Amanda Thompson

What is your favourite thing about the program?

My favourite thing about the program was learning about the historical perspectives of people with disabilities. It has exposed me to the lived experiences, past and present, of those who have had their voices silenced for too long. I am more aware of the social and health barriers that continue to oppress this particular community instead of elevating them.

What will you miss the most?

I will miss being enrolled in Professor Alessandra Iozzo-Duval’s classes. I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned from her four different times throughout the program. She is very passionate about disability studies and I have personally grown as a student because of her.

Favourite place on campus?

Starbucks for those early 8:30 am classes and Roosters for their awesome hash browns.

What is your favourite reading/book/text from the program?

The Sexualized Body of the Child: Parents and the Politics of ‘Voluntary’ Sterilization of People Labeled Intellectually Disabled (Desjardins, M).

What’s next for you?

I will be starting a full-time teaching position as an educator in a kindergarten classroom. Next year, 2021, I hope to continue my studies and obtain my Masters Degree.