Leland Library Plots Disability-Focused Conversation Series

The Leland Township Public Library is partnering with the nonprofit organization Open Your Eyes To Access (OYETA) to program a five-part “community conversation series” focused on disability and accessibility. The series is slated to kick off next month and will run until June, featuring monthly conversations around different disability-related topics.

According to a press release, the monthly events “will center disability stories, explore the history of disability in local and broader contexts, and create space for participants to examine ableism and consider how accessibility and equity shape community spaces.” Each session will be led by Derenda LeFevre of OYETA, which works to “amplify disabled voices, organize non-disabled people to lean into disability justice work, invest in community relationships, and advocate for local policy change.”

The dates and topics for the events are as follows:

·       February 3: “Your Lens on Disability”

·       March 3: “Grounding in History”

·       April 7: “Activism, Resistance & Resilience”

·       May 5: “Disability Justice”

·       June 2: “Building Ally Culture & Community”

All sessions will run from 3:30-5:30pm in the Munnecke Room at Leland Township Public Library, and refreshments will be served as a part of each. Per the release, the series “is intentionally designed to build from one session to the next, and participants are encouraged to attend as many sessions as their schedules allow.”

While the events are all free and open to the public, those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to the library at www.lelandlibrary.org or by calling 231-256-9152.