Photo: Life Sciences fourth-year student Annemarie Lawrence and alumnus Josh Yen-Ho Chou
Today, in a virtual, student-led panel, three UCLA alumni will share how they’ve applied their disability studies education to their careers.
The panel moderator, Annemarie Lawrence, is a fourth-year undergraduate in Life Sciences, double majoring in molecular, cell and developmental biology and in disability studies.
Josh Yen-Ho Chou ’22, one of the alumni panelists, is a Life Sciences graduate who majored in psychobiology and minored in disability studies and in global health. Chou is now a clinical psychology Ph.D. student working towards supporting the needs of the autistic community.
Below is an excerpt, from a recent UCLA Newsroom article promoting this panel discussion, where Lawrence and Chou share insights that illustrate the profound importance of disability studies and offer their advice to take next steps.
Annemarie Lawrence
Lawrence is a fourth-year molecular, cell and developmental biology and disability studies double major.
What does it mean to you personally to have helped organize this panel?
Organizing this panel has been a very meaningful experience, and I am so grateful I had the opportunity to bring this group of people together. I am very excited to see UCLA alumni and current UCLA students talk about their experiences with disability studies and connect over what it means to them to be part of this program and participate in this kind of work. It has been great connecting with alumni and see how much they care about getting to know current students and help guide them towards what they want to do — and provide their own personal insights into this new and evolving field.
Why is disability studies such an important and impactful field?
I pursued disability studies because I was raised by parents who are Deaf and identify as disabled. I was eager to get a greater understanding about how we needed to rewrite the narratives surrounding disability and what is considered “normal” by understanding the lived experiences and perspectives of people with disabilities. Disability studies gives a platform for individuals with disabilities to talk about their experiences in a world that has historically marginalized their identity, as well as their abilities; provide opportunities for students to recognize how our world is programmed to exclude individuals with disabilities; and transform spaces into ones where the voices of individuals with disabilities are not only heard, but deeply valued.
What advice do you have for other current UCLA students who want to get involved with disability studies?
Personally, exploring disability studies and getting involved with the program was the best decision I have made during my time at UCLA. The professors, faculty and administrative staff are nothing less than amazing and are so dedicated to making sure each and every student in the program succeeds. For those interested in exploring disability studies, reach out to our student advisor, Lonnell Edwards, who is extremely knowledgeable in our program and goes above and beyond to support students; I’d also encourage taking classes such as Disability Studies 101W.
Josh Yen-Ho Chou ’22
Yen-Ho Chou, who majored in psychobiology with minors in disability studies and global health, is pursuing his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
How has your interest in disability studies informed and shaped your career path?
I am currently a clinical psychology Ph.D. student who does autism research, and being in disability studies highly shaped my ability to have a critical perspective when it comes to my research and my clinical practices. The disability studies minor at UCLA really helped me become passionate in the field as a self-advocate and also provided me the language and knowledge to hold these conversations.
What’s an example of an impact you hope to make in your particular field?
I hope to support the social, relational and emotional well-being and relationships of autistic people through a person-first and neurodiversity-affirming framework. I hope to make an impact that supports the needs of the autistic community.
Any advice for current UCLA students seeking to apply those principles within their careers?
Listen to disabled people. Think about how disability intersects with other marginalized identities. Make our practices and your work accessible to others.
Learn from other disabilities studies alumni in the full UCLA Newsroom article: https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/disability-studies-alumni-panel-career