Love in the Time of Corona: Love & Disability

“We’re all in this together” is a refrain synonymous with the global experience of COVID-19, but we know that this is a half-truth. In reality, this pandemic has disproportionately impacted many communities based on various intersectional identities. Join us for this fourth edition of Love in the Time of Corona, where guest speaker and disability justice advocate, Melissa Simas joins our diverse group of panelists from both Humber College and Centennial College to discuss the impact of disability on navigating relationships. Panelists highlight intersectional, multi-faith, and multi-community approaches to exploring how disability, accessibility and entrenched legacies of ableism impact connection with ourselves and others during the global pandemic.

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Guest Speaker & Panelist: Melissa Simas, Scarborough Women's Centre

Melissa Simas is a graduate of the Master of Social Work Program at Ryerson University. She is an advocate for promoting women’s rights and the social inclusion of people with disabilities. This is evidenced by her work as a volunteer with the Strengths-Based Parenting Initiative (SPIN) as well as the Sexability and Women with Disabilities Action Awareness Group at Vibrant Healthcare Alliance. For the past nine years, Melissa has held the position of Program Coordinator with the Expanding the Reach: Outreach to Women with Disabilities program at Scarborough Women’s Centre.

Panelists:

  • Seán Kinsella, Director, the Eight Fire - Student Life Enhancement (Centennial College)
  • Dr. Silvia D'Addario, Manager, Global Citizenship, Equity and Inclusion - Centre for Global Citizenship, Education and Inclusion (Centennial College)
  • Dr. Rick Ezekiel, Director, Equitable Learning, Health, and Wellness - The Centre for Accessible Learning and Counselling Services (Centennial College)
  • Aaron Brown, Coordinator, Sexual Violence Prevention & Education - Student Success & Engagement (Humber College)

Moderator: Amita Singh, Counsellor - The Centre for Accessible Learning and Counselling Services (Centennial College)