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Disability Awareness and History Month

 

Text: The top left features the text "Berkeley Unified School District Celebrates January as Disability Awareness & History Month in BUSD." The bottom right contains the "Berkeley Public Schools" logo. Imagery: Along the bottom, there is a row of gray silhouettes showing a diverse group of adults and children holding hands, including a person using a manual wheelchair. Background Elements: A series of five diagonal colored stripes (pinkish-red, yellow, white, light blue, and green) cuts across the upper right corner against a dark charcoal gray background. These colors represent the Disability Pride flag.

On December 6, 2023, the Board of Education adopted a resolution to combat the marginalization of those with disabilities in our school community by establishing January as Disability Awareness and History Month in BUSD.  This month is an opportunity to recognize and honor the contributions of those with disabilities who have enriched and inspired our nation and generate learning around the experiences of those with disabilities.

A banner with a white background and a red border. The text "A NOTE FROM ENIKIA" is prominently displayed in red and orange. Below this, in smaller black text, is "SUPERINTENDENT FORD MORTHEL." A horizontal black line separates the text from a graphic of a pencil pointing to the right. The pencil is segmented into four maroon rectangles, each containing a white word: "EXCELLENCE," "EQUITY," "ENGAGEMENT," and "ENRICHMENT." To the right of the text and pencil graphic is a portrait photograph of a woman with dark hair, wearing a light-colored patterned top and a light-colored jacket. She is smiling and looking towards the viewer. Below the photograph is the "Berkeley PUBLIC SCHOOLS" logo in red, with the text "Berkeley Unified School District" in smaller black letters underneath.

Dear Berkeley Unified Community,

On December 6, 2023, our Board of Education voted unanimously to approve Resolution 24-017: Declaring January Disability Awareness and History Month in BUSD. January holds particular significance in Berkeley as it is the birth month of Ed Roberts, who began the disability rights movement at UC Berkeley, leading to curb cuts nationwide and the development of centers for independent living.

I am proud of the work done by School Board President Ana Vasudeo and the many staff, students, and community members involved in the development of this resolution. It reflects the district’s commitment to our mission to enable and inspire our diverse student body to achieve academic excellence and make positive contributions to our world and to ensure Excellence, Equity, Engagement, and Enrichment for all students we serve. 

The district recognizes that students with disabilities have a right to and have the ability to learn alongside their non-disabled peers and must be provided equitable and meaningful opportunities to learn and grow. We achieve engaging and excellent education when all of our students learn from and with each other. 

Disability Awareness and History Month in BUSD is an opportunity to educate our community about the many historical contributions of those with disabilities, and to center the experiences and needs of our students and staff with disabilities. By engaging in critical conversations about disability and providing educator and family resources, we will encourage a culture of inclusion and belonging not only in January but year-round.

Join BUSD in celebrating, uplifting, and honoring the diverse histories, experiences, and voices of our disabled students, staff, and community members throughout the month. Together, we can disrupt the marginalization of those with disabilities and create a more equitable and inclusive school district, community, and society that will allow all students to thrive. 

In community,

Enikia Ford Morthel
Superintendent

About the Flag

this is a graphic of the disability pride rainbow flag on a dark grey backdrop, the rainbow colors are pink, yellow, white, blue and green

The Disability Pride Flag underwent a makeover for accessibility purposes in 2021. The parallel stripes stand for intracommunal solidarity. The colors on the flag symbolize various disability experiences. The black background mourns disabled people who have passed away. The stripe’s color represents disability types:

  • Red: physical disabilities
  • Gold: cognitive and intellectual disabilities
  • White: non-visible and undiagnosed disabilities
  • Blue: psychiatric disabilities
  • Green: sensory disabilities

Read more about the flag here.

Disability Pride Flag Coloring Sheets

Events

 

Community Film Screening: Left Behind – January 29

A young Black boy sits at a classroom desk, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression. He has short, curly hair and wears a light-colored t-shirt. His hands rest on an open, colorful picture book. Floating around him are faint, shimmering letters and symbols, suggesting a sense of magic or intellectual struggle. The background is a dimly lit classroom. Above him, the large, bold yellow title "LEFT BEHIND" dominates the upper half of the frame. Small text at the top features a quote: "WONDERFUL & POWERFUL... MOMS WHO WON'T GIVE UP" by Dominic Patten, Deadline. At the bottom are film festival laurels for the 2024 Woodstock Film Festival and DOC NYC 2024.

Dyslexia impacts 20% of the population, but without proper support, many students are left behind—contributing to a staggering 48% dyslexia rate among incarcerated individuals.

We are proud to host a free screening of the award-winning documentary Left Behind. This 74-minute film highlights the grassroots movement to provide equitable education for all students, regardless of their zip code.

Event Schedule:

  • 5:00 PM: Doors Open

  • 5:30 PM: Film Screening

  • 6:45 PM: Q&A Panel with Kareem Weaver and literacy experts.

Location: Little Theater at Albany High School (603 Key Route Blvd) Register: Reserve your spot on Bitly

Note: For disability-related accommodations, please contact the North Region SELPA Director at pvickroy@ausdk12.org by January 20, 2026.

Upcoming Event: Nancy Rubin—Sound Advice

A promotional flyer for a Berkeley Unified School District event titled "Nancy Rubin: Sound Advice," hosted by the Disability Equity & Special Education Advisory Committee. The event is a presentation and panel about being Deaf and Hard of Hearing, featuring members of the Bay Area community. The flyer includes five headshots of diverse community members: two women and one man in the top row, and a young girl and a young man in the bottom row. Event details are listed as follows: Wednesday, January 28, 2026, from 6:00 to 6:45 PM. It notes "All Welcome!" and "ASL interpretation provided." Joining information includes Zoom Meeting ID 864 2474 0692 and Passcode: busd. Contact email is mberbeco@gmail.com. The Berkeley Public Schools logo is in the bottom left corner.

The Berkeley Unified School District Disability Equity & Special Education Advisory Committee (DESAC) invites you to an enlightening presentation and panel discussion centered on the experiences of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

Featuring members of our local Bay Area community, this event offers a unique opportunity to gain “Sound Advice” and perspective on navigating the world with hearing loss. Whether you are a student, parent, educator, or community member, all are welcome to attend this inclusive session.

Event Details

  • When: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
  • Time: 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
  • Where: Virtually via Zoom
    • Meeting ID: 864 2474 0692
    • Passcode: busd
  • Accessibility: ASL interpretation will be provided.

For more information or questions regarding the event, please get in touch with mberbeco@gmail.com.

BHS Disability Awareness Panel from 2025

BUSD held a student-led roundtable featuring Berkeley High School (BHS) students, staff, and experts in disability fields as they discussed their unique experiences being neurodiverse and physically disabled. Learn how we can work together to promote a more supportive and connected BHS community. 

This event was sponsored by BUSD’s Disability Equity and Special Education Advisory Committee

Reading Lists By Grade Level  

These reading lists, organized by grade level, were curated by our library staff from the Schneider Book Awards, an award presented yearly by the American Library Association that honors artistic expression for the disability experience. Every school library will receive copies of some of the newest books on the lists in both English and Spanish.

Here is the alt-text for the image: Alt-text: A horizontal banner showcasing five book covers from a disability reading list. From left to right: The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt, featuring an illustration of a diverse group of people with various disabilities standing in a city. Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte, showing a close-up blue-toned illustration of a young girl’s face with her hands raised in a sign language gesture. A Face for Picasso by Ariel Henley, a memoir featuring a photograph of a woman with her head tilted back, overlaid with a colorful, abstract line drawing of a face. We Move Together by Kelly Fritsch, Anne McGuire, and Eduardo Trejos, showing an orange background with the lower bodies of several people walking and using mobility aids. My Life with Down Syndrome by Mari Schuh, featuring an illustration of a young boy happily playing a red drum set.

Family Guides

Enjoy BUSD’s Family Guides for celebrating Disability Awareness and History Month in January.

This is the english family guide for Disability Awareness and History Month, it is grey and purple and has a black and white photo of disability activists and a colorful painting of a building. The readable pdf is linked below

Family Guide English

This is the Spanish family guide for Disability Awareness and History Month, it is grey and purple and has a black and white photo of disability activists and a colorful painting of a building. The readable pdf is linked below

Family Guide Spanish

Teaching Guide

BUSD’s Teaching Guide supports educators in celebrating Disability Awareness and History Month in our classrooms and schools.

This is a screenshot of the teaching guide for Disability Awareness and History Month. It is grey and purple and has a self portrait of Frida Khalo and a black and white photo of Bradley Lomax, the readable pdf is linked below

 

Teaching Guide

Disability Equity and Special Education Advisory Committee (DESEAC)

Formed in the fall of 2024, the Superintendent’s Disability Equity and Special Education Advisory Committee (DESEAC) plays a key role in supporting the District to achieve its mission by providing an open forum to discuss issues related to students with disabilities. The committee receives updates on BUSD special education programs and initiatives, reviews anonymous special education data, and makes recommendations on areas of growth for students with Individual Education Plans.

Find out more HERE.

Lifting Up BUSD Staff Voices for Disability Awareness and History Month

 

(A campaign from Disability Awareness and History Month 2025)

In celebration of our community, BUSD has introduced “Lifting Up BUSD Staff Voices Living with Disabilities,” a campaign to share our staff narratives living with disabilities with our students and community by creating posters featuring their stories and experiences. These posters will be displayed at schools, work sites, on the BUSD website, and in district publications. Sharing these narratives with our students will allow them to deepen connections with Black staff across the district.

Please click on each name to see a full-sized poster.

Caety Klingman

Julie Southworth

Matthew Hatae

Tom Reid

Additional Resources

Neuroscope  is a neurodiversity handbook meant to serve as an educational resource for high school students and adults. The effort to create this website was led by one of our Berkeley High seniors, aided by 17 other high school students, undergraduate students, administrators, and experts in disability fields.

This is an image of a document titled : Disability Awareness and History Month in BUSD. January 2024. The image pictures an adult male on it with a quote that states "Disability is Strength. Our number one issue is still old attitudes toward us, and those old attitudes see us as helpless and unable and disability can make you very strong and very able." -Ed Roberts. Berkeley Public Schools logo is aligned at the bottom left corner of this image.

Community members joined BUSD staff, students, and families at these events in celebration of Disability Awareness and History Month in BUSD.

January 25, 2024: Virtual BUSD Community Conversation on Disability Awareness and Neurodivergence

This is an image of a slide from a community conversation presentation titled: What is Neurodiversity? It includes this copy: Neurotypical/Neurodivergent: Umbrella term that includes mental health conditions, learning disabilities and other diagnosis- difference of brain function and behavior traits. Different way of thinking, learning, problem solving and communicating. 15-20% of the global population has a diagnoses related to neurodiversity. On the right side of the slide there is a colorful image of the human brain surrounded by a group of colorful circles. Each circle has some words in it. These are the words: OCD, Developmental Disabilities, ADHD/ADD, Intellectual Disabilities, Auditory Processing, Speech Delays, Sensory Integration Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Learning Disabilities, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Dyspraxia, Anxiety, Dyslexia, Autism. There is an arrow in the center of the image. Clicking on the image will play the video of the event.

In this video, linked above, BUSD staff members share about neurodivergence and how it is addressed in teaching. Guest speakers who identify as neurodivergent share their own learning experiences. View the deck in English and in Spanish. 

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Anti-Bullying: Board Policy | Administrative Regulation | Compliance

Suicide Prevention: Board Policy

Notification of Non-Discrimination Policy:

The Berkeley Unified School District is committed to providing equal opportunity for all individuals in district programs and activities. Accordingly, BUSD programs and activities shall be free from discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression; nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. The Board shall promote programs which ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all district activities. (Board Policy 0410, Board Policy 1311, Board Policy 4030, Board Policy 5145.3, Board Policy 5145.7)

The Board also prohibits retaliation against any district employee or job applicant who complains, testifies or in any way participates in the district's complaint procedures instituted pursuant to this policy. (Board Policy 4030)

Complaint forms are available at school sites and on the district webpage at www.berkeleyschools.net/complaints.

For inquiries or concerns regarding BUSD nondiscrimination policy 5145.3 or the filing of discrimination complaints please contact:
Jasmina Viteskic, Title IX Coordinator/Compliance Officer
2020 Bonar Street Room 116, Berkeley, CA 94702
Phone: 510.486.9338     Email: nondiscrimination@berkeley.net
More information is available at www.berkeleyschools.net/non-discrimination/.
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