Resources
July Affinity Month
July is Disability Pride Month, a time to celebrate the diversity and accomplishments of people with disabilities here at Empire State University and beyond. Disability Pride Month is also a time to advocate and strive for greater inclusion, equity, and access for all.
At Empire State University, students, faculty, and staff with disabilities are invaluable members of our community. From scholars producing groundbreaking research to students achieving at the highest levels, these individuals serve as powerful role models.
Disability Pride Month is also a time to reaffirm Empire State University's commitment to being an accessible and welcoming place for people of all abilities. We continue to remove barriers, provide necessary resources, and foster an inclusive environment where every member of our community can thrive.
These resources are intended to help us explore the intersectionality of disability with diverse identities, cultures, and backgrounds. By listening and learning from the experiences and perspectives of our colleagues with disabilities, we can expand our understanding of what's possible and work together to create a more inclusive world.
In July we also celebrate:
- July 14 - International Non-Binary People’s Day
- July 18 - Nelson Mandela International Day
- July 25 - National Hire a Veteran Day
- July 26 - International Disability Independence Day
LGBTQIA+ Museum Tour Virtual Reality
Art Escapes: Virtual Tours Through Asia
Virtual Asian American Art Museum (VAAAM)
Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art – Virtual Tour
Haitian Heritage Museum (Miami)
Haitian Art Society Virtual Tour
Pathways to Equality: The U.S. Women’s Rights Movement Emerges
Standing Up for Change: African American Women and the Civil Rights Movement
Timeline: Women in the Civil Rights Movement
Legislating History: 100 Years of Women in Congress
Representation with a Hyphen: Latinas in the Fight for Women's Suffrage
Creating Icons: How We Remember Woman Suffrage
All Work and No Pay: A History of Women's Invisible Labor
Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists
Visionary Voices Interviews – Temple University
Documentaries to Watch during Disability Pride Month
11 Movies of TV Shows with Authentic Disability Representation
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution – a documentary film directed, written, and co-produced by Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht.
RAMPD – Recording Artist and Music Professionals with Disabilities - Tidal
Chicago Public Library – Music for Disability Pride Month
Lucas Garrett Music – Empire State University Alum!
Podcasts
Access Granted - A Video Game Accessibility Podcast
Bad Attitudes: An Uninspiring Podcast About Disability
Beyond Awareness: Disability Awareness That Matters
Claiming Disability Inc: You Belong Here
Contra* by Critical Design Lab
Disability History Association Podcast
Disability Visibility Project Podcast
Included: The Disability Equity Podcast
Poor Magazine’s KEXU: 96.1 FM Poor Peoples Revolutionary Radio
Oral Histories
Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement
Visionary Voices Oral Histories
The History of the Sports Wheelchair,
The Intersection of Race and Disability Project
Here. Stories from Selinsgrove Center
Websites
National Disability Rights Network – Accessibility Guidelines
Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement at UC Berkeley
Intersection of Race and Disability Project
History of the sports wheelchair
Cornell University – Disability Studies LibGuide
Syracuse University – Disability Studies - LibGuide
The Disability Visibility Project - Founder and Director, Alice Wong, disabled activist and writer.
Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
CAST (Equitable and Inclusive Learning Services)
Books
Books for Disability Pride Month
Academic Ableism: Disability in Higher Education, by Jay Timothy Dolmage
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann: One of the most influential disability rights activists in US history tells her personal story of fighting for the right to receive an education, have a job, and just be human. Candid, intimate, and irreverent, Judy Heumann’s memoir about resistance to exclusion invites readers to imagine and make real a world in which we all belong.
Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, A Memoir, by Haben Girma: Haben defines disability as an opportunity for innovation. Inspired by her parents' refugee story, she embarked on a quest for knowledge, traveling the world in search of the secret to belonging. She learned non-visual techniques for everything from dancing salsa to handling an electric saw. She developed a text-to-braille communication system that created an exciting new way to connect with people. Haben pioneered her way through obstacles, graduated from Harvard Law, and now uses her talents to advocate for people with disabilities. Warm, funny, thoughtful, and uplifting, this captivating memoir is a testament to one woman's determination to find the keys to connection.
No Pity: People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement, by Joseph P. Shapiro
Disability Visibility, edited by Alice Wong: A groundbreaking collection of first-person writing on the joys and challenges of the modern disability experience: Disability Visibility brings together the voices of activists, authors, lawyers, politicians, artists, and everyday people whose daily lives are, in the words of playwright Neil Marcus, “an art . . . an ingenious way to live.”
Hunchback, by Saou Ichikawa: A bombshell bestseller in Japan, a defiant, darkly funny debut novel about a young woman in a care home seeking autonomy and the full possibilities of her life—“not only a major achievement in disability literature but great literature period”
Demystifying Disability, by Emily Ladou: An approachable guide to being a thoughtful, informed ally to disabled people, with actionable steps for what to say and do (and what not to do) and how you can help make the world a more inclusive place.
Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens, edited by Marieke Nijkamp: Edited by the best-selling author of This Is Where It Ends, this impressive anthology of stories featuring disabled and neurodiverse characters written by authors who understand these experiences firsthand. This collection includes contributions by such leading authors as Kody Keplinger, Katherine Locke, and Fox Benwell.
True Biz, by Sara Novic: A coming-of-age story following students at a boarding school for the Deaf that you’ll be thinking about long after the last page is turned. (Hint: True biz (adj./exclamation; American Sign Language): really, seriously, definitely, real-talk.) A transporting novel that fans of The Girl with the Louding Voice and A Burning will enjoy.
Register to Vote
Fall Speaker
"Technology as a Tool for Connection vs. Disconnection and Isolation"
Epps, a Ph.D. candidate at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, is at the forefront of research on how online, machine-learning-driven environments impact youth of color as they develop their racial and gender identities. In this webinar, she will explore:
- How technology serves as a connector and an isolator in our lives
- The challenges and opportunities technology presents for youth development
- Strategies for harnessing technology's connective power while mitigating its isolating effects
- The implications of these findings for educators, parents, and technology professionals
This webinar is essential for:
- Educators seeking to understand how technology impacts students
- Parents navigating the digital landscape with their children
- Technology professionals interested in the social impact of their work
- Researchers in youth development, technology, or social connection
- Anyone concerned about the role of technology in our lives and communities
Employee Affinity Groups (EAG)
Recruiting and retaining a highly engaged, diverse workforce is central to SUNY Empire’s mission. Employee affinity groups (EAGs) are employee-led and facilitated groups formed around interests, backgrounds, identities, and common bonds. The primary goal of EAGs is to promote diversity, openness, understanding, and inclusiveness. Through participation in the groups, employees foster a positive work environment at SUNY Empire by actively contributing to its mission, values, and efforts specific to diversity and inclusion.
The intention of the EAGs is to create a safe space for individuals and their allies or advocates to share their ideals, experiences, and information. These groups are one example of a variety of institutionally supported activities to cultivate and foster an inclusive community.
Please be advised that affinity groups are formed voluntarily, are not dictated by leadership, individual employee membership and participation are voluntary, and have a minimum membership requirement of five employees.
- EAGs must be open to all full and part-time employees. As required by state, federal law, and institutional policy, EAGs may not discriminate based on race or ethnicity, creed, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, genetic information, or veteran status.
- EAGS are bound by institutional policies and procedures.
- Roles within EAGs are voluntary and decided upon by the group.
- Employees may use work time to prepare meeting agendas and/or other materials with supervisor approval.
- Participation in EAG activities will not interfere with the performance of the employee’s regularly assigned duties.
- EAGs may be dissolved when: 1) the group chooses to dissolve itself (dissolution should be reported to ODEI), 2) SUNY Empire concludes that the group has become insufficiently accountable for its activities, 3) the group’s membership falls below the minimum required, or 4) the group presents a legal or ethical liability to the institution as deemed/determined by SUNY Empire’s Ethics Officer.
Affinity groups that seek to be recognized and sponsored by SUNY Empire must apply with an application. EAGs receive:
- Recognition as an official organization of SUNY Empire and sponsorship through the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI).
- A teams space managed by designated leadership in the group. Leadership will work to establish their pages.
- A designated group leader will also have access to the EAG Resource Teams space upon approval.
Requirements to Form a New Employee Affinity Group:
- A designated leader or leaders who commit to an initial term of at least a year or stint of purpose.
- A mission statement, which must align with SUNY Empire’s institutional mission and ongoing commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
- Completion of the EAGs Application to form a new employee affinity group.
Applications will be reviewed in a timely fashion by Laura Decker of HR and the Chief Diversity Officer.
Have a great idea for a new group? Let us know by emailing odei@sunyempire.edu.
Guidelines for SUNY Empire Employee Affinity Groups
Application to Start Employee Affinity Group at SUNY Empire
(download application to fill out)
LGBTQIA+
Address challenges faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) students and employees at SUNY Empire State University.
Contact Josh Boardman- JoshBoardman@sunyempire.edu
NeuroDiverse Collective
Foster an inclusive and supportive work environment for all employees, including neuro diverse employees, celebrating the unique perspectives and talents they bring to Empire State University. Strive to promote understanding, advocacy, and collaboration, ensuring that the neurodiverse voices are heard and valued. Through education, resources, and community engagement, aiming to empower neurodiverse individuals and those around us to show up authentically and as their full selves each day at work.
Contact Ade Byron- AdeByron@sunyempire.edu
ODEI Knowledge Base
A Guide to Disability Rights Laws - This guide, a publication of the U.S. Department of Justice, provides an overview of Federal civil rights laws that ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
The Pros and Cons of Person-First and Identity-First Language
Bias-Free Language (APA Guide Style) – The American Psychological Association (APA) emphasizes the need to talk about all people with inclusivity and respect. The guidelines and recommendations presented in this site were crafted by panels of experts on APA’s bias-free language committees and should be used in conjunction with APA’s inclusive language guidelines.
Hispanic Enrollment Reaches New High at Four-year Colleges in the U.S., but Affordability Remains an Obstacle – Pew Research article (Oc. 7, 2022).
Inclusive Language Guide (2023) – A guide by Oxfam, a nonprofit global organization dedicated to end poverty and injustice, focused on how written work can subvert or inadvertently reinforce intersecting forms of inequality.
Inclusive language guidelines – American Psychological Association (2021).
The Duality of Labels – and How to Use Them for Good (video) – Queer Activist and US Air Force Sergeant Alexandria Holder delves into how labels, from racial identity to political affiliation, shape our lived experiences.
What’s behind the growing gap between men and women in college completion? – Pew Research article (Nov. 8, 2021).
Diversity Statements on a Syllabus – Resource page by the Eberly Center at Carnegie Mellon University.
EDUCAUSE’s Guide to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – The online guide includes resources and action steps to put the principles of DEI into practice, as well as learning and engagement opportunities to deepen your understanding.
EDUCAUSE Inclusive Learning Guide – A style guide for inclusive, bias-free, and equitable language.
Employing Equity-Minded & Culturally-Affirming Teaching & Learning Practices in Virtual Learning Communities (recorded webinar) by Dr. Frank Harries III and Dr. J. Luke Wood.
How to Make Teaching More Inclusive, Interactive, Equitable and Participatory – Inside Higher Ed (Oct. 27, 2022).
Inclusive Teaching – Article by Bryan Dewsbury and Cynthia J. Brame (2019).
Inclusive Teaching Resources for STEM (Michigan State University) – STEM classrooms are often overlooked in the area of inclusive education. This site by Michigan State University’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts provides a series of resources to help STEM faculty.
Maintaining Equity and Inclusion in Virtual Learning Environments – This guide, from San Diego State University, provides suggestions on how to maintain equity and inclusion in online classrooms. This resource covers accessibility, flexibility, proactivity, relationality, and transparency.
A Guide to Gender Identity Terms – NPR explains LGBTQIA+ language and best practices.
Language Around Gender and Identity Evolves (and Always Has) (video) - Sociolinguist Archie Crowley deconstructs three common myths around language, demonstrating how it's a fluid system that naturally evolves in the direction of inclusion.
Why I Must Come Out (video) - Professional model Geena Rocero tells the story of becoming who she always knew she was.
All employees and students at SUNY Empire have access to LinkedIn Learning courses/resources. (Login required.)
You'll be redirected to a screen like the one below. To access the resources, you'll need to sign in using your Empire credentials (email address and password). For more information visit: How to access Empire's LinkedIn Learning portal
Below are some courses that might be of interest to you.
Imposter Syndrome & Confidence
- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
- Coping with Impostor Syndrome to Build Career Confidence
- Confidence: How to Overcome Self-Doubt, Insecurity, and Fears
- How to Crush Self-Doubt and Build Self-Confidence (audio course)
Emotional Intelligence
American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity - The American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (AAAED) is the longest-standing national organization of professionals who engage in the important work of leading, directing and managing affirmative action, equal opportunity, and diversity programs.
American Association of Blacks in Higher Education - The American Association of Blacks in Higher Education (AABHE) is a national organization involved in numerous initiatives such as addressing the pipeline of Black faculty and staff in higher education, bringing issues pertinent to Black faculty and staff to the attention of the larger academic community and recognizing African American achievements and accomplishments to higher education.
Gender Spectrum – This is a national organization committed to the health and well-being of gender-diverse children and teens through education and support for families, and training and guidance for educators, medical and mental health providers, and other professionals.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights - A coalition of more than 200 national organizations that work to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States.
National Center for College Students with Disabilities – The only federally-funded national center in the U.S. for college and graduate students with any type of disability, chronic health condition, or mental or emotional illness.
National Center for Transgender Equality – A national organization focused on advocacy to change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people.
NYC Pride – A nonprofit organization that offers a diverse array of opportunities to gather in activism and advocacy working towards a future without discrimination where all people have equal rights under the law in New York City.
SUNY Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion – SUNY ODEI provides leadership and strategic direction to all of SUNY’s campuses for developing and implementing a portfolio of affirmative action and diversity programs.
Are You a ‘Good-ish’ Person? How to Push Past Your Biases (podcast and transcript) – Psychologist Dolly Chugh discusses her book on how we can take stock of our unconscious bias.
CUE Racial Equity Tools - The Center for Urban Education (CUE)’s Racial Equity Tools aim to change the minds, hearts, and practices of faculty, staff, and leaders by reflecting on the racialized characteristics of everyday practices (CUE merged with the USC Race and Equity Center in July 2020.).
Harvard Implicit Association Test - Project Implicit is a non-profit organization and international collaboration between researchers who are interested in implicit social cognition - thoughts and feelings outside conscious awareness and control. The goal of the organization is to educate the public about hidden biases and to provide a “virtual laboratory” for collecting data on the Internet.
How Prejudiced Are You? Recognizing and Combating Unconscious Bias (video) – Business entrepreneur and public speaker Jennefer Witter talks about unconscious bias and how to confront our own biases.
How Racial Bias Works -- and How to Disrupt It (video) - Psychologist Jennifer L. Eberhardt explores how our biases unfairly target Black people at all levels of society and discusses how creating points of friction can help us actively interrupt and address this troubling problem.
How Students of Color Confront Impostor Syndrome (video) - Dena Simmons shares her story and talks about how for students of color, success in school sometimes comes at the cost of living authentically.
Identifying and Responding to Bias Incidents - This general audience website focuses on identifying and responding to bias incidents, offering 10 tips for identifying bias and seven tips for responding to bias.
My Identity is my Superpower (video) – Actor, director and activist American Ferrara talks about how her identity and the need for more authentic representation of diverse cultures in media.
Reducing Stereotype Threat - This website offers summaries of research on stereotype threat and discusses unresolved issues and controversies in the research literature.
The Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States: 2022 Historical Trend Report - The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education of the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) conducts and disseminates research and policy analysis to encourage policymakers, educators, and the public to improve educational opportunities and outcomes of low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. Findings are summarized in this report.
The Urgency of Intersectionality (video) - Kimberlé Crenshaw talks about the intersection of our identities and their importance.
Embrace Your Raw, Strange Magic (video) - Author Casey Gerald shares the personal sacrifices he made to attain success in the upper echelons of American society.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable (video) - Author, podcast host Luvvie Ajayi Jones shares three questions to ask yourself if you're teetering on the edge of speaking up or quieting down.
How to Build Community When you Feel Isolated (video) - Educator Chitra Aiyar talks about how she encourages her students to cultivate spaces for other marginalized students to connect and help each other grow.
We're all Hiding Something. Let's Find the Courage to Open Up (video) - Ash Beckham offers a fresh approach to empathy and openness.
What is imposter syndrome and how can you combat it? (video animation) - Elizabeth Cox describes the psychology behind the imposter syndrome, and what you can do to combat it.
