UIC Disability Cultural Center

UIC Disability Cultural Center Mission Statement: The UIC DCC affirms and celebrates disability communities by exploring intersecti Explores disability identity development.

Vision Statement: Striving towards justice and liberation for all people with disabilities on the UIC campus and beyond. The UIC DCC seeks to create an environment that:

Centers the perspectives and experiences of disabled people. Supports relationship-building in the context of disability culture. Honors the diverse, intersectional nature of disability communities. Promotes activism and disabili

ty justice. Considers disability culture through interdisciplinary inquiry. Embraces the resources of our urban campus, connecting to Chicago’s cultural life, communities, and organizations. Strives for accessibility of all programming and communications.

SAVE THE DATE for our 6th annual Accessible Juneteenth event!! Join the UIC Disability Cultural Center, the Chicagoland...
05/20/2026

SAVE THE DATE for our 6th annual Accessible Juneteenth event!! Join the UIC Disability Cultural Center, the Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition (supported by UIC’s Institute on Disability and Human Development), and the Center for Racial and Disability Justice to celebrate the Black disability community!

Tuesday, June 16, 4-7:30pm
Access Living, 115 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

We want to make Juneteenth a fun and accessible experience for everyone, including disabled, neurodivergent, and Deaf people in the African Diaspora. We will have food, performances, and exhibitors in this family-friendly, non-alcoholic event!

More information on performers, food, and access information will be coming soon! Stay tuned in for updates on volunteering and exhibiting opportunities!

ID: Save-the-date sign for Accessible Juneteenth. A vibrant collage on a red patterned background features Black disabled performers and activists, Chicago landmarks including the Sears Tower, Wrigley Building, and The Bean, leaves, violet flowers, and the blue, red, and white-starred Juneteenth flag. Large white text reads “Accessible Juneteenth.” Event details: June 16, 2026, from 4:00 to 7:30 PM at Access Living, 115 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60654. Logos for Access Living, the Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition, the UIC Disability Cultural Center, and the Center for Racial and Disability Justice appear at the bottom.

The DCC lounge spaces will be closed this summer! We'll still be doing our dreaming and scheming remotely, so you can ...
05/08/2026

The DCC lounge spaces will be closed this summer! We'll still be doing our dreaming and scheming remotely, so you can always reach us via email Monday through Friday. Contact us at [email protected].

Have a wonderful and safe summer everyone!

ID: Light blue graphic with dandelions and "Summer Hours" in bubble text. All text transcribed in caption.

Congratulations 2025-26 graduates!! 🎉🎉(confetti emojis)We are so thrilled to honor the time, hard work, persistence, pas...
05/06/2026

Congratulations 2025-26 graduates!! 🎉🎉(confetti emojis)

We are so thrilled to honor the time, hard work, persistence, passion, and energy you have put toward earning your degrees. These folks have expressed commitment to the DCC mission and are now moving into new spaces in their communities and professions (whether they have lived experience with disability and/or identify as allies/accomplices - this list includes both)!

We wish you the best of luck in your next chapter, and congratulations on this accomplishment!

ID1-8: Neon green background with list of names of graduates (all transcribed in caption & comments).
ID1: Neon green graphic with icons of navy graduation caps, disability pride flags, and the UIC logo on a flag.

Check out the third zine in the Disability & Therapy Zine series, created by our amazing student worker Aspen! The full...
04/30/2026

Check out the third zine in the Disability & Therapy Zine series, created by our amazing student worker Aspen! The full zine series is available at the Disability Cultural Center and online at the DCC website: https://dcc.uic.edu/zines-blogs-pods/

Finding the right therapist can be hard- When you have a disability, finding a therapist who is the right fit for you can pose extra challenges in many different ways. The therapist might not understand the disability experience, their approaches to therapy may not be accessible to you, the list goes on. Your therapist’s attitude/knowledge toward disability is only one factor of finding the right fit, yet it is an incredibly important one.

Therapist "Vibe Check" - Here are some things to look out for when looking for a therapist:

Online Description: Do they mention disability on their webpage? If so, do they talk about it in a pathological or infantilizing way? Green flags would be mentions of anti-ableism, anti-capitalism, disability justice, neurodiversity affirming, etc.

First Few Sessions: Ask about their experiences working with disability. How do they respond? Does the therapist validate your experiences with disability when you talk about it? Do they start treating you differently?

Interested in learning more? Check out the "Self Advocacy Tips for Disabled People Seeking Therapy" zine that is available at the UIC Disability Cultural Center or by scanning the QR code on the last slide! It is also available on the DCC website.

ID1: Pale yellow graphic with a stem with green leaves and yellow buttercups to the left of the title.
ID2: Same pale yellow graphic with icons of a potted plant in the bottom left corner and two green conversation bubbles to the right. One bubble has a heart in the middle and the other has ellipses.
ID3: Same pale yellow graphic with text (transcribed in caption).
ID4: Same pale yellow graphic with a green stem with dark green leaves to the left of a QR code.

Are you a disabled mental health professional or psychology/social work student wanting to know how to co-create accessi...
04/23/2026

Are you a disabled mental health professional or psychology/social work student wanting to know how to co-create accessible spaces for therapists and participants? Check out the second zine in the Disability and Therapy Zine series, available at the Disability Cultural Center and on the DCC Website!

Co-creating accessible spaces for disabled therapists and participants:

Accessibility is Crucial to Effective Therapy: Navigating accessibility, whether you are a professional or seeking services, can be especially challenging with all the structural barriers that exist within the mental health field. While some of these barriers are more difficult to get rid of, there are strategies to work around or increase accessibility in therapy.

Co-creating Accessibility: A great way to ensure accessibility for participants is to do an access check-in with them when you first start seeing them and to keep checking in as needs change. You are creating a space together, which addresses power dynamics between participant and professional as well.

Interested in learning more? Check out the “Disability and Therapy: Co-Creating Accessible Spaces for Disabled Therapists and Participants” zine that is available at the UIC Disability Cultural Center or by scanning the QR code below. The zine is also available here: https://dcc.uic.edu/zines-blogs-pods/

ID1: A light green graphic with a plant stem with green leaves to the left of the title.
ID2: Similar light green graphic with a black outline of a heart with the disability pride flag and the
neurodiversity infinity symbol in the middle. There are some green leaves in the left corner of the page.
ID3: Similar light green graphic with a pink couch with blue and yellow pillows. There are icons of an air purifier, heating pad, and the closed caption symbol to the left of the couch.
ID4: Similar light green graphic with a plant stem with dark green leaves to the left of a QR code.

To all Graduates of 2025-26,After years of dedication and getting through your final semester, you earned your degree! C...
04/20/2026

To all Graduates of 2025-26,

After years of dedication and getting through your final semester, you earned your degree! Congratulations! If you graduate this Spring or already graduated in Fall 2025, we want to celebrate you!

We are encouraging graduates from any program to let us know. With your permission, we'll shout you out on our networks.

We also have a gift for you: brand new Disability Pride Graduation Cords that you can pick up and wear with your stole. (Plus a small bag with additional goodies!)

Not sure if you should take one? These cords and the gift bag are for anyone in our community who supports our mission: "The UIC DCC affirms and celebrates disability communities by exploring intersectional identities, developing disability culture, fostering a sense of belonging, and fighting for social justice."

Please fill out our DCC Graduates registration form and pick up your cords starting Wednesday, April 22!
Register here: https://go.uic.edu/CongratsGrads

Just to reiterate: We want to celebrate everyone in our community, whether you identify as an ally/ accomplice, a disabled person, or are exploring your relationship to disability identity. Graduates from any kind of program are invited to get in touch--B.A., M.S., PhD, or anything else!

ID: A green background, featuring a colorful Disability Pride Graduation Cord and graduation caps. It invites graduating students from any program to pick up a cord and gift at the DCC. The DCC logo is in the top left corner.

Are you a disabled mental health professional or psychology/social work student trying to find ways to resist ableism in...
04/16/2026

Are you a disabled mental health professional or psychology/social work student trying to find ways to resist ableism in your field? Check out this zine created by one of our awesome student workers available at the Disability Cultural Center or on the DCC website!

Resisting ableism as a disabled mental health professional/student:

Ableism shows up everywhere... In our psychology/social work classes, in our training, and the mental health system itself, ableism shows up in many forms. Despite this, it is rarely talked about in the field. As a disabled student/professional, the ableism in this system can be hard to navigate and it can be even more difficult to resist the current ways we think about mental health.

Aspects of resistance in mental health can include: ableism in the classroom (navigating accommodations, discussing disability in the classroom, disability studies classes), burnout prevention (private practice, part-time vs. full time), therapist support (disabled/neurodivergent affinity groups), and anti-carceral practices (safety planning, participant autonomy, anti-carceral crisis training).

Interested in learning more? Check out the "Disability and Therapy: Resisting Ableism as a Mental Health Professional/Aspiring Professional" that is available at the UIC Disability Cultural Center or by scanning the QR code on the last slide! The zine is also available on our website: https://dcc.uic.edu/zines-blogs-pods/

ID1: Pink graphic with pink and purple flowers growing from a stem with an orange monarch butterfly resting on the top flower.
ID2: Same pink graphic with icons of two hands holding red hearts and colorful butterflies. There is a disability pride flag to the left of the hands and a rainbow neurodiversity symbol to the right.
ID3: Same pink graphic with text transcribed in caption.
ID4: Same pink graphic with another stem of pink and purple flowers - same image as in the first slide. There is a QR code for the zine shown.

Applications are due in ONE WEEK! We're currently accepting applications for our 2026-27 Community Care Cohort Internshi...
04/03/2026

Applications are due in ONE WEEK! We're currently accepting applications for our 2026-27 Community Care Cohort Internship! Come join a small community of undergrads dedicated to social justice and interested in exploring disability justice, care work/mutual aid, healing justice, abolition, and different histories and practices of care work.

Applications are open to UIC undergrads and are due on Friday April 10th. Learn more at dcc.uic.edu/internships

IDs: Graphics on slides 1, 2, and 4 have a yellow background and lettering in purple, blue, and teal. Slide 3 has a teal background with black lettering. Slide 3 has one large teal text box with black lettering, and one small teal text bubble with white lettering.
ID 1: "Apply Now! for the 2026-27 Community Care Cohort Internship" written with a red UIC Disability Cultural Center logo
ID 2: "Disability Justice. Care Work. Mutual Aid. Abolition." "Get involved with the community care cohort."
ID 3: "Quick Facts - Who: UIC Undergraduate students with lived experience of disability (non-normative bodies/minds). When: Fall 2025-Spring 2026, with option to continue in the 2026-2027 school year. Time commitment: around 2 hours a week. Stipend: $500 a semester (student account payment). For more info contact DCC internship page, link in bio." written with a Community Care Cohort toolbox logo on the top left, and a purple box on the right with "Questions? Reach out to the DCC" written in white lettering.
ID 4: Application due date and website for more information with Community Care Cohort and a blue and teal cut out toolbox logo.

Join us for a Poetry Talk with poet, essayist, and cultural strategist Kay Ulanday Barrett!! The award-winning author wi...
03/26/2026

Join us for a Poetry Talk with poet, essayist, and cultural strategist Kay Ulanday Barrett!! The award-winning author will discuss their 2020 poetry collection More Than Organs, a "love letter to Brown, Q***r, and Trans futures" (Sibling Rivalry Press).

🗓 Wednesday, April 8, 2:00-3:00 CT
📍 Online on Zoom & the DCC (BSB 231)

During the event, K will perform a selection of poems, then we will have time for conversations and Q&A.

This event is co-sponsored by UIC Library's Undergraduate Engagement Program, the Disability Cultural Center, the Gender & Sexuality Center, and the Asian American Resource & Cultural Center.

Access info: CART (live captions) and ASL will be provided. We will be masking indoors and will have extras. For questions and requests, please contact [email protected]!

For full access information, event details, and to learn more about K, check out our event page: https://dcc.uic.edu/events/poetry-talk-with-kay-ulanday-barrett/

ID: A deep purple background dappled with stars features the cover of More Than Organs, with the same background and bold gold capital letters that read MORE THAN ORGANS. The text is over a big red anatomical heart with a small beam from a flashlight just below, held by the silhouette of a person trying to light up the sky. Bold gold letters at the bottom read KAY ULANDAY BARRETT. The cover also has medals marking it as a Stonewall Honor Book and a finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards. Below is a photo of Barrett, a light brown, round q***r performing at a microphone with transgender and rainbow flags in the background. They wear a gray blazer and glasses. Their hand is outstretched to the crowd. All flyer text transcribed above.

Only one more week until the CCUSC Community Mental Health Report Back session!! Join us for a conversation reflecting ...
03/25/2026

Only one more week until the CCUSC Community Mental Health Report Back session!! Join us for a conversation reflecting on and sharing what you've learned or appreciated about Nate (CCUSC Community Mental Health Intern):

🗓 Wednesday, April 1, 2:00-3:30pm
📍 Arab American Cultural Center, BSB B01

Can't make it to the event, or prefer to share your thoughts anonymously? We would still love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our form (linked in bio & QR code on slide 2)!

Access Info: CART (live captions) will be available, and we will be masking indoors to make this event more accessible for immunocompromised folks & those who live interdependently with them. We'll have extra masks on hand. The Arab American Cultural Center is located in the basement (BSB B01) and is accessible via elevator.

Contact [email protected] with any other requests!

Full event details are on our event page (linked in bio).

ID1: Pale blue graphic with yellow bubbles announcing the title of the event and two short event description sentences. An orange fox sits atop one of the bubbles with the event details. A graphic depicting a basket full of various fruits and leaves is shown in the center. Text at the bottom reads "Let's keep envisioning what we want for the future!" Event details are transcribed in caption. The CCUSC logo is shown in black at the top.
ID2: Similar pale blue graphic with yellow bubbles. Three bullet points list questions for further reflection on the CCUSC Community Mental Health position. A QR code to a Google Form is shown to share thoughts regarding the questions and position. The CCUSC logo is shown in black at the top.
ID3: Similar pale blue graphic with yellow bubbles. The CCUSC logo is shown in black at the top. Access icons for CART captioning and a mask are shown, with access information listed underneath. UIC DCC email is provided as access contact (transcribed in caption).

Address

1007 W Harrison Street
Chicago, IL
60607

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+17735512571

Website

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