This past May, Stephen Kuusisto, a University Professor and director of interdisciplinary programs and outreach at the BBI, traveled to Kazakhstan to give poetry workshops as part of an international disability and cultural diplomacy outreach program. Kuusisto has traveled all over the globe, creating opportunities for children with disabilities to demonstrate their talents through inclusive arts workshops, as well as participating in public readings and visits to universities, literary institutions and other venues.
Kuusisto is currently working with the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State in this expanding enterprise. In previous years, he has travelled to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China. Kuusisto also seeks to formalize these collaborative efforts, envisioning them as a core component in his work at Syracuse University.
View the complete SU News story on Kuusisto’s trip to Kazakhstan [www.syracuse.edu/stories/igniting-imaginations-kazakhstan]
About the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs and Outreach
The Office of Interdisciplinary Programs and Outreach will create and advance interdisciplinary, intersectional educational programs, research and pedagogy focused on disability justice, identities, cultures and studies. The office will also engage with a wide array of University constituents to interface, network and collaborate with local, regional, national and global partners, and pursue development and advancement opportunities that underscore, celebrate and enhance the rich and nuanced experiences of disabled people. Disabled students, faculty, staff and alumni—including the significant experience and contributions of veterans—will be at the heart of this initiative.
About the Burton Blatt Institute
The Burton Blatt Institute (“BBI”) at Syracuse University reaches around the globe in its efforts to advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities. Through program development, research, and public policy guidance, BBI advances the full inclusion of people with disabilities. BBI builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, a pioneering disability rights scholar. BBI has offices in Syracuse, NY; Washington, DC; Atlanta, GA; New York City, NY; and Lexington, KY. For more information about BBI, visit: https://bbi.syr.edu