Accessibility, Safety, & Security

Accessibility

It is our goal that the Othering & Belonging conference is accessible to all who want to attend and to support attendees to engage as fully as possible. We are constantly working to be better stewards of accessibility and disability justice. We encourage attendees who require mobility aids to bring their canes, walkers, and wheelchairs to the conference. Our venue is designed to accommodate everyone, and we want to ensure that you can move around comfortably and fully enjoy the enriching experience we have prepared for you.

If you have specific accessibility needs that are not addressed in this statement or if you have any other concerns during the event, please contact our accessibility coordinator Jake Tompkins at jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu.

Accessible Parking: KICC offers ADA-compliant parking spaces within the Cowger Parking Garage and Commonwealth Parking Garage located near the venue.

Wheelchair Accessibility: The conference venue is ADA compliant with elevator access to each floor. All conference offerings are wheelchair accessible with accessible parking nearby along with several drop-off locations.

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation: ASL interpretation will be available upon request for the mainstage. Please inform us during the registration process or by emailing the accessibility coordinator  jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu at least three weeks prior to the event if you require ASL interpretation or have any specific requests. 

Live Captioning: Live captioning will be provided. Please inform us during the registration process or by emailing the accessibility coordinator  jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu at least three weeks prior to the event if you have any specific captioning requests.

Seating Accommodations: Attendees who use mobility aids, including wheelchairs, walkers, canes, or scooters, are encouraged to bring them to the conference. Seating throughout the venue is flexible and can be arranged to support mobility accommodations with advance notice. If you have specific seating needs, email the accessibility coordinator jaketompkins97@berkeley.edu.

ADA and Gender Neutral Bathrooms: All public restrooms in the Kentucky International Convention Center are accessible according to federal ADA requirements and gender neutral restrooms are also located throughout the facility. 

Service Animals: Service animals are welcome at the Kentucky International Convention Center in accordance with ADA guidelines.

Onsite Accommodations

Seating Accommodations: To ensure your comfort during sessions, please let us know if you require specific seating accommodations for mobility access or hearing/visual impairments. Provide details about your seating needs or preferences in the registration process.

Fragrance-Free: We strive to create a comfortable space for all attendees, including those with fragrance sensitivities or allergies. We kindly request that all attendees refrain from using scented products such as perfumes, colognes, and heavily scented lotions during the conference.

Food Allergies: A variety of food preference options (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, etc.) will be made available at our conference lunch offerings. Please inform us during the registration process if you have any severe food allergies that we should be aware of.

Safety & Security

The Othering & Belonging Institute is deeply committed to creating an environment where everyone attending the Othering & Belonging 2026 can participate fully and safely. As we prepare for this convening, we recognize that many communities—including immigrants, transgender people, BIPOC leaders, journalists, movement organizers, and others—are navigating an increasingly challenging climate marked by polarization, surveillance, and other forms of repression.

In partnership with our local hosts and community collaborators, we have designed a comprehensive safety and security strategy that emphasizes preparation, coordination, and collective care. This work includes:

  • Developing response plans for a variety of potential situations, including public safety incidents, medical emergencies, and other unexpected disruptions.
  • Assessing and addressing risks that may disproportionately affect participants based on factors such as identity, organizational affiliation, accessibility needs, or other individual circumstances.
  • Establishing clear internal roles, communication channels, and decision-making processes to ensure timely responses to safety-related concerns.
  • Coordinating with the conference venue and local partners to align emergency procedures and operational protocols.
  • Prioritizing de-escalation, harm reduction, and community-centered approaches in our planning and response efforts.

We are committed to taking every reasonable step within our control to support the safety and well-being of those participating in O&B26. At the same time, we recognize that each person has unique circumstances and considerations. We encourage all prospective attendees to evaluate their own situation and make an informed decision about traveling to and participating in the conference.

Travel Guidance

We recognize that travel can involve different considerations, particularly for our LGTBQ+ and undocumented immigrant friends. We hope this guidance helps you prepare for your conference travel and access available support resources.

Before You Travel

At the Airport

  • You may request:
  • A private screening
  • A support person during screening
  • Screening by an officer consistent with your gender presentation
  • Allow extra time in case additional screening occurs
  • Hormones, syringes, and prosthetics are generally permitted through security
  • If needed, you can ask for a supervisor or file a TSA complaint.

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport Resources:

Digital Safety & Privacy: Creating a secure and respectful conference environment extends to our digital spaces. We ask all participants to help protect one another's privacy by exercising care when sharing information online during Othering & Belonging 2026.

To reduce the risk of exposing attendees' whereabouts, please do not use geotags or otherwise identify the conference location, venue, city, or state in social media posts while the convening is taking place. We encourage participants to wait until after the conference has concluded before sharing location-specific content.

We also ask that you respect each person's privacy and agency by obtaining their permission before taking photos or videos that include them. If you would like to share images that feature other participants, please receive their explicit consent before posting, tagging, or otherwise identifying them on social media or other public platforms.

To help foster community while protecting participant privacy, attendees are encouraged to share photos and connect through the Othering & Belonging event app, which will be available for download before the conference. The app is accessible only to registered participants, providing a more secure space for sharing conference experiences.

These practices are an important part of our collective commitment to creating a conference environment that prioritizes safety, trust, and care for all participants.

Restrictions on Weapons:  Guns and other weapons will not be permitted in the O&B conference spaces. Kentucky is an open carry state, meaning people in public have the right to carry a concealed or non-concealed weapon. Signs will be posted informing all attendees that weapons are not allowed in the conference spaces. 

Ongoing Communication: Safety and security information will be updated as needed, leading up to the conference. Any time-sensitive updates on-site will be communicated directly to registered attendees through the Othering & Belonging Conference app. For any security questions leading up to the conference please contact the planning team at obconf@berkeley.edu. 

Health & Safety

Attendees can expect to follow health and safety guidelines provided by Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC).  In consideration of voluntary participation in the Othering & Belonging Conference, attendees acknowledge awareness of the possible risk of exposure to COVID-19 and any other communicable or infectious disease by being in a public place where people are present.  Masking and vaccinating and staying boosted against COVID-19 is highly encouraged. We implore everyone to remain vigilant in protecting the health of our shared space by staying home if you are experiencing any symptoms. Face masks, sanitizing stations, and a limited number of testing kits will be available for attendees on-site.

For those who would like to understand the decision to not require universal masking at our event: as an Institute that is part of the public University of California system, OBI is also a public entity.  We are obligated to follow our public university’s policies and directives that currently have no requirements related to COVID-19 that exceed local health department requirements and the UC system-wide COVID-19 vaccine policy. 

Contact

If you have any questions about registration, accessibility, or any of the above, please email obconf@berkeley.edu or leave a message at (510) 642-3326. Please note that email is our strongly preferred method of contact (if possible); most of our team works remotely and may not be as responsive to voice messages.