October 28, 2021; 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EDT
Part of the RACE + DISABILITY webinar series, co-sponsored by FISA Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and The Pittsburgh Foundation
Historically, disability services were designed to accommodate a singular identity: person with a disability; all other aspects of an individual’s experience were considered secondary. But structuring services that ignore the lived experience of racism has created and exacerbated inequities within disability services. Treating disability as race-neutral has also created unwelcoming and sometimes unsafe working conditions for people of color with disabilities who are on staff.
This session will explore promising practices in cultivating a welcoming and equitable culture, designed to include people of color with disabilities who are both consumers of services and staff offering support. Presenters represent various Centers for Independent Living. All panelists are multiply marginalized people with disabilities who are recognized for their efforts to advocate for equity in both the provision of supports and the leadership of staff.
This session will:
- Ground participants with professional and personal understanding of what intersectionality in disability services looks like;
- Provide context regarding how attempts to provide services without an intersectional lens can cause unnecessary harm to consumers;
- Present action steps that providers and managers can take to address existing equity gaps at their agencies.
PRESENTERS:
- Reyma McCoy McDeid
- Ami Hyten