Interactive Workshops, 11 am- 3 pm Hybrid, Thursday April 10

What does it mean to put accessibility in practice daily? From 11 AM EDT until 3 PM EDT,  this series of hybrid workshops will put real access into practice and offer attendees practical ways to include accessibility in both their work and daily interactions.  

1. You can attend sessions in person at the Poorvu Center (301 York Street) in Room 120A/B. Registration is required.
2. You can attend sessions virtually via Zoom. Registration is required. 

ASL and CART services will be provided.

Schedule

11AM: Recognizing, Preventing, and Responding to Disability-Related Microaggressions

Presented by Kate Upatham and Kate Higgins of Harvard University 

This session will delve into the nuances of microaggressions, their subtle yet significant impact, and when they may rise to the level of actionable discrimination. Through real-world scenarios and interactive exercises, attendees will 1) learn strategies to identify, prevent, and respond effectively, and 2) how to challenge assumptions, combat stereotypes, and foster welcoming and inclusive spaces even in the face of challenging power dynamics.

12 PM: Accessible Teaching Materials in K-12 Classrooms: Book Presentation and Discussion 

Presented by Kenya Loudd, with Richard Cairn, Graham Warder, Ross Newton, Kate Benson, and Baba Amin Ojuok 

Description forthcoming

1 PM: Teaching and Researching Disability: A Workshop for Early Career Scholars of Anthropology and/of Disability 

Presented by Kim Fernandes and Helena Fietz  

Early-career academics working from and on disability often receive insufficient institutional support toward balancing their career goals with personal and community commitments. Additionally, it is not uncommon that because of our research and teaching interests, we become the support network for students with disabilities who navigate unwelcoming institutions. All of this while enduring the pressures of early-career struggles such as the job market, precarious positions, and/or having to find a support system of their own. This workshop is therefore designed with the goal of centering disability justice in building and sustaining a network of early-career scholars working on various topics related to disability. To this end, we envision the workshop as a venue to bring together a global community of those interested in anthropological approaches to the study of disability as culture. Depending on the number of attendees, we will spend the first third of the workshop on introductions to each others’ work through lightning talks (either as a whole group, or in smaller breakout groups). Next, we will attend to how disability as a category is changing and understood within the work that early career scholars are doing and in our research and teaching praxis. We will also think through questions relating to translation and local expertise, as well as issues that arise in peoples’ fieldwork and writing. Finally, in the last third of the workshop, we will ask attendees what kinds of community they would like to work toward continuing to build, including through asynchronous post-workshop options. 

2-3 PM: Accessible Event Planning 

• 2:00 PM: Inclusionary health and safety policies at “post-pandemic” library and archives conferences presented by Kate Nyhan 
• 2:15 PM: A Guide to Hosting Accessible Events presented by Jordan Colbert and Nick Wantsala