Disability Community Care Space

We want to establish a foundation for our collective self-advocacy efforts, which will make UCSB a more accessible and inclusive campus for everyone.

CODE believes in the power of the disability community uniting across our differences, and establishing common grounds for solidarity with other marginalized communities, in order to best address the (in)accessibility issues we face together.

This will be a safe and accessible space for the disability community and allies, especially those who are part of the Sick, Disabled, Queer/Trans*, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (SDQTBIPOC) community, to talk about their mental health and support each other, as we navigate systemic ableism and work to bring visibility to the disability community.

To read about how this project fits into CODE’s mission, visit The 10 Principles of Disability Justice page.

Updates on the DCCS

The Disability Community Care Space is held every Friday as a hybrid event over Zoom and at the MCC Meeting Room! See the flyer below for more information.

There is a tan background on which several symbols, along with a pink rectangular shape, are overlaid. The symbols include the CODE logo, the neurodiversity symbol, and several pink and red decorative shapes. At the top is the text "A.S. Commission on Disability Equity (CODE) presents...". Below that, on the pink rectangle, is the title "Disability Community Care Space". Beneath this is smaller text that says "Every Friday, 11:30AM to 1:00PM, MultiCultural Center Meeting Room". Body text says, "Are you or someone you know looking for a space that fosters disability justice and celebrates disability culture and neurodiversity at UCSB? Then look no further! In this relaxed open gathering space, grab a snack and get connected with us, as we study, chat, and get to know each other. Come and leave as you please. We want to establish a safe and accessible space for the disability community and allies to meet and support each other. The goal of this student-run space is to foster cross-disability solidarity that will empower all students as we navigate systemic ableism. Note: All members of our campus community are welcome, regardless of where you are in your disability journey!". Next to the body text is a yellow circle with the text, "Join a collective of people with disabilities who want to build power and cultivate disabled joy!". Beneath this is a QR code to a Zoom meeting with the caption, "HYBRID SPACE: Captions and ASL provided". Under this is a link: linktr.ee/code.as.ucsb.edu. At the bottom of the image is text that says, "Follow our Instagram at @UCSBCODE or visit code.as.ucsb.edu to get informed on our current projects and how to become more involved!", followed by the logos of the Human Rights Board, the Black Women's Health Collaborative, the Multicultural Center, the Health and Equity Alliance, and the Feminist Collective at UCSB.
Alt text enabled! You can scan the above QR code or visit our Linktree for the Zoom link to the weekly Disability Community Care Space meeting.

CODE now has a listserv! This will serve as a kind of forum for disabled students at UCSB, as well as CODE board members, to share information and events. It will also double as a newsletter for CODE. Please join at the link above. If you have trouble joining, feel free to contact us and we’ll get back to you ASAP!

Discussion Topics

Each week, we check in with each other, then focus our discussion on a particular topic, such as “the transition to on-campus learning,” or “pain levels and diagnosis”.

If you have suggestions for a future discussion topic, please contact us!

Accessibility

ASL interpretation and wheelchair access are standard accommodations. The DCCS is held as a hybrid event to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone attending.

Fragrance-free

We also ask that participants avoid all scented products—including commercial detergents, shampoo, soap, perfume, deodorants, lotions, fabric softeners, etc.—before the in-person meetings, in order to make this space accessible for folks with multiple chemical sensitivities. For more information, please see the following resource guide: http://bit.ly/being-fragrance-free.

Community Guidelines

We want to make sure that we can create a “safe space” where all people who have different experiences with “disability” can feel welcome and included. Therefore, we have established the following guidelines that we will set before each meeting.

  1. This community space is open to everyone.
  2. You will not be expected to disclose your disability to others, although you are welcome to share!
  3. This is a space to celebrate and respect what we can learn from each other and listen to each other’s unique experiences.