Incongruent Access with Bri Beck and Matt Bodett

The UIC DCC is excited to host Incongruent Access, a facilitated community conversation with Bri Beck and Matt Bodett, as we explore the nuances of cross-disability access in personal, professional, and communal spaces.
From the facilitators:

We are Bri Beck and Matt Bodett, both Disabled people and professionals navigating our disability identity and individual access needs in a variety of settings, just like many of you. We have proposed this gathering based on our challenges of self-disclosure and accessibility, as well as the challenges of meeting our own needs while supporting fellow disabled people when our access needs become incongruent.

As a disability community, we are ready for a dynamic conversation beyond individual accessibility but open up a dialogue that acknowledges the inherent tensions and challenges of creating entirely safe and accessible cross-disability spaces and relationships.
If you resonate with what has been shared and want to participate in this dialogue, we invite you to join us for a meaningful community conversation.

Audience note:
We will be centering disability community experience, but this event is open to everyone.

Covid safety information (in person):
UIC does not require masking, but we are still masking in our spaces as an accessibility measure for chronically ill / immunocompromised folks. Please wear a mask if it’s accessible to you. We’ll have extras on hand! People may be sipping/eating and then replacing their masks.

Access information:
CART (live captions) will be provided.
The DCC is located on the 2nd floor, which is accessible by elevator.
We use fragrance free products in the DCC, but UIC is not a fragrance-free campus. To maintain a low-fragrance environment, please refrain from wearing scents to DCC events.
Please get in touch with any questions or to make other access requests (like ASL, for example) at dcc@uic.edu or 312-355-7050!

More information on our  facilitators:

Bri Beck LCPC, ATR (she/her) is a mixed-media artist and licensed art therapist whose work explores the intersection of body and environment. Living with a rare form of dwarfism, Bri uses her art to examine how the built environment influences connection or tension, offering insight into experiences of accessibility and identity. In her private art therapy practice, Bri specializes in supporting clients within the disability community, focusing on complex medical trauma, health anxiety, self-esteem, self-advocacy, and the psycho-social aspects of living with a disability. As a consultant, she trains therapists, educators, and healthcare providers on implementing disability-affirming and anti-ableist practices. Bri is an active member of Chicago's Disability Arts, Culture, and Advocacy communities. She serves on the Chicago Community Trust Disability Advisory Board and contributes to grant-making initiatives for local disability nonprofits. Passionate about fostering connection and growth, Bri facilitates peer support groups, leads community workshops, and mentors aspiring art therapists. (Image Description: Portrait of Bri, person with large tortoise shell glasses and wavy shoulder length brown and blonde hair. Bri is smiling and wears a tan fuzzy coat. Behind is a sunny, blurred background of trees.)

Matt Bodett (he/him) is a visual artist, poet, performance artist, and mad advocate with over 12 years of experience as an educator and guest speaker at institutions including the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago. He currently lives and works in Chicago, also teaching as an adjunct instructor at Loyola University Chicago. He has published the history of the Cook County Insane Asylum and is currently writing a book on mad aesthetics. Matt’s art and performances have been featured internationally, including exhibitions at the Freud Museum in London, the No Limits Festival in Berlin, the Poetry Foundation in Chicago, and Steppenwolf Theater. As an artist-in-residence at MacDowell and Surf Point, he has developed work that bridges historical research with contemporary conversations around madness. Through these exhibitions and his role on the Artists Council for 3Arts and as a board member for Good Hart Artists Residency, Matt continues to expand the cultural dialogue around madness. In 2022, Matt Bodett founded the Center for Mad Culture, a groundbreaking initiative dedicated to reclaiming madness as a cultural identity and fostering creative dialogue around mental health. Through exhibitions, performances, and community programming, the Center challenges stigma and highlights the contributions of mad individuals to art, history, and culture. The Center for Mad Culture has become a hub for radical inclusion, celebrating divergent thinking and empowering new narratives. (Image description: Black and white portrait of Matt, a person with short dark hair and a goatee. Matt looks directly at the camera with a thoughtful expression. The background is black and has handwriting on it.)