You are here
Creating an Inclusive Space for Disabled Students - 2022 Student Leadership Conference
Creating an Inclusive Space for Disabled Students: A Discussion with Student Leaders
This panel will feature two disabled student leaders from the CUNY SPS Disability and Access Coalition in discussion about how to create inclusive spaces for students with disabilities. Disabled students have some of the lowest college retention rates, with nearly 60% dropping out before graduation. Disabled students report higher levels of loneliness and isolation and experience more hostility from professors than their nondisabled peers. Studies show that an inclusive community that fosters a sense of belonging is vital to disabled students’ success. Jamie Lerner-Brecher (MA in Disability Studies), Chair of the Disability and Access Coalition, and Leonard Blades (MA in Disability Services in Higher Education, currently pursuing the Advanced Certificate in Disability Studies), Executive Vice Chair of the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities, will discuss how they have created inclusive and welcoming spaces for disabled students, even when members have conflicting access needs.
The Student Leadership Conference runs April 5-8, with sessions each day. The full listing of events can be found below:
- April 5, 11:00-12:00 pm: My Journey Into Social Justice
- April 5, 6:00-7:00 pm: Blackness in Latin America and Beyond
- April 6, 11:00-12:00 pm: What is the Goal of Social Justice for the Mentally Ill?
- April 6, 6:00-7:00 pm: What are the Social Inequalities in the Latin Community?
- April 7, 11:00-12:00 pm: Creating an Inclusive Space for Disabled Students
- April 7, 6:00-7:00 pm: Social Justice, Then and Now
- April 8, 11:00-12:00 pm: Keynote Address: Dr. Johnathan Quash, CUNY Black Initiative
The first 100 students who attend at least one conference session will be eligible to receive a special gift. If you are interested, you can submit your address information when you register for each session. Please note that we cannot ship any items to PO boxes or outside of the United States.