Promoting Disability and Social Justice: Campus Initiatives that Inspire Change

Linda Wolford, MSKristen Langer, MSW, LICSW

Cynthia Fuller, PhD, LP AHEAD Conference July 14, 2011

Our Initiatives

• Social Justice Student Leadership Retreat (SJLR) on Mental Health

• Day of Exploration (DOE): Disability Obvious or Invisible

• Social Justice Film Festival (SJFF)

Learning Objectives

• Acquire examples of social justice partnerships

• Identify potential campus partnerships

• Develop strategies for fostering relationships with campus partners

• Leave with ideas for collaborative programming on your campus

SJLR: Goals and Objectives• Create safe space for students and staff to

share experiences and ideas for campus• Take time for people to get to know each

other• Provide some education about stigma, ally

building, etc.• Develop ideas for campus activity(ies)• Create community to facilitate future action

SJLR • 18 students• 5 staff, 4 ASL interpreters• 2 days• Ice breaker and setting expectations• Activities, film, and community building

discussions• Sharing personal stories about mental health• Brainstorming what is needed on campus

SJLR: Outcomes and Feedback

“One of my favorite college experiences… learned more in 2 days than almost any other time”

“I learn the most from all the life stories”“allowed me to think even more critically about my role in the social justice world”“discussion and information were very effective… we even had plans to put our ideas into action on campus”

SJLR: Outcomes and Feedback

• Photo of university staff and students on front lawn of student union. Eleven hundred backpacks, representing the number of suicides on college campuses each year, are scattered on the lawn. People are wearing T-shirts that say ‘I am a mental health advocate because…’

SJLR: Outcomes and Feedback

Wide angle photo of 1100 backpacks, representing the number of suicides on college campuses each year, scattered on the lawn

Day of Exploration

Image of Disabled Student Cultural Center’s logo, which says DSCC. Why be normal, 203 Coffman Union, 612-624-2602. Blue and yellow color splotches, and universal symbol of access in green and red dots.

DOE: Goals and Objectives

• Invite participants to share stories of impact of disability in their lives

• Facilitate awareness of different kinds of disabilities

• Create opportunities to hear each other’s stories and make new connections

• Create climate where ally behavior is valued• Create change at UM to build more welcoming

environment for PWD

DOE• 18 participants: 7 staff, 12 students• Disabilities represented included CP, ASD,

spinal muscular atrophy, deafness, mental health, systemic, and allies

• Storytelling of 15 minutes by each participant

• Transcript done by graduate student• Funded primarily through Coke Grant

DOE: Outcomes

• Barriers for blind/low vision were identified and addressed by DS

• A support group for ASD was formed• Training for faculty and staff about disability

needs• Collaboratively sponsored major campus event

featuring disabled performer• Barriers for employees with disabilities were

identified

Social Justice Film FestivalImage of poster for Social Justice Film Festival, 2 spotlights illuminate text and movie theater audience, colors are red, yellow, black, and grey.

SJFF: Goals and Objectives

• Help students dialogue with each other around social justice issues through film

• Provide a better understanding of resources on campus

• Bring awareness to social justice issues we all encounter on campus

Welcome Week SJFF: Outcomes and Feedback

• 400-500 students attended Fall 2010• Exposure to many kinds of diversity

through wide variety of films• Participants expressed appreciation for

films• Increased awareness of pre-ADA issues

SJFF: Outcomes and Feedback

• SJ Film Festival-100 students• Provided continued engagement for SJ

communities• Recognized the importance of building

alliances• Developed and strengthened leadership

skills

Campus Partners

• Student organizations• Housing and Residential Life• Counseling Center• Health Services• GLBTA Programs Office• Aurora Center for Violence Prevention• Coalition for a Respectful U• Women’s Center• University Libraries• Disability Services

Collaborative Programming

• Potential partners on and off campus

• Possible initiatives

• Desired outcomes

Contact information

Linda Wolford, wolfo001@umn.edu, 612-624-1403Kristen Langer, krlanger@umn.edu, 612-626-4782Cynthia Fuller, full0060@umn.edu, 612-626-8427

http://ds.umn.edu/