by Avery Alexander

The President’s Commission on Disability Issues held a vigil Tuesday to mourn people with disabilities killed by their loved ones or caretakers as part of the Disability Day of Mourning. It puts the victims at the center of attention by remembering, mourning and celebrating them. The media usually paints the caretaker as the victim, said commission co-chair Raymond Nardella — not the person with a disability. That’s why the day of mourning was created: It gives the actual victim a voice.

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network established the day in 2012. It’s recognized across the U.S. and in several other countries around the world. This year marks the fourth year that the University of Maryland has held a vigil for this event.

At UMD’s event, several commissioners including Nardella read a list of victims’ names aloud, all of which had been added since the last day of mourning. Not all were killed this year — many were killed as far back as the 1980s.

“There are a lot of people that are stripped of a voice, and they are stripped of their voice, in some cases, for a really long time,” Nardella said.

UMD Provost Jennifer Rice said that it’s the university’s duty to educate the campus community about this event during her opening remarks.

“We hope to break down the preconceived notions of abled people in order that disabled individuals feel equally valued in our society, in our world and on our campus,” Rice said.
The President’s Commission on Disability Issues was established in 1986 in order to bring awareness to disability and equal access issues to the campus community.

Emily Lucio, the Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator at UMD and a member of the president’s commission, said she wants the university to be an inclusive environment for everyone and for people to feel comfortable being at UMD. Lucio makes sure campus is accessible to people with disabilities and listens to the commission’s concerns and advocacy. That helps her determine appropriate policy steps, she said.

“We want to just make sure that it’s welcoming, inclusive and that students, employees and staff, everybody on campus with disabilities, can equally participate in things that the university is providing like anybody else,” Lucio said.

Many UMD community members or their loved ones have a disability, Nardella said. His formal role at the university is assistant director of resident life for student conduct, but as someone who has a disability, he has a passion for advocacy and educating the community on systemic issues of disability and on ableism culture.

“We want to make sure that folks are not only given a voice, but that we help people understand the unique struggles, the unique challenges, and also the unique victories, successes and points of accomplishment that the [disabled] community at Maryland has,” Nardella said.

Featured image: University Muslim chaplain Tarif Shraim speaks at the Disability Day of Mourning vigil on Tuesday, March 1. The Day of Mourning highlights people with disabilities killed by loved ones or caretakers. Photo by Avery Alexander.