“I would say that anti-DEI legislation is resulting in the censoring of voices and language in a way that we have historically not seen in higher-ed,” Flake said. “There are real threats for freedom of speech to be impeded upon, and for the gaps between groups to increase.”
“We try to make sure our students, at the very least, from our office, feel seen and heard,” Michaud said, “because they often don’t feel like anyone understands what’s going on, because they may be presenting one way in public, but really, they’re encountering so many different barriers.”
In the past few years, professors have increased mental health awareness in the classroom, Brianna said. Although some people will argue that emotional well-being is not part of a teacher’s role, a good instructor will try to understand their students, she said.
June 9, 2019. Ali Stroker wins Best Featured Actress in a Musical at the 73rd Annual Tony Awards. An actor, singer, and wheelchair user, Ali Stroker has been a trailblazer for disability representation on the stage. She was the first wheelchair user to graduate from the Tisch School of the Arts Drama Department at New York University. In 2015, she was the first wheelchair user to appear on Broadway, starring as Anna in the musical, Spring Awakening. For her performance as Ado Annie Carnes in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma!, Stroker became the first wheelchair user to win a Tony Award in 2019.
Being Young and Disabled
By Noah Griffth, Auburn University
I Was a "Student of Concern"
By Kate Jackson, Rutgers University
In My Moment of Distress
By Anonymous, Temple University