Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability, Ableism, Accessibility, and Pain Research

Over 28% of the U.S. population identifies has having one or more disabilities or impairments (CDC, 2022), yet people with disabilities and those who identify as disabled are often left out of conversations around diversity and inclusion. This talk will cover some of the history of language used by and about this community, what ableism is (as well as able-bodied/neurotpyical privilege), and ways to these things are ingrained and operationalized in various systems (i.e., health care, research). Participants will learn about ways ableism has been historically used to oppress disabled bodies, what ableist microaggressions and microaffirmations are, discuss the concept of universal design, create action items to leverage their own privilege in praxis, and more. We will finish by discussing ways to create more inclusive pain focused research models, community advisory boards, convenings/conferences, and health care practice to ensure that all members of this community are able to engage meaningfully…