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UnConference 2025
Our Annual Fall UnConference is Saturday & Sunday, October 18 – 19, 2025
Join us for a Pre-UnConference Keynote that is FREE and open to the public on Friday, October 17, 2025 from 11:00 – 11:50 am in-person in AW 302 and virtually on Zoom (registration link here).
Priority Registration Deadline: July 31st, 2025
Final Deadline: August 11th, 2025
Acceptances Announced by the end of August, 2025
Disability Studies & Action Collaborative UnConference
Saturday October 18 – Sunday October 19, 2025
Tentative time: 10:00 – 5:00 pm
Academic Instructional Center West
Western Washington University, Bellingham CampusUpdated: 2025 Program Overview
About the UnConference
The Western Washington University Institute for Critical Disability Studies is excited to to be hosting our fifth annual Disability Studies and Action Collaborative (DSAC) UnConference in October 2025.
The event will span two days, and it will provide a venue for scholars, students, nonprofit workers, advocates, activists, artists, and community members to gather to discuss issues of disability, access, and equity. Our main focus will be local to the needs, concerns, and opportunities of Bellingham, WA and the surrounding Pacific Northwest region.
Who is the UnConference For?
Everyone is welcome at the UnConference. All that is required is that you have a personal interest in disability issues. We are not asking anyone to be a “disability expert.” We believe a wide range of people can contribute to our conversations at the UnConference. Some people will come from academic disability studies, while others do work in the community. Everyone has something to contribute.
This event is for everyone, regardless of your access needs. You are welcome to attend the UnConference in person on our Bellingham campus, or you may attend fully on Zoom. We will provide access supports to all attendees, including ASL interpretation, downloadable materials, and other accommodations participants request in the application form.
What happens at the UnConference?
The UnConference is a two-day workshop focused on disability issues that matter in the community. The days are broken into workshops of approximately 1 hour. There are generous breaks and meal times throughout the day. In addition to workshops, each day will end with less formal social activities and special presentations.
The days are themed:
- Day 1 is devoted to discussing disability-related problems or opportunities in our local communities.
- Day 2 is devoted to workshopping project ideas and developing authentic attempts to solve the problems you identified in day 1. The final workshop end in an open working session with all UnConference participants.
All workshops and presentations are available for in-person participation or remote participation via Zoom. There will also be space provided for ADA-accessible bathrooms, gender neutral bathrooms, a lactation room, and a low-sensory room. ASL interpretation and/or live transcription will be available on request.
What are the themes of the UnConference?
The UnConference is user-driven, so we will focus on whatever aspects of disability culture and access that you are interested in. Here are some example themes that we have explored in the past:
Activism and Advocacy
- Fair access to local community resources, networks, and spaces
- Advocacy models from local community organizations
- Current projects and unmet needs in disability activism
Community Building
- Perspectives on local disability culture, community building, and solidarity work
- Approaches to fighting disability stigma and fostering disability pride
Critical Disability Studies
- Disability Studies scholarship from a variety of critical approaches and academic fields
- Curriculum, program building, museum studies, and pedagogy informed by disability studies
Access and Equity
- Access and equity in educational settings
- Practices for barrier-free teaching and facilitation in higher education or other settings
- Universal design in physical or digital settings
Arts and Culture
- Disability and various creative arts, including dance, film, music, or visual arts
- Disability and artistic practice
The following information will be updated to reflect 2025 information soon:
- Past UnConference Programs
- Browse Recent UnConference Programs:
- Local Information and Guides
- This page includes parking information, maps of the building and campus, and links to public transit information
- Participant-only links – Participants will be able to access these links by using the password sent in your application acceptance email
Not attending this year, but still interested in helping us conduct the UnConference this and future years? Donate to our Special Events fund!
Find out more information about the conference or contact the organizers by emailing icds.unconference@wwu2.onmicrosoft.com and icds@wwu.edu.