Last week, I had the opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do. On Thursday, April 1st, 2021, I spoke on a Disability Pride Panel for the Disability and Human Development Undergraduate Student Association at the University of Illinois at Chicago. It was such an incredible experience and I am very grateful to have been asked to be a part of the event.
Because this Disability Pride Panel was hosted by a student organization at UIC, attendance was not open to the public. Though I was disappointed more people didn’t have access to the wonderful dialogue taking place, the small numbers allowed more time for questions and discussion.
Since this was my first time speaking on a panel, specifically a disability pride panel, I thought it would be fruitful to share my thoughts and feelings on the event. By doing so, I hope other institutions and organizations can learn about the importance of events like this one and hopefully host their own versions in the future.
Without further ado, here are the top 4 things I learned from speaking on UIC’s Disability Pride Panel.