Accessibility

The Race, Disability, and Technology Initiative – Annual Community Convening

November 5 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

The Race, Disability, and Technology Initiative* is holding its annual community convening to spark new ideas, collaborations, and discussions.

Spark new ideas | Collaborate | Discuss future work

We invite researchers and community partners to our annual convening of the Race, Disability, and Technology Initiative. Current and past grantees will discuss their research and community partnerships, and together we’ll brainstorm possible new topics and avenues of research around technology and disability, race, sexuality, and gender. There will also be a short overview of grant opportunities. Due to the nature of the event, it will be in-person only.

Details

Wednesday, November 5th

Time: 12:00p – 1:30p

Location:

Zillow Event Center – East

Bill & Melinda Gates Center (CSE2) – 4th floor

3800 E Stevens Way NE

Seattle, WA 98195

Event directions and parking info

~ Lunch will be provided ~

To assist our planning and to ensure adequate food is ordered, RSVPs are requested by Oct. 28th.

 *This event is co-sponsored by CREATE, The Simpson Center, The Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity, and Population Health. The RDT initiative received initial funding from the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, the Population Health Initiative, the Simpson Center for the Humanities, the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship, the Civil Rights Compliance Office, and the Race & Equity Initiative.

RSVP Form

Free
RSVP here.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Today, December 3, is International Day of Persons with Disabilities!

In 1992, a United Nations General Assembly resolution proclaimed this annual day of observance to “promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development.” 

This year’s theme, “amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future,” is being commemorated with events that integrate PWD leadership into its global sustainable development goals.

Thanks to CREATE (Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences) at UW for its dedication to making technology accessible and leveraging it to promote accessibility worldwide.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Disability Allyship 26 Day Challenge

UW Disability Studies Faculty Drs. Heather Evans and Heather Feldner invite you to participate in a Disability Allyship 26-day Challenge. Starting on April 5th, we challenge you to spend 5-20 mins every day for 26 days engaging with an item from a curated set of materials aimed to expand your knowledge of ableism and broaden your perspectives of disability.

Accessibility logo

Visit the website for more information.

State lacks Spanish-speaking nurses; for Everett student, it’s personal

From Everett Herald: There is a “great scarcity” of Spanish-speaking doctors and nurses across the country, said Leo Morales, associate dean of health equity at the University of Washington. About 13% of people in the United States identify as Hispanic, and nearly 70% speak Spanish at home. But only 8% of doctors speak Spanish, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Latino Health and Culture research center at the University of California, Los Angeles. Just over 10% of nurses are Hispanic, according to a national nurse survey. Read more at the link: https://www.heraldnet.com/news/state-lacks-spanish-speaking-nurses-for-everett-student-its-personal/

State lacks Spanish-speaking nurses; for Everett student, it’s personal

Get to Know: Yvonne Simpson, Senior Director of Language Access and Cultural Advocacy

From the UW Medicine: The Huddle

Reducing barriers to care is a key priority for Interpreter Services at UW Medicine. And that’s just what Yvonne Simpson does every day — working to ensure that interpreter services are used consistently and effectively across our locations.

Simpson has been a Spanish interpreter at Harborview since 2014 and has led the department for more than three years. On July 1, 2023, she began a systemwide position as senior director of Language Access and Cultural Advocacy.

Read the full article at The Huddle
Get to Know: Yvonne Simpson, Senior Director of Language Access and Cultural Advocacy

What a ‘Human-Centered’ Approach Can Do for Workers with Diabilities

From the NY Times: Obtaining reasonable accommodations is often a messy, frustrating process for both employees and their managers. But there are solutions.

The lack of an item like a keyboard tray may seem like a minor inconvenience to some, but not to Ms. Macfarlane and millions of other people living with disabilities. The Americans With Disabilities Act, which became law in 1990, bans discrimination against workers with disabilities and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations that don’t pose an “undue hardship” — a tricky term.

In reality, experts say, the process for obtaining accommodations at work is often filled with countless obstacles that dissuade disabled people from requesting them in the first place.

“There’s a huge gap between what the law was intended to do and what the experience of employees with disabilities really are,” said Ms. Macfarlane, who is the incoming director of the disability law and policy program at Syracuse University College of Law.


Read the original article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/19/business/disability-accommodations-workplace.html

University of Washington Launches Centralized Accessibility Website for Inclusive Digital Access and Engagement

Original post appears on president’s blog.

UW has launched a digital accessibility website through its Office of Americans with Disabilities Act to promote digital access and inclusion for all students, particularly those with disabilities. The website provides resources, tools, and opportunities for community-building that recognize and value the diverse needs and experiences of all members of the UW community. Read more