Idyllic open road leading toward setting sun with 2019 written on the road with a big forward pointing arrow.

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…

Lit up letters spelling "Fix Immigration now" against a dark blue sky with people standing behind the letters.

How Proposed Changes to Public Charge Will Make It Hard to Immigrate with a Disability

Immigration is already an expensive, difficult process for anyone—but it might soon become even harder for immigrants with disabilities. In October 2018, the Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule change to existing laws surrounding immigration known as public charge.…

Sandy Ho sits in her power chair and speaks into a microphone, next to another speaker on a stage in front of an audience.

The Disability Intersectionality Summit: A Gathering for Justice

On a damp and chilly Saturday in mid-October, I rolled out of bed several hours earlier than I usually would have in order to attend the biannual Disability Intersectionality Summit in nearby Cambridge, Mass on the MIT campus. Groggy but …

Close up of doctor and patient sitting at the desk near the window in hospital

Doctors Need to Believe People Who Are Disabled and Undiagnosed

When you’re disabled, people expect your story to follow a predictable trajectory: you experience a symptom (or a litany of symptoms), you see doctors and specialists, tests are run, and at some point, you receive a diagnosis. Though it might…

A photo of a microphone on a stand in front of blurred American flags in the background.

We Need to Stop Talking About Mental and Cognitive “Fitness” of Politcians

Who’s fit to be president? Historically, this question has revolved around issues like matters of experience, policy positions, and ability to collaborate sympathetically across national and party lines. In 2017, the conversation has taken on another element with speculations about …

A road sign that reads Mexico with an arrow to the left, and USA with an arrow pointing forward.

Growing Up at the Intersection of Disabled and Immigrant

I am an immigrant with a disability. When I was five years old my parents decided to move our whole family from Mexico including five kids, two of whom have a disability, to the United States. My mother still talks…