It has been a cold, snowy February at Temple and at the Institute on Disabilities. We are looking forward to a full slate of spring programming and warmer weather!
Updates from the IOD
IOD Collaboration with Kinetic Light
The IOD will be collaborating with renowned disability arts company Kinetic Light to produce a new work, "You Caught Me on Your Shoulders" (YCMYS). This work will explore disability culture, liberation, interrelations, and the weight of sound and silence. It's supported by a grant from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, and the IOD is honored to be named among the Center's 2025 grant recipients. Stay tuned for updates on the show!
LEND Mock Hill Day
Guy Caruso, Western Coordinator, recently shared his advocacy journey with Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Related Disorders (LEND) students and role-played a legislative aide as part of the inaugural LEND Mock Hill Day. Students engaged in hill day planning and communication, increased their comfort with this kind of advocacy, and promoted advocacy in action.
IOD Presenters at Youth Leadership Conference
Cheryl Torsney of the IOD's Leadership & Career Studies Program (L&CS), as well as L&CS graduate Zhyir Garbett, will be presenting at this year's Youth Leadership Conference on Wednesday, April 8th, 2026. This year's conference will be hosted at Temple University, and will include topics focused on eligible disability programs, employment, health/wellness, policy and self-advocacy, accessible housing options, and more. Congrats, Cheryl and Zyhir!
IM4Q Impact
In the fiscal year 2024-2025, Independent Monitoring for Quality (IM4Q) surveyed provider agencies of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After learning that providers wanted to learn more about IM4Q, we provided training for the Rehabilitation and Community Providers Association (RCPA); are planning one for PAR (Pennsylvania Advocacy and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disability); and have sat on a panel for The Provider Alliance (TPA) to talk about IM4Q.
Upcoming IOD Events and Opportunities
Emergency Preparedness Survey
Did you know that the IOD provides training to teach individuals, families and providers about emergency preparedness in a way that addresses their access needs? Your input helps us plan effective outreach, so please consider participating in this short survey about emergency preparedness needs for Pennsylvanians with disabilities.
New Disability Justice Course
A new course, "From Access to Liberation: Disability Justice in Practice" (MGSE 1011), will be offered in Fall 2026. This course will be co-facilitated by community scholars with lived experience in disability justice, and will explore how to apply theory to practice and make real-world impacts in your field and community. Please encourage undergraduate students to enroll!
DeMarco Advances in 3MT Competition
IOD trainee and doctoral candidate Jaggar DeMarco won his college-level competition for the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT), and will be advancing to the university's competition on Thursday, March 26, at the Feinstone Lounge at Sullivan Hall. The IOD community is welcome to support him and learn from his scholarship; here is a registration link if you plan to attend.
Early Literacy Workshop
The IOD is excited to welcome the team from First Up to host a series of early literacy workshop. Our February workshop was a great success. The next workshop is scheduled for March 17 at 10 am. These workshops are open to educators, future educators, and family members. All participants are supplied with a bag of new children's books to take home! Register for the literacy workshops.
More Opportunities
Assistive Technology Lending Library
Pennsylvania's Assistive Technology Lending Library is a great resource, if there are devices you are interested in trying! It has over 400 devices in the inventory that can be borrowed for 5 to 9 weeks, depending on the item. You can learn more and visit the library on the Borrow from TechOWL web page.