Benjamin BrazilThe Thompson Policy Institute on Disability continued its advocacy with the ninth annual Summit on Disability and Inclusion, bringing together leading researchers and community partners to showcase best practices for cultivating a thriving and inclusive disability community.
More than 500 people attended the summit at the Musco Center for the Arts, including educators, advocates, attorneys, administrators, families, parents and other members of the public and higher education community.
“This is a unique event because it’s not often that there are places or events focusing on equity and inclusion in the disability community,” said Meghan Cosier, executive director of TPI and professor of Special Education and Disability Studies at Attallah College. “With so many people showing up, it shows how interested the community is in this subject.”
During the event, TPI showcases the work it has accomplished over the last year. The gathering was headlined by The Rollettes, a renowned wheelchair dance team that advocates for the disabled community. Disability rights activist and actor Lauren Potter hosted the event. Potter, who has Down Syndrome, is known for roles on “Glee” and “Veep.”
Other speakers at the summit included Dr. Reginald Chhen-Stewart, Chapman’s vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Attallah Dean Roxanne Greitz Miller. The event placed a strong emphasis on celebrating art, featuring the works of several talented visual artists. Audri Gomez, director of TPI and lecturer at Attallah College, said TPI worked with the Orange County Department of Education to bring over an exhibit of more than 50 pieces of art that was featured at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana.
“That was a great collaborative effort for us and really added to our theme of promoting disabled artists at the event,” said Gomez, Ph.D.
Through the summit, TPI is continuing to address the lack of representation of the disabled community in the national DEI dialogue. The disabled community is regularly unrecognized in DEI efforts. But at Chapman, the DEI office works closely with TPI to ensure that this community is well represented.
“Often, the disability community is not recognized as being a cultural group with an identity,” said Cosier, Ph.D. “There is a lot of work to do in recognizing disability as a social and cultural identity that belongs in the DEI discussion. Luckily for us, we have help at Chapman. The DEI office has been incredibly collaborative and supportive of our work overall.”
