August 2021 Meeting | U-M Council for Disability Concerns

8/10/2021

Access Info
Introductions
Council Business
- Update on the Response to WISE Recommendations
- CfDC representatives sent an email to U-M Provost and VPs/AVPs who were charged with prioritizing and implementing the WISE Recommendations
- We received a response on 8/6 from Brian Smith, Interim Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Office, to let us know that several of the group are out of work right now. They will review and respond when back in office (later in August)
Guest Presentation by Detroit Disability Power (DDP)
- Find updates on DDP’s latest work and upcoming events in the DDP Digest
- Instagram account @Funds4Detroit being used to coordinate mutual aid and get resources (often funds) to local disabled folks, especially disabled folks of color, who need support
  - This Instagram account is accepting volunteers to help monitor the account
  - This account is separate from the main DDP Instagram
- Upcoming Events
  - August 15: Reflective Photography Workshop: Our Lens: Different Abilities, Intersections & Strengths
    - Register here
  - September 2: Community conversation on intersections of ableism, ageism, racism, part 3/5
    - Register for any or all of the community conversations here
  - This Fall: a 3-part training series for people with disabilities, to learn skills for organizing, especially related to policy organizing.
    - Hosted on thee Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30pm ET
      - August 17th: Understanding Disability Justice Principles and Application as a Framework for Organizing
      - September 7th: Methods of Change - what is organizing versus influencing, advocacy, etc.
      - September 21st: Key Terms and Concepts of Community and Political Organizing
    - Register here
  - Ongoing Fall Work: Relational organizing for upcoming elections
    - Relational organizing, also known as fractal organizing, relies on individual relationships and connections. If you’re interested in learning more or getting involved, email [email protected]
      - Anyone can get involved, not just people living in Detroit
      - DDP recognizes that volunteering for organizing campaigns is a privilege, not everyone necessarily has time to give
    - As a nonprofit, DDP can’t support an individual candidate. The goal of this campaign is to improve accessibility of voting and increase voter rights, provide information about how to vote safely during a pandemic, and provide other nonpartisan voting information.
    - DDP is also canvassing to increase support and funding for Detroit’s Office of Disability Affairs
      - The Office of Disability Affairs in Detroit was started last year to support at least 128,000 disabled people in Detroit, but the budget is currently 125,000$ a year
      - Text- and phone-based canvassing are expected for safety during COVID
  - This Fall: DDP 3rd Birthday Party!
    - Saturday, Sept 25th in Detroit from 5-7pm ET
    - Location TBD, based on COVID considerations, but current plans are for an outdoor, in-person event and a virtual event (possibly at another time)
  - DDP Membership
    - Membership launched this April, minimum of $5 a year, based on an economic justice scale (pay what you can)
    - First member meeting will be Saturday, Sept 25th
    - Members have no mandatory expectations, although it is strongly suggested that members attend an orientation to meet other members and get a better understanding of who DDP is and how your name as a member is leveraged for policy members.
    - There are two member meetings a year - one in April and one in September, when members can help shape the next six months of DDP objectives. Members vote on issues based on where they live (so national membership looks different than Detroit membership)
    - DDP aims to give members tangible skills to become better organizers for disability justice in the future
    - Members can also give feedback to DDP - call out, call in, hold accountable
- Q&A
  - Does DDP primarily focus on physical disabilities or do you work with intellectual or developmental disabilities as well?
    - Disabled “definition” document
    - DDP’s goal is not to cater to specific disabilities exclusively, but DDP recognizes that they often cater to the disabilities that are most salient for their staff right now. DDP is aware that some disabilities have more mainstream attention than others. DDP is for all people with disabilities, and for all people who want to wear that label
    - DDP does not want to force disabled people to be vulnerable or open about their disabilities if they don’t want to - don’t need to disclose to be involved
    - Goals to expand to include more chronic illness, chronic pain, diabetes, and others who may not always be included in disability discussions
CfDC Announcements
- Dr. Okanlami gave updates from Student Accessibility and Accommodations Services
  - SAAS is working with SSD and the testing and accommodations centers to centralize accommodation needs for students
    - LSA testing centers will now be accessible for ALL students, regardless of whether you’re taking LSA courses. A second testing center will also be opening for all students at Ruthven in the future.
  - New hires are in the works, including an Associate Director to manage the internal management of SSD and an Assistant Director position for adaptive sports and fitness also being hired in the next few weeks
  - “Accommodate” went live, an electronic data management system for student accommodations management. Accommodate will help to streamline approvals for student accommodations
  - Dr. O and others are advocating for students with disabilities to be given remote classroom access (when that works best for them), despite a big push for all students to return to campus this fall
    - Saying that versus actually doing it are different, but the wheels have started turning
  - Clarissa Love, former disability liaison for D&I in Michigan Medicine, is now taking another job, and the job is being taken over by Kristen Howard.
Adjourn: 12:58