To promote and raise awareness for the National Accessibility Week, May 31 – June 4, 2021, the Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) and the Centre for Accessibility Services (CAS) are hosting a three-day online event featuring keynote presenters, workshops, a student panel, and other relevant sessions to showcase and learn about accessibility.
KEYNOTE PRESENTERS:
Rick Hansen Foundation Ambassador – Bean Gill
Presentation overview – Perseverance
We all face challenges. Overcoming them takes perseverance. This presentation is a powerful way for students to better understand the importance of perseverance. Our Ambassadors share their own personal stories of overcoming barriers while living with a disability. Students reflect and consider ways perseverance can help them become difference makers in creating a more welcoming, inclusive and accessible world.
Bean Gill was born in Edmonton to an East Indian family in the 1980’s and has 3 crazy siblings. She grew up to become an x-ray technologist whose career was cut short by an unforeseen event that left her paralyzed from the waist down in July 2012. Now happily divorced and running a growing non profit organization called ReYu Paralysis Recovery Centre she is changing the way the public sees people with disabilities. She advocates for equality in ALL aspects and uses her loud voice to raise awareness. Some of her accolades include: Global’s Woman of Vision award, Top 40 Under 40, RBC’s Women of Influence Award and she is the reigning Miss Wheelchair Canada…..a few steps forward in her plan to change the world❤️
(Presentation time – Tues, June 1, 2021 – 8:45-9:50am)
Keynote Presenter – Alyson Seale, UFV
Alyson has been working in the field of disability for more than 30 years and is currently an Associate Professor at the University of the Fraser Valley. She is serving on several Equity Diversity and Inclusion committees at the university and at the city. Alyson is a charismatic speaker, passionate about sharing information about anti-ableism. She is a seasoned speaker, consultant and advocate. She lives at the south end of Cultus Lake in a small beach community where her and her husband enjoy walks with their crabby cat, hikes, and hanging out at the fire pit.
With a focus on accessibility awareness, Alyson will gently take her audience through identifying systemic, interpersonal and internalized ableism using stories, humor and activities. She will provide resources, and strategies that can be implemented today to further dismantle ableist discrimination. Together we can make a difference for everyone.
(Presentation time – Wed, June 2, 2021 – 12:45 – 1:50pm)
Rick Hansen Foundation Ambassador – Robert Hampson
Presentation overview – AccessAbility
Removing barriers creates an inclusive world where people with disabilities are living to their full potential. Our ambassadors share their personal stories of overcoming challenges, the importance of access and why it matters. Learn how to view the built environment through a different lens and become a difference maker in creating a world where everyone can go everywhere.
Robert is an avid swimmer, runs a successful charity and spends lots of time exploring the city of Toronto, where he lives with his guide dog Spokane. His favourite pastimes are cooking, skiing, rock climbing and woodworking. When Robert was four 4 years old, he learned to adapt to a world without sight. When your students hear Robert’s story, they will learn about the importance of kindness, overcoming adversity, as well as the importance of an inclusive and accessible world.
“Never tell me something is impossible. I think if you want to do a thing badly enough you can find a way. When somebody tells me I can’t, it usually makes me want to do it even more.” –Robert Hampson
(Presentation time – Thurs, June 3, 2021 – 8:45 – 9:50 am)
All sessions will be online via zoom. Please review the agenda from June 1 – June 3, 2021.
Please register by clicking the link below .
CLICK to REGISTER
Info/questions: tlcevents@ufv.ca
Event Location
Map UnavailableAccessibility Awareness Event – June 1-3, 2021
Date(s): Tuesday, June 1 - Thursday, June 3Time: 12:00 am