University Announces Disability Day of Mourning Candlelight Vigil

On Friday, March 1, Syracuse University will hold the Disability Day of Mourning (DDoM) candlelight vigil from 2-3:30 p.m. in Jabberwocky Café, Schine Student Center. The Disability Student Union (DSU) and the Disability Cultural Center (DCC), in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), will host the vigil to remember, mourn and celebrate people with disabilities killed by family members or caregivers.

According to ASAN, people with disabilities are twice as likely as non-disabled people to be victims of violent crime. Every year, the national media covers dozens of murders of people with disabilities by family members or caregivers, and many more go unnoticed.

“We hold the Day of Mourning vigils to draw attention to these injustices, to commemorate the lives of victims and demand justice and equal protection under the law for all people with disabilities,” says Priya Penner ’20, president of DSU and student in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences. “We will not forget those we have lost and will remind the world that these disabled lives had value.”

ASAN started the national vigil initiative in 2012 after the murder of George Hodgins, a 22-year-old man with autism, by his mother. The University has participated in the vigil every year since.

Students, faculty, staff and community members—with or without a disability—are encouraged to attend. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) will be provided.

Light refreshments will be provided with vegetarian and gluten-free options available. Participants are not required to stay for the vigil’s entirety and are encouraged to use #DDoM2019 while posting on social media. Please refrain from wearing cologne or perfume as it may overwhelm some attendees.

For further accommodations or more information, please contact Penner at ppenner@syr.edu.