UCOD Meeting Notes (August 8, 2023)
UCOD Meeting
August 8, 2023 / 2PM / Zoom
Attendees
Voting Members:
Emily Frake, Michael Garafola, Katie Healey, Adam Kipust, Travis Lee (proxy for Harold Pimental), Carolanne Link (proxy for Sal Santa Ana), Sylvia Page, Nicholas Shinghal, Caitlin Solone (proxy for Brooke Wilkinson)
Absent:
Katie Bogue, Camila Krause, Sanaz Nabati, Quinn O’Connor, Kyle Udelson
Guests:
Alyssa Hemler, Omar Newland, Brandie Kirkpatrick, Fang-I Chu, Yonit Kovnator, Rob Diaz, Natalie Landau Gibson, Evan Curran, Mauricio Baker Mason
Agenda
1. Intros
2. Remembering Laura Mendoza
a. Laura – GoFundMe Donation Link
b.
c. EDI Office interested in putting together a statement to memorialize Laura’s life and work for the website.
3. Travis- Updates on UCLA Web Accessibility Initiative
a. Did not get full funding requested due to budgetary constraints. Will apply for additional funding later on.
b. Grant-funded work will continue, prioritizing remediation of public department websites.
4. Katie and Travis- Update on Disability Training
a. Caitlin, Travis, and Katie are meeting this week to edit, and then will present to EVC Hunt.
5. Open Discussion- How UCOD can build a partnership with EDI and new AVC, Mitchell Chang?
a. Potential for funding but EDI has not yet received their budget.
b. Search to permanently fill VC of EDI is tbd with lots of current administrative vacancies.
6. Michael– “New Normal- Skateboarding Now” Exhibition
a. Possibility of bringing this exhibition to UCLA (photographs, moving image, as well as 3D items)- Open to ideas on where to host this exhibit.
7. Disability Awareness Week: Oct 9th-13th
a. Funding from EDI? USAC could potentially fund. Please let Travis and Michael know if your department has partial funding.
b. Estimated cost? $1,500 for food and drink. Last Disability Awareness Week was approximately $7,000 total.
c. Programming:
Monday: Launch Party at Bruin Plaza- Pizza, drinks, and music?
1. Space request update- Evan can’t make the request yet but the cost would be free for USAC.
2. Suggestion to provide cookies instead of pizza.
3. Sanaz Nabati- Career Services Online Training at 4PM: WRP Workforce recruitment program (students apply to get in). UCLA students are all eligible for this program.
Tuesday: Open UCOD Meeting, 2-3:30pm and Wheelchair Basketball 4-7:30pm
Wednesday: Disability Culture Training on Zoom.
Thursday: Movie screening? “Rising Phoenix?” Show trailer- Rising Phoenix Trailer. Could move to Wednesday?
Friday: Art Exhibit? – “New Normal- Skateboarding Now” Exhibition? Other ideas?
d. Possible themes
Disabled students, empowerment, inclusion in all spaces, pride, countering ableism, Laura Mendoza, cross sections disability, protest, strength, community, 508 and 504, resilience, advancing access, equity, and community
We will plan to vote on the theme at the September meeting.
e. Other ideas
Could we use the name Disability Celebration or Pride Week?
Use funding to purchase masks to give away
If anyone knows of a DJ or student band who would be interested in playing, let Travis and Michael know.
Disability Studies major will host an Accessible Social Media Training-could be on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday.
Featured speaker? Student interest in Lydia X.Z. Brown
8. Department Updates
9. Adjourn
Action Items
- Travis will send Brandie material for a statement memorializing Laura.
- Brandie will share contacts on the hill to help with screenings with Carolanne and Evan.
- Caitlin will inquire about artists and speakers.
- Evan will inquire about musicians.
- Sylvia will inquire about exhibition spaces in the Library.
