Employment

The unemployment rate for the disability community is disproportionately high, creating a cycle of exclusion and economic disparities. These pieces cover the need to expand employment opportunities and end workplace discrimination.

An illustration of a person wearing a headset and typing on a laptop. The person is transparent and has blue connecting lines and dots inside them, indicating being online.

Navigating Virtual Employment Services During the Pandemic

Navigating the dynamics of difference within the world of employment as a person with multiple disabilities has been a struggle since the moment I prepared to enter it at the age of 16 in 2001. I didn’t become aware of…

A group of people marching down a street, holding big purple letters that spell "union."

We Won Our Union: How and Why We Unionized, Despite a Common Rule that Denies Workers with Disabilities Union Rights

I have been a housekeeper at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore for six years, and this year, workers with disabilities finally won our union after a long fight. This victory means a lot because now we actually have someone on our…

A silhouette of a person pushing a round object that's much bigger than they are up a steep incline.

It’s Time to Support People with Disabilities Who Work Rather Than Penalizing Us

On Mothers’ Day 1972, I was backpacking with some friends in the Santa Cruz mountains, following a creek that runs into the Pacific Ocean. It turned into a warm afternoon, and when we came to a pool in the creek,…

A person sitting at their desk using a laptop to search for a job.

“Essential Functions” on Job Listings Create Barriers for Employees and Employers Alike

Recently, my partner and I sent out a quote to a medical device company that wanted to make sure their product was accessible to people with disabilities. We test websites and apps and make recommendations to developers so that they…

Photo of a smartphone, a notebook and pen, and a cup of coffee on a wooden table. Written in the notebook is "internship, experience, learning, exposure, practice."

Why Internships Are Important for Young Disabled People: A Reflection from a Rooted in Rights Intern

My experience interning at Rooted In Rights was a great one. During my time there, I gained a lot of skills I can use in the workplace. Here’s just some of what I learned and accomplished: Have a Professional Email…

A graduation cap on a pile of American coins.

Here’s Why Student Loan Debt is a Disability Rights Issue

When Cara Liebowitz graduated from the City University of New York School of Professional Studies in 2016 with her MA in Disability Studies, she was already on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) so she found it surprisingly easy to have her …

Campaigners protest against raids on sex workers in London

Sex Work is a Disability Issue. So Why Doesn’t the Disability Community Recognize That?

Sex workers face enormous risks of violence both from the police and from clients, and they are about to face more.

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Reflecting on the Disability Community’s Shake-Ups and Important Moments of 2018

2018 is coming to a close, and what a year it’s been for the disability community. To recognize and recap all the the shake-ups and important moments that transpired within the past year, Rooted in Rights co-hosted a Twitter chat…

Woman sitting at her laptop with her head in her hands and her hair over her face.

Disabled People are Worth More Than the Hours We Can Work

It was my fourth day of teaching robotics to middle schoolers and during morning session, one of my students pointed to the sticker beneath my collarbone. He traced it to the knot of cords dangling beside my hip and then…