Celebrating Black History Month

This is a special post written by Charles Warren, Curriculum Developer at Triangle. Charlie is also a member of Triangle’s Racial Equity Committee. As part of our commitment to the work of our Racial Equity Committee, we will be sharing more information with you on subjects related to racial equity and disability justice. This post continues our series dedicated to calling attention to the contributions of people with disabilities to American history.

This month, Triangle’s Racial Equity Committee (REC) is celebrating Black History Month by highlighting African Americans who are focused on increasing awareness and empowerment for people with disabilities. The REC’s posts strive to honor intersectionality and highlight people of color with disabilities whose lives cross over multiple identities and issues ALL at the same time.

Dr. Oluwaferanmi Okanlami

Dr. Feranmi Okaniami is a highly accomplished physician and professor who is an advocate for disability inclusion, with a particular emphasis on the field of medicine.  He earned his MD from the University of Michigan where he now teaches and holds multiple roles overseeing student accessibility services. He is committed to teaching the next generation of doctors how to create a more inclusive healthcare system.  He speaks at many events around the country, educating the public about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices. Dr. Okanlami’s advocacy is focused on creating healthcare that is inclusive for patients and providers with disabilities, and he is also an important advocate for providing accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education.

At the University of Michigan, he is the Director of Student Accessibility and Accommodations Services, where he also runs the Adaptive Sports and Fitness Program, Testing Accommodations Centers, and the office of Services for Students with Disabilities. He is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Urology at Michigan Medicine.  He has been featured on CBS News, PBS News Hour, and MSNBC. The challenges of healthcare access are significant, and Dr. Okanlami’s efforts to create equitable healthcare experiences for everyone is vitally important.