School Counselors' Implementation of the ADDRESSING Framework to Serve the Intersectionality of Student Race and Disability

Advocacy for Policy Reformation

Abstract

The United States K-12 education system is riddled with inequities within the intersection of race and disabilities; relatedly, the school counseling literature also demonstrates a similar gap in the literature. As a result, through three case illustrations highlighting the unique experiences of historically marginalized students of color with disabilities, we illustrate the multiplex intersection of race and disability and how a school counselor can utilize leadership, advocacy, and social justice for systemic change. Further, the three cases are structured through the ADDRESSING framework, to systematically consider the complexities of identity, overlapping cultural influences, and the connections to practice (Hays, 2022). These case illustrations demonstrate school counselors’ advocacy to understand and decrease oppressive policies and increase toward culturally affirming practices and access.