BC Hosts Annual Disability Awareness Day

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

This week, the Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) department at Bakersfield College hosted Disability Awareness Day at the Renegade Crossroads on BC’s Panorama Campus. The annual event creates a welcoming environment that increases awareness of disability, promotes inclusion and accessibility, and connects students with resources and organizations that support individuals with disabilities.

The event featured a resource fair where attendees could get information from a variety of community and BC services, including Kern County Behavioral Health Services, Bakersfield Prosthetics & Orthopedic Center, the American Sign Language Club, and many more. There was also an opportunity to enjoy delicious food from local food trucks, and free popcorn and snow cones from DSPS.

Bakersfield Mayor Karen Goh was in attendance and welcomed everyone to the event.  “It is wonderful when people come together in community to make others feel represented, valued and included,” she said, “and that is why we are here today joining together in unity. It is my joy to unite with you in celebrating this day.” She also presented a certificate of recognition from the city of Bakersfield to DSPS for their efforts in supporting individuals with disabilities.

Stephanie Foster, Director of DSPS, was excited to host the event and talked about its purpose and importance. “An important part of Disability Awareness Day is making sure disability is represented in our broader conversations about diversity and inclusion. Disability is an important aspect of human diversity, with its own culture, identities, experiences, and perspectives,” she said, “we hope to increase awareness and understanding among those who may have had limited exposure to disability while also celebrating disability culture.”

Foster also discussed the importance of students being connected to campus resources. “One of the biggest benefits of this event is giving students an opportunity to learn about resources that they may not otherwise know are available to them,” she said, “This allows us to both educate students who may be unfamiliar with disability-related issues and connect students who may need support.”

It was an engaging and educational day with hundreds of students and community members participating in the event - with several attendees winning raffle prizes, including (details). Thank you DSPS for coordinating this wonderful event. Your time and efforts show our students with disabilities that they are an important and valued part of the BC community, while also spreading disability awareness to the broader campus community.