What is the A.S. Commission on Disability Equity?

The “Our Vision” page shares CODE’s progress and goals. We are a UCSB Associated Students campus entity, and more about our bylaws can be found on the “Charge of the Commission” page. As an AS Commission, we have a Board of Officers, a student-led team that organizes CODE events and programs (and created this very website!).

What is CODE doing to support the disability community?

See our Current Projects page!

I thought it was best to say “people with disabilities.” Why do I keep seeing the words “disabled people” and “disability justice” on your website?

Our Commission wants people to know that “disabled” is not a bad word! While many people have different preferences for the language they prefer, many activists in the disability justice community use “disabled” as a label to describe how disability is a social identity. When “able-bodied” or “neurotypical” people don’t see this social identity, they may dismiss a disabled person’s accommodation requests as “unnecessary.” This is one example of someone ignoring access needs, which is a form of ableist discrimination. The “disabled” social identity can help people call out these forms of everyday ableism, and talk about how their experience of ableism is influenced by other forms of oppression they face.

Of course, each individual will have their own preferences. Check out our Education page to learn more.

How can I make my campus entity and event planning more accessible?

At CODE, we believe “access” is a process, where people work together to ensure that the diverse access needs of disabled people are met. In their article “5 Thoughts on Undoing Ableism & Isolation In Your Community Spaces” (linked), Kay Ulanday Barrett writes about how “access” must be proactive, rather than reactive. You can find resources on creating access in your organization by viewing our Accessibility Guides page!

What other resources does your website offer?

Our website consolidates resources and volunteer opportunities available in and around the UCSB campus. You can learn more by checking out our Resources page.