40 Hours for the Forty Acres Spring 2023

Who We Are

The Disability Cultural Center (DCC) is a new unit within the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. The DCC was created through the advocacy of students, staff and faculty and will serve as a hub for disability organizing, community-building, and expression. In tandem with other DDCE units, the DCC will encourage interpersonal connection and collaborative learning toward more equitable spaces for disabled people. UT’s DCC is the first of its kind in the state of Texas, positioning UT Austin as a leader in exploring more equitable futures for this segment of the population who study, teach, and work in higher education.

What We're Fundraising For

As a brand new center, the DCC has many hopes and dreams that will require funding in order to become a reality. One area that will require funding is creating a DCC library. Filled with materials from disabled authors and content creators and as well as academics studying critical disability studies and other disability-related topics, the DCC library will elevate voices and experiences that are often overlooked and provide the UT Community access to these materials that otherwise may not be readily available. Purchasing materials, display/storage and technology to establish and sustain the DCC library is a fundraising goal for 2023. Hosting events with disabled authors and content creators to highlight and celebrate their work will be another way to increase the engagement with the DCC library. There are several other identity-based libraries on campus (through the Gender and Sexuality Center and the Multicultural Engagement Center) and the DCC will hopefully be added to that list through the 40 for Forty Fundraising project.

Your Impact

The DCC was created because of the advocacy of students, faculty and staff at UT. Disabled students wanted a space where they could gather and find community and support and the same was true for faculty and staff. Disability support at UT has previously been focused on the provision of accommodations to ensure equal access and legal compliance but the view of disability is shifting and broadening and disabled UT Community members wanted to be recognized and celebrated as an important identity on campus that is part of UT’s diversity. The DCC will provide a physical space to bring people together, as well as robust programming and advocacy efforts for students, faculty and staff. There are currently only eleven Disability Cultural Centers in the United States and UT is proud to be on the forefront of this movement by becoming the twelfth DCC in the US. The Disability Cultural Center has been written into UT’s You Belong Here strategic plan, recognizing the importance of creating spaces for community and belonging for disabled people at UT. As a new unit, the Disability Cultural Center has the potential to better support current disabled students, faculty, and staff, increase education and advocacy around accessibility across campus, and connect with prospective students and alumni before and after their time at UT. We invite you to be part of the exciting opportunity to build the Disability Cultural Center at UT and show disabled students You Belong Here!