Disability Day of Mourning 2026

Disability Day of Mourning honors the lives of those lost to ableist violence. We will come together as a community to remember the lives of disabled people lost to filicide, state violence, institutionalization, and medical ableism. There will be speakers from the local disability community and an altar in remembrance of those lost that everyone is welcome to contribute to. 

Disability Day of Mourning is recognized on March 1st as a day for the disability community to mourn the lives of disabled people who were victims of filicide - killed by their family members or caregivers. This annual recognition was created in 2012 by Zoe Gross, the Director of Advocacy at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. Honoring lives lost to ableist violence is a key part of disability community and justice. The Visually Safe Disability Pride flag emphasizes this by featuring a muted black background which represents “the anger and mourning over the eugenics and the neglect that disabled people have to fight against,” as described by Ann Magrill, the designer of the flag. Western’s Disability Day of Mourning will honor those lost to filicide, as well as those lost to state violence, institutionalization, and medical ableism.

Staff therapists from the Counseling and Wellness Center will be present to provide support, both in VU 565 and in VU 735 if you would like to receive support during the event. Attendees can request to meet with a staff therapist from the Counseling and Wellness Center by connecting with the staff therapists at the access desk, floating around the event, or located at a separate processing space upstairs in VU 735.

The processing space will stay open for half an hour after the event ends. We will also provide attendees with resources for crisis support and how to connect to the Counseling and Wellness Center and local resources at the event in case support after the event is needed.

This event will have an altar to recognize the lives lost to ableist violence. This altar will create a tangible and loving representations of disability community, culture, and care, and include offerings, token and mementos, and written messages. Attendees are encouraged to contribute to the alter at the event. Attendees can take or leave items when leaving the event. 

If you would like to craft an offering for the altar, there will be a few crafting sessions throughout the week leading up to Disability Day of Mourning. These sessions will be in the Disability Outreach Center (WL 165) on Wednesday, February 25th from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM and Thursday, February 26th from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM, as well as in VU 735 on Friday, February 27th from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM (right before the event).

There will also be materials available at the event to craft offerings for the altar. 

AA/EO. Accessibility Statement: This event is intended for all participants including those with apparent or non-apparent disabilities. For disability accommodation(s) (such as ASL interpretation or TypeWell transcription), please contact disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Advanced notice is appreciated and sometimes necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.

VU 565 A/B/C is in the Viking Union. Viking Union is an ADA accessible building. Button-activated entrances are located on the southeast side and northwest side of the building near Garden Street. Elevators provide access to all levels.

• Masks: Masks are strongly encouraged at this event. KN95 masks are available at the door and upon request. Help protect our community by wearing a mask.
  • Masking makes in-person gatherings accessible for many, especially those in our immunocompromised and immunodeficient communities. However, we know that masking is inaccessible for some in our community.
• Air Purifiers: This event will have an air purifier that has four-stage hospital-type filtration with a true HEPA filter.
• Testing: Visitors are encouraged to test for COVID prior to coming to this event, if possible. We will have a limited number of rapid COVID tests available upon request.
• Illness Policy: If you are experiencing any symptoms of contagious illness such as cough, sore throat, fever, or nausea, we encourage you to please stay home and join us at another time as our community includes members who are immunocompromised or have immunodeficiencies.

There will be a separate processing space available for attendees in Viking Union 735.

Staff therapists from the Counseling and Wellness Center will be present to provide support, both in VU 565 and in VU 735 if you would like to receive support during the event. Attendees can request to meet with a staff therapist from the Counseling and Wellness Center by connecting with the staff therapists at the access desk, floating around the event, or located at the separate processing space upstairs in VU 735.

The processing space will stay open for half an hour after the event ends. We will also provide attendees with resources for crisis support and how to connect to the Counseling and Wellness Center and local resources at the event in case support after the event is needed.

We will have food and refreshments available at this event. Catering will be provided by New Mexico Tamale Company. New Mexico Tamale Company's tamales are lard-, shortening-, and gluten-free. There will be meat, vegetarian, and vegan options available. 

While we aim to not have or provide alternatives to the top 9 allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, and sesame), if you have any airborne food allergies, please feel free to email us at disability.outreach@wwu.edu.

• CWC staff therapist for processing support
• Crisis resource information
• KN95 masks
• Hand sanitizer
• Fragrance free lotion
• Fidget/stim toys (for use at the event)
• Menstrual products
• COVID-19 antigen rapid tests
• Safer sex supplies
• Naloxone emergency treatment nasal spray
• Fentanyl test strips
• Constitutional and immigration rights cards
• DAC and community resources
• Coloring and crafting materials
• Heating pad (for use at the event)

The chairs in this room are typically standard height chairs with no arm rests and minimal lumbar support. We will have some rolling chairs with arm rests and greater lumbar support available, if you would like to ensure one is reserved for you, please email disability.outreach@wwu.edu. Seating information is accurate to the best of our ability but subject to change.

ADA accessible and all-gender bathrooms are located on the 3rd floor (VU 351 and 353 are ADA accessible and all-gender) and the 7th floor (VU 714 and 717 are ADA accessible and all-gender and VU 715 and 716 are all-gender but not ADA accessible). 

There is a quiet Meditation Room on the 7th floor of the VU that you can use as a low-sensory space and/or for meditation or prayer purposes. 

Please refrain from wearing scented products such as perfume, cologne, and fragrant personal care products while using this space, as they can trigger serious health issues for those with fragrance allergies and/or chemical sensitivities. We appreciate your cooperation in making this area accessible! For more information, visit the Accessible Spaces: A Fragrance-Free Toolkit.

Parking is available after 4:30 PM at no cost in the C, 12G, 27R, and Lincoln Creek lots. For information about visitor parking, please visit the Transportation Services Visitors page. For information about accessible parking spots, please visit the Transportation Services Disability Access page.

Viking Union is accessible by several WTA bus routes:

• Heading between downtown Western or Bill McDonald Parkway? Catch routes 105, 107, 108, 190, 196, or 197.
• Heading between Lincoln Street or Lincoln Street Park and Ride and Western? Catch routes 190, 196, and 197.
• Heading between 32nd Street and Western? Catch route 105.
• Heading between the York neighborhood and Western? Catch the Blue Line at Billy Frank Jr. and Holly.
• Heading between Happy Valley and Western? Catch route 14.
• Getting to Western from anywhere else? Catch the bus to Bellingham Station and transfer to the Blue Line to Western or park at Lincoln Creek and catch routes 190 or 197 to Western.

The WTA bus stop immediately outside of Haggard Hall (right next to the DAC in Wilson Library and across the street from the PAC) is served by Routes 14, 14S, 105, 105S, 108, 190, 190S and 197 on their Northbound legs. There is also a WTA stop outside the Viking Union that services nearly all the same routes in the southbound direction (often arriving from Downtown Bellingham).

Please refer to the Campus Accessibility Map for information about the nearest accessible doors, elevators, walkways, routes, and parking spots.

Below is information shared from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the organizers of Disability Day of Mourning, as part of their Anti-Filicide Toolkit:

If you want to take action to prevent filicide and honor victims of filicide, here are some ways you can act in the future. 

• Read the Anti-Filicide Toolkit. Download it at autisticadvocacy.org/anti-filicide. This toolkit is intended to provide advocates and allies with concrete tools and resources to use in their own communities, including in response to local incidents. The toolkit includes information about how to understand and respond to filicide, frequently asked questions about filicide, and a guidebook for Day of Mourning vigil site coordinators.
• Connect with ASAN. You can sign up for national action alert emails from the ASAN website. Go to autisticadvocacy.org/get-involved/newsletter to sign up. You can also find a list of our affiliate groups at autisticadvocacy.org/get-involved/affiliate-groups. If there is an affiliate group near you, you can join them.
• Educate yourself and others about abuse, domestic violence, hate crimes, and bias against people with disabilities. Seek out resources on these topics to read and share with others. One resource is ASAN’s Autism & Safety Toolkit.
• Challenge ableism (anti-disability bias and prejudice) everywhere you see it. Challenge the idea that it is better to be dead than disabled, that disabled people are a drain on society, that disability means suffering, and that disabled lives are not worth living. Promote inclusion, community integration, and acceptance.
• Lobby your state legislature to include disability in your state’s hate crimes statute, if it is not already. You can ask your representatives and state government to insure that hate crimes based on disability are punished.

Below is information shared from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, the organizers of Disability Day of Mourning, as part of their Anti-Filicide Toolkit:

Attending a Day of Mourning vigil can stir strong emotions, and you might not know how to react or what to do afterwards. Here are some things you can do to help process what you’re feeling: 

1. Remember that your feelings are valid, whatever they are. People experience events in different ways. Just because your experience is different than the person next to you, it doesn’t mean either of you is wrong, reacting too much, or reacting too little.
2. Listen to your body. If you need to cry, then cry. If you need to talk to someone, seek someone out who will listen. If you need to go somewhere to be alone for a while, do that.
3. Give yourself a break. Vigils can be incredibly emotionally draining, and it’s okay if you can’t do things at full capacity for a while afterwards.
4. Take time for self-care. “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation.” -Audre Lorde 

What is self-care? 

Self care is any intentional actions you take to care for your physical, mental and emotional health. Self-care looks different to everybody. All of these things could be self-care:

• creating art
• sensory and self-regulatory activities
• journaling
• writing blog posts on other things
• interacting with pets or getting support from service/support animals
• watching TV shows and movies
• watching funny videos on the Internet
• taking a nap without setting an alarm
• listening to a new podcast
• punching a pillow
• taking a long shower
• eating comfort foods
• going for a walk
• getting a massage
• coloring
• calling a friend just to say hi
• cuddling a stuffed animal
• writing a letter to somebody
• practicing yoga
• treating yourself to something nice
• taking a bubble bath
• watching a hockey game
• wearing an outfit that makes you feel good
• decluttering your room
• turning off your phone for a day
• swinging on a swingset
• reading your favorite book

The following list of crisis support resources is provided by the Counseling and Wellness Center.

Campus Crisis Services

Psychological Emergency Services

Psychological emergency services are available 24/7 throughout the year to current WWU students through the Counseling and Wellness Center by calling 360-650-3164.

Crisis Appointments

Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

To speak with the first available counselor, please contact the Counseling and Wellness Center at 360-650-3164.

After-Hours Emergency Services

When the Counseling and Wellness Center is closed, there are several ways to contact someone if you or a fellow student is having a psychological emergency.

If you live in a residence hall:

• First, talk to your RA or RD.
• If your RA or RD is not available, call the Counseling and Wellness Center at 360-650-3164 and choose option 1 to reach the on-call counselor.
• If the situation is more urgent, call 911 or go to the Emergency Room at St. Joseph's Hospital.

If you live off campus:

• To reach the after-hours on-call counselor in the Counseling and Wellness Center, dial 360-650-3164 and choose option 1.
• If the situation is more urgent, call 911 or go to the Emergency Room at St. Joseph's Hospital.

National Crisis Resources

• 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, call or text 988
• Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 then press 1 or text 838255
• Native and Strong Lifeline, dial 988 then press 4
• Crisis Text Line, text HOME to 741741
• Community Crisis Line, 1-800-584-3578 
• Trevor Project: Preventing Suicide Among LGBTQ+ Youth, 1-866-488-7386
• Trans Lifeline, 1-877-565-8860
• Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
• RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-4673 

Important Note

E-mail should never be used to request crisis support. Please consider using one of the above support options.

Sorry Business is a set of traditions and ceremonies followed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people regarding the loss of a loved one. Sorry Business includes the practice of not using the deceased person’s name. We want to respect and honor this custom. There is no standard period of time, it is based on the grieving period of the family and friends. For victims who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait islander, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network looks for the person’s wishes, and if that is not available, mirror the language that Australian Aboriginal groups are using. If there are no sources from Australian Aboriginal groups, they will use the same wording as local news sources.

The Disability Pride Flag, designed by Ann Magill, a writer with cerebral palsy, is the symbol of the disability pride movement. The original Disability Pride Flag, which featured brightly colored zigzagging stripes over a black background, was created by Ann Magill in 2019. Ann Magill had “attended an event for the 20th anniversary of the ADA and was disappointed that it was confined to the basement and grounds of an independent living center — instead of out in public. The experience motivated her to create a Disability Pride Flag” (Columbia University, 2023). As she explained in an interview on The Accessible Stall podcast, "My first design idea was to make the stripes zigzag, to represent how disabled people have to maneuver around all the barriers we face. We have to go this way and then we have to go that way, and then we have to go this way and then we have to go that way. And that’s how we move through the world." 

However, it came to Ann Magill's attention that “when viewed on a phone or computer screen, the design was causing symptoms for individuals with visually triggered disabilities including seizure and migraine disorders” (Ballard, 2023). The redesigned version of the flag, created by Ann Magill in 2021 in collaboration with several people with visually triggered disabilities, softens the colors and made the stripes straight instead of zigzagging. The order of the stripes was also changed to accommodate people with red-green colorblindness (Magill, 2022). 

The visually safe Disability Pride Flag features a muted black background with a diagonal band from the top left to bottom right corner, made up of five parallel stripes in red, gold, white, blue, and green. Each element of the flag carries meaning for the disabled community:

• Faded Black Background: Represents "the anger and mourning over the eugenics and the neglect that disabled people have to fight against,"
• Six "Standard" Flag Colors: Represents that the disabled community “is pan-national, spanning borders between states and nations,”
• Red Stripe: Represents physical disabilities,
• Gold Stripe: Represents neurodivergence,
• White Stripe: Represents non-apparent disabilities and undiagnosed disabilities,
• Blue Stripe: Represents emotional and psychiatric disabilities,
• Green Stripe: Represents sensory disabilities, including d/Deafness, blindness, lack of smell, lack of taste, audio processing disorder, and all other sensory disabilities (Magill, 2022).

Student Engagement

• Neuro Space, an affinity group at the Disability Outreach Center
• ICDS Student Advisory Council
• Disability Studies and Action Collaborative Support and Discussion Groups
• Disability and Neurodivergence Club

Student Support Services

• Counseling and Wellness Center
  • Neurodiversity Assessment Program at the Counseling and Wellness Center
  • Divergent Minds
• Disability Access Center
• Neurodiversity Inclusion Collaborative
• Neurodiversity Initiative

Academics

• Institute for Critical Disability Studies
  • DISA courses
  • Minor in Critical Disability Studies
• BAE in Disability and Advocacy or Minor in Disability and Advocacy
• MA in Rehabilitation Counseling