Our Values and Approach
Despite the significant progress made by the disability rights movement over the past few decades, many groups remain excluded from fair access and representation. Disability Justice was born as a response to persistent injustice, mainly by disabled, queer people of color, and has since provided essential principles for action, recognition, and solidarity.
Activism from UC Berkeley students and community members in the past has led to the campus being one of the first to provide equal learning opportunities for individuals with disabilities. This activism helped ignite a civil rights movement that led to the passage of the ADA and continues to shape policy today. Learn more about the rich history with disability activism and the Disabled Students' Program (DSP).
Disability Justice is a framework that recognizes the interconnectedness of ableism with other types of oppression. It focuses on the voices of disabled people of color, immigrants with disabilities, queer people with disabilities, trans and gender non-conforming individuals with disabilities, people with disabilities who are homeless, incarcerated, or have had their ancestral lands taken, and others.
Our goal is to address ableism's root causes, promote systemic change, and foster a more inclusive and welcoming campus culture for students, staff, faculty, and community members at UC Berkeley.
We invite you to learn about different types of disabilities, broaden your understanding of disability, and explore disability justice. Together, we can all take steps to combat ableism and foster a more inclusive and thriving community.
During this installment of B4: Building Belonging @ Berkeley and Beyond dialogue series, we delve into a series of critical questions about disability justice with panelists from across campus.