Society for Disability Studies, Conference in New York

Vertical Campus, originally uploaded by Edu-Tourist.

Several contributors to DS,TU were in New York meeting last week for the annual meeting of the Society for Disability Studies (June 18 - 21). It was, as always, a very diverse conference, incorporating a significant discussion of arts and cultural topics, writing workshops, poetry and performance, and community events. With such a diversity of offerings, one can fairly say that each participant 'cripped' the city in her own way.

At the center of it all was the beautiful new conference center at the heart of the Baruch College campus. The conference organizers went above and beyond to ensure that the conference was an enjoyable experience. Conference sessions are now a model of accessibility, facilitating participation by all. Long breaks between sessions allowed conversations to continue in the hallways, and accommodated different physical needs and attention spans. Even the attentiveness to audio description was exemplary. But again, everyone's SDS is a little bit different, so I invite you to share your experiences.

"Cripping" Greenwich Village, originally uploaded by Edu-Tourist.

One of our favorite spots was Greenwich Village. Thursday evening we headed down to New York University the caberet hosted by Mat Fraser: OUTSIDE THE BOX/PERFORMING DISABILITY: An Evening of Cabaret, Dance and Drama. Brief clip from the evening. It was a wonderful evening - the weather was delightful - Carol has always considered herself something of a Bohemian. I hear that she went back Saturday morning for some more shopping.

What was your favorite SDS Conference moment?