Skip to content Skip to main navigation Report an accessibility issue

Scholar Lindsay Lee Leads 2nd Annual Disability Week

The UTK Campus Disability Advocates, founded by 2010 Scholar Lindsay Lee, is hosting its second annual Disability Week beginning on October 21st. This series of events is meant to educate the public about the social and economic issues surrounding disability, local advocacy work for equality, and the value of diverse life experiences. For more specific information, see below.

 

disability-week-poster

Monday, Oct. 21: Showcase of Knoxville Disability Organizations

 This panel will be composed of representatives from various Knoxville disability support and advocacy groups. They will discuss the work that they do and the progress Knoxville has made toward inclusion for people with disabilities. The represented groups include the Disability Resource Center, Knoxville-Knox County Community Action Committee, Disability Law and Advocacy Center, and Goodwill Industries.

Tuesday, Oct. 22: Forum on Employment and Disability

Representatives from the Knoxville Area Employment Consortium, local employers, and United Campus Workers will speak discuss the societal barriers to employment for people with disabilities, the value of employment, and the accommodations that employers are required to provide. Forum participants will include stories of successful and unsuccessful employment accommodations from workers in the Knoxville area and at the University of Tennessee.

 Wednesday, Oct. 23: Pizza and Open Book Trivia

We will host a disability-themed trivia night full of food and fun. Because disability is a subject that many are unfamiliar with, trivia teams will be allowed to use the Internet to find the answer in the allotted time. This event will be very educational and delicious! 

Thursday, Oct. 24: Trix Bruce, Deaf performer

Trix Bruce is a Deaf performer who will present a piece called “The Hearing World Around Me” about her life experiences and about Deaf culture. Using sign language, she educates the public about more than just what it is like to be Deaf; she shows the art that can come from disability.

 Friday, Oct. 25: Film screening of The Intouchables

We will be screening the movie The Intouchables, which tells the story of a paraplegic man who hires a man without any real nursing background as a personal care attendant (PCA). His family and friends are horrified with how blunt and unrefined the new PCA is, but the man prefers the new PCA because he does not pity disability. This film offers a humanizing narrative about disability.