National Disability Awareness Month is held in October to raise awareness about issues that arise within the lived experience of people with disabilities, and celebrates the many and varied contributions of Americans with disabilities.
Disability identity is intersectional with the history of the LGBTQ+ community that shares October as an awareness month. October is also Relationship Violence Awareness Month, and we are very conscious that people with disabilities are at a much higher risk of Relationship and Sexual Violence and that any violence can cause, complicate and/or exacerbate disability.
NDAM's roots go back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October each year "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the word "physically" was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with various types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to "National Disability Awareness Month" to address inclusion more broadly.
Americans with disabilities make up almost one-fifth of our population, which brings more celebration to this month, underneath the umbrella of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrating its 32nd anniversary and Section 504 celebrating its 50th Anniversary This month includes:
- ADHD Awareness Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Dysautonomia Awareness Month
- Learning Disability Awareness Month
- National Disability Employment Month
- National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
- Spina Bifida Awareness Month
- Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 1-7, NAMI)
- National Depression Screening Day (October 5)
- World Cerebral Palsy Day (October 6)
- OCD Awareness Week (October 8-14)
- White Cane Awareness Day (October 15)
- Invisible Disabilities Week (October 15-21)
and given the beauty and complexity of being human, we respectfully nod to disability-related health conditions that are highlighted at other times. We see you. You matter.
Accessibility and Disability Services remains committed to building on past progress and creating inclusive change as we work in partnership with the entire UMBC community, including Facilities Management, Human Resources, Instructional Technology, and academic departments. Student Disability Services provides accommodations and resource support for students with disabilities, as education is a path toward progress. While huge strides have been made with accessibility and inclusion (which can happen via accommodation and collaborative campus work), people with disabilities still face discrimination and lack of understanding- the work must continue. The fight for full inclusion remains (Judy Heumann Ted Talk link). The first step to success is access and accessible practices are everyone's responsibility to foster inclusion and belonging.
Resources & Upcoming Events:
Retriever Integrated Health includes The Counseling Center for counseling support and resources as well as workshops and group meetings - they are recruiting for their Neurodiversity group now.
Retriever Integrated Health also has a range of health services that support campus members of all abilities in the new, accessible Center for Wellbeing across from Erickson Field (D7 on the map).
Student Organizations:
Faculty Group: Disability Studies Working Group
A sampling of Disability Awareness Month Events:
Oct 2: Campus Accessibility Tour
October 13: DAPi Honor Society Meeting (members only)
October 18: Campus Accessibility Walk (held monthly)
Oct 19-22: Superfest Virtual Film Festival
October 23: Disability Employment Awareness Month webinar with MDOD & the Autism Society of maryland's Autism Hiring Program (Zoom)
October 24: SDS Open House- Hands-on Assistive Technology demos
October 25: AT at Work: Disability Employment Awareness (MDOD Zoom session)
October 25: Freedom and a Friend: Cultural Histories of the Guide Dog (Dresher Center Humanities Series)
