As part of Royal Holloway's new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Calendar, we are pleased to announce that we will be recognising national Disability History Month from Wednesday 16 November – Friday 16 December.
This is an annual event which creates a platform to focus on the history of disabled people’s struggle for equality and human rights. The theme this year is Disability, Health and Wellbeing, as the COVID pandemic has demonstrated the fragility of the rights that disabled people have secured for themselves, and how easily these people can become expendable. Throughout this month, we will be using our new social media icon based on the accessible version of the Disability Pride Flag. The original flag was designed in 2021 by Ann Magill, a disabled woman, in collaboration with the disabled community. The black field represents mourning, rage and protesting for victims of ableist violence. The five colours (red, yellow, white, blue and green) represent the variety of experiences (invisible and undiagnosed disabilities, physical disabilities, neurodivergence, psychiatric disabilities, and sensory disabilities). These colours are presented in a diagonal band to represent cutting through the barriers that separate disabled people from society.
The Students' Unionhave put together a programme of events on our Egham campus led by Hannah Hockin, Vice President Societies and Sport, including:
The Disabled Students Collective will also be running activities in the Davidson building on Monday 21 November from 12pm-3pm.
There will also be two events open to all current and former students, our staff as well as the general public:
- Wednesday 23 November, 2 – 3:30pm: Webinar on best practice to support disabled students in Higher EducationThe Disability and Mental Health Staff Network invites you to take part in an online panel discussion with representatives from Disabled Students UK. The event will include discussion of the challenges faced by disabled students in UK higher education, the lived experiences of panellists with a range of disabilities, and best practice for disability inclusion. Please book your free ticket on Eventbrite.
- Thursday 1 December, from 6:15pm: Screening of disability activism documentary ‘Invisible’ and Q&A. This event is taking place in the Shilling Auditorium and will be streamed online. ‘Invisible' is a 30-minute documentary in which six disabled women open up about their lives in a world not made for them, and about how the global Covid-19 pandemic impacted them. It also showcases some of the research findings of a British Academy-funded project on the impact of the pandemic on disabled people at work, led by Dr Anica Zeyen (Royal Holloway, University of London) and Professor Oana Branzei (Ivey Business School, Canada). This will be followed by a Q&A, and for in-person attendees a drinks reception. Please book your free ticket on Eventbrite.