Ira McKinzie, Portland Community College
Ira McKenzie is an outstanding student leader, who has worked hard to give students with disabilities a voice. Ira, recognizing that although our school had services and programs to support the cultural needs of other groups, the disabled students were limited to receiving accommodations. Ira, who is a member of the LGQBT community, also experiences a disability. Through their work at the Queer Resource center (QRC), they were introduced to many others with similar intersectional connections and initiated a support group for these students to share and troubleshoot experiences at PCC. During the pandemic Ira launched our Virtual Town Halls, a monthly zoom gathering where students with disabilities could meet and discuss topics that matter to them. These conversations connected our students in a way they hadn't been before.
Lizzie Allen, Portland State University
Lizzie Allen is a justice-centered, bright, humble, and dedicated student staff and intern at the Disability Resource Center at Portland State University. She is an advocate for disability community, a facilitator of disability pride and an activist for disability justice on our campus, in Portland, and online. Lizzie is an AHEAD member and an ORAHEAD member and engages in professional development on a regular basis. She is an outspoken advocate for chronically ill/disabled students like herself and she not only amplifies the experiences of an entire community but also serves as a beacon to students with chronic illness who haven't thought about the benefits of connecting with the DRC or making connections with students who are having similar experiences.