少女福利

This photo shows a candle-lighting during Friday’s ceremony on the Durick Library lawn and steps. Madeline Shanely ’22 is lighting Taylor Galgay ’24’s memorial candle. In the background are various students including Amy Hylen ’25, Dakota Thomas ’24, Public Safety Officers, and Resident Directors Kailyn Root & James Baker. Molly Thompson ’23聽 and Jordan Baker ’23 are beside Galgay.

The Student Disability Advocacy Alliance at Saint Michael鈥檚 College recently organized what student Alliance leader Taylor Galgay 鈥�24 called 鈥渁n amazing week of advocacy, diversity, and inclusion鈥� for Disability Awareness Week.

鈥淥n Tuesday, April 11 we had a successful kickoff event for our affinity space in Alliot 205, which is looking beautiful,鈥� Galgay said. 鈥淪pecial thanks to the Accessibility Office for funding the beautiful d茅cor, and to the Center for Women and Gender for funding snacks for that event. We were able to chat and listen to music, strengthening our bonds. We had deep conversations and created belonging.鈥�

She said that on Wednesday, Alliance members 鈥渉ad a beautiful screening of the film Crip Camp with an amazing conversation following afterward. We shared personal experiences and discussed tangible advocacy work that we can accomplish on campus.鈥� She gave special thanks to the Equity Board, VPA, and all others who helped fund this event.

Thursday鈥檚 activities featured tabling in Alliot, 鈥渁nd were able to nourish students with leftover fruit and snacks from our film while advocating and spreading awareness of our mission,鈥� Galgay said.

From left to right during the Friday ceremony at the library entrance: Jordan Baker ’23, Professor Kirby, Taylor Galgay ’24, Molly Thompson ’23.

For a culminating highlight on Friday, she said, 鈥渨e had an amazing memorial service on the library lawn. We shared the names of various individuals who identified as having a disability and honored their lives and their stories. We had the generous help of Public Safety who did all the heavy lifting and set up our microphone. Thank you to Public Safety for helping make tonight a success! 鈥�

She further thanked 鈥渁ll of the wonderful volunteers who worked hard to make this week happen, we truly couldn’t have done this without the collective assistance,鈥� and members of the campus community who attended the week鈥檚 events and listened 鈥� 鈥淟istened to our voices, our stories, and joined us in fighting ableism. Special thanks to SDAA, Professor Katie Kirby (philosophy) and Toni Messuri (Academic Support Services staff) for their unwavering support throughout this week, and hard work.

鈥淲e have gathered an amazing support network, and I look forward to all the astounding, transformative, and beautiful things to come from SDAA in the future,鈥� said Galgay.