Join upcoming collaboratives and weekly gatherings as the Disability Outreach Center, Career Services Center and Disability Access Center at Western Washington University continue coordinating community events on campus.
October is nationally recognized as Disability Employment Awareness Month. Western, however, is using the term Disability Action Month to place more focus on action rather than simply awareness. Informational and recreational events focusing on disability and neurodivergence have occured throughout the month.
“All of our programming that we do is either from one of our personal interests or a need expressed from the community,” said Augden Hayes, a current Western student employed as the education and advocacy co-coordinator at the DOC.
Recently, the DOC, alongside the CSC, held a “Lunch and Learn” which shared information and resources regarding employment and disability. The centers had been receiving questions regarding the topic from Western students, Hayes said.
“Disability is probably the only underrepresented minority group that you can join at any time,” said WWU Career Counselor Patrick Feuer. Referring to the fact that able-bodied people can become disabled during their lifetime.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 40.8% of working-age persons with disabilities were actively employed in September 2024. Compared to 77.9% of working-age persons without a disability.
“One of the things that is the most stressful about being disabled and trying to get work is the feeling and knowledge that you are going to be discriminated against in the hiring process,” said Elliott Hawley, a current Western student employed at the Institute for Critical Disability Studies.
Hawley described how when they walk, “or roll,” into an interview using mobility aids, they have an understanding that they could be discriminated against.
“It’s something that you know is quiet so you can’t always tell. You just know you didn’t get the job,” Hawley said.
On Nov. 5 the DAC will host a “Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative” to provide a space for neurodivergent members of Western’s community to advocate for inclusive changes on campus.
Additionally, the DOC will host weekly community-building meetings at Western Libraries for neurodiverse and disabled students throughout the rest of the year. Mondays are focused on neurodivergence, and Tuesdays are focused on students with chronic pain or illnesses.
Western’s Disability Action Month events aren’t just for students with disabilities. Hayes said that many of the DOC’s events have the goal of “making disability a less scary thing” for those who may be curious about the community but don’t know how to engage.
Cascade Connections, a company located in Whatcom County, has a division that bridges the gap between local businesses searching for employees and job seekers with disabilities – who in turn, are looking for jobs they can thrive in.
“We have job developers that go out and talk with employers. We think of ourselves as having two customers: applicants that happen to have disabilities and employers that we work with,” said Kristin Nguyen, Cascade Connections administrator of vocational services.
Cascade Connections will often set up working interviews for their clients, where applicants can show their skills and abilities rather than having to “sell themselves” in an interview.
Nguyen said she loves hearing about events like Disability Action Month at Western. Having spent 28 years at Cascade, she remembered a time when disability, inclusion and diversity were not subjects often spoken about.
“I’d like to be able to work ourselves out of a job; if we weren’t needed that would be great. People with disabilities have skills and abilities and they have every right to work,” Nguyen said.
Hayes said they hope these events can continue to showcase the work, art and identities of the Western disabled student community.
“It just seems like there’s a lot of enthusiasm and excitement around disability on this campus right now,” Hawley said. “And that makes me really happy and proud to be a disabled Western student.”
Ava Nicholas (she/her) is a campus life reporter for The Front this quarter. She is a second-year Theatre and PR journalism major, with an Honors minor. You will often find her rehearsing for her next production, listening to music or out taking photos with her Canon. You can reach her at avanicholas.thefront@gmail.com.
