Sacramento City College opened the doors to its Disability Cultural Center for the first time on Oct. 8, with encouraging posters lining the walls, food up for grabs and music from Cola Boyy playing softly on the television to welcome newcomers to the new campus resource.
Located in LRC-120, the Disability Cultural Center aims to create a space that welcomes, celebrates and empowers individuals with disabilities. The opening, held during Latinx Heritage Month, featured artwork from disabled Latinx artists, games and an early look at what the center hopes to offer in the coming months. Students and staff filtered in throughout the afternoon to explore the space, mingle with one another and participate in activities intended to highlight disability culture.
The October launch marked a milestone in expanding visibility for disability culture at City College. The new center is one of several cultural spaces on campus intended to promote representation and support for marginalized groups. Its launch comes after months of extensive planning and advocacy from campus staff and student advocates. The relaxed structure allowed students to browse the space freely, talk with coordinators and take in the space at their own pace.
“When I was working with students, I was looking at a common struggle or theme that students were experiencing, and I think a lot of it was finding pride in their disabilities,” City College’s Workability III coordinator and DSPS counselor Rachel Stewart explained. “What we really wanted to do was create that space with universal access really claiming disabilities. People can take off their masks of having to navigate a world that doesn’t understand a different way of being in it.”
During this soft opening, the space allowed students to give their personal opinions regarding the importance of this center.
“It’s great to have an outlet for so many people. A lot of us share similar and common interests or beliefs, as well as how we identify and operate,” said Aaron Markowitz, a student studying aircraft dispatching. “It’s so important for our culture, you know, people with disabilities, to be able to meet.”
Markowitz currently takes classes at American River College, but found out about the opening of the center through City College’s Instagram.
“It’s so welcoming. … I’m new to this campus, as well as this area,” Markowitz said. “I’m trying to connect with the community. Get a sense of belonging, if you will. This is the perfect place for me to do so.”
Stewart hopes that the space will become a consistent gathering place for students seeking cultural connection and academic support; a place where disability is recognized as an identity worth celebrating.
“Once we are fully staffed, we’ll be able to have it open,” Stewart said. “We’re really lucky to have funding from the college, so we’ll eventually do a grand opening. Kind of like today, but with more food, speakers, and a lot more people. And for people who’d prefer less noise, we already have a sensory room where we make everything quiet, as well as soft lights and a projector that displays nebulas and galaxies.”
Stewart added that the space also welcomes people who are non-disabled: “The space is intended to combat ableism, something that both non-disabled and disabled people carry with them, and reframe how everyone may think about disabilities.”
