Disability Advocate, Best-Selling Author to Speak on the Americans with Disabilities Act at UW-Whitewater

Written by Kari Borne

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is excited to announce that Rebekah Taussig, an educator, disability advocate and best-selling author, will visit campus in March. 

Taussig, who wrote the best-selling memoir Sitting Pretty: The View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body, will present a public lecture on Tuesday, March 11, at 6 p.m. in Hyland Hall’s Timmerman Auditorium on the Whitewater campus.

“Dr. Taussig's account of her lived experience is critical to understanding the ableism that exists today,” said Debbie Reuter, director of UWW’s Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD). “Most able-bodied individuals have the opportunity to grow in their awareness of ableism.” Reuter shared that “CSD supports making Whitewater's campus more equitable and inclusive for everyone, and events like this help us meet that goal.”

 UW-Whitewater has a long-standing priority mission to serve students with disabilities. The CSD, established more than 50 years ago, serves more than 1,300 Warhawks annually. The Warhawk men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams have combined for 17 intercollegiate national championships since 1982 and produce medal-winning Paralympians.

The UW-Whitewater LIFE program for young adults with intellectual disabilities was launched in 2019 and is currently at full capacity. The university’s department of special education earned the 2024 Universities of Wisconsin Teaching Excellence Award for its track record in preparing and placing future educators. UW-Whitewater has also hosted the Special Olympics Wisconsin Summer Games for each of the last two years, welcoming more than 1,400 athletes and coaches to campus in 2024.

Because of this priority mission, UWW is continually seeking better understand the experiences of disabled people and ways to provide increased access to all. “One of our core values is improving the quality of life for the communities we serve,” said Matt Vick, dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education (SGSCE). “By bringing Dr. Taussig to campus for this lecture, we hope community members will join us in discussing how we can keep moving the needle.”

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA fundamentally changed the landscape of the built world and continues to be one of the most protective pieces of protective legislation for disabled Americans. Yet, this same population still experiences vast disparities in access from their nondisabled counterparts. We have come so far, and we have so far to go. “This is especially true for people with mental health disabilities,” said Reuter. “The stigma associated with less visible disabilities is still a barrier for many.”

In her lecture, Taussig will reflect on the grueling, exciting story of what it took to get here, give a clear picture of this present moment, and cast a vision for a future that creates more access for all of us. 

Taussig’s visit to UWW will be hosted by SGSCE in partnership with the Tommy G. Thompson Center on Public Leadership. The Thompson Center funds speaker events that help leaders address pressing policy challenges and promote local policymaking solutions.

Taussig’s lecture is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. While registration is not necessary, parking passes are required – see the event website for more information.

Discussion groups reading Taussig’s best-selling memoir will be held on campus and in the community in advance of her visit. More information, including registration, can be found on the event website.