Megan Linton graduated from the Master of Public Policy and Administration program in 2021.
By Elizabeth Kane
On International Women’s Day, Carleton University honours women throughout the world and encourages everyone to work to #BreaktheBias so that we can all live in a more equitable society.
From leaders in STEM to disability rights activists, Carleton students are making a positive impact in their communities.
Sociology PhD candidate Megan Linton has been involved in disability justice community organizing for the past decade. Her research uses her experience in community organizing to make sure that disabled people are included in policy, data, and have access to justice.
“I’m so grateful for the disability community and want to do everything I can to support others, particularly those who have been routinely forgotten for so long.”
During the pandemic, Linton helped track COVID-19 cases and outbreaks at institutions across Ontario, advocating for disabled individuals to be prioritized for vaccinations.
Sociology PhD candidate Megan Linton (MPPA ’21)
“If we’re going to vaccinate all of the retirement homes and long-term care facilities,” she says, “we need to include other types of institutions where people are at a higher risk.”
She helped present research to public health units, politicians, policy makers, organizations and media, leading to a more accessible vaccine roll out.
For her disability advocacy, Linton was awarded the 2021 Dr. John Davis Burton Award from Carleton’s Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities.
Looking forward, Linton will continue her disability research and activism to ensure freedom and justice for people with disabilities.
As part of this calling, she launched the Invisible Institutions podcast, which examines the history and ongoing use of institutions in Canada.
“I feel very committed to making sure that the world is a place where my friends can live and have autonomy in their choices.”