UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice invite you to join us on Thursday, April 18^th at 11:00 AM for a discussion called “Why Lived Experience is just as Valuable as a Medical Degree.” The talk will feature Mary Fashik (she/her), a Lebanese born, queer disability rights activist, author, public speaker, and workshop facilitator.

In 2019, Mary founded Upgrade Accessibility, a movement designed to challenge today’s accessibility standards. Since its inception, the movement has grown and broadened its lens to include disability rights, intersectionality, disability justice, and equity. Through a variety of workshops, Mary helps companies understand how deeply rooted ableism is in their organizational structure and how to implement important changes. She strives daily to shed light on issues affecting those in the disabled/chronically ill community, particularly those that affect multi-marginalized members of the community. Mary was inducted into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame and named Accessibility Advisor of the Year for Corporate Live Wire's 2022-2023 Global Awards.

You can register for the talk here and learn more about Mary Fashik by visiting her website: Upgrade Accessibility. This lecture is free to attend but donations to Upgrade Accessibility are strongly encouraged.

This event was planned by a diverse group of UCSF staff who organized in response to the ongoing racial injustices. The goal of the UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice monthly speaker series is to promote critical thinking and action around intersectional structures of power, privilege, and racial oppression in clinical care, education, and beyond. We will continue to highlight the efforts of community antiracism activists.

-UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice

Are you interested in receiving notifications from UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice, such as when new lectures are scheduled? Do you want to join the UCSF Healthcare Advocates for Social Justice group or have suggestions for future speakers? Email Lindsay.Williams@ucsf.edu to request a subscription to our listserv.