Join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities!
Let’s Talk Ableism, Disability Justice, and Belonging
July 14th from 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) on Zoom
We hope to see you at the second session of our (virtual) annual statewide welcoming convening series, where we’ll discuss disability justice and belonging! Together, we’ll talk through challenges to disability justice and identify immediate actions we can take in local communities to improve accessibility.
For Session 2, guiding our discussion and learning will be Dr. Lauren Obermark from the University of Missouri-St. Louis who will share approaches on moving from assumptions to access, and Carlos Serván, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds. You can read more about each of them below!
(If you registered for the first event, there is no need to register again.)
Please let us know what you need to be able to participate!
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Christa (402-438-8853 x114, cyoakum@neappleseed.org) or Khenda (402-438-8853 x122, kmustafa@neappleseed.org). We’ll try our best to accommodate requests.
Dr. Lauren Obermark is an associate professor in the English department at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses that explore disability and access as part of broader work for social justice. She is also a researcher and author who publishes articles and essays that approach disability as a complex identity and culture. In all work, whether it be teaching, research, or community engagement, she advocates for transformative access, especially in education, where disability is often minimized and ableism is built into many structures, policies, and approaches.
Dr. Obermark always looks for opportunities to connect with others to imagine more radically accessible futures, as disability is too often an avoided topic which results in misunderstanding and furthers inequities.
Carlos R. Serván, born in Lima, Peru was blinded and lost his right hand in an explosion while training with the Peruvian police when he was 20 years old. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1989 to receive training on blindness techniques and soon after found his passion in serving people with disabilities. He had to learn English and then earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and later a dual graduate degree obtaining a M.P.A. and a J.D. His disability, together with his immigrant and minority experiences, have given Mr. Serván a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds. He knows what it is to be disadvantaged; to face discrimination, and he knows what it takes to succeed.
Carlos Serván is also the author of two books. Began to Run Again and Running Dreams: A Story of Strength and Determination.
Remember to mark your calendars and plan to join us for the rest of the series as well:
- August 18, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
- September 8, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!
