Coinciding with National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Cal State Fullerton’s African American Studies Department will present a Monday, Oct. 1, “Black Disability Symposium” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Titan Student Union’s Titan Theater.
“The purpose of the event is to bring awareness of activism and artistic talent within the black disabled community,” said Siobhan Brooks, chair and professor of African American studies. The free, public event is co-sponsored by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Invited speakers include:
- Joy Elan is an author and spoken word artist from Northern California born with a hearing loss. Through her poetry and novels, she advocates for civil rights for people of color, women and people with disabilities. She is a recipient of such honors as National Poetry Awards for Poetry Video of the Year (2015) and Poet of the Year (2016) and second place for Children’s Nonfiction Book Cover in the New York Book Show.
- India Harville, who identifies as African American, queer, disabled and femme, is a teacher, somatic bodyworker, dancer, dance instructor, performance artist, social justice activist and educator dedicated to helping people facilitate personal and collective healing.
- Leroy F. Moore Jr. is the founder of Krip-Hop Nation, author of POOR Magazine‘s “Illin-N-Chillin” column and “Black Disabled Art History 101,” and one of the founding members of the National Black Disability Coalition. An activist around police brutality against people with disabilities, Moore is featured in the documentary, “Where Is Hope — The Art of Murder.”