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Category: Inclusion

Dispelling the Stigma, One Resource at a Time

Posted by Taylor Hayden

From surviving 2013–14’s “Polar Vortex” and Evanston’s regularly below-freezing weather, to lamenting expensive textbooks and extracurricular workloads, Northwestern students bond — and commiserate — over a variety of experiences during their four years.

For some students, however, there is an added reality — whether they can afford the gear that makes these winters bearable, the textbooks they need almost immediately in the quarter system, and dues for all the clubs and interests they want to explore like any other student.

Heading in the Right Direction

Posted by Taylor Hayden

This Sunday marked the 25th anniversary since the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal civil rights law that protects against employment discrimination and mandates accessible public spaces, transportation, government facilities, and telecommunication systems.

One-fifth of the U.S. population, or 56.7 million Americans, have physical or mental disabilities, and have historically fought a number of civil rights battles from recognition as a very present and important population to challenging negative medical labels and ideas of disability.

Heading in the Right Direction

Posted by Taylor Hayden

This Sunday marked the 25th anniversary since the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal civil rights law that protects against employment discrimination and mandates accessible public spaces, transportation, government facilities, and telecommunication systems.

One-fifth of the U.S. population, or 56.7 million Americans, have physical or mental disabilities, and have historically fought a number of civil rights battles – from recognition as a very present and important population to challenging negative medical labels and ideas of “disability.”

Creating a More Inclusive Northwestern Community

Posted by Taylor Hayden

Campus Inclusion and Community (CIC) Executive Director Lesley-Ann Brown-Henderson sat down for a Q&A about upcoming changes for the office and a budding reorganization that will better serve the Northwestern community.

As of September 1, 2015, Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) and the newly created Social Justice Education (SJE) and Student Enrichment Services (SES) offices will be centralized under CIC to acknowledge and respond to a rapidly diversifying population across campus.

PossePlus Retreat Creates Dialogue & Community

Posted by Taylor Hayden

This spring, more than 5,000 college students at 48 colleges and universities across the country will engage in dialogue about crime and punishment in the United States.

Northwestern University became a part of this dialogue at this year’s annual PossePlus Retreat, a weekend of interactive workshops geared towards creating a safe space to discuss social, cultural, and political issues.

Northwestern Celebrates Black History Month

Posted by Taylor Hayden

When I was younger my family and I were a part of a community of Black families in Milwaukee. Every few months we would go on camping trips together to bond with one another. We had meetings where we learned about our history, culture, traditions, and important life skills in relation to those things. In my high school history class, we learned a more accurate and whole-sided lesson about the Civil Rights Movement that didn’t just teach about Martin Luther King Jr and Rosa Parks. When I came to Northwestern, I realized the majority of people did not have that same privilege growing up. It is rare in this society that we have the chance to explore, learn, and discuss our culture and history, and what it all means for Black people today.

Gender & Sexuality Resource Center Celebrates Anniversary with Expansion

Posted by Taylor Hayden

Gender & Sexuality Resource Center

There have been many changes in the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center this summer. We have a new space, a new name and a new director on the way

During our 10-year anniversary celebration this past spring, we had an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate our journey at Northwestern. We were also able to plan for the opening of an all-gender restroom at Norris, expand our space and initiate a name change to celebrate all gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations.

The Problem with Fraternity “Colonization”

Posted by Taylor Hayden

Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life

Remember when you joined that (house) chapter and met some of your (fellow pledges) new members? (Rush) Recruitment was an exciting time filled with anxiety and anticipation, as you and other (rushees) potential new members hoped to join a new community of lifelong friends. The (frat guy) fraternity man culture on campus needed a transformation through positive change, with a focus on risk (management) education and harm reduction.

We’ve come a long way, yet we have a long way to go.

To read the full blog click here.

AccessibleNU Emphasizes Inclusion and Community in Changes

Posted by Taylor Hayden

A new name, location and website are among the changes for the office charged with making a Northwestern education accessible to all

A lot changed in the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) over the summer, including our name: We are now AccessibleNU!

The overarching reason for changing our name is to emphasize that making a Northwestern education accessible is the responsibility of the entire University community. We also changed our name to be more inclusive to students.