Thinking About the Obstacles People Face
February 23, 2021 Greg Thomson
This year’s Touchstone Award recognizes Professor Laverne Jacobs. BY Brigitte Pellerin 22 Feb 2021
If we are to address disability inequality, says Professor Laverne Jacobs, we need to start by acknowledging the structural inequalities facing people with disabilities in daily life
Unfortunately, it took a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic to force society to think about equality issues differently, she notes. “Nevertheless, this is the biggest catalyst that I have seen in our time.”
Jacobs, who founded and directs the Law, Disability & Social Change Project at Windsor University, is the recipient of this year-s
Touchstone Award that recognizes efforts to further equality in the legal community.
As a Black woman with a disability, she hopes the award will encourage legal professionals to think about the obstacles faced by people with disabilities. ‘”Nothing should be done “without us,” she says. “And so I hope that this award will also inspire further allyship than what already exists.”
Jacobs, who experienced a spinal cord injury during her career, has been involved with the Ontario Bar Association since she was a graduate student. She served on the executive of its Administrative Law Section. This experience “has provided me with [...]