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NEADS State of the Schools Tour St. John's Stop, November 23, 2022

Join the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) and Memorial University Newfoundland’s Student Union (MUNSU) on November 23rd from 12-4pm NT at The Breezeway and on zoom for our St John’s State of the Schools Tour stop!  

As part of NEADS’ Virtual Access for All Project and Back to School National Advocacy Campaign, the NEADS Team is partnering with MUNSU and local speakers for this hybrid event focusing on accessibility, accommodations, education, and employment for disabled post-secondary students. 

Contact tracing, social distancing, and masking will be enforced for in-person participants, and closed captioning and ASL interpretation will be available through zoom. Both in-person and online participants are encouraged to share their lived experience, questions, and concerns during the discussion period. Pre-packaged lunch and snacks will be provided to in-person participants. 

All participants must register for this free event – please register here. Please indicate any accessibility requirements through the registration form, or email carly.fox@neads.ca 

Accessibility Information

The Breezeway - Memorial University Newfoundland’s Students’ Union’s on-campus bar, café, and event venue- is located at 30 Arctic Ave St John’s, Newfoundland. The Breezeway has a bus stop directly out front, and two elevators for those entering from elsewhere on-campus. There is a gender neutral accessible washroom, as well as additional gendered multi-stall accessible washrooms.

About MUNDISC 

A Memorial University of Newfoundland's Student Union resource centre, the Memorial University of Newfoundland's Disability Information Support Centre (MUNDISC) offers peer support for disability-related topics, to advocate for the rights of students and raise awareness of these topics within the university and in the community. The centre works to remove barriers faced by students with disabilities, and aims to promote a more accessible education and campus. Find them on-campus at UC2002, through Facebook @MUNDISC, or by email at accessibility@munsu.ca and disc@munsu.ca 

Meet the NEADS Touring Team 

Carly Fox, Communications & Partnerships Director 

Carly Fox (she/her/elle) is a queer, neurodivergent, and disabled young woman based out of Algonquin Anishinabe Territory (Ottawa, ON). Fox is NEADS' Communications & Partnerships Director, the Council of Canadians with Disabilities' International Chair, a disability advocate, and recently attended the 15th Conference of State Parties to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a member of Canada's Delegation. As a disability advocate and blogger, Fox aims to raise awareness on different types of invisible disabilities and the interactions between them, and aims to use her privilege to dismantle systemic forms of oppression to create space for others to share their lived experiences. Fox is currently in her third year at uOttawa, where she majors in International Development and Globalization and minors in Human Rights and Conflict Studies. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter (@ItsCarlyFox, @CarlyFox_DisabilityAdvocacy), or on her blog https://CarlyFoxDisabilityAdvocacy.ca   

Katja Newman, NEADS Student Awards Programs Director 

Katja Newman (she/her/elle) is the National Educational Association of Disabled Students’ Student Awards Scholarship program manager. A resident of Halifax Nova Scotia, she has a Masters in Grant Writing and Program Evaluation from Concordia University Chicago. Prior to her Masters, Katja received a Bachelor's of Social Work from Carleton University and a Child & Youth Work Diploma from Georgian College. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys hiking, tandem bike riding, baking, cooking and educating audiences on the accessibility and inclusion related highs and lows that come with living life as a blind post-secondary student who navigates the world with the help of a guide dog. 

Elizabeth Mohler, Research Consultant 

Elizabeth Mohler currently works for NEADS as a Research Consultant, where she leads the Virtual Access for All Project and writes its quarterly publication, State of the Schools. She also works for Left Turn Right Turn as an accessibility specialist; sits on the Canadian Institute for Health Research external advisory committee on systemic ableism and accessibility; and, is an experienced presenter, keynote speaker, lecturer, and published writer. Elizabeth is currently a doctoral candidate at Western University in the Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Program. Her work explores how discourses and practices within Direct Funding shape how disabled persons access services, and in what ways service users resist and negotiate these discourses. Follow Elizabeth’s work at: www.elizabethmohler.ca  

Aliyah Petzak-Grant, Website Manager 

Aliyah Petzak-Grant (she/her/elle) is NEADS' Website Manager, a creative and driven website designer, and a passionate disability advocate. Aliyah aims to educate others about online accessibility and assistive technology through her work. As NEADS' Website Manager, Aliyah oversees multiple sites including disabilityawards.ca - the largest online directory of disability-specific financial aid.  When time permits Aliyah also does freelance and on occasion volunteer website design and accessibility consultations.  Past work experience includes Researcher for the Accessible Career Transitions Project (now ACT to Employ) at Carleton University. While earning her degree in Psychology at Carleton focusing on Human Computer Interactions (HCI) and accessible technology user experience, Aliyah also volunteered with the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities. Outside of work, Aliyah enjoys playing board games, Dungeons and Dragons, and spending quality time with her dog. 

More About NEADS

About NEADS’ Virtual Access for All Program 

NEADS' Virtual Access for All Project provides educational support and awareness aimed at students with disabilities transitioning into post-secondary education. Accessibility and accommodations resources are provided through our quarterly State of the Schools publications, while our regular webinar series addresses topics such as self-advocacy, accessing accommodations at work and school, and transitioning into the workforce. Further, financial support is available through NEADS' Student Awards Program and Accessibility Resilience Program. Virtual Access for All is generously supported by Employment and Social Development Canada's Goal Getters Program, and has recently received an upward amendment in response to positive reception.  

About NEADS’ Back to School National Advocacy Campaign 

As vaccine and mask mandates lift and online learning options are rolled back, the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) has launched a national advocacy campaign to support disabled post-secondary students' rights to safe and accessible education.  

Disabled students are asked to provide written submissions detailing their thoughts, feelings, and anxieties as they prepare for an unsafe and inaccessible Fall term, and submissions will be shared in a final report and social media campaign. Submissions are being accepted on an ongoing basis for the social media campaign, and a follow up report will be published upon the completion of the campaign. 

For further information:

National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS), Rm. 514 Unicentre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, tel. (613) 380-8065, ext. 201

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