If I had to describe USC’s social scene in one word, it would be “communities.” Not only does the University pride itself on one united Trojan community, but I find it serves as an umbrella for a number of smaller communities. Students find communities around shared interests, experiences and identities. And while I have found a number of communities that speak to me within USC, I have been severely missing one: a disability community. 

Having a disability that is not immediately evident, a so-called “invisible disability,” has colored my life in a number of interesting ways. It has allowed me to exist in nondisabled spaces as a sort of undercover agent, but has always been present enough that I have found myself drawn toward others with disabilities.

When I first started at USC, I felt it was taking me a while to build up a social circle I was pleased with. My sister advised me to search for an affinity group for students with disabilities, as these groups tend to be very welcoming to invisible disabilities as well as more traditional ones. And so, my search began.

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I opted to start my research on the website for USC’s Student Equity and Inclusion Programs. It mentioned nine groups, five based around a racial or ethnic identity, as well as the First Generation Plus Success Center, the LGBTQ+ Student Center, Student Basic Needs and the Veterans Resource Center. With such a strong lineup of affinity groups, I was deeply confused by the absence of any sort of group for students with disabilities. 

But I would not be so easily dissuaded. I navigated next to the website for OSAS, USC’s Office of Student Accessibility Services. And eureka! I discovered a page titled “Student Organizations,” with a description that read “[OSAS] is proud to support two organizations specifically focused on service to and success of students with disabilities.” 

Giddily, I scrolled to feast my eyes on the offerings. The first was an honor society that “celebrates and supports academic achievement, leadership and advocacy for post-secondary students with disabilities.” This group sounded extremely promising. The only catch — USC’s chapter is currently inactive. 

I took a deep breath before scrolling to the other option. It was Eye to Eye, a “mentorship-based organization” that paired college and middle school students with learning disabilities with one another. I couldn’t help but feel discouraged. Beyond the fact that I had been hoping for a broader community than just those with learning disabilities, I hadn’t really been looking to assume further responsibilities for the sake of finding community. And was it too much to ask that the community I found not consist of 12-year-olds?

Finally, with some help from friends, I found the Student Assembly for Accessibility. SAA hosts social and educational events at their weekly general meetings, and I could totally see myself fitting in. My one qualm: the limited size and scope. Ideally, I would want a permanent space to drop by whenever I felt I needed it. And if I had to search this thoroughly to find them, I’m likely not the only person unaware of the organization, which points toward a larger issue on the University’s part.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in the 2019-2020 school year, 20.5% of undergraduate students and 10.7% of graduate students reported having a disability. With such numbers, it is only reasonable that universities should prioritize offering resources to assist their student populations with disabilities. As USC already has several affinity groups with established spaces in Wilson Student Union, it would make sense to add a space for a disability affinity group. 

This would create a space for students with disabilities to find community any time, any day. And for all of the students who have been searching for such a space to no avail, this would make SAA unmissable. Ultimately, I just want to be able to find a broader disability community at USC. Disabilities are more than just something to be accommodated for; they are an identity, and they deserve a space on this campus.