Our Values
Everything we do at the Disability Advocates Union is grounded in a shared set of values. These principles guide how we organize, advocate, and show up for one another.
Our core values
Accessibility
We believe that accessibility is a right, not a privilege. We work to remove barriers — physical, academic, and social — so that every student can fully participate in campus life.
Advocacy
We amplify the voices of students with disabilities and push for systemic change at Cornell and beyond. We believe that lasting progress requires persistent, informed advocacy.
Community
We foster a welcoming space where students with disabilities and allies can connect, share experiences, and support one another. No one should navigate disability alone.
Education
We are committed to deepening understanding of disability — its history, its diversity, and its intersections with race, gender, class, and other identities — across the Cornell community.
Inclusion
We affirm that disability is a natural part of human diversity. We strive to build a campus culture that values and includes disabled people in every space and conversation.
Intersectionality
We recognize that disability does not exist in isolation. We center the experiences of those who hold multiple marginalized identities and work to address overlapping systems of oppression.
Accountability
We hold ourselves and our institution accountable to the promises made to students with disabilities. We track commitments, document outcomes, and push for transparency.
Student Voice
We believe students with disabilities are the experts on their own experiences. We center student perspectives in every initiative, decision, and conversation we lead.
These values are not aspirational — they are the standard we hold ourselves to every day. If you share these values and want to help us live them out, we invite you to get involved.
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