Disability activist Lydia X. Z. Brown to give Price Distinguished Lecture March 13

DECORAH, IOWA—Lydia X. Z. Brown, director of public policy at the National Disability Institute, will give the Price Distinguished Lecture in Women’s Leadership at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall. The event is co-sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio. 

Lydia X. Z. Brown

Brown, a queer, disabled and East Asian advocate, organizer, attorney, strategist and writer, will give a lecture entitled “Until We Are All Free: Disability Justice Interventions in Queer, Trans, Feminist Movements,” which is part of Luther’s Women’s History Month events through March. ASL interpretation will be provided. Attendees should refrain from wearing any fragrances to this lecture. Childcare is available during the lecture. 

“After I heard Brown speak in Rochester, I knew I wanted to bring their expertise to Luther.  Brown isn’t advocating for disability rights but disability justice,” said Char Kunkel, head of the identity studies department at Luther. “We fundamentally need to change the systems of oppression, not just add in the various identity groups to achieve limited individual rights. We need societal transformation of the many intersecting oppressive systems so that all people can thrive. Justice for all means all, hence why the lecture is titled ‘Until We Are All Free’.” 

Brown has spoken and consulted throughout the U.S. and the world on topics such as disability rights and justice, especially at the intersections of race, class, gender and sexuality, as well as publishing scholarly and community articles on related topics. Their work addresses how ableism is tied to other forms of systemic oppression and marginalization. Brown’s work can be found on their website.

Brown is the founding executive director of the Autistic People of Color Fund. They hold a lecturer appointment in the women’s and gender studies program and the disability studies program at Georgetown University. Brown is also an adjunct professorial lecturer in American studies in the department of critical race, gender and cultural studies at American University. 

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