#DisCo is short for Disability Community, a hashtag disabled people use to connect online.
Upcoming Special Events:
Disability Rights Roundtable with the HHS Office for Civil Rights
Tuesday, November 12, at 10:00 am CT
Paraquad, 5240 Oakland Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63110
With Melanie Fontes Rainer, Director, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Under federal law, patients have the right to access health care, free of discrimination. OCR enforces 55 statutes covering federal civil rights, HIPAA, and fundamental rights of nondiscrimination on race, gender, disability, reproductive rights, equity, language access, and environmental justice. This roundtable meeting will focus on areas of interest of disability rights community leaders on compliance with federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in the provision of health, human services and other spaces, as well as OCR priorities. This conversation is meant for the Director to hear from our region about key issues and areas for potential collaboration.
RSVP no later than Friday, November 8, 2024, to debra.johnson@hhs.gov
ASL Storytime at St. Louis Public Library
Saturday, November 16, at 10:30 am CT
Carpenter Library – St. Louis Public Library, 3309 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis MO 63118
Join us for storytime signed in American Sign Language, followed by crafts and social time for children and families. These events are accessible for deaf children and families but all children are welcome to attend. Suitable for: Early Childhood/Ages 0-5 and families. The library is partnering with DEAF Inc. to offer this program.
Details at https://slpl.bibliocommons.com/events/664ba6d490b60b330041071e
Breakfast with Signing Santa
Saturday, December 7, at 9:00 am CT
DEAF Inc., 25 E Frisco Ave, Webster Groves, MO 63119
The Breakfast With Signing Santa will be held both, indoors and outdoors, at DEAF, Inc. We will have a signing Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, breakfast for all, a petting reindeer with a sleigh, presents, and several life-size toys for the children to enjoy, along with some crafts to make and take home. Please register by Saturday, November 23, 2024, to ensure your child/ren receives a gift from Signing Santa. This event is geared towards deaf, hard of hearing, and CODA (Child Of Deaf Adult) children.
Ongoing Events:
- STL Metropolitan Alliance for Reliable Transit (SMART) Meetings are at 6 p.m. on Thursdays, and the focus is on building the power that we need to hold the Bi-State Development Corporation accountable to provide light rail, buses, and Call-A-Ride services that meet the needs of people with disabilities in St. Louis City and County.
To receive weekly meeting notices and updates, contact Teona McGhaw, Organizing and Advocacy Specialist at Paraquad, at tmcghaw@paraquad.org or 314-289-4260.
- Adaptive Dance Classes for Children with Disabilities Saturdays, 11:30am – 12:30pm at Pack Dance (465 N. Taylor Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108)
This adaptive dance program offers a universally accessible dance class for children ages 5 – 18 with disabilities. Taught by Grace Mohr, an occupational therapy student and trained adaptive dance instructor, this class offers the opportunity for children of any ability to engage in dance.
To learn more or register for this program, please contact grace@packdance.org or visit: https://www.packdance.org/adaptivedance
- Inclusive tours and classes at Missouri Botanical Garden The Garden offers free tours with ASL and audio description, as well as specialized tours for people with memory loss and their families (in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter). Inclusive classes at the Garden, Shaw Nature Reserve, and Butterfly House are also on the 2024 summer and fall schedules. Summer class registration is open now; fall class registration opens August 1, 2024.
Tours are free, but prior registration is REQUIRED. Find details about upcoming tours and classes at https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/learn-discover/classes
Do you have a disability-focused community event you would like us to include? Get in touch at info@starkloff.org
