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Disability Rights
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“We must be treated as equals – and communication is the way we can bring this about.” 

— Louis Braille

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“Part of the problem is that we tend to think that equality is about treating everyone the same, when it’s not. It’s about fairness. It’s about equity of access.” 

– Judith Heumann

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“I wanted to be part of the world, but I didn’t see anyone like me in it.” 

– Jim LeBrecht

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“There is no greater disability in society, than the inability to see a person as more.” 

– Robert M. Hensel

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“We need to make every single thing accessible to every single person with a disability.” 

– Stevie Wonder

Disability Rights News

Parents respond to state senator’s ‘harmful’ comments about students with disabilities

Victoria Moorwood March 18, 2025 Some Ohio parents are upset about a state senator’s comments about students with disabilities. The Lakota Local Schools Board of Education held a special meeting on Wednesday…
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Employees, entrepreneurs with developmental disabilities are integral to Springfield

Susan Szuch March 18, 2025 Gabe Siemens is known for his enthusiasm and hard work among his coworkers and managers at Springfield’s Chuck E. Cheese, where he’s been since 2018. “I…
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Women, girls bear brunt of cyberbullying against persons with disabilities

Social networks and online apps should be more inclusive of the needs of all people in society, the Human Rights heard, in a debate covering digital and assistive technologies. 10…
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Disability advocates rally against proposed cap on in-home aides

Meghan Smith March 12, 2025 Hundreds of disability advocates gathered at the State House in Boston Wednesday for a rally to support the state program that provides caregivers to help…
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Get Informed

Fact Sheet

  • More than 1 in 4 , adults in the United States have some type of disability.
    cdc.gov
  • Today, there are nearly 5 million Americans with disabilities, making up 13% of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, which represents a substantial workforce and consumer base in our country.
    PEW Research Center
  • Adults with disabilities today are more likely to experience health issues compared to those without disabilities, from obesity at a 10% increase to heart disease at a 7% increase to diabetes at a 9% increase.
    cdc.gov
  • 25% of disabled adults aged 18-44 have unmet healthcare needs due to cost.
    cdc.gov
  • 1 in 6 people worldwide has a significant disability, and this number is expected to increase.
    World Health Organization
  • 25% of people with disabilities experience housing insecurity and homelessness.
    cdc.gov
Stay Engaged

Recommended Media

 
This is life from a disabled lens. Disability Visibility is a podcast hosted by San Francisco night owl Alice Wong featuring conversations on politics, culture, and media with disabled people.
 

Where to listen: Spotify

This film is an oral history, told by the movement’s mythical heroes themselves, and illustrated through the use of rare archival footage. The story features Fred Fay, who suffered a spinal cord injury at age 17 in 1961, and simply refused to be relegated to life’s sidelines just because he couldn’t walk. He fought tirelessly for decades for equal rights, access, and opportunity for the disabled, including advocating for programs allowing the disabled to live independently. (Fred died August 20, 2011; the film is dedicated to him.) Also featured is Ed Roberts, who founded the independent living movement in Berkeley and is also considered a father of the disability rights movement.

 

Where to watch: PBS Documentaries

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