Law
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.…
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 …
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…
Healthcare Reform and its Impact on the Disabled Community: Restructuring Medicaid
As cuts to the Affordable Care Act (ACA/Obamacare) and Medicaid loom, the disability community is at risk. The uncertainty around impending changes have many disabled and chronically ill people quite literally in fear for their lives. As a healthcare advocate…
True Activists Don’t Just “Drive-by”
Here’s an unpopular opinion: Anderson Cooper’s recent coverage of “drive-by lawsuits” on 60 Minutes wasn’t nearly as egregious as many disabled people seem to believe. Such lawsuits, named for the speed and lack of warning with which they are…