Christa A. Moran is the 2020 recipient of the James T. Neubacher Award. The virtual award presentation is Thursday at 2:30 p.m. and will feature Certificates of Appreciation to 13 additional nominees. All are welcome to attend via this Zoom webinar.
As the co-lead of the Michigan Medicine Disability Resource Group, Moran is a staunch and fierce advocate for our disability community. Moran has worked on several initiatives in partnership with the Office for Health Equity and Inclusion and the Michigan Medicine Disability Resource group. She also supported a medical student-run initiative at the University of Michigan Medical School training U- M undergraduates, as medical interpreters for Spanish speaking patients. This initiative, CLIMB, is aimed at improving the health outcomes of Spanish-speaking patients as well as creating opportunities for students underrepresented in medicine, or students interested in addressing health disparities, an opportunity to gain clinical experience.
Another example of Christa’s advocacy is leading the effort to create a MiChart Disability Tab. This new MiChart feature expands the ability for patients to notify the healthcare team of accommodations prior to entering the health system. This is a transformative advancement for patient experience.
Disability Community Month Events
For decades the U-M Council for Disability Concerns has produced an annual series of events, previously named Investing in Ability. In 2019 the events were renamed Disability Community Month to more closely capture the council’s mission to raise awareness of disability topics on campus and in the community. The events include speakers, demonstrations, and the presentation of the James T. Neubacher Award.
Events Also Include:
October 19 - 30: Teaching for Accessibility
Teaching for Accessibility introduces you to theories and practices of accessibility in teaching and learning, with a special focus on the work of disability theorist Jay Timothy Dolmage, author of Academic Ableism: Disability and Higher Education (University of Michigan Press, 2017). This self-paced, asynchronous 2-week workshop for instructors is structured to support you in a process of active learning and reflection about accessibility in your own teaching. Open to faculty, graduate student instructors, post-docs and others in instructional roles at U-M. Participants may complete the workshop any time within the two-week window of availability. Optional synchronous office hours may be offered in conjunction with this workshop.
Learn more and register at the CRLT Event Page.
About the James T. Neubacher Award
The University of Michigan's Council for Disability Concerns established the James T. Neubacher Award in October 1990 as a memorial to Jim Neubacher, an alumnus of the university who was a columnist for The Detroit Free Press and an advocate for equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities. Through his advocacy, he sought to “raise a little consciousness” and “raise a little hell!” The award is presented annually in October during Disability Community Month, a series of programs and activities focused on disability inclusion, disability awareness, and disability-related issues.
