Policy
We often hear about policies that impact the disability community in broad, sweeping terms. But the reality is that policies have real impacts on real people. Stay up-to-date on key policy issues that are important to the disability community
Celebrating the Disability Community’s 2017 Wins
Disabled people have accomplished some really kickass things in 2017 that we should recognize. It’s not easy existing as a disabled person in an ableist world (and even tougher if you’re multiply marginalized), but I believe in celebrating our successes, …
How ADAPT and Allies Changed the Conversation About Disability Issues in 2017
Many nondisabled people were introduced to disability rights activism in 2017 with splashy protests from ADAPT, Housing Works, and other organizations who fought ferociously to defend health care on Capitol Hill. Those protests joined a long and rich history of…
Why Involving Disabled People in Disaster Planning Saves Lives
During Hurricane Harvey in August, a striking image went viral: Nursing home residents sitting in waist deep floodwaters, surrounded by floating debris, an angry cat in the background. The Harvey flooding victims (and the cat) were rescued, but scarcely …
Ensuring Disabled People Return to Community Living After Natural Disasters
As Texans continue to experience the fallout of flooding of historical proportions from Hurricane Harvey, safety is paramount, especially for disabled people, who are particularly vulnerable during natural disasters. The United Nations recognizes this vulnerability in Article 11 of the…
Winn-Dixie Case Heralds New Era of Online Access
Should a website be considered a “public accommodation” just like a business’s physical location? A recent case in Florida explored just that question, as a blind consumer sued the popular Winn-Dixie grocery chain because their website was inaccessible — and …
Visibility Will Make Communities More Accessible to the Disabled
Twenty-seven years. That’s how long it’s been since the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Absorbing that it’s been a little over a quarter century since the ADA’s enactment and acknowledging work of many forebears, I …
The Americans with Disabilities Act: Then and Now
On Thursday, July 26, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I was in my first year working at a Center for Independent Living, and my understanding of disability was evolving. I was starting…
How Much Has the Americans with Disabilities Act Positively Impacted College Students?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has made great strides in equal access, but it has not accomplished nearly enough. As a recent graduate, I experienced first-hand the dichotomy between how the ADA has positively impacted the college experience, and…