Breaking Down Barriers 2004 Conference

Canada-Wide Accessibility for Post-Secondary Students (CanWAPSS) will be holding its Breaking Down Barriers 2004 Conference on October 2nd and 3rd at the Marriott Hotel in Toronto . The theme for this year's conference is "Stopping Exclusion, Increasing Accessibility & Strengthening Self-Advocacy of Post-Secondary Students with Disabilities." This conference is an excellent opportunity for all students, staff, faculty, community members and others to network, gain knowledge, and create solutions for breaking down barriers experienced by post-secondary students with disabilities in areas such as education, employment, recreation, etc., in order to build more inclusive environments. Everyone is encouraged to attend this conference and bring forward their ideas and perspectives. The registration fee for students
is $25 and others is $100. To register for the conference or to find out more details about session descriptions and conference schedule, please visit: www.canwapss.com.

Exploring the Lives of People with Disabilities

“I am a person that was simply born the way that I was born. The same way that people are born with curly hair or red hair or blue eyes or green eyes, I was born with cerebral palsy.” Julia Munk, founder of Students For Barrier-Free Access at University of Toronto , and passionate disability rights activist writes these words to introduce her life as a person with a disability. Her story is one of many compiled in Carol Krause’s anthology exploring the experiences of people living with a disability. Disability is one of those terms that is thrown around so much that we often forget the person who is actually living the experience of having a disability, (whatever that may mean). For some, having a disability is just one aspect of a life filled with multiple identities and purposes, others celebrate their identity as a person who has a different way of living and being, still others claim that they do not actually have a disability and do not want to be seen as a “person with a disability.” The lives and experiences that fill this anthology are a celebration of this diversity. A variety of individuals, including people living with chronic illness, physical, sensory, developmental, and learning disabilities, as well as mental health issues, tell their stories through first person narratives and casual conversations. By exploring the stories of the contributors, we will be demonstrating the need to acknowledge the richness of the lives of people who live with a disability. Interested? Look for updates on Carol’s upcoming anthology on this website.

Carol Krause’s involvement in the disability rights movement has helped her meet many wonderful people who have made this book possible. Her activist work includes being the Chair of Students For Barrier-Free Access at University of Toronto , as well as being involved with the successful Breaking Down Barriers 2003 disability issues conference. She was also involved in coordinating the development of an Access Centre for students with disabilities at University of Toronto . Carol has enjoyed presenting on accessibility issues at conferences, including Breaking Down Barriers 2003, Ryerson University ’s Equity Conference, and Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education’s Conference at University of Ottawa . She is currently preparing for a career related to law as a student at Osgoode Hall Law School . On a personal level, her experience with chronic illness as a teenager has helped her develop awareness and understanding of the complexity of living with a disability. Most importantly, Carol Krause thanks all of the amazing individuals who have made this anthology possible…Thank you!