Disability Studies and Action Collaborative

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Search Results for: 2023

Two Year-End Announcements from the Institute For Critical Disability Studies

The ICDS is announcing two exciting programs to wrap up 2022. 

First, visit this page to get a preview of the Critical Disability Studies minor, which is set to begin in Fall 2023. Check out a video about the program and give us some feedback. 

Second, visit this page to find out about our first annual ICDS Fellows program. We are seeking applications from faculty, staff, and community members until January 2nd, 2023.

As always, reach out to Andrew Lucchesi and G McGrew, the ICDS co-directors, at icds@wwu.edu

Join the Disability Studies and Action Collaborative mailing list for newsletters and events!

 

New ICDS Fellows Program launching!

The WWU Institute for Critical Disability Studies is excited to announce the launch of a new Fellows Program to support faculty, staff, and community members with one-year fellowships to develop programs and carry out projects related to disability scholarship and advocacy.

A cohort of at least five Fellows will meet with peer Fellows and Program Mentors throughout the calendar year and learn from each other’s skills and interests. The fellowship award is $3,000 for the one-year duration of the program.

The application deadline for the 2023-4 Fellows cohort is 11:59 pm on Monday, January 02, 2023.

Learn more about the ICDS Fellows Program Here

Introducing the Minor in Critical Disability Studies

Declaring the Minor
FAQ
Elective Approval
Narrative Information on Minor

How to Apply – Declaring the Minor

Minor in Critical Disability Studies (WWU Registrar page)

NEW! The Registrar’s office has updated their Minor Declaration and Change form. Please use this updated guidance on how to apply for a Minor in Critical Disability Studies:

  1. Students and/or Academic Advisors: Fill in Section I of the new Student Academic Declaration & Change Form here (requires WWU login):
    • Select the “yes” radio button next to “Add and/or Drop a Minor”
    • Select “yes” from the drop-down menu for “Declare a Minor (Do not replace existing Minor)”
    • Fill in Critical Disability Studies Minor (code XY01) in the blank.
  2. After completing Section I of the form, route it to GIM (ICDS co-director) at mcgrewg2@wwu.edu by pasting the email address into the “Email to:” field at the end of the form and then clicking the “Submit” button
  3. ICDS co-directors will review the information and approve it to the Registrar’s Office.

Contact icds@wwu.edu with questions.

Minor declaration webform

FAQ

Can my previous coursework count for elective credit?

The minor in Critical Disability Studies requires 3 electives, separate from the core courses of DISA 330, 350, and 450. Taking DISA 350 for a second time ­– and many other courses ­– already count for elective credit! Check out a short list of pre-approved courses here.

There are also many courses that could count for elective credit that are not on that list, but we do need to approve them first. To have your prior coursework approved for Minor elective credit, please email the co-directors at icds@wwu.edu and tell us about the course. Include the year, course information, and syllabus in your message so that we can properly evaluate the offering.

When will DISA coursework on [topic] be available?

Developing new curriculum and coursework is a gradual process.  Over the next several years, expect a number of new courses to be added to a growing list of classes in critical disability studies.  Many new classes begin as experimental courses (numbered X97 in the course catalogue), which are eventually transitioned to formally numbered DISA courses and elective courses under other designations as our program in Critical Disability Studies grows.

Students: If you would like certain classes to be developed, reach out to the co-directors at icds@wwu.edu and start a conversation!

Faculty: If you are interested in teaching or developing a course in disability studies either exclusively as a DISA course or crosslisted with a course that you teach in your home department, please contact the co-directors at icds@wwu.edu.

Learn more about the Minor in Critical Disability Studies

The Institute for Critical Disability Studies is proposing a new minor in Fall 2023. Watch or listen to this video to find out more about it. Contact icds@wwu.edu with any questions about the minor. After you have finished with the video, please give us some feedback using the form at the bottom of the page.

Download the PowerPoint slides of this presentation, which includes the script, through this link.

If you want to find out more about the minor or the Institute for Critical Disability Studies, contact icds@wwu.edu

Click to join the Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Outlook group for email, newsletters, and events
Feedback on the Minor Preview

Please provide some feedback on our minor in critical disability studies

The WWU Institute for Critical Disability Studies would love to get your feedback on our forthcoming disability studies minor.  

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‘Documenting Grace’ dance film festival kick-off and films sponsored by ICDS

Invitation to Dance on November 13th

Join us for a kick-off event for Kuntz & Co’s new film festival series, “Documenting Grace”. On Sunday, November 13th, ICDS will be sponsoring their screening of Invitation to Dance, a documentary film by Simi Linton, and a 20-min pre-screening discussion. Proceeds from the screening will go toward Dance for All Bodies.

The film will be shown with open captions and audio description to provide access for low vision/blind audience members. Questions or for disability accommodations contact Pam at 360-510-4711 or kuntzpam@gmail.com

Tickets to “Invitation to Dance” – Nov 13, 6:00 pm

More events to come!

Stay tuned for information on our next ICDS event accompanying Pam’s “Documenting Grace” series, co-sponsored with Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation. Sunday, April 16, 2023 at 4:00 pm.

Tickets to “Capturing Grace” – April 16, 4:00 pm

People – Institute for Critical Disability Studies

Institute for Critical Disability Studies Co-Directors

The ICDS is currently headed by two half-time co-directors. Andrew (English), and GIM (College of Science and Engineering) are faculty at WWU. You can contact them at ICDS@wwu.edu.

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Andrew Lucchesi

he/they

Associate Professor, English

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GIM (G McGrew)

he/they

Senior Instructor, College of Science & Engineering

Find office hours for Co-directors, Graduate Assistants, and Faculty teaching DISA courses here

Affiliated Members

The diverse faculty, staff, students, and community members who contribute to the critical disability studies program represent colleges and departments across Western Washington University as well as collaborators outside of Western.

WWU Faculty and Staff

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Elizabeth Boland

Professor, Health and Community Studies

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Kathleen Brian

Senior Instructor, Global Humanities and Religions

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Kristen Chmielewski

she/her

Faculty, Recreation Management & Leadership
Teaches: DISA 330 Critical Disability Studies, a Core course for the CDS Minor

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Kat DeNicola

she/her

Access Manager, Disability Access Center

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Yasmine Elglaly

Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Teaches: Critical Disability Studies Minor elective: Accessible Computing

Yasmine’s webpage

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

David Engebretson

he/him

Digital Technologies Accessibility Coordinator

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Kyann Flint

Instructor, Critical Disability Studies
Teaches: DISA 330 Critical Disability Studies, a Core course for the CDS Minor

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Lindsay Foreman-Murray

Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and Inclusive Teaching
Teaches: Cross-listed DISA 350 Topics in Critical Disability Studies

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Allison Giffen

she/her

Faculty, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Teaches: Electives for Critical Disability Studies Minor

Allison’s webpage

I am a professor in the English department and specialize in 19th-century American literature and culture with an emphasis in disability studies and critical childhood studies. My current research in explores the intersections of race, disability, and childhood in late 19th-century literature.
Note: Allison was our Interim Co-director in Spring 2023

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Tim Kowalczyk

he/him

Chemistry & Energy Studies

Tim.Kowalczyk@wwu.edu

Tim’s webpage

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Pam Kuntz

she/her

Dance Program Advisor / Senior Instructor
Teaches: DISA 350, a core Topics course in the Critical Disability Studies Minor

pam.kuntz@wwu.edu
Pam’s webpage: kuntzandco.org

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Ceci Lopez

Assistant Professor of Law, Fairhaven

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Scot Nichols

Fairhaven College

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Joseph Mogharreban

he/him

Director, Disability Access Center

mogharj@wwu.edu

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Tara Perry

she/her

Professor, Department of Communication Studies, faculty affiliate to Institute for Critical Disability Studies and Women Gender and Sexuality Studies

perryt@wwu.edu

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Candice Styer

Instructor of Special Education, Woodring

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Anika Tilland-Stafford, PhD 

they/them

Senior Instructor, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies & Honors College

Office: Miller Hall 415D

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Adrian J. Villicana

Assistant Professor, Social Psychology, Fairhaven

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Daman Wandke

Instructor, Educational Leadership and Inclusive Teaching
Teaches: DISA 330 Critical Disability Studies and DISA 350 Topics in Critical Disability Studies, Core courses for the CDS Minor; Electives for the CDS Minor

Contact: wandked@wwu.edu

Collaborators and Community Members

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Pau Abustan

||All Pronouns||

Formerly Visiting Assistant Professor, Women Gender, and Sexuality Studies

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Sean Bruna

he/him

Currently on leave

brunas@wwu.edu
(360) 650-2290
Sean’s webpage

Graduate Teaching Assistants

Graduate TAs assist the operations of the Institute in many invaluable ways, including event logistics and planning, course and curriculum feedback, office hours, and student mentorship and leadership organizing.

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Lorraine Floyd

Graduate Student, Rehabilitation Counseling

ICDS GTA Fall 2023 – present

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Fred Engelfried

Graduate Student, Environmental Studies / Urban Planning

ICDS GTA Fall 2024 – present

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Sarah Lucas-Page

she/her
Graduate Student, Music and Performing Arts
ICDS GTA Fall 2024 – present

Sarah Lucas-Page is an award-winning composer and clarinetist who has dedicated her life to the art of music and activism by continually pushing the boundaries of her creative expression. She has been creating and performing new clarinet music to help fight injustice and bring awareness to issues within the LGBTQIA+ community, Fat Body Politics, Women, and Neurodivergent people. Lucas-Page is pursuing her master’s degree in music composition at Western Washington University, studying with Dr. Charles Halka, Dr. Robert Hamilton, and Dr. Rachel Yoder. She is a Graduate Assistant for the Institute for Critical Disability Studies department and the music department.

Our Previous ICDS Graduate Assistants

The ICDS is grateful for the work that our Graduate Assistants have done to help the Institute meet our growing and changing needs, from helping to plan and manage events, to TAing course in our Minor. We would like to acknowledge them here:

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Eden Chapman

Graduate Student, Masters in Teaching
ICDS GTA Fall 2023 – Summer 2024

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Spike Osadchuk

Graduate Student, Anthropology
ICDS GTA Fall 2022 – Winter 2024

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Hidemi Mitani Shen

she/her

Graduate Student, Computer Science
ICDS GTA Fall 2022 – Spring 2023

Find office hours for Co-directors, Graduate Assistants, and Faculty teaching DISA courses here

ICDS Committees

For questions about joining Institute for Critical Disability Studies standing committees, ad-hoc committees, and task forces, please email icds@wwu.edu.

Standing Committees

  • Curriculum Committee*
    • DISA coursework approvals and interdisciplinary minor in critical disability studies
  • Programming (Events) Committee*
    • ICDS and community events, workshops, lectures, and other projects
  • Development Committee*
    • grants and fundraising
  • Outreach Committee*
    • publicity & collaborative relationship-building
  • Scholarships & Awards Committee*
    • ICDS scholarships and Scholars Week student recognitions

Advisory Councils

  • Student Advisory Council*
    • a student-organized body of undergraduate and graduate students providing recommendations to the ICDS
    • Leadership positions are compensated: learn more at student employment
  • ICDS Advisory Council* (formerly Interim Advisory Council)
    • an advisory council to the ICDS co-directors consisting of internal and external members

General Membership & Community

Ad-Hoc Committees and Task Forces

  • DS Minor Task Force
    • Objective: Complete submission of disability studies minor paperwork and propose additional core classes for the minor
    • COMPLETED!
  • ICDS ADEI Statement Task Force*
    • Objective: Collaboratively finish the Institute’s statement on accessibility, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

* = this committee is looking for additional members

Add or update my ICDS affiliation information

Working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Institute for Critical Disability Studies

Call for Graduate Teaching Assistantships

The Institute for Critical Disability Studies (ICDS) is hiring graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) for the 2024-2025 academic year to support the Institute and its mission to promote disability studies coursework, host events that bridge he academic-community divide, and to support disability culture, awareness, and advocacy at Western Washington University.

We expect to hire two to three graduate students to serve in full-time salaried, half-time salaried, and/or hourly nonsalaried graduate teaching assistant (GTA) positions for individual Fall, Winter, and/or Spring quarters of 2024/25, and/or for the full 2024-2025 academic year (Fall, Winter, and Spring quarter).

The full details and application forms for this position can also be downloaded as a word document.

Application Deadline & Hiring Timeline

Application deadline for all 2024-25 ICDS GTA positions: 11:59 pm on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

Hiring decisions will be announced on or before Monday September 02, 2024. Fall positions start on Monday, September 16, 2024.

Position Overview

ICDS GTAs have many responsibilities. They will directly support ICDS students, critical disability studies minors, and the ICDS student community by holding regular office hours and by supporting the activities of the ICDS Student Advisory Council (SAC).

Specific additional responsibilities will be decided upon mutual discussion and agreement between individual GTAs and Institute Co-Directors in the areas of academic support, program support, and Institute support (see What are the GTA job responsibilities? section below). Example additional GTA responsibilities may include assisting with organizing events, web and social media work, and otherwise assisting with academic programming in Critical Disability Studies, including moderating discussions on disability-related topics and/or grading coursework within the Critical Disability Studies minor.

Position Details

Required qualifications
  • GTAs are expected to keep timely communication with ICDS co-directors and staff during business hours, including email correspondence, responding to calendar invitations for scheduled meetings, and taking initiative to reschedule meetings that are missed.
  • GTAs should have experience in writing in genres including formal emails, event announcements, and profile articles. Clear prompts and coaching will be provided.
  • GTAs must responsibly handle sensitive information, such as when working with confidential student or personal information and coursework.
  • GTAs must stay current on required WWU ADEI trainings and abide by ICDS policies on supporting accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI).
Preferred qualifications
  • Knowledge and experience in disability studies, advocacy, accessibility, and/or universal design is highly preferred, but not required.
  • Proficiency in writing in diverse genres, including blogging, social media, email, meeting minutes, and summaries of events is preferred, but not required.
  • Experience in student or community leadership, for example in a student club or community organization is preferred, but not required.
What are the GTA job responsibilities?

ICDS GTAs have many responsibilities. They will directly support ICDS students, critical disability studies minors, and the ICDS student community by holding regular office hours and by supporting the activities of the ICDS Student Advisory Council (SAC).

GTA Responsibilities will also include a subset of the following in these three areas of support need, which will be determined with each GTA individually upon mutual discussion and agreement between GTA and Institute Co-Directors:

  • Academic support
    • Work with faculty teaching disability studies courses through grading, and/or moderating discussions
    • Work with faculty to design curriculum on disability-related topics
    • Holding office hours for students in disability studies courses
  • Program support
    • Designing and/or delivering professional development workshops
    • Organizing speaker event logistics
    • Organizing and facilitating the annual UnConference panels and workshops
    • Mentoring UnConference student workers
    • Coordinating event logistics such as food, room setup, and printing materials
    • Co-hosting and representing ICDS at outreach and informational tabling events
  • Institute support
    • Keeping records and reporting to ICDS co-directors: this includes attending and taking notes on ICDS meetings
    • Writing blog posts and newsletter articles about the ICDS programs
    • Mentoring undergraduate student workers
    • Serving on standing committees
    • Serving in a mentor and advisory role to support the operations of the ICDS Student Advisory Council (SAC)
    • Interfacing with various offices and student groups
Who can apply to be an ICDS GTA?

This position is open to all WWU graduate students regardless of disability status or field of study. We are particularly interested in welcoming applicants with diverse and intersecting identities, particularly disabled, neurodiverse, chronically ill, BIPOC, queer, and gender non-conforming individuals.

Please note: If your graduate program is not state-supported (i.e. is offered through OCE, office of continuing education), you cannot received salaried GTA support and must apply for an hourly nonsalaried position.

Hours, pay, and benefits

The GTA position is available as full-time salaried, half-time salaried, and hourly nonsalaried. The position requires approximately 20 hours per week for full-time appointments, 10 hours per week for half-time, and between 5-9 hours per week for hourly positions.

Salaried GTAs will receive the standard pay and health insurance benefits of an academic graduate teaching assistant. Full-time and half-time salaried positions include full graduate tuition waivers.  Compensation for hourly nonsalaried GTA positions will be consistent with the current wage schedule for graduate assistants.

GTAs will report directly to the ICDS Co-Directors and administrative manager. Hourly GTA positions require timely reporting of hours through electronic time sheets maintained by the GTA and approved by the ICDS.

How to apply to be an ICDS GTA

To apply, submit your Resume/CV and the ICDS Graduate Assistant Application attached to the end of the Job Description word document; it includes basic applicant info, interest survey, and space for an approx. 1 page cover letter. Send documents to icds@wwu.edu and cc both mcgrewg2@wwu.edu and lucchea@wwu.edu “ICDS Graduate Assistant Application” and your last name.

The application and cover letter should explain the following information:

  • whether you are applying for the full-time (20 hours/wk salaried), half time (10 hours/wk salaried), or hourly nonsalaried GTA position (5 – 9 hours/wk)
  • what quarter(s) you are applying for: Full Academic year, Fall Quarter, Winter Quarter, and/or Spring Quarter
  • your home graduate department and your year in the program
  • whether there is any flexibility or uncertainty in your need for employment with the ICDS
  • describe your interest in the position and the personal experience that qualifies you for the position, including how you meet the job’s required and preferred qualifications
  • identify which subsets of the proposed job responsibilities you are most excited to take on under Academic, Programming, and Institute Support (see What are the GTA Job Responsibilities? under Position Details)

Applications are due 11:59 pm Sunday, August 25th.

Applications have closed

ICDS GTA Position Description (Word Document)

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the ICDS Graduate Teaching Assistant positions

What is the difference between the full-time salaried, part-time salaried, and hourly nonsalaried appointments?

These appointments differ in salary, benefits, minimum enrollment to apply, and whether other campus jobs can be accepted simultaneously. Paychecks are disbursed biweekly (every 2 weeks).

  • full-time salaried: 
    • 20 hours/week ICDS Graduate Assistant Work
    • salary: $5850 per quarter paid in 6 installments
    • tuition waiver: Full (waiver does not cover student fees: full table of cost here)
    • benefits include health insurance
    • enrollment: must be enrolled full-time, or at least 8 credits per quarter of employment in a state-supported WWU graduate program
    • Other campus jobs: No other campus jobs can be accepted
      • generally, a graduate student is limited to 6 quarters of salaried GTA work through the WWU Graduate School.
  • half-time salaried: 
    • 10 hours/week ICDS Grad Assistant Work
    • salary: $2925 per quarter, in 6 installments
    • tuition waiver: Partial (full table of cost here)
    • benefits include health insurance
    • enrollment: must be enrolled full-time, or at least 8 credits per quarter of employment in a state-supported WWU graduate program
    • Other campus jobs: can be accepted, up to 9 hrs/wk
  • hourly nonsalaried:
    • 5 – 9 hours/week ICDS Grad Assistant Work
    • non-salaried hourly rate: consistent with the WWU wage schedule for graduate students
      • Student must record hours worked and submit biweekly time sheets that are then approved by the ICDS.
    • tuition waiver: None
    • student covers health insurance
    • enrollment: must be enrolled at least half-time, or 4 credits per quarter (graduate half-time)
      • Any WWU graduate student can be paid hourly, including grad students in continuing education (OCE) graduate programs.
    • Other campus jobs: can be accepted

Does a tuition waiver from a salaried graduate assistant position also cover fees?

No, the tuition waiver does not cover student fees: a full table of costs for 2023-2024 is linked here

Do I need to be enrolled as a full-time graduate student to work an ICDS GTA position?

For salaried (full-time and half-time) positions, you must be enrolled full-time, or 8 credits per quarter minimum, for each quarter you will be employed as a salaried grad assistant.

For non-salaried (hourly part-time) positions, you do not have to be enrolled full-time, but you do need to be enrolled at least half-time, or 4 credits per quarter minimum, for each quarter you will be employed as a grad assistant.

Archive

Previous years’ calls for GTAs.

Resources

Discussion Groups
Office Hours
Student Resources
Faculty & Staff Resources
Local Organizations

This page is an ever-growing list of resources for students, faculty, staff, and community members. Please let us know at icds@wwu.edu with additional resources that we can add to this page!

Support and Discussion Groups

New! Join the Disability Studies and Action Collaborative and the ICDS for topical discussion and support groups created by and for disabled people. Learn more about the Disability Justice Collaborative and the Disability Pedagogy Group as and find instructions on how to join here (link). Our Spring 2024 meeting times are currently Mondays at 5:00 pm.

ICDS Community Office Hours

Meet with the ICDS GTAs, faculty, and co-directors at their virtual ICDS Community Office Hours

Office Hours:

Co-Directors

Faculty teaching DISA courses

Graduate Assistants

Resources for WWU Students

ICDS Student Advisory Council

The WWU Student Advisory Council (SAC) is an independent student-run committee within the Institute for Critical Disability Studies comprised of undergraduate and graduate students at WWU. Their mission is to create a safe and supportive space for disabled student and allies to foster a growing community of inclusion, accessibility, and disability culture, and to ensure that disabled students are represented and included at all levels of the Institute’s operations. In order to better represent the needs and priorities of the disabled student community, the Student Advisory Council meets for discussion regularly during the academic year and provides recommendations for the ICDS at their regular meetings. You can reach out to the current ICDS SAC leadership team at: wwu.icds.sac@gmail.com or reach the Co-Presidents directy by email at kleffmr@wwu.edu and wilkinc5@wwu.edu.

WWU Clubs

Are you part of a club that centers disability, neurodiversity, mental health, and/or chronic illness? Tell us about it! We’d like to know more about your group, and would also like to share your group’s information on this Resources page, if you are willing.

WWU Disability Access Center (DAC)

The WWU Disability Access Center is the official office for students requesting disability-related accommodations for their classes. The office increases access and inclusion for students by ensuring both WWU’s legal compliance with the American with Disability Act (ADA), as well as offering additional programming, outreach and professional development aimed at faculty, and self-advocacy resources.

WWU Disability Outreach Center (DOC)

The WWU Disability Outreach Center is a program of the Disability Access Center, and is a space for disabled students and allies to build community and advocate and connect folks to resources. Find the DOC in Wilson Library ground floor: WL 165. They are open M-F 12:00 – 5:00 pm, and have space to study and hang out. NEW! Meetup / Social Hour now happening every Friday at Noon!

Resources for WWU Faculty and Staff

Professional Development and Workshops from the ADEI Unit

The WWU Accessibility, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) Unit offers faculty and staff events and professional development workshops on everything from implementing accommodations to including Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in your course design. Check out Disability-related ADEI Unit workshops through the WWU Disability Access Center webpage here, or find all the upcoming WWU ADEU Unit events and updates here.

Links to Forms for current ICDS Faculty and Staff Affiliates

Need to print teaching evaluations for your DISA course? Visit this page [page under construction] for links and reference material for current ICDS-affiliated faculty engaging in teaching and committee work for the ICDS.

Community Organizations

Whatcom County & Bellingham

Whatcom Neurodivergent Collective

“The goal of the Whatcom Neurodivergent Collectiveis to build community, offer support, and provide a base for education and activism for Neurodivergent people in Whatcom County.”

You can find dates for their meetups at Inner Child Studio in downtown Bellingham through the Inner Child Studio webpage, generally the first Sunday of every month.

Pacific Northwest

Greater U.S. or International

DSAC Annual UnConference

UnConference 2024

Our Annual Fall UnConference is Saturday & Sunday, October 19 – 20, 2024
Applications have closed, but you can join us for our Friday, October 18 Reception and Keynote in AW 204, which is free and open to all. 4:30 reception, 5:30 keynote.

Disability Studies & Action Collaborative UnConference

Saturday October 19 – Sunday October 20, 2024
Tentative time: 10:00 – 5:00 pm
Academic Instructional Center West
Western Washington University, Bellingham Campus

About the UnConference

The Western Washington University Institute for Critical Disability Studies is excited to to be hosting our fourth annual Disability Studies and Action Collaborative (DSAC) UnConference in October 2024.

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,” but we believe a wide range of people can contribute to our conversations at the UnConference, regardless of whether you work with disability issues professionally, you study critical disability studies as a student or academic, or you have lived experiences of disability. 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?

Our UnConference is broken down into two days. Everyone is expected to attend both days of the event.

Day 1: The Workshops

Our first day focuses on a series of workshops. You work in a small group of people from different backgrounds to focus on a specific problem or opportunity related to disability. You have conversations about that topic, then identify an idea for solving the problem or seizing the opportunity. Every workshop group is different. You will be led by a facilitator who will guide the group through the process of deciding on an important topic and discovering a way to address it. 

Past workshop topics include creating an online network for and by BIPOC trauma survivors, developing a research study about disabled students’ personal narratives, and designing templates for identifying access problems on school campuses. 

Day 2: The Presentation Sessions

Our second day focuses on presentation sessions. Every UnConference participant will give a presentation of some kind. Some people might speak for five minutes as part of a roundtable on a topic of their choosing. Some may give longer, more formal presentations ranging from ten to fifteen minutes. The philosophy here is that everyone has a certain kind of expertise to share, whether that’s scholarly research or lived experience. Coaching will be available for those who want some support in developing their presentation. 

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

2024 UnConference Application

The 2024 UnConference Application

The following information will be updated to reflect 2024 information soon:

Not attending this year, but still interested in helping us conduct the UnConference this and future years? Donate to our Special Events fund!

Visit the Call for Participation and Application page to find out more information about the conference or contact the organizers by emailing icds.unconference@wwu2.onmicrosoft.com and icds@wwu.edu.

Parking, Wifi, Maps, and Local Guides

The DSAC UnConference Archives

2023 UnConference Archive
2022 UnConference Archive
2019 UnConference Archive

Institute for Critical Disability Studies Fellows Program

About ICDS Fellows
Get Involved
Meet our Fellows
Previous Years

The WWU Institute for Critical Disability Studies supports faculty, staff, and community members with fellowships to develop programs and carry out projects related to disability scholarship and advocacy. Each year, we build a cohort of Fellows from differing professional and advocacy backgrounds. These fellows meet periodically throughout the calendar year to work together on their projects and learn from each other’s skills and interests.

Fellows are awarded $3,000 annually as part of their Fellowship. Fellows also have the opportunity to consult with one or more paid Project Mentors during their time in the Program.

ICDS Fellows Program Mission

The goal of the WWU ICDS Fellows Program is to create a venue where faculty, staff, and local community members can develop collaborative programs and initiatives related to disability scholarship and advocacy. 

About the Fellows Program

What do Fellows do?

Our fellows take on a wide range of projects. Click or tap here to read about some project examples and learn about how the program is structured…

Some possible projects could include, but are not limited to:

  • Developing a community-focused event or program
  • Traveling to conduct research at an archive or to gather interviews from the community
  • Building a social network among activists and artists within a community
  • Creating an art project and sharing it with the public
  • Conducting scholarly research and developing writing projects

While we would like you to have some ideas and general direction for what you’d like to do as a Fellow, you do not have to have a firm plan finalized in order to be accepted into the ICDS Fellows Program. Much of our early work in the Fellows Program can include planning and project development in consultation with Program Mentors and with the collective support of your peers in the Program.

Program Structure

The participation of Fellows in the Program is structured as follows:

  1. Each Fellow will submit an application in which they propose ideas and projects they are interested in working on for their fellowship period.
  2. Each Fellow receives $3,000 as part of their Fellowship. The awarded funds are distributed in two payments, half at the beginning and half at the conclusion of the Program. 
  3. Fellows will meet with mentors based on their interests and project focus.  Fellows will have regular opportunities to meet and check in with multiple mentors during their project development stage.
  4. Fellows meet as a full cohort regularly throughout the calendar year, including summer. These meetings will be hybrid, allowing both in-person and online participation.

Program Outcomes

Click or tap here to read more about the main outcomes for the fellows program…

This is a process-driven program, rather than a product-driven program. What this means is that you will be working toward a goal, but it is not vital that you finish the project within the year of the fellowship. Some projects may turn out to be too big and ambitious to finish in just one year. The Fellows Program is here to help you along the journey. 

There are three main outcomes for the fellows program:

  1. At the beginning of the program, we will ask you to write a brief introduction of yourself and your tentative project ideas, which we will publish in our 2024 ICDS Annual Showcase newsletter. We will help you with any editorial support you should need. 
  2. In October, we will invite you to give a 10-30 minute presentation about your work in progress as an ICDS Fellow at the annual Disability Studies and Action Collaborative UnConference. This year, the UnConference is happening Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20, 2024. 
  3. By the end of the program, February 2025, we will ask you to write a short follow-up report on your work as a ICDS Fellow. This final report will be published in our annual 2025 ICDS Annual Showcase newsletter.

Getting Involved

Click or tap here to learn more about how to get involved in the ICDS Fellows Program as a Fellow or Project Mentor…

Fellows: How to apply to the ICDS Fellows Program

Applications for the 2024 Fellows Cohort will open on Friday, March 01, 2024 and will be due at 11:59 pm on Monday, April 01, 2024. Finalists will be contacted for interviews in the first half of April.

Apply to the ICDS Fellows Program 2024 Cohort

How to become a Project Mentor for the ICDS Fellows Program

Fellows partner with ICDS Fellows Mentors, who are faculty, staff, or community member mentors with expertise or experience in disability scholarship and/or advocacy. Mentors meet with Fellows to discuss their projects and offer support. Project Mentors are compensated for each mentorship session.

If you are interested in serving as part of our Mentor team, please contact icds@wwu.edu so that the ICDS co-directors can follow-up with your questions and set up a phone call or Zoom meeting.

Meet the Institute for Critical Disability Studies Fellows

Meet the 2024 Cohort

Selfie of a person with long and wavy blue-grey dyed hair and large-rimmed clear glasses wearing a pink top and pink lipstick. She is looking directly at the camera with a thoughtful expression.

Chapi / Sharon Alfaro

she/her/ella

Click or tap to read more about Chapi…

Hello, my name is Sharon Alfaro but I go by Chapi. My pronouns are she/her/ella. I have worked in the mental health industry for four years up to very recently and it is my biggest passion of all. This is why I decided to make my project mental health and illness related. I currently work as a phlebotomist at labcorp and am a full time mom to three fur babies. I am more than excited for this fellowship and hope I can wow everyone. My goal is not just to wow everyone, but also educate my community and fellow Latinx members

A smiling person with short dark beard and blue baseball cap, dressed in short-sleeved hiking clothes and a red bandana tied around the neck, holding a backpack. He is standing in front of a field with green trees in the background.

Steve Hickenbottom

he/him

Click or tap to read more about Steve, an educator at Edmonds College…

I’m an educator from Seattle, Washington, working in transition skills for students with disabilities at Edmonds College. I grew up in the Ballard area of Seattle and received my bachelor’s degree in history from Western Washington University in 2008. After college I started working as a Special Education paraprofessional in the Seattle School district. Eventually I went back to school and received a Washington State Teaching Certificate in Special Education and taught in the Seattle and Shoreline School districts before moving to Edmonds College in 2023. In my role at Edmonds College I work to support students developing self advocacy and workplace readiness skills as they transition from high school to college/work. I love working with my students and seeing them discover their strengths and passions!

In my free time I enjoy spending time outdoors in the Pacific Northwest, particularly the North Cascades. I love exploring new places and meeting new people along the way. In the ICDS Fellowship I’m excited to explore ways to expand disability services to historically underserved populations through outreach and education. Access to services should not depend on an individual’s income or circumstances and I’m passionate about finding ways to expand access to local and state resources for people with disabilities.

A tall person with short brown hair and medium beard smiles at the camera, facing slightly to the side. He is wearing a forest-toned green and brown flannel shirt and is standing in front of evergreen trees.

Alexander Jones

he/him

Click or tap to read more about Alexander, Accessibility Specialist at Woodland Park Zoo…

Alexander Jones, the Accessibility Specialist at Woodland Park Zoo focuses on all aspects of accessibility as it intersects with the guest, staff, and volunteer experience.  He implemented The Guest Inclusion Program, a grant funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services focused on creating inclusive informal programming across the zoo based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning.  Working in the field of accessibility for over 9 years he brings a diverse perspective with both lived experience identifying as an individual with disabilities, a background in ADA compliance, Web Accessibility, a human design-centered approach, and adaptive therapeutic recreation. Alexander currently serves on the Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium as a steering committee member. While much of his work has been in the space of accessibility he is excited to dig deeper into disability justice in the fellowship at Western Washington University. He hopes this work will help create a deeper impact amplifying more disabled voices.

Meet the 2023 Cohort

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Erica Bigelow

Click or tap to read more about Erica Bigelow, a Philosophy PhD Student at the University of Washington…

I’m a philosophy PhD student at the University of Washington, and am working toward a graduate certificate in science, technology, and society studies. I hold a bachelor’s degree from Stonehill College in North Easton, MA, and a master’s degree from Miami University in Oxford, OH. I’m also a steward & organizer with UAW4121, and a philosopher-in-residence at Rainier Beach High school in Seattle. 

My academic interests are quite wide-reaching; they mostly lie at the crossroads of structural injustice, disability, social epistemology, feminist philosophies, affect, and applied ethics. Some of my current projects include an evaluation of the hermeneutical and phenomenological good that diagnosis can serve as, an examination of the ways that anger gets recapitulated as Madness and the unique harms that its bearer thus becomes subjected to, and, more recently, a paper exploring the harm perpetuated by characterizing the COVID-19 pandemic through militaristic metaphors. 

A blonde-haired woman in a sky blue winter coat is standing at a city crosswalk and smiling with eyes closed with a black guide dog at her side.

Kat DeNicola

she/her

Click or tap to read more about Kat DeNicola, Access Manager at the WWU Disability Access Center…

I received my Master’s degree in Counseling Education with a Rehabilitation specialty in 2014 from Portland State University. I have experience working in the vocational rehabilitation field, teaching assistive technology, and working with disabled college students which is what I currently do as an Access Manager at the WWU Disability Access Center.

One of the strongest messages disabled people receive from society is that we are broken. We are often viewed as less-than, as burdens. These judgments result in assumptions of what we can and cannot do, and thus what we are allowed and not allowed to do. As a totally blind woman, I believe the disabled body is something to be celebrated. We find ways to dance, to nurture, to create, to play sports, to make love, … And in our current climate where physical attacks on members of minority groups are increasing, we have the right to find ways to defend ourselves. The goal of my project is to provide general awareness and training to local self defense instructors on adapting their teaching techniques so that any disabled person can access training specific to their needs in an inclusive and accessible environment.

Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Logo, in dark blue, blue, and green, implying letters I, C, D, and S using colors and negative space.

Erin Howard

they/them

Click or tap to read more about Erin Howard, a research scientist and engineer at the University of Washington…

Erin is a genderqueer and neuroqueer disabled scientist working for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory at the University of Washington. They graduated from Western Washington University in June 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in physics and math/computer science, with minors in astronomy and statistics. Their time at Western was spent advocating for disabled students and working with the College of Science and Engineering through the Student Ambassadors Program to help make classrooms more accommodating to everyone. In their free time, Erin works with the University of Washington’s Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) program as a panelist talking about the life of a disabled student and worker.

A photo all in tones of blue. A person with dark skin and long, dark hair is wearing a blue floral dress and denim jacket and standing in front of an ocean backdrop that is projecting shades of blue on their face and skin as well.

Jzy ||All Pronouns|| (Jazmine Joy De Leon Balila/Yeeles)

Click or tap to read more about Jzy, a WWU Alum…

Z devised their concentration in Declaration of Interdependence: Reclamation, Remediation, and Creation, minoring in Chemistry. They exist and operate in scalars–broadening perspectives and inviting specifications into moments and cases. She is of the ocean, space, and the elements. He devotes himself to timelessness and presence.

A selfie of a feminine person sitting and smiling at the camera, with magenta-rimmed glasses, pearl earrings, long wavy black hair, and grey and white striped button shirt.

Melina Juárez Pérez 

she/they

Click to read more about Melina Juárez Pérez, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies 

Melina Juárez Pérez is an Assistant Professor in Political Science and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. They were born and raised in the Central Valley, California in a Mexican immigrant farmworker community. Their work focuses on the lives, health, and happiness of Latinx and BIPoC communities, particularly that of fat, disabled, queer, and women folk. Her time as a CDS Fellow will be spent on examining the ways disability functions within Latinidad and how it shapes relationships among Latinxs.

Contact us

To reach the ICDS Fellows Program team with questions, please address emails to both of the following email addresses: icds@wwu.edu and icds.fellows.program@wwu2.onmicrosoft.com.

Archive

Previous Fellows Cohorts