2022 Symposium on Disability and Accessibility: Reimagining Space and Place

April 5-28 marks the 45th anniversary of the San Francisco 1977 Disability Rights Protest, a sit-in that demanded the enactment of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This was a landmark piece of legislation for people with disabilities in the United States and set the groundwork for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. As we reflect on this incredible historical action, we look to our present Yale environment to ask important questions about how the campus supports and falls short for the disability community.

[Image Description: ​​Black and white photograph of protesters with signs marching in a circle in front of federal buildings in San Francisco, CA, 1977.]

Photo Credit: Anthony Tusler: http://dculture.org/anthony-tusler/

Program:

9:00-9:30am: Welcome and Keynote Speaker

9:30-10:15am: Navigating Academia with Disabilities Panel

This panel discussion will feature student voices from Yale's disability advocacy and activist communities. Students will share how they’ve navigated their academic lives as people with disabilities on campus.

• Martine Cruz, YC’23, Communications & Events Director, DEFY; Global Affairs
• Emily Gerdin, PhD Candidate, Psychology
• Holly Basille, YC ’23, Geophysics and Seismology
• Joaquín Lara Midkiff, YC ’23; Advisor, DEFY and founding editor of the Yale Review of Disability Experience
• Ben Bond, MDiv ’22; Co-Founder DivineAbilities
• Edward Friedman, Yale Law ’24; Former Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator at the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

10:15-10:30am: Break

10:30-11:15 am: Disability Theory in Practice

Scott Herring, Professor of American Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Yale University

• "What Critical Age Studies Brings to Disability Studies”

Katie Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the Yale School of Public Health

• Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People with Disabilities

Angelica Clayton, PhD Candidate, History of Science/History of Medicine, Yale University

• Where is trauma-informed pedagogy?

11:15am-12:15pm: Lunch and Breakout Rooms

12:15-12:30pm: Break

12:30-1:15pm: Alumni Panel

A panel discussion featuring Yale alumni, discussing their experiences on campus as students with disabilities and the work they’ve done since leaving the university.

• Ben Nadolsky, YC ’18, JD/MBA Penn; Co-founder of DEFY and Principal of Nadolsky Consulting Group LLC, a firm specialized in education, accessibility, and disability rights
• Janice Ta ’10 JD, Intellectual property lawyer, Perkins Coie LLP; Former President of the National Assoc. of Students with Disabilities
• Andrea Parente ’19 JD, Disability Benefits Attorney, federal court system; Former attorney fellow with Disability Rights New Jersey.
• Dr. Karin Muraszko, YC ’77, Chair, Dept of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan

1:15-1:30pm: Break

1:30-2:15pm: Interdisciplinary Research at the Intersection of Disability

Rebecca Boorstein, PhD Candidate, History, Yale University

• "Taking a Jab: Learning from Anti-Vaccination Lawsuits in the Progressive Era United States”

Christy Charnel, MDiv ’22, Yale University

• “the phobo-photogenic black fat flesh”

Kenya Loudd, PhD Candidate, History of Science/History of Medicine, Yale University

• “100 Years of SJS: A Survivors Perspective”

2:15-2:30pm: Break

2:30-3:15pm: Accessibility at Yale

This panel discussion will feature accessibility specialists across campus discussing the work being done in the digital/web, academic, procurement, and social media realms. Participants should leave with a better understanding of how accessibility is integrated into the work the university does, and where to turn for future assistance.

• Daniel Cress, Director of Marketing, David Geffen School of Drama at Yale/Yale Repertory Theatre and Chair, DAY Staff Affinity Group
• Julie Linden, Director of Collection Development, Sterling Memorial Library
• Melissa Scheve, Associate Director, Faculty Teaching Initiatives, EEICTL Learning to Teach [Poorvu]
• Jordan Colbert, Associate Director, Student Accessibility Services
• Shami Tartolov, Associate Director, Student Accessibility Services
• Michael Vaughn, Associate Director of Digital Accessibility, ITS Information Technology Services
• Diane Cornelius Charles, Director for the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility
• Robyn Acampora, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Public Service Careers, Office of Career Strategy

3:15-3:30pm: Acknowledgements and Closing Remarks

**Note: All panels will be hosted on Zoom Webinar except for the lunchtime breakout rooms.

Zoom links for the lunchtime breakout rooms will be shared via email to all registrants the morning of the event and via chat during the panel immediately preceding the lunch hour.

Participants can choose a breakout room from the options below; facilitators will be present to prompt discussion, but these are intended to be more informal discussions and opportunities for networking.

• Student life & accessibility
• How to be a good ally
• Beyond accommodations at Yale
• Open Topic

Community Partners:

Belonging at Yale

Diversability at Yale (DAY)

History, Health, and Humanities (HHH) Working Group

Information Technology Services- Web Accessibility

Office of Diversity and Inclusion

Program for Biomedical Ethics

Program for Humanities in Medicine

The Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics

Yale Alumni Association

Yale History Department

Yale History Diversity Committee

Yale History of Science and Medicine Program

Yale Public Safety

Yale Repertory Theatre

Yale Schwarzman Center

Yale University Library

Disability-Related Accommodations:

Live auto captions, CART services, and ASL services will be provided for this event. If you need additional disability-related accommodations, please contact Michelle Morgan at michelle.morgan@yale.edu. If possible, requests for sign language interpreters should be made by Monday, March 21st, 2022 to provide sufficient time for the organizers to book services.