Celebrating Throughout the Month of October

This October, we invite you to join the Community, Leadership, Alliances, and Belonging (CoLAB) Center and our campus partners across the university as we conclude Hispanic Heritage Month and begin Disability Pride and Heritage Month with various events and activities that are open to all NAU students.

---

Hispanic Heritage Month

September 15-October 15

Observed annually from September 15 to October 15, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the vibrant cultures, achievements, and invaluable contributions of Latine individuals and communities to the fabric of the United States.

Hispanic/Latine Leadership Program

Friday, October 9, 2026

2:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

University Union, Havasupai Room A/B/C

Cultivating the leaders of tomorrow! Join us for leadership development presentations by students, for students. Open to ALL students! Learn more and RSVP on True Blue Connects.

Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month Tailgate Party and Game

Saturday, October 10, 2026

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome

Come join the Community, Leadership, Alliances, and Belonging (CoLAB) Center for music, food, and community before cheering on our NAU Lumberjacks! Learn more on True Blue Connects.

---

Disability Pride and Heritage Month

October 1-October 31

October is Disability Pride and Heritage Month at NAU. We celebrate this month by honoring the history and heritage of individuals with disabilities, including activism, accomplishments and contributions, the fight for civil rights, accessibility, and current events. All of the events below are geared toward providing our fellow Lumberjacks with a better understanding of the place individuals with disabilities hold within our history and culture—both the positive contributions as well as the active work toward inclusion and equity are highlighted.

Canvas Alt Text Challenge!

October 1-31

Challenge: Commit one hour during October to update the alt text on images within your course materials. Need help? Attend the first Digital Accessibility workshop on October 2nd where you will learn how to write and add alt text to images in Canvas. Or reach out to accessibility@nau.edu for support.

 

Digital Accessibility Expedition

October 1-31

Join us for a monthlong exploration of digital accessibility. Take some time to explore and find the clues for the final task.

Learn more at nau.edu/vae.

 

Digital Accessibility Workshop Series

Fridays, October 2, 9, 23, and 30, 2026

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Microsoft Teams Link 

Workshops will be held virtually on Fridays and cover the Canvas Alt Text Challenge, adding alt text to images in any platform, how to get started in Venngage, and conducting accessible presentations.

 

Disability History Timeline in partnership with Culture Connection AZ

Friday, October 2, 2026 | Opening Night | Exhibition all of October 

6:00 p.m.

The Historic Ice House, Downtown Flagstaff, 201 E. Birch Ave.

Join Culture Connection AZ, the Community for Disability Access and Design, NAU Disability Resources, and the Institute for Human Development for a special presentation of the Disability History Timeline! Explore disability through time, from medieval concepts of disability through the U.S. Disability Rights Movement to today.

 

Northern Arizona Disability Resource Fair

Saturday, October 3, 2026

1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

High Country Conference Center

Join the Institute for Human Development to connect with local disability resources and supports, network with individuals with disabilities and their families and caregivers, have fun participating in inclusive family-friendly activities, and enjoy refreshments and take part in door prize drawings!

 

The 5^th Annual Not-Inspiration Pørn Disability Film Festival

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

7:00 – 9:30 p.m.

Cline Library Assembly Hall

Open and free to all! The Institute for Human Development at NAU presents a celebration of the disability experience through the lens of a diverse group of filmmakers.

This year’s festival features several award-winning shorts from around the world and one locally produced film. Both documentary and narrative films will be screened, exploring topics such as “special” interests, assumptions, alternative forms of communication, wheelchair use in Mexico, disaster preparedness in Pacific Islander indigenous communities, and even a horror film!

For more information, email john.schaffer@nau.edu.

 

Disability Pride & Heritage Month: Craft Day

Thursday, October 8, 2026

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

CoLAB Center – Union Fieldhouse, Room 135

Drop in to the Community, Leadership, Alliances, and Belonging (CoLAB) Center to learn how to make your own sensory craft! Learn more on True Blue Connects.

 

Accessibility Expedition

Friday, October 16, 2026

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Louie Statue—University Union

What do we mean by access? Join us as we explore north campus to identify barriers and examples of universal design. Discussion and pizza to follow!

 

Conversation about Disability: Cross-ability Allyship—virtual

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Zoom Link | Meeting ID: 844 5759 9022 | Password: 679497

IHD presents an online conversation about disability with faculty and students from the NAU’s disability studies program and faculty and students from the disability studies program at King’s University College at Western University in Canada. The topic this year is Cross-ability Allyship.