Disability Inclusion, Equity, and Accessibility Month Events Calendar
To request accommodations for these events, please reach out to the event organizers.
Updates to this calendar will be made as they become available.
Go to Neurodiversity Celebration Week Events
March 2024
Monday, Feb. 26 - Sunday, March 4
Location: Heller School for Social Policy, Zinner Forum
From Feb. 26 through March 4, there will be a display for the Disability Day of Mourning, which officially occurs on March 1 every year, in Zinner Forum. This display has been assembled by the Heller Student Disability Working Group to memorialize disabled people who have been murdered by their families or caregivers (sometimes called filicide). Members of the Heller community and other members of campus are invited to visit the display to learn more about the Disability Day of Mourning and its connection to policy, and to reflect on and honor victims of filicide. For more information, or to join the Disability Working Group and be involved in future events and activities, please contact Ian Moura.
Thursday, March 7
5 p.m.
Location: Hybrid (Heller School for Social Policy and Online)
The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy is excited to present its second year of the Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellowship. This year’s distinguished fellow is Robin Wilson-Beattie, a groundbreaking speaker, writer, and educator, and a passionate advocate for disability and sexuality. Robin’s talk will be in conversation with Rebecca Cokley, the Ford Foundation’s first U.S. Disability Rights Program Officer.
For accommodations or further information, please contact lurie@brandeis.edu.
A Workshop for Faculty, Staff, and Students Preparing to Enter the Workforce
Friday, March 15
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: Hybrid (Heller 163 and Online, with ASL interpretation)
This workshop will introduce the principles of disability justice and explore how these tenets might be applied to achieve increased acceptance and inclusion in the workplace of employees with disabilities, including disabled staff and faculty members in the campus community. We will also explore ways to create improved workplace cohesion and effectiveness. The workshop is designed for staff, faculty, managers, accomplices, as well as students preparing to enter the workforce.
Hosted by the Staff-Faculty Disability and Accessibility group. Co-sponsored by the Staff-Faculty Disability and Accessibility group and the Heller School Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity.
Questions? Need accommodations? Email staff-faculty-disability-group@brandeis.edu.
Not at Heller and want to attend? Just email us at staff-faculty-disability-group@brandeis.edu!
Wednesday, March 20
1:20-2:10 p.m.
Location: Mandel G03
Speaker: Dr. Alani Hicks-Bartlett (Assistant Professor, Brown University)
Organizer: Catherine Bloomer, Kay Fellow in Premodern Disability Studies, Department of English
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
5-7 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Organized by Brandeis professor Ilana Szobel, this session will examine a wide range of issues unique to the experiences of sexual assault victims who have a cognitive, sensory, emotional, or mobility disability. By locating the conversations about sexual gendered violence in contemporary disability justice frameworks, the session will focus on prevention of sexual violence against people with disabilities, modes of resistance and self-empowerment of disabled victims, as well as on the creation of support systems by and for survivors with disabilities.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024 (March 18–24)
All Week
Location: Staff-Faculty Disability & Accessibility group webpage
In honor of Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024, we're talking about neurodivergent staff and faculty! We welcome your comments on how members of the campus community might support and include neurodivergent people in workplaces and work processes. All comments published will be made anonymous, displaying only campus role (e.g., staff, faculty, student, colleague).
Submit now! Please send your comments via email for display on your thoughts about supporting neurodivergent staff and faculty. (Comments may be edited for length and other considerations. Please note that we may not be able to display all comments.)
Hosted by the Brandeis University Staff-Faculty Disability and Accessibility Alliance
All day
Location: Throughout campus
Hosted by the Dean of Students Office
Location: Online Survey
Students, we want your feedback! Please complete a brief survey to share your ideas about how the Brandeis community can better support neurodiversity on campus. Feedback will be shared anonymously with professors, staff, and other community members to help improve experiences for neurodivergent students at Brandeis.
Monday, March 18
12-1 p.m.
Location: Hybrid (Shapiro Campus Center, Room 314 and Zoom)
Zoom link (Meeting ID: 364 629 2255)
Join Brett Mulder, PsyD, (he/him/his), Director of Adult Services of the MGH Aspire program for an educational session to kick off Neurodiversity Celebration Week! A diagnosis of ADHD, autism/Asperger’s syndrome, or a learning disability may indicate a different set of strengths than someone considered “neurotypical.” This talk will focus on how you can understand the autism spectrum and ADHD through a strength-based lens of neurodiversity and how to collaboratively create environments in higher education that maximize a student’s strengths, minimize challenges, promote inclusion and value the diversity of minds.
Snacks and refreshments will be provided!
Hosted by Student Accessibility Support (SAS), the Dean of Students Office (DOSO), the Brandeis Counseling Center (BCC), and the Department of Community Living
4-6 p.m.
Location: Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328
Take a moment to escape the academic hustle and take a break at the Oasis Wellness Lounge, your haven for relaxation located in the Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328. The Oasis Wellness Lounge is situated in the shared office suite of the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (HAWP) and Department of Orientation and First Year Experience.
- De-stress with sensory items and fidget toys
- Color or draw in a relaxing environment
- Sip tea or coffee and unwind
- Nap on a couch or comfy Moon Pod bean bag chair
Tuesday, March 19
2-5 p.m.
Location: Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328
Take a moment to escape the academic hustle and take a break at the Oasis Wellness Lounge, your haven for relaxation located in the Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328. The Oasis Wellness Lounge is situated in the shared office suite of the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (HAWP) and Department of Orientation and First Year Experience.
- De-stress with sensory items and fidget toys
- Color or draw in a relaxing environment
- Sip tea or coffee and unwind
- Nap on a couch or comfy Moon Pod bean bag chair
Wednesday, March 20
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: Upper Usdan Food Court
Stop by to say hello to SAS staff and the SAS Fellows! Brochures, fidget items, and stickers will be provided! We will also have resources for community members to learn about neurodiverse conditions including: Autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and more!
Hosted by SAS Fellows
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: Upper Usdan Food Court
Say hi and ask questions of a BCC therapist! Information will be provided. We will have resources for students to learn about our services, including our Get the Wiggles Out group.
Hosted by the BCC
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Location: Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328
Take a moment to escape the academic hustle and take a break at the Oasis Wellness Lounge, your haven for relaxation located in the Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328. The Oasis Wellness Lounge is situated in the shared office suite of the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (HAWP) and Department of Orientation and First Year Experience.
- De-stress with sensory items and fidget toys
- Color or draw in a relaxing environment
- Sip tea or coffee and unwind
- Nap on a couch or comfy Moon Pod bean bag chair
4:30-5:30 p.m.
Location: TBD
Expressing ourselves doesn't only happen through words; we can also use our bodies to check in with our mental health. Come join this non-verbal space to move the body and process daily stress through mindful breathing, stretching, and organic movement in this collaboration between the CA’s of DCL and J from Community Therapy.
Thursday, March 21
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328
Take a moment to escape the academic hustle and take a break at the Oasis Wellness Lounge, your haven for relaxation located in the Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328. The Oasis Wellness Lounge is situated in the shared office suite of the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (HAWP) and Department of Orientation and First Year Experience.
- De-stress with sensory items and fidget toys
- Color or draw in a relaxing environment
- Sip tea or coffee and unwind
- Nap on a couch or comfy Moon Pod bean bag chair
1-2 p.m.
Location: Hybrid (Shapiro Campus Center, Multipurpose Room and on Zoom)
Student Accessibility Support (SAS) will have a panel of current undergraduate students who identify as neurodivergent to talk about what neurodiversity means to them, experiences with self-advocacy, and more. We will also open up the event to questions from the audience. Free Chipotle lunch will be served!
Hosted by Student Accessibility Support
Friday, March 22
11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Shapiro Science Center
Stop by to say hello to SAS staff and the SAS Graduate Student Liaison, Aurora Soriano! Brochures, fidget items, and stickers will be provided! We will also have resources for community members to learn about neurodiverse conditions including: Autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and more!
Hosted by Student Accessibility Support
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1:30-4 p.m.
Location: Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328
Take a moment to escape the academic hustle and take a break at the Oasis Wellness Lounge, your haven for relaxation located in the Shapiro Campus Center, Room 328. The Oasis Wellness Lounge is situated in the shared office suite of the Office of Health and Wellness Promotion (HAWP) and Department of Orientation and First Year Experience.
- De-stress with sensory items and fidget toys
- Color or draw in a relaxing environment
- Sip tea or coffee and unwind
- Nap on a couch or comfy Moon Pod bean bag chair
3-4 p.m.
Location: Shapiro Campus Center, Room 314
Deisvergent meets weekly on Fridays from 3-4 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Room 314. Join other students who identify as neurodiverse or neurodivergent and support one another! Deisvergent is a student-run Neurodiversity/Neurodivergence affinity group that is social and supportive and can evolve based on the interests of group members. Fidgets will be provided! Please email student leaders Hannan Canavan and Christina Waring at deisvergent@brandeis.edu with any questions.
Hosted by Deisvergent and Student Accessibility Support