessibility in their theology, worship practices and physical spaces. For many, accessibility isn’t just a matter of morality — it’s a spiritual duty.

To learn more click here.

Figure 12 the word faith surrounded by different faiths and disabilities.

Figure 13 rainbow background with zig-zag, colored lines going down the center of the flag diagonally

Additional resources: • Faith Communities and Inclusion of People with Developmental Disabilities https://thechp.syr.edu/faith-communities-and-inclusion-of-people-with-developmentaldisabilities/ • Disability in Islam: Insights into Theology, Law, History, and Practice https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270893538_Disability_in_Islam_Insights_into_ Theology_Law_History_and_Practice • Disability & Inclusion in Judaism - https://associationforjewishstudies.org/publicationsresearch/adventures-in-jewish-studies-podcast/disability-inclusion-in-judaism-transcript • Disability, Asian Religions, and Spirituality: Partnering with Faith-Based Organizations https://adopt.ahslabs.uic.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2018/04/Chapter-10.pdf

UNDERSTANDING DISABILITY IN THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY Societal norms pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as norms around ability, often work to deny LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities opportunities that others enjoy in their daily lives. Some studies have even proposed that the traumatic effect of discrimination and rejection on LGBTQ+ people’s mental and physical health can itself be considered a disability.

Disabled LGBTQ+ people who live at the intersection of these two identities can face compounded discrimination and stigmatization, and it is important for those who serve, interact with, and love and care for those individuals to understand this complex dynamic. To learn more, click here.

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Additional resources: • Have you seen the new disability pride flag? https://disabilityrightswi.org/news/celebrate-disability-pride-month/ • Disability Flag Meaning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCm8iTKs0Tg • LGBTQ+ People with Disabilities - https://www.respectability.org/resources/lgbtq/ • Disability and LGBTQA+ Resource Guide https://lgbtq.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/DisabilityResourceGuide_June2018.pdf • 8 Ways to be a better ally to LGBT Disabled people https://www.stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/8-ways-be-better-ally-lgbt-disabled-people • The Intersection of LGBTQ History and Disability - https://epgn.com/2020/10/20/theintersection-of-lgbtq-history-and-disability/

Women and girls with disabilities are subjected to multiple layers of discrimination. Based on their gender and disability status, they often face “double discrimination.” This inequality is exacerbated for women and girls with disabilities who are members of marginalized ethnic or racial groups or part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex community. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • Empowering Women and Non-Binary People with Disabilities https://www.respectability.org/womenwithdisabilities/ • Women with Disabilities Fact Sheet - https://www.un.org/womenwatch/enable/WWDFactSheet.pdf • Spotlight on Women with Disabilities https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ODEP/pdf/Spotlight-on-Women-withDisabilities-March-2021.pdf • Reproductive Justice for Disabled Women: Ending Systemic Discrimination https://www.americanprogress.org/article/reproductive-justice-for-disabled-womenending-systemic-discrimination/ • Women with Disabilities Resources - https://disabilityinfo.org/directory-of-disabilityrelated-websites/women-and-disabilites-resources/ • Supporting Women with Disabilities to Achieve Optimal Health https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/women-disabilities/index.html • Resource for Women with Physical Disabilities https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/pmr/research/research-areas/u-m-program-researchwomen’s-health-disability/resources-women-physical-disabilities

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Figure 14 https://www.edffeph.org/content/uploads/2021/05/Sin-titulo-2-2600x320.jpg Women who are disabled around a table.

ADVANCING WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH DISABILITIES

Figure 15 Two circles that intersect domestic violence & disability.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES March is recognized as National Disability Awareness Month, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is taking an opportunity to raise awareness about people with disabilities who also experience domestic violence. Click here for six facts about people with disabilities and domestic violence.

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Additional resources: Abuse and Exploitation of People with Developmental Disabilities https://disabilityjustice.org/justice-denied/abuse-and-exploitation/ A report on violence against kids with disabilities is sobering – if not surprising https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/04/12/1091679303/a-report-onviolence-against-kids-with-disabilities-is-sobering-if-not-surprisin

ADVANCING ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES To advance economic security for people with disabilities, policymakers must level the playing field for disabled workers while also guaranteeing access to housing, nutrition, and health care for those who are unable to work. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • Why Native American children have higher rates of disability https://abcnews.go.com/Health/native-american-children-higher-ratesdisability/story?id=76841563

THE CLOSING OF WILLOWBROOK A watershed case in the evolution of the legal rights of people with disabilities to live in dignity arose out of public awareness of the horrific conditions under which children and adults with disabilities were living at the Willowbrook State Developmental Center in New York. This case set important precedents for the humane and ethical treatment of people with developmental disabilities living in institutions. This, in turn, served as the

Figure 16 Black & White Photo: Willowbrook State School

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impetus for accelerating the pace of community placements for people with developmental disabilities, expanding community services, increasing the quality and availability of day programs, and establishing the right of children with disabilities to a public education. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • The Year of Willowbrook 2022 1hr 35mins– The Last Great Disgrace https://youtu.be/63Imoby2X6c • 50 Years After a Landmark Lawsuit, How Does NY Treat People with Developmental Disabilities? - https://www.nyclu.org/en/news/50-years-after-landmark-lawsuit-howdoes-ny-treat-people-developmental-disabilities • Former residents of Willowbrook recall its horrors as fight for disability rights continues - https://www.timesunion.com/state/article/a-disgrace-former-willowbrook-residents17860905.php • Willowbrook State School: How a Lawsuit Closed the Gates to a Notorious Institution and Opened the Doors of Opportunity for Thousands https://history.nycourts.gov/events/willowbrook-state-school/ • The Racialized History of Disability Activism from the “Willowbrooks of this World” https://activisthistory.com/2019/11/04/the-racialized-history-of-disability-activism-fromthe-willowbrooks-of-this-world1/

UNDOCUMENTED WITH DISABILITIES IN AMERICA People with disabilities often face serious challenges that impact their daily lives, such as increased discrimination at work or when applying for jobs compared to those without disabilities (Carr and Namkung 2021; Namkung and Carr 2019), and these challenges contribute to employment and pay gaps (Baldwin and Choe 2014; Kruse et al. 2018; Schultz and Rogers 2011; Schur et al. 2017). As a result, people with disabilities earn lower wages and income than people without disabilities (Schur et al. 2017) and have high poverty rates overall (WHO and World Bank 2011). These disadvantages can be compounded for immigrants with disabilities, which is particularly true for those who are female; have limited English proficiency; or have nonpermanent resident, undocumented, or temporary or seasonal worker status (Moyce and Schenker 2018). Immigrant eligibility status restrictions create additional barriers to safety net resources that could mitigate these disadvantages (Perreira and Pedroza 2019). Moreover, the fear of immigration enforcement and retaliation from employers may discourage immigrant workers from enforcing their workplace rights and voicing grievances or wage claims (Bernhardt et al. 2009). To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • Crossing the Border: How Disability Civil Rights Protections Can Include Disabled Asylum-Seekers - https://www.americanprogress.org/article/crossing-the-border-howdisability-civil-rights-protections-can-include-disabled-asylum-seekers/ • No Papers, No Care: Disabled Migrants Seek Help Through Lawsuit, Activism https://californiahealthline.org/news/article/disabled-migrants-seek-help-through-lawsuitactivism/ • Resources for immigrants with Disabilities in New York 18

ACHIEVING HEALTH FOR ALL Disability inclusion is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and global health priorities to achieve health for all.

Universal health coverage will not be achieved if persons with disabilities do not receive quality health services on an equal basis with others. Investing in universal health coverage for persons with disabilities will benefit not only individuals but also communities. To learn more, click here.

Additional resources: • • •

Prioritizing disability in universal health coverage https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(19)31638-1/fulltext Addressing health inequities faced by persons with disabilities to advance universal health coverage - https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/addressing-health-inequitiesfaced-by-persons-with-disabilities-to-advance-universal-health-coverage Public Health Milestones Through the Years - https://www.who.int/campaigns/75-yearsof-improving-public-health/milestones/#year-1945

CALENDAR Discover the many occasions, holidays, and awareness dates to learn and talk about disabilities.

Click here to access the shared resource folder.

Take the United Way 21-Day Challenge: Disability Justice. The content in this Challenge will cover topics including the history of the disability justice movement, disability pride, and resources for continued learning. Each day’s content includes opportunities to learn more about these topics by watching videos, listening to audio clips, reading articles, and answering discussion questions.

Please note: Developmental Disability Awareness month calendar will be completed closer to March 2024 Figure 17 calendar of events for DDAM

For more information about the Multicultural Resource Center or the Student Association Disability Services contact Arleny Alvarez-Peña, Associate Director for Multicultural, Interfaith, and Intersectional Affairs Email: aalvarez-pena@albany.edu | Phone: 518-442-5565

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Dedication For Jenny, my sister, who had a big laugh and entertained my silly humor! ~Arleny

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