UMass Allies for Illness and Disability Access (UMAIDA) promotes a supportive network and work environment that is inclusive and accessible for all individuals with lived experience of disability, deafness, illness (chronic and mental), injury, neurodiversity and their allies. The group also focuses on ways to support the recruitment, retention, professional development and career advancement of employees with disabilities.
Steering Committee
Samm Nelson (she/her), IT Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technology Specialist
Marcie Savoie (she/her), IT Digital Accessibility and Assistive Technology Specialist
Adam Ware (they/them), Associate Dean of Special Collections and University Archives, W. E. B. Du Bois Library
Connect with UMAIDA
We are using the @email for email communications. Folks can sign up by searching 'umaida' in the google groups interface. Our meetings are announced on the email listserve.
Join UMAIDA on Microsoft Teams where we share materials, meeting notes, and resources. To join the team, send an email to either @email or @email.
Learn More About UMAIDA
Podcast Episode with the UMass Allies for Illness and Disability Access (Air Date 9/29/2021)
Dr. Nefertiti Walker interviews Melinda LeLacheur, Michele Cooke, and Samm Delorey from the UMass Allies for Illness and Disability Access (UMAIDA) Network. In addition to discussing the work of UMAIDA, they discuss the living/learning/working challenges on-campus, the effects of returning to in-person work after a period of remote work, and their personal stories and experiences.
Disability and Accessibility Resources
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We embrace disability as a natural part of diversity and seek to build capacity to appreciate and value individual differences, including differences in ability, to create inclusive community.
We are fully committed to to providing full and equal access to information and services for all current and potential members of our community. For more information on our accessibility practices, and where you can go for assistance and support, please review our resources and commitment as a campus.