The Braid

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THE MEANING OF THE NDSU SYMBOL

BRAID
Cal Montgomery

Throughout history, people have used symbols to identify themselves. Sometimes these are public symbols, to demonstrate support for a cause to everyone; sometimes they are private symbols, to allow people to identify themselves to others like them. Think of the marked doors in the Passover story, of the brightly lit candle in the window in the history of the Underground Railroad. Think of the obscure symbols on buttons; think of the school logos on students' ballcaps; think of the familiar ways of speaking that tell you the stranger in front of you is a friend.

Throughout history, people have used symbols to identify themselves. We use a braid to demonstrate our commitment to the way a diverse group of strands can come together to make something strong and sure. We use a braid to symbolize the many different fabrics out of which the disability cloth is made. We use a braid to symbolize the many different threads in our communities that, together, make a thick rope.

Throughout history, there have been symbols: ours is a braid.

BRAID
Marlin Thomas

Colors For Unity
Textures For Diversity
Woven
Into
Our Consciousness
Woven
Into
Our Souls
Woven
Into
Our History
Woven
Into
Our Movement
Woven
Into
Our World
Woven
Into
Existence
Woven
Into
Each Other

Purple
For Pride
In Ourselves, History, and Disability

Green
For Grassroots
Growing from Souls to Strong Plants

Orange
For Perseverance
In the Fight for Our Equal Rights

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12

For more information, contact Sarah Triano at 773-463-4776 (V/Relay), 773-463-5154 (Fax) or at strian1@uic.edu

NDSU Logo Made By:
Nancy Lu Rosenheim, 773-262-1623, nancylu@foxvalley.net

The following text captions are for images on this page:

1. National Disabled Students Union in orange, purple, and green lettering.
2. NDSU Home Button in orange with black lettering
3. The Braid Button in orange with black lettering
4. NDSU Listserv Button in orange with black lettering
5. Leave Out Button in orange with black lettering
6. Links Button in orange with black lettering
7. Contact Us Button in orange with black lettering
8. The NDSU Logo - a vertical braid in orange, green, and purple on a white canvas background, with the letters NDSU alongside it in black. At the bottom of the braid, the different colored strands are connected by a blue band (blue symbolizing truth).