Photo of Florence Wong ’93 and Andrew Haskell ’91 by Keegan Houser.
Florence Wong ’93 presides over the San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities. It’s a deeply personal role for her.
“My oldest child has developmental and medical disabilities that significantly impact her ability to be independent,” says Wong. “She inspired me to be an advocate for people with disabilities at a school district, county, and regional level.”
Through her advocacy work, Wong learned about UC Berkeley’s rich history in the disability rights movement. Ed Roberts and Judith Heumann, among other alums, helped secure monumental policy victories, and faculty members from accessible design pioneer Ray Lifchez to civil rights scholar Florence Wongtransformed society’s approach to disability.
Wanting to extend that impactful legacy to meet the needs of today’s students, Wong and her husband, Andrew Haskell ’91, decided to endow the Disability Studies Program.
“Our hope is that the Haskell Wong Endowment for Disability Studies inspires and provides resources for students and professors to consider how they can have a positive impact on the disabled community in whatever career or life path they choose.” — Andrew Haskell
A hidden gem in the College of Letters & Science, the program examines the concept of disability from various social, cultural, historical, artistic, legal, and political perspectives. Faculty dissect the societal perceptions and power structures that influence the lived experiences of people whose minds or bodies deviate from societal norms.
“As an orthopedic surgeon and the parent of a child with disabilities, I have seen the important role that individuals and institutions have on creating a fulfilling and joyful life for people that face numerous barriers and hurdles in the world,” says Haskell. “Our hope is that the Haskell Wong Endowment for Disability Studies inspires and provides resources for students and professors to consider how they can have a positive impact on the disabled community in whatever career or life path they choose.”
Haskell’s parents (and lifetime Cal supporters) Ann ’65, M.A. ’66 and Barry ’64, M.S. ’65, Ph.D. ’68 joined the philanthropic effort.
The Haskell Wong family’s endowment will ultimately provide tens of thousands of dollars for the program every year, inspiring future generations to engage in disability studies and advocacy. They hope to eventually convert the endowment into an administrative chair to support the program’s teaching, research, and service activities.
“As the second generation of a three-generation Cal family, I know that the UC Berkeley campus is the ideal place to make this impact,” says Haskell. “I owe my career and family to Cal and am grateful for this amazing opportunity to give back to the campus we love.”
