The Queen's University Alumni Association (QUAA) Board of Directors invites you to join the second virtual panel exploring themes within Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity (EDII), as part of the 2021 Alumni Volunteer Series.
Queen's Student Alumni Association (QSAA) President, Megan Divecha, Artsci'22, will be sitting down with special guest, Amar Latif, and fellow panelists as they share their perspectives and expertise on disability awareness and accessibility, within the Queen's community, and beyond. The group will also be sharing advice on how we can all create spaces, events, and initiatives that are inclusive and accessible for all. The panel discussion will be followed by an interactive Question and Answer (Q and A) period.
Amar Latif is an entrepreneur, television personality, and motivational speaker. Amar attended Queen's as an exchange student from Scotland in 1995, shortly after going completely blind. Amar’s time at Queen’s helped him learn self-advocacy, regain his independence, and discover his love of travel. Referring to himself as "the blind guy who wants to show you the world", Amar is the founder of a commercial travel agency called Traveleyes that brings blind and sighted travellers together through group excursions all around the globe.
Amar will be joined by Queen's accessibility experts:
Maridee Osolinsky, Planner, Campus Planning and Real Estate, Queen's Facilities
Maridee Osolinsky has worked at Queen’s University since 2004 and has 25 years of experience in interior design specializing in accessibility, inclusion and wellbeing in the built environment. She has participated on accessibility committees since 2007 and is a member of the Queen’s Built Environment Advisory Group. Prior to joining Queen’s, Maridee worked as an interior design and planning consultant in Toronto.
Maridee is a Registered Interior Designer with the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario and sits on their Equity, Diversity, Accessibility, and Advancement Committee. She is also a member of the Interior Designers of Canada and has the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Certification.
Andrew Ashby, Accessibility Coordinator, Queen's Accessibility Hub
Andrew Ashby has over twenty years of experience as an accessibility professional and is recognized for his enthusiasm, knowledge, and dedication in providing accessible and inclusive environments for persons with disabilities. At Queen’s, Andrew is responsible for the coordination of accessibility initiatives throughout the University, including those initiatives stemming from the requirements of the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As a person living with a disability, Andrew fully appreciates the significance of being able to work and learn in a way that takes into account dignity, independence, integration, and equality of opportunity.
Andrew created and manages the Accessibility Hub website. The Accessibility Hub is a central online resource for accessibility at Queen’s. The Accessibility Hub serves to elevate inclusion and improve access for everyone on the Queen’s campus. Andrew also sits on the Municipal Accessibility Advisory Committee (MAAC) for the City of Kingston and is a member of the Technical Committee for Outdoor Spaces Standards for the new Federal legislation, the “Accessible Canada Act”.
Please Note: The event will include ASL interpretation and CART Captioning.
