Women with disabilities are considered one of the most marginalized, underserved populations in the world. Despite their hardships, they also offer tremendous potential for leadership and the ability to transform communities.

That leadership and the accomplishments of disabled women activists from around the world will be honored and celebrated with the kickoff of the “Brilliant & Resilient: Celebrating the Power of Disabled Women Activists” book tour and photo exhibition at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 15, at the University of Oregon's Ford Alumni Center.

The Office of the Vice President for Equity and Inclusion and Mobility International USA (MIUSA) are co-sponsoring the event, which will include appetizers and music, as well as a chance to meet dynamic women leaders from around the world.

The Brilliant & Resilient project honors the 1995 Beijing UN World Conference on Women, a historic event that ignited the international disabled women’s rights movement. Because of the strong links between poverty and disability, the majority of the world’s women with disabilities live in developing countries, where they are more likely to experience violence, abuse, and poor health than men with disabilities.

But many of those women rise above their circumstances and forge new paths for others. To celebrate their pride and power, MIUSA CEO and co-founder Susan Sygall wanted to create a project that would honor these leaders. After seeing a book that featured women from Africa photographed by Brian Lanker, Sygall decided to create a project that would culminate in a similar book.

“Brilliant & Resilient” also features Lanker’s photography and includes powerful portraits and personal stories of 50 disabled women activists from 41 countries. The stories were gathered during MIUSA’s 2008, 2010 and 2012 Women’s Institutes on Leadership and Disability (WILD). Each WILD brought together more than 25 women leaders with disabilities from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

The book features women from Albania to Zimbabwe, each with a story of trial and triumph. Ghin Chu Pua is the head of Welfare and Job Placement at the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled in Malaysia, where she helps disabled men, women,
 and girls find employment. She was left behind when her friends went off to colleges that weren’t designed for people with disabilities, but with the help of her aunt, she discovered Beautiful Gate, where she was given the opportunity to earn an advanced degree in computer studies and where she has found work and purpose ever since. “My broken faith was rebuilt,” she says. “I gained confidence in establishing relationships with people and I opened my eyes and heart to the wonderful things I can achieve in my life.”

Sygall says, “Disabled women activists will finally be celebrated and acclaimed for their leadership role in transforming the world. This is a dream come true, not only for me, but for millions of women and girls with disabilities throughout the world.”

UO Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Yvette Alex-Assensoh adds, “These women have truly forged new paths for many others who will benefit by their power, passion and conviction. It’s an absolute honor to participate in this book launch.”

The book launch is free but advanced online registration is required for all attendees, as space is limited and registration will not be available at the door. Registration will stay open until 24 hours before the event or until are seats are filled.

The event is wheelchair accessible and will be sign language interpreted.

- by Aria Seligmann, UO Office of Strategic Communications