Disability

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

NIH Designates People with Disabilities as a Population with Health Disparities

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) designated people with disabilities as a population with health disparities, marking a significant step towards ensuring their representation in NIH research. This designation aims to address the unique health challenges faced by people with disabilities, who often experience poorer health outcomes due to social and structural barriers, and encourages research on the intersection of disability with race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status.

Read the article

Deaf woman speaking sign language with her friend, sitting on couch.

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.

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

Honoring Judy Heumann’s outsized impact

Original article appears on UW Create website:
https://create.uw.edu/honoring-judy-heumann/

Please take a look at UW CREATE’s (Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences) most recent article highlighting some of the astounding equity work championed by Judy Heumann.

“Judy Heumann — disability activist and leader, presidential advisor to two administrations, polio survivor and quadriplegic — passed away on Saturday, March 4. Heumann’s family invited the community to honor her life at a memorial service and burial that is now available on video with ASL, captioning, and English interpretation of Yiddish included.”

Who was Judy Heumann?

Judy Heumann fought for disabled rights and against segregation. She led the “longest “nonviolent occupation of a federal building in American history,” according to the New York Times. When communications were cut off by the government, she passed messages to supporters using sign language and received support from the Black Panthers and the Mayor of San Francisco. The protest led to successful action on section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.”

Read the rest of the article here:
https://create.uw.edu/honoring-judy-heumann/