Celebrating Our Summer Internship Alumni As We Reflect On ADA 30
The AAPD Alumni Network, a new initiative supported by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, is dedicated to empowering our students and young professionals with disabilities. As we honor the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we also want to learn from the perspectives of our emerging leaders and professionals regarding the impact this legislation has made during the first 30 years of its existence and how it may continue to expand its reach in the future. Starting July 27, AAPD will feature 30 alumni over the course of the summer. We will obtain a glimpse of their work and thoughts around various issues that affect our widely diverse disability community at large. We will hear from a variety of perspectives including students, community leaders, and job seekers on the current disability rights state of affairs.
Maddy Ruvolo
Class of 2013
Hometown: Silver Spring, MD
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Maddy’s work focuses on transportation access for the disability community. A recent graduate of the Master of Urban and Regional Planning program at UCLA, Maddy draws upon her background in disability activism and her experience at public transportation agencies in this pursuit.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
A member of the ADA Generation, Maddy has personally experienced the tremendous benefits of the ADA, particularly in academic settings. Without the ADA, she would likely not have been able to attend college or graduate school. Significant barriers remain, however, and Maddy has seen in her work how many disabled people still lack basic mobility even 30 years after the ADA.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Maddy is grateful for all of the disabled people who have taught her about disability justice, and she is forever learning and growing in pursuit of disability justice principles. Maddy believes that centering the most marginalized disabled people is essential to combating ableism and that failure to do so will only perpetuate the structures we seek to dismantle.
Hamza Jaka
Class of 2011
Hometown: Fontana, WI
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Hamza Jaka works as a contract associate with Gardiner Koch Weisberg and Wrona, and works as a contractor for the law firm of Willenson Law, both located in Illinois, from his home in Wisconsin and Gardiner, Koch Weisberg and Wrona’s office in Wisconsin. Hamza also serves on the board of Leaders Igniting Transformation in Milwaukee, a racial, economic and social justice organization led by Black and Brown youth. (https://www.litmke.org/about-lit). Hamza assists in various disability rights/disability justice projects. Hamza also hopes to start offering accommodations and other application assistance for disabled folks (particularly multiply marginalized disabled folks) in higher education.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA has changed so many things in this country, and has served as a model for disability legislation worldwide. It has allowed so many, himself included, to live our lives. However, so much of ADA enforcement is only available to folks with privilege, particularly wealthy and white disabled folks. Hamza would also like for the ADA to explicitly include addiction as a disability, promote funding that goes directly to ensuring disabled people can live freely. New legislation should not be used as a tool to justify harming and criminalizing disabled folks. Ideally, new disability rights legislation would ensure web accessibility was covered in the law, and provide for the dismantling of the carceral state, including psychiatric facilities and prisons. Community living must be a priority, nursing homes and institutions should also be dismantled. Undue hardship should also be redefined to further require good faith attempts at providing accommodation.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
By listening to multiply marginalized disabled folks. By recognizing that the disability rights movement has often supported white supremacy, and reinforced Anti-Black, Anti-Native, Anti-Brown ableism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, and traditional power structures of whiteness. Providing support and funding to multiply marginalized disabled folks, and amplifying multiply marginalized disabled folks.
*The opinions of Hamza are his own and not affiliated with his work.
Kurt Vogel
Class of 2018
Hometown: Decatur, GA
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Kurt’s work supports the mission of the Center for Leadership in Disability at Georgia State University, one of 67 university centers of excellence funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. His work supports people with disabilities as they develop skills to actively participate in and enrich their community. In this role, Kurt helps lead advocacy trainings, webinars which teach individuals with disabilities how to advocate for themselves by assertively expressing their wants and needs. Trainings for self-advocates focus on being fully included in conversations and decision making related to their own lives. Kurt is also the self-advocate faculty for the Georgia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Program, working closely with other self-advocates to help them understand the importance of their voices being heard.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
Historically, the ADA’s impact has been to decrease physical barriers for people with disabilities in order for them to be active participants in their communities, and to increase community awareness about the abilities of individuals with disabilities. Especially now during the pandemic, the ADA can be improved by promoting ways to increase virtual accessibility for people with disabilities.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
An important aspect of transitioning into adulthood is the concept of supported decision making, and one way that we can combat ableism is to increase awareness that everyone needs support making decisions. No one should be expected to make difficult decisions for the first time without having support, and for people with disabilities, mentors especially enrich and add meaning to decision making, life, and success. Through Kurt’s participation in Georgia Tech’s Inclusive Post-Secondary Education Program, he has realized the pivotal developmental stage that college plays in an individual’s transition into being an adult. “We have to work to educate others about the value of post-secondary options leading to competitive employment so that more individuals can benefit from college and have access to the careers that they desire.”
Alex Thompson
Class of 2013
Hometown: Albany, NY
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Alex Thompson recently joined the New York Association on Independent Living as a Communications Specialist. He works on communications for the organization in addition to special projects. His work involves getting the message out on the important work done by independent living centers across New York, advocacy issues, and building a stronger disability community. Alex’s work on special projects will make more resources available to independent living centers with new technology that will help more people with disabilities to live independently in the community.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
The ADA has had tremendous impact for people with disabilities. We see some of the impact around us in the physical environment with ramps, low counters, parking spaces, and bathrooms. We have the Olmstead decision which is an outgrowth of the law set forth by the ADA and allowed many to live independently in the community. The ADA has grown through technical and regulatory changes over the past 30 years, but full implementation in the community is not yet a reality. We should not lose focus on a vision for full equality of our disability community. We need partners of all types and government to build an ADA cultural movement to deliver on the legal and regulatory vision set forth by those who have come before the ADA generation of advocates. The legal foundation of the ADA is firm, if we can protect it, but we can challenge longstanding medical biases within other laws on healthcare that presume wheelchairs and other devices are essential only within the confines of a home. We should also bring legal challenges as part of the ADA where it is merited, and too often it is merited. In New York, we have had several cases where the state government was the plaintiff and just this past year, we saw an ADA case being decided by the Supreme Court instead of an agreement made that accommodates people with disabilities.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Ableism is a pervasive cultural issue that people have dealt with for too long. Probing questions, uneducated decisions made for us, and incorrect assumptions about our identity are the manifestations of the stereotypes embodying ableism. The worst threats to making our American society truly great lie within the pervasive cultural barriers created by stereotypes that exist as remnants of how larger society has thought of our humanity. There is always hope that investment in education through community events and culturally relevant media will bring forth a new generation that in forthcoming years will live up to the expectations that we hold today. Reforming misconceptions through memorable experiences and brief impressions that breakdown the fuel for stereotypes. As we seek to adapt our thinking around our diversity as disable people, we are also challenged to rethink all human diversity as well. Conceptualizing and embracing ideas of what it means to be marginalized while working to include the traditionally marginalized by listening and sharing what we hear.
Jordyn Zimmerman
Class of 2019
Hometown: Hudson, OH
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Jordyn recently obtained her bachelors in education policy from Ohio University. She will be starting graduate school at Boston College this fall where she will be studying special education. Jordyn believes our education system can be intertwined or traced back to every inequality. She also is determined to continue pushing inclusion and challenging the status quo for students who type and spell to communicate.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
As someone who was born into the ADA-generation, Jordyn is very thankful for the significant removal of barriers the law has allowed for. However, she knows opportunities for people with disabilities continue to be limited and there are blatant acts of discrimination every day. Often, these are not adjudicated as individuals with disabilities continue to treated as less-than or they are not provided with the proper means of communication to speak up. Jordyn would like to see people with disabilities included in schools, employment opportunities, and living in their communities. She refuses to sit idly by until this happens — plus more!
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Jordyn believes society is structured in a way where disability is synonymous with fear. She doesn’t believe society centers her or the many other nonspeaking autistic voices, rather she feels there is an attempt to oppress them. On this note, she thinks we need to bring different people to the table to challenge the narrative around disability — ending entrenched exclusion. To truly combat ableism and uplift marginalized voices, there must be a shift in the balance of representation that currently exists.
Lili Siegel
Class of 2013
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Lili graduated from Berkeley Law in 2018. She went to law school, in part, because she was interested in the ways that disability law could be used as a lens and a tool in a broader discussion about criminal and juvenile justice. She was a student advocate at the East Bay Community Law Center, where she represented court-involved disabled youth in school discipline proceedings. Since graduating in 2018, she has worked as a judicial law clerk for a state court appellate judge, and will soon start a clerkship with a federal magistrate. Eventually, she would love to work in legal academia in some capacity in the hopes of supporting disabled law students and contributing to greater equity in legal education and in the legal profession.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
The ADA has shaped mainstream culture’s views about disability and disability rights as well as the self-perception of disabled people. It serves as a reminder to disabled young people that they come from a legacy of powerful advocates who wanted the best for them and believed in their power and potential. The current moment has exposed inequities that still exist in disabled communities, especially Black disabled communities and other disabled communities of color. It will be interesting to see what becomes possible now that the pandemic is forcing a broader constituency of people to reckon with disability in a personal way.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
The true fight is making disabled people equal, safe and valued members of the body politic, and we can’t do that without uplifting marginalized voices. White disabled people need to start by recognizing that communities of color have been doing disability justice work for decades, if not centuries. We should recognize and validate the work that has already been done. Concretely what this looks like, at minimum, is having disabled QTBIPOC in compensated, respected leadership positions, with decision-making power, in every disability rights organization.
Stacy Cervenka
Class of 2004
Hometown: Lincoln, NE
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
After completing her AAPD Congressional internship in 2004, Stacy has worked with Congressional offices, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, and national non-profit organizations to improve transportation and employment opportunities for people with disabilities and protect the rights of disabled parents. She believes that lack of access to affordable, efficient transportation and a lack of quality vocational rehabilitation services are the primary logistical barriers facing the blind and low vision community.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
Because of the ADA, people with disabilities now have legal recourse when they face discrimination. However, this discrimination is still all too common and most people don’t know how to challenge it. For example, employers continue to routinely discriminate against job seekers with disabilities. They’ll tell job applicants straight out that they weren’t hired due to their disability. Many city buses and bus stops continue to be inaccessible to people who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Yet most people don’t have enough knowledge of the specifics of the ADA to fight this, nor do they know where they can get help doing so. It’s great that we have a disability non-discrimination law in place, but the only way the ADA is enforced is when people take action when it’s violated. If people with disabilities and their allies are unwilling or unable to step forward and fight the discrimination they face, it will continue.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
People with disabilities and their allies need to combat ableism within themselves, their local communities, and society at large. On a personal level, disabled people need to challenge the shame, inferiority, and ableism they may have internalized from parents, family, teachers, classmates, friends, the media, and other areas of society. This is the only way that disability activism can come from an authentic place that centers the actual goals and priorities of people with disabilities. Disability organizations also need to invest more time and resources in building up strong, resourced, and active local disability rights organizations. Fighting discrimination in the school district, the public transit system, city hall, and local businesses is often best done at a local level, where changes can be implemented much faster. On the other hand, many states and cities will only do the minimum that is required of them. This is why it’s important to have strong federal laws, so that even if states only do the bare minimum, there is still a strong foundation of civil rights in every state and community.
Ann Wai-Yee Kwong
Class of 2017
Hometown: Daly City, CA
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
LinkedIn Profile: httpsccwwwddlinkedin.com/in/annwai-yeekwong/
Ann Wai-Yee Kwong passionately creates, implements, and evaluates innovative strategies around education and employment readiness of disadvantaged youth in her current roles as the Transition Program Specialist at the LightHouse and as a Ph.D. student in education at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Ann received her B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Education from UC Berkeley as a Gates Millennium scholar. Ann’s background and intersectional identity along with her lived experience as a blind woman who emigrated from Hong Kong greatly impact her work and research. Through Ann’s research and advocacy, she aims to continue empowering youth and families to boldly imagine, define, and achieve their future aspirations together.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
While attending school in Los Angeles, Ann had never heard of the landmark legislation, the Americans with Disabilities Act, nor learned about disability history. Blindness and disability were portrayed in limiting and negative terms, whether it be through language such as “the blind leading the blind” (equating blindness to lack of knowledge) or harmful societal expectations and stereotypes which resulted in lowering self-confidence. It was not until college, where Ann discovered many of her peers with disabilities also shared, for the first time, the experience of feeling empowered as they cultivated disability community and found pride in their identities. Subsequently, although the ADA has provided many educational rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities, there remains a great deal of work around shifting the negative societal perceptions of disabilities as well as in employment, where the employment rate of persons with disabilities 19.3% continues to lag far behind that of non-disabled persons 66.3% in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Ann asserts the disability rights and independent living movements must continue to grow and incorporate diverse perspectives and individuals from marginalized cultural identities, such as people of color, to truly encapsulate the spirit of “nothing about us without us.” Leaders, educators, and advocates must also reflect the cultural diversity of the broader disability community. In addition, implications of cultural reciprocity need to be considered through the implementation of legislation such as the ADA or Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to further support the self-determination and success of youth with disabilities and their families as we strive for a more inclusive society.
Allie Cannington
Class of 2012
Hometown: Fairfax, CA
Gender pronouns: they/them/she/her
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allie-cannington-2017/
From the Bay Area, Allie is a white, Jewish, Queer, Disabled activist and organizer. Since gaining access to the Disability Rights Movements over ten years ago, she quickly realized that movements for freedom and justice for people with disabilities must be intersectional and grounded in solidarity. There is no other way. Therefore, she continues to deepen her practices and understandings of how to dismantle white supremacy within herself and the spaces she is in, most often in the Disability Rights Movement. Currently, she spends her days as Manager of Advocacy and Organizing at The Kelsey, where they create and advocate for more affordable, accessible and inclusive housing. Regardless of the organization or title, her work continues to be about unveiling everyone’s proximity to disability and to fueling justice movements that are intersectional, sustainable and intergenerational.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
According to Allie, “From requesting reasonable accommodations at work to using public transportation in the cities I’ve lived…I don’t know where I would be without the ADA.” As a white, upper class disabled person, she acknowledges that the the ADA continues to benefit and protect her; but that not everyone has been able to benefit from the ADA like she has. Therefore, she believes there is work to be done to ensure that all people with disabilities equitably benefit from the ADA (another reason why the work of Disability advocacy and policy must be intersectional). Additionally, the ADA supports people with disabilities to be accommodated in existing structures and systems. But Allie knows that alone, the ADA cannot carry us into a world where disabled people and all marginalized people are embraced in their wholeness and are free. So along with celebrating the ADA and honoring all that has come before and after, Allie wants us all to be invited to dream and take action for what has yet to be created, where we center those most marginalized in leadership and policy.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Allie continues to expand her understanding of what ableism is, for example, by listening and learning from TL Lewis’s definition. For her, combating ableism and uplifting marginalized people, must be grounded in Disability Justice principles, including the reminder that independence is a lie, that we are all interdependent. It means doing internal and external work to unlearn what oppression teaches us to believe about ourselves and others. It’s about practicing collective care, humility, and courage. It is about building relationships where connection, communication, vulnerability, trust, and repair can be possible. It is about sharing and redistributing resources, which includes but not limited to social and financial capital. Overall, the fight to dismantle ableism is the fight to dismantle racism. According to Allie, we cannot separate the two. We cannot end ableism, and racism without ending oppression against all marginalized people.
Elijah Armstrong
Class of 2018
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elijah-armstrong-ed-m-21468a159/
Elijah graduated from The Pennsylvania State University in 2019, majoring in Education and Public Policy. He just earned his Masters’ Degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. During his time at Harvard, Elijah was president of HGSE’s Black Student Union, and was a recipient of the Leadership in Education and Faculty Tribute awards. He founded Equal Opportunities for Students during his time in college in order to advance issues of educational equity across lines of disability, gender, and race. Elijah is currently applying to law school, and hopes to be a public defender in Duval County, Florida.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
Elijah is very grateful to have had the protection of the ADA across his entire lifetime, and he knows he wouldn’t have been able to make it through school without disability protections. Equal protections under the law gave him the ability to advance through high school, as well as college and through his masters’ program. However, Elijah would like to see faster enforcement on ADA issues, as issues of access in school, employment, and housing are significant life impediments that should hopefully be resolved more swiftly in the future.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Elijah believes it is crucial to center the most marginalized in all activism work, and seeks to support people who are multiply marginalized and organizations which benefit, and are led by, multiply marginalized people. Giving your platform to marginalized people, as well as seeking out the writings and opinions of marginalized people, is vital to all social justice work. Ultimately, all activism should strive to be anti-racist, anti-patriarchal, LGBTQ affirming, and accessible, and be open to constructive criticism and adjustment if that standard isn’t met.
April Caputi
Class of 2017
Hometown: Carle Place, NY
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-caputi/
April is a Creative Associate under Walt Disney Television’s pilot Executive Incubator Program. It is a two-year rotation program designed for underrepresented groups to work at different departments to learn about the TV business. It’s part of Disney’s Diversity & Inclusion efforts to cultivate diverse TV executives. As a deaf person, April desires to become part of the solution towards better media representation of the disability community through casting. She saw casting as an opportunity to directly place actors with disabilities in front of decision-makers to increase inclusion. In her program, she meets talent, attends pitches, reads scripts, and watches cuts to give creative feedback. April regularly contributes by including disability in their creative mix, and she is also co-leader of the LA Disabilities Business Employee Resource Group. Recently, April drafted a proposal listing ways the Company can improve their disability accommodations process and sent that to the Chairman of Walt Disney Television. Her goal is to become an entertainment executive in a passion field and increase disability representation through that position in front of the camera and behind.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
April is grateful to have been born five years after the ADA was signed into law. It has afforded her the opportunity to access the entertainment industry from home by watching movies and shows with closed captions. It also provides a guideline for businesses and organizations to mandate accommodations in the workforce and at public events. Through April’s personal and professional journey, she noticed there are some loopholes that make it easy for a business to not comply with the ADA. One of those common loopholes include “undue burden” where a company can simply deny accommodations because of the cost. One improvement April believes can be made is for the government to provide all businesses with financial resources to supply and sustain accommodations. While it’s still the law, it’s not true freedom for people with disabilities if they feel they can’t work at any place for fear of denied accommodations.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
To combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities, April believes we have to first view people as human beings worthy of love and respect. People were designed to have the desire to be seen, heard, and accepted for who they are. You have to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and, especially in our current circumstances, people need to listen more. It’s essential to seek to understand people who are different from you. Being a vocal ally and advocate in your daily life in small ways is combating ableism and uplifting marginalized identities. Providing a student with interpreters for school, telling a non-disabled person to move from the disability parking space, and describing a menu to a person who is blind are ways to do this. Laws are necessary, and they can help influence our society’s culture, but at the end of the day, it’s still about how you treat people.
Danielle Drazen
Class of 2018
Hometown: Milford, CT
Gender pronouns: she/her/they/them
Danielle currently works as a special education teacher at a nonprofit organization that works with individuals with developmental disabilities. She works with her students on developing their individual goals and towards independence with life skills, ADLs and IADLs. In her classroom Danielle works to empower her students. One of the courses that Danielle is able to teach is disability history. In this course she focuses on learning Disabled history and identifying as Disabled. Danielle was also paired with a facility dog from Canine Companions for Independence. She loves being able to utilize this unique tool and help students explore if a service dog would be a good option in their lives.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA has definitely had a positive impact on her life. Danielle was able to be included in many things and it has allowed her to advocate for some of the supports she needed at her workplace. As proud as she is to be Disabled and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Danielle still feels like there is a long way to go for disability rights.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
It’s extremely important to empower youth to identify as Disabled. Providing a safe space for this to happens helps individuals have a positive self image and stand up against ableism in their preferred way. It is also important that disability history and Disabled representation become part of the curriculum and no longer a counter culture. The intersectionality of disability and other marginalized communities is important to include in our discussions as every Disabled voice matters and should be heard.
Sabrina Epstein
Class of 2019
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Sabrina’s disability advocacy focuses on public health and visual arts, two fields that are intertwined in both her disability experience and activism. Her previous work includes testifying on behalf of disabled Baltimoreans at the Maryland state legislature, writing accessibility guidelines for a federal agency, building a sustainable disability community at her university, and presenting on inclusive design at arts conferences. Sabrina plans to continue pursuing a career in disability advocacy upon graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 2021.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
As a member of the ADA generation, Sabrina knows that she owes where she is today to the disability advocates before her and their fight for the ADA and beyond. However, her journey as a queer, Jewish, disabled woman has not been without struggles of her own. Connecting her personal disability experience to societal issues has empowered her to take action to not only improve her life but also to uplift the many disabled people around her. The ADA has allowed Sabrina to advance this far, but the fight is far from over. For example, the ADA falls short in addressing disability inclusion during disasters. Now, she is working with Johns Hopkins to improve COVID policies for disabled people, using the principles of the ADA to create accessible science communication, gather data equitably, and advocate for access to healthcare.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
As a white disabled person, Sabrina is always in the process of learning how to couple her disability advocacy with anti-racist work. While she experience marginalization because of her identities, she knows that it cannot be compared to the experiences of her peers of color. In her three years of anti-police violence work, Sabrina has attempted to balance speaking up for the disability community and not speaking over BIPOC in the movement. Sabrina has made mistakes and learned a lot about intersectionality along the way. To truly combat ableism, we must stand up for all members of our disability community and stand in solidarity with other social justice movements.
Luanjiao Hu
Class of 2018
Hometown: Pingxiang, Jiangxi, China
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Luanjiao’s work revolves around social justice issues, especially on disability rights in the global context. She conducts and presents research about disability, gender, and education. Besides being a researcher and educator at a US university setting, she also writes, speaks, organizes, and advocates for disability community in China. Her goal is to apply her knowledge and skills to advance disability rights, especially in the context of developing countries where majority of the world’s disabled population reside.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
As an international student with a disability studying in the US, the story, the collective effort, and the people behind the passing of the ADA educated and fascinated her. Luanjiao was touched by the history and was motivated by the success of the ADA in changing individuals’ lives (for people with disabilities and their families alike). The ADA is a first and essential step in achieving disability rights and quality of life in this country. Yet, the passing of law does not always guarantee full respect and protection of people’s rights in their everyday life. Many struggles and fights remain.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
- Continue to educate and empower ourselves and others in our community.
- Continue to voice and amplify our voices to push for transformative changes at individual, organizational, and institutional levels.
- Act in and build solidarity with other marginalized population in our society. This includes international solidarity as well. Do things to support each other.
- Stay engaged and connected with disability community.
- Reach out, invite, and build relationships with more allies.
Ahilan Amirthanayagam
Class of 2016
Hometown: New York City, NY
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Ahilan currently works with students in promoting their understanding of global and social issues through workshop design and implementation. He believes that youth centered work plays an important role in creating the next generation of leaders and innovators which he enjoys working with students who are passionate about learning about the world and current events. Ahilan hopes to continue with this focus in the future with a career in public relations and he hopes to inspire the youth he works with to be the best versions of themselves.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
Ahilan was able to research the ADA as an intern in Senator Tom Harkin’s office during the Summer of 2014. The ADA has been an important piece of legislation for people with disabilities. It has indirectly altered the perception of disability in the work place, which in turn has shifted the way disability is viewed in terms of the connotation associated with the word. Given this shift, the ADA can be improved by focusing on how people with disabilities can benefit from specific work place accommodations, which will continue to change as we move towards a much more connected and remote work place.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Ahilan believes the best way to combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities is through representation in the media and entertainment fields. The exposure that the entertainment industry provides is unrivaled in terms of its reach, and there is so much room for improvement in entertainment industry in terms of including marginalized identities. Ahilan has seen a positive shift in this respect, but there are certainly identities that have yet to receive adequate representation and he believes that fighting for this representation is critical.
Lydia X. Z. Brown
Class of 2013
Hometown: Melrose, MA
Gender pronouns: they/them/theirs
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydiaxzbrown
Portfolio, Homepage
For over a decade, Lydia has worked for disability justice and disability rights as an advocate, community organizer, cultural worker, strategist, educator, trainer, consultant, writer, and attorney. Lydia focuses on interpersonal and state violence targeting disabled people at the margins of the margins, especially people living at the intersections of disability, race, class, sexuality, gender, language, and nation. Currently, Lydia works full-time as Policy Counsel for the Privacy and Data Project at the Center for Democracy and Technology, and part-time as Director of Policy, Advocacy, and External Affairs at the Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network. Lydia also founded and direct the Fund for Community Reparations for Autistic People of Color’s Interdependence, Survival, and Empowerment, and am an adjunct professor in disability studies at Georgetown University. Outside this work, Lydia serves on the American Bar Association’s Commission on Disability Rights, and chair the ABA’s Section on Civil Rights and Social Justice’s Disability Rights and Elder Affairs Committee.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
As a landmark piece of legislation enshrining legal rights for disabled people, the ADA fundamentally changed our political landscape. It gave lawyers and community advocates a powerful set of tools to challenge institutional and structural ableism as enabled and perpetuated by the law. At the same time, the ADA was written to privilege only certain forms of disability, and current monitoring and enforcement mechanisms primarily benefit disabled people with the most privilege, power, and resources, while depriving disabled people at the margins of the margins of the same benefits it supposedly offers. Disabled Black and Native people, disabled queer and trans people, disabled people without legal status and with precarious status, and other multiply marginalized disabled people face some of the worst harms of systemic, systematic, structural, and institutional ableism, and the ADA has not changed that. It can’t, because you can’t legislate morality, and ableism always comes down to societal and cultural values about whose bodyminds are valuable and worthy, and whose are expendable and disposable. Laws must be devised, written, and implemented by directly impacted communities, and by those most impacted within marginalized communities to have any chance of meaningful and sustained effect.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Just to start with, disabled advocates who come from any form of privilege, power, or resources must understand that we need Disability Justice – not just rights – in order to fight for full freedom for everyone, and that Disability Justice work requires us to end capitalism, white supremacy, setter-colonialism, and gender-based oppression. Ableism is co-dependent with all other forms of violence and oppression, and therefore harms disabled people at the margins of the margins the most. Those with power must cede power and return that power and resources stolen and hoarded to directly impacted communities, while respecting our autonomy to know how best to distribute those resources and keep our communities safe and free. For those who live at the intersections of multiple forms of marginalization and oppression, I offer my love, my care, my solidarity, my support, and my witness – remember that you deserve care and love, and movements and communities that support your well-being and humanity.
Emily Kovalesky
Class of 2017
Hometown: Westbrook, ME
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Emily intends to continue school until she receives her MPH and gain experience in policy and hopefully transition to working for health or disability policy through non profit, state, or federal work.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA has allowed Emily to stay on her parents health insurance which gives her a safety net while she is working and in school. It has given her rights and protections. Despite this, Emily still struggles for basic accommodations and truly understanding her rights. She frequently feels a disconnect between her work life and her advocacy life. She believes that an increase in intersectionality would help Bridge many disconnects that still remain despite all the ADA has offered.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Improving language is very important in combating ableism. It’s become very apparent with the current political climate as people being calling out racist remarks and language to uplift marginalized identities, that a similar uprising must occur to defeat ableism. The biggest aspect of life that can impact language is education. By targeting education, more people can learn about ways to be inclusive instead of exclusive and more social services need to be offered to move towards equity.
Ariel Carlin
Class of 2017
Hometown: Framingham, MA
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Ariel’s passion is advocating for equitable education. All students regardless of labeled abilities should have access to quality education. It is a civil liberty to be educated. Ariel has spent the last few years working in public schools gaining experiences working with students with disabilities and most recently her license in K8 mild/moderate special education. Her goal is to continue to advocate for students. As a licensed educator, she is now capable of being a lead teacher, however she wants to impact as many students as she can. Ariel wants to analyze current educational data and creatively solve learning gaps among students with disabilities in public schools.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The civil law, ADA, has impacted Ariel’s life by giving her the equal right to education, elections, and work. As an individual with various disabilities including learning disabilities, schooling could have been a major barrier. Whether it was family members or Ariel herself advocating for quality education, she received it (impacted by IDEA). She has also been able to vote for many years as she is currently 26. She feels that her vote is significant as she is a Latinx American. Electing someone who will advocate for all of her rights is important to her. She believes that the ADA can be stronger by enforcing discriminatory actions more frequently and consistently.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Ableism in the classroom can be combated with Universal Design Learning. Trying to foster this mindset in all public school districts will help bring inclusion to schools. A common UDL example is an automatic door. The function of the door can be made accessible to all when it becomes automatic. Individuals in wheelchairs can open/close the door; someone with a baby stroller can open/close the door; someone with multiple items in their hands can open/close the door; you can open/close the door! The design feature does not ostracize any individuals. Students with disabilities can be better included if UDL practices are placed throughout schools. What can students with disabilities be marginalized for in schools? Perhaps, if we normalize fidget tools, accessible technology, graphic organizers, etc. in the classroom – not only will all students will benefit from these designs but students with disabilities will not be marginalized for using said designs/tools.
Colton Jannusch
Class of 2011
Hometown: Schaumburg, IL
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
It is Colton’s passion to see young deaf students transform into their true selves; where they can find their voice. It can be as simple as writing a sentence on Facebook to as complex as writing an acceptance speech for the President of the United States. Colton encourages his students to dream and dare. One thing that he stresses to them is that their potential is not tied to exam scores. It is Colton’s goal to help students that come into his classroom understand the challenges and biases they will encounter in society and use those as fertilizer to feed their passions, hobbies, interests. When they do this, they find out who they truly are. Colton encourages his students to think about the differences they can make each day in the world, through their relationships, their daily encounters, and their work. Simply stated, Colton is in this business of teaching to inspire.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA has helped to promote full and equal participation in society for people of all disabilities and from all walks of life. While it has afforded us protections from discrimination in many areas of public life, it has also given us the gift of access and inclusion. We are able to access resources that can help drive us to become wonderful contributing citizens of society. The ADA needs to improve in the following areas: more visibility and exposure to the world as a whole to dispel any myths that exist about abilities and talents of people with disabilities. To “not see” someone as having limitations, just differences.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
With education, comes awareness. We need to continue to expose society to individuals whose credentials stand out, not their disability. They define their disability, not the other way around. We need to be in the business of breaking boundaries as disabled people and continue to show society that we are not limited to what our disability says we are. Not only that, we need to look within our own communities and remove the stigma of a disability from a young age. When we are young, we learn that we are different from others and sometimes unintentionally internalize that as a true fact and buy into limitations that are falsely put on us. We need to be able to talk about it with each other.
Johileny Meran
Class of 2018
Hometown: New York City, NY
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
As a Program Coordinator with the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, at Mobility International USA, Johileny works to increase the participation of people with disabilities in international exchange. She became motivated to pursue an international disability rights career after experiencing “accessibility shock” during a visit back to her home country of the Dominican Republic. She moved to the U.S. at 8 years old and grew accustomed to the rights that the Americans with Disabilities Act afforded her. In the Fall semester of 2018, she studied abroad at NYU London, England as a Global Equity Fellow, tasked with improving resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Based on this experience, Johileny created a “London Access Culture Guide ” to inform students with disabilities how access in London compared to NYC. She received a B.A. in Global Public Health & Sociology, with a minor in Disability Studies from NYU College of Arts and Science.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
As an AAPD intern in 2018, Johileny worked at the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities in emergency response and preparedness. What she learned that summer informed her studies in Global Public Health and decision to minor in Disability studies. The ADA affords a broad set of nondiscrimination protections for individuals with disabilities in areas of employment, public services, and public accommodations/services provided by private entities. These provisions can be applied to emergency response and preparedness for disasters. But the ADA can be improved by additions that specifically discuss its appliance to disasters, public health crises, and the equal protection of disabled people’s lives in emergencies. The struggles, fears, lack of access to information and services during the Covid-19 pandemic is just one example of why emergency response and preparedness should be specified in the ADA.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Representation and storytelling are great tools for combating ableism and uplifting marginalized identities. The education of kids and young people with disabilities actively promote the notion that disability is a part of the human experience. Internalized ableism is a sad consequence of living in an ableist society. So, by offering to showcase and support access to education and other opportunities these ideas are changed and people are shifting the narrative of negative perceptions of disabilities to one of disability pride.
Shiven Patel
Class of 2018
Hometown: Houston, TX
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Shiven Patel is an attorney. He went to law school knowing that he wanted to be an advocate for people with disabilities. Shiven graduated from South Texas College of Law in December 2019 and passed the Texas Bar Exam. He found his first full time job out of law school with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security working as an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist. As an EEO specialist, he works to combat discrimination within the organization on all bases, whether it is gender, sexual orientation, race, or disability. He works on a lot of discrimination cases for people with disabilities that arise under the ADA and the ADA Amendments of 2008. Shiven guides these employees by alerting them of their rights to combat the discrimination that they are facing in the workplace, and gives them a voice and forum to assert those rights.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
What did the ADA give us? The ADA gave us access. The ADA gave us access to employment opportunities, it gave us access to an education, it gave us access to public services to go to movies, restaurants, and in many cases, the ability to walk down the street through curb cuts and sidewalks. It gave us access to assistive technology, without which some of us would not be able to read, speak, or write. The ADA has given us so many opportunities and it’s now time for us to celebrate that. However, the ADA was just the beginning. The ADA needs to be improved to include things such as accessible air travel. Or ensuring that things like healthcare and education is more accessible than they already are.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Shiven believes the best way to combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities is through education. During college, Shiven peer counseled other younger, blind and visually impaired students. When faced with a situation where they felt that they were negatively impacted by ableism, they often asked for advice. His peers would ask if they should angrily confront the offender. Shiven would always give them two options: (1) Get mad; or (2) take the time to educate them. If you choose option 1, you perpetuate a negative stereotype that ableists have about people with disabilities: that we’re mean and we “get upset about everything”. You should only take option 1 if it is absolutely necessary. However, if you take option 2, the person may walk away with a better understanding of your disability.
Daman Wandke
Class of 2009
Hometown: Silverdale, WA
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
LinkedIn Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/damanw/
Facebook Profile:
https://www.facebook.com/dwandke
Daman Wandke is the CEO and Founder of Wandke Consulting. He has ten years of experience in the public and private sector testing for IT Accessibility. Daman has worked with small local businesses and multinational corporations. He specializes in switch testing to ensure that people with limited manual dexterity have equal access to websites and mobile apps. Daman also teaches disability studies at his alma mater, Western Washington University.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA, a fundamental piece of disability rights, provides a foundation for access and inclusion of the disability community. Because of the ADA, Daman was able to intern at NASA and work at an IT accessibility company; this paved his way to founding his own business. However, the ADA has not been fully met; many places are still not accessible. The ADA can only say so much; thus, it cannot reflect all needs of the vast diversity of the disability community. The perception of accessibility and the disability community needs to be changed in order to provide equity and inclusion for all.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Ableism stems from the misunderstanding and lack of knowledge about the disability community. Educating society that disability is diversity and incorporating disability into the everyday narrative would break down the stereotypes and stigmas, which could potentially uplift other marginalized identities as intersectionality can be addressed as well, helping change the narrative for more than just the disability community.
Stephanie Woodward
Class of 2009
Hometown: Rochester, NY
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
LinkedIn Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-woodwardny/
Stephanie Woodward is a proud disabled woman and an attorney focused on disability rights issues. Stephanie previously worked as a litigator at a disability rights law firm and served as the Director of Advocacy at an independent living center for five years. She is also an organizer with ADAPT, a national grassroots disability rights group. Stephanie is committed to enforcing and advancing the rights of people with disabilities, and she has an arrest record to prove it. She has fought to preserve healthcare for disabled people, to have fair wages for disabled workers, and to ensure all people with disabilities have the ability to live in their own homes instead of nursing homes. In 2020, Stephanie is excited to be launching a new project dedicated to empowering girls and women with disabilities.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
Stephanie believes that the Americans with Disabilities Act is a tool to help us enforce and advance our rights. Our disabled siblings and ancestors who came before us worked hard to secure the ADA in order to set a minimum standard in our nation for the treatment of people with disabilities. Now, it is our job to use the ADA as one of many tools to continue to advance Disability Rights for ourselves and for future generations.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Stephanie believes in combating ableism and uplifting marginalized identities by committing to mentoring and by highlighting the work of multiply marginalized disabled people. Far too often, we can feel alone and question our ability to be successful because we do not see anyone like ourselves in successful roles. To address this, Stephanie is committed to intersectional work that highlights the success of disabled people who are multiply marginalized. Stephanie is also committed to mentoring youth with disabilities who may be struggling with internal ableism and societal ableism.
D’Arcee Neal
Class of 2013
Hometown: Cary, NC
Gender pronouns: he/him/they/them
LinkedIn Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-arcee-neal-08447a21/
Facebook Profile:
https://www.facebook.com/dprinze
D’Arcee has worked in various nonprofits and government agencies like NASA, and for the Secretary of the Interior, while being honored for his work in the queer community as a storyteller for the multi-marginalized. Nowadays, he works as a English PhD student and lecturer at The Ohio State University at the intersection of rhetorical blackness, disability, and speculative popular culture. Through the lens of academia, and his work in audio fiction, he aims to change the conversation about Afrofuturism, ensuring work like Black Panther, and other future Black art remains inclusive and accessible to all bodies, as a future Professor of English at a research 1 university.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
D’Arcee believes that the ADA improves the life of people with disabilities simply because it gives disabled people a modicum of power and agency over the perception of their lives. More so than what they do for themselves, the ADA forces other American to reckon with disabled bodies and to make space for them in a world that continually denies their existence. But even so, there is more work that needs to be done, as he believes that in its current form, the ADA does little to address the systemic issues of ableism and corporeal stigma that encapsulate the disabled American experience. Too many people still do not understand what the ADA is, or what it does, and too little are shouldering the burden of educating a willfully ignorant society that refuses to see basic humanity at its core.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Recognizing the embodiment of disability in its entirety is a marvelous start. Understanding that it is not merely wheelchairs or crutches, hearing aids or Braille, means that people begin to view bodies as merely slightly changed from person to person, rendering folks better able to adapt. If we go into a situation expecting all varieties rather than reacting from the emergence of difference, it makes for a more meaningful experience for all, and this includes understanding how race factors in. Disability, like everything else in America is raced. And to suggest otherwise, is to deny the lived experiences of millions of people of color who see white disabled Americans benefiting from a privilege they deny and doing nothing. So, we must see disability in all its nuance, and work to both understand and change it.
Ola Ojewumi
Class of 2011
Hometown: Washington D.C.
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
As an advocate, Ola has advised the Obama Administration on policies to advance the lives of people living with disabilities as a member of the White House African American Kitchen Cabinet on Disability. As a result of Ola’s efforts, she spoke at the White House Civil Rights in America Symposium. Ola has joined her passion for disability and racial justice with a desire to create gender equality. She works with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Metro Washington. In partnership with them, she advocates for the inclusion of disabled women and disabled members of the LGBT community in the reproductive justice movement. Ola has given several speeches at Planned Parenthood rallies to promote the expansion of reproductive healthcare and sex education to the disabled community. The Clinton Global Initiative, MTV, Intel, Glamour Magazine, and The Huffington Post have praised her initiatives. Presently, she works as a contract specialist for the federal government and works as a freelancer having written for CNN, Glamour, SELF and The Huffington Post. Ola’s overall aspiration is to use public policy, journalism, and activism to change the world for disadvantaged populations.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA was just the beginning of modern disability rights. More can be done to expand the rights and civil liberties of people with disabilities. This includes employment rights and ending the subminimum wage, which allows employers to pay disabled workers below minimum wage.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
When we invest in youth with disabilities, we empower a group that has been ignored and neglected for far too long. Ableism robs them of opportunity, but we can fight back against centuries of discrimination.
Sheiba Taffazoli
Class of 2009
Hometown: Chatsworth, CA
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Sheiba Tafazzoli earned her bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering with a minor in International Security and Conflict Resolution (ISCOR). She also completed graduate curriculum in Systems Engineering. In her work experience as a computer and systems engineer, Sheiba has faced several hurdles and obstacles so her goal is to pave the way for others that follow so that they do not have to face the same challenges and barriers. So in a word, she aims to be a trailblazer. Leading by example, she intends to impress change upon the way the masses view Disability and our ability to contribute. Outside of her assigned role and job duties, she seeks to uplift visibility and representation.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA enabled Sheiba to receive the necessary accommodations that she needed throughout her schooling years through college. Additionally, it obligated employers to accommodate her as their employee. However, even with said obligation, there is poor compliance. Sheiba would like to see the ADA be improved so that there is more enforcement and oversight. This means penalizing those who fail to comply with fines and violations. The ADA is not a voluntary piece of legislation, but at this point in time, that is how employers and other entities tend to apply them. To foster compliance, it appears there needs to be penalties to motivate all entities to be more proactive instead of reactive to their shortcomings of providing accessibility and the individual needs and requests of Disabled stakeholders. She would like to see affirmative action applied to encourage employers to hire and include Disabled employees. Lastly, she feels that you cannot succeed without measuring initiatives. This means that all entities need to be transparent and publish employee demographics, what initiatives they’re applying, and quantify their success in a way that can be measured and improved.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
While legislation is powerful, it is only a start. Affirmative action for Disabled and marginalized identities may favorably change the way entities perceive them. Cultural change and implementation is where it really begins. If you want to change the world for the better, you cannot wait for legislation or changed minds. It begins with you, so that means creating sound policy for inclusivity and enforcing it. There needs to be open channels to listen and uplift the marginalized voices, without any means of retaliation for speaking up. This means creating a psychologically safe environment for all stakeholders. Sheiba encourages all to listen without feeling attacked or the need to become defensive. It’s not about you, but you have the power to impart the necessary changes. Hold those around you accountable; that means having difficult conversations and not shying away from them. Sheiba advocates all to become upstanders, and speak up when you see injustices anywhere. Other tangible examples of how we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities starts in the school system – expanding our curriculum to incorporate the unspoken histories in race, disability, and other identities. Offering American Sign Language (ASL) as a foreign language at all levels of the school system from preschool through college. Why wait to be impacted by disability or to meet a Disabled friend/colleagues before you learn how to include them?
Micah Fialka-Feldman
Class of 2013
Hometown: Syracuse, NY
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Micah Fialka-Feldman is a self-advocate, teaching assistant, outreach coordinator, national speaker, and pioneer who fights for disability-pride, justice, and inclusion. He is part of the first wave of adults with intellectual disabilities who have attended college and has been fully included in school and community. Micah’s disability advocacy has a foundation in the creation of the “Beloved Community” and the notion that “A community that excludes even one of its members is not a community at all.” Micah earned a certificate in Disability Studies from the Syracuse University School of Education in 2015. Micah currently lives in Syracuse N.Y. where he co-teaches classes in inclusive education and disability studies. He is an outreach coordinator at the Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education. In May of 2014, Micah was appointed by President Obama to President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. He is featured in the upcoming documentary by Dan Habib, Intelligent Lives.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
Micah believes the ADA has been very helpful for people with disabilities. This legislation gives the foundation to allow advocates to stand up for their rights and it established agencies which informs the public on how they can get help. People with disabilities also have access to services and supports through their state which is critical to the disability community. Since the implementation of the ADA, there have been great victories for our community, but we still have a lot of work to do.
Michael Springer
Class of 2014
Hometown: Potomac, MD
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Michael is currently in his 4th year of medical school and plans on applying for a residency program in surgery. His career goal is to become a general surgeon and be a disability advocate from within the medical community.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
The ADA has done much to bring disability and adequate accommodations to the forefront of societal discussion. Changes to hospital architecture can be seen as a direct result of the ADA, however there is still work to be done. Many outpatient offices still lack accommodations, like wheelchair-friendly scales and accessible exam room tables that act as a barrier to healthcare for disabled individuals. There are avenues for improvement that can be explored, whether it be amendments to the ADA, education on existing legislature in medical school, or increased social awareness on the struggles of disabled patients.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Ableism is prevalent and is frequently unintentional due to a lack of knowledge or perspective. An important way to combat this is with education. Michael has worked on this issue as former president of the disability awareness association in his medical school by sharing his disability story and providing an underrepresented perspective to his future physician classmates. Disability is often taught as purely a medical issue with little time taken to discuss the social aspect of an innate or acquired disability. Michael believes that teaching and addressing advocacy in medical school for disabled and other underserved communities can go a long way in breaking down ableism within the medical community.
Claire Houston
Class of 2017
Hometown: Dedham, MA
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Claire began to focus on the ways that technology, policy, and disability are connected after her second summer in Washington DC, where she worked as a Google Public Policy Fellow at AAPD. Now, working as an Accessibility Analyst at the GBH National Center for Accessible Media in Boston, Claire works to make the internet and media more accessible for all people.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved:
Over the past thirty years, the ADA has provided a way forward for many disabled people, working to ensure equal access to society. The path towards the passage of the ADA and other disability legislation brought together the disability community in a way that we continue to benefit from today. However, while society, technology, and the world around us has changed, legislation has not always kept up. The internet of 1990 is not the same as the internet of today, thus the laws and guidelines must be continuously revisited to match the constantly evolving environment around us.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Social media has provided new ways to connect communities. It has enabled members of the disability community around the world to engage and learn from each other. Technology has also provided a platform for advocacy and engagement, giving people with disabilities a chance to participate in the public & political spheres. It has brought education, commerce, and medical care into the home. However, accessing these technologies is still a barrier for many. Rural locations, income inequality, and lack of appropriate assistive technology continues to keep the internet out of reach. Furthermore, inaccessible websites add another barrier to engagement. As individuals, we can continue to do work to combat technology-based ableism by providing accessible media and uplifting multiply marginalized disabled voices on our platforms.
Olivia Norman
Class of 2004
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Gender pronouns: she/her/hers
Olivia works in Washington, D.C. as a government contractor for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. She tests documents and websites to make sure they are accessible using screen reading software. Olivia has always loved technology and healthcare and is delighted to work in a job which brings two of these passions together. She hopes to continue her job in this field for a long time to come.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how the ADA can be improved: Olivia remembers ADA being signed into law as a child when she was in elementary school, though it wasn’t until she graduated from high school and college that she fully realized the impact of the ADA and opportunities it opens up for people with disabilities. She believes that the ADA has made physical spaces more accessible but would like to see the it expand to address digital and web accessibility, which is still a challenging space to navigate. She would also like to see the ADA more to address discrimination regarding service dogs and their handlers.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Olivia believes that it is important to listen to voices of color and other marginalized identities especially in the disability community. She would like to hear more of their stories and learn how to become a good and effective ally of those who are marginalized. Since the pandemic she has been thinking more about what she can do to be an ally to other marginalized communities and is always open to suggestions of ways to come together and unify.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Olivia believes that it is important to listen to voices of color and other marginalized identities especially in the disability community. She would like to hear more of their stories and learn how to become a good and effective ally of those who are marginalized. Since the pandemic she has been thinking more about what she can do to be an ally to other marginalized communities and is always open to suggestions of ways to come together and unify.
Bonus Profile: Adam Webber
Class of 2018
Hometown: Modesto, CA
Gender pronouns: he/him/his
Adam is based in Northern California and works on disabled rights projects across the country. He has spent time on Capitol Hill temporarily working in the offices of Congressional leaders in both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, working on topics including but not limited to healthcare, disabled rights issues, and greater access to higher education for people with disabilities. He also helps to build working relationships between the disabled community and federal, statewide, and local elected officials and helps to arrange meetings between those officials and the broader disabled community. As part of this work, Adam has helped advise In-Home Supportive Services in northern California, which is a program that keeps disabled people in their homes. Adam also works as a multi-faceted advocate for people with disabilities, more recently specializing in working with disabled college students at several universities throughout California helping them transition to living independently on campus, serving as a liaison between the students and the individual university/college, helping to provide independent living training for those students and helping communicate their individual academic and living ADA accommodations with the university or college housing. He also works as a disability awareness public speaker and advisor to individual colleges and universities to better acclimate the institutions to the needs of their disabled students while also providing this service to government and civic organizations throughout California and nationwide. He also focuses on advocacy for the homeless disabled population and more recently, Adam is currently working with state and local governments in better addressing the healthcare needs of the disabled population in government run healthcare facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adam is a political science major and is planning on pursuing grad school and law school. He plans to return to Washington D.C. once the pandemic is over while pursuing law school and a full time career on Capitol Hill focusing on being a policy advisor.
Statement about the ADA’s impact and how it can be improved:
We must continue to earnestly work to not only keep ADA in place, but to expand ADA to provide more protections for people with disabilities, especially in covering access to technology, and provide greater enforcement of ADA and provide a simpler and more concise process to file ADA complaints when violations of ADA occur by both government and private entities.
Statement about ways in which we can combat ableism and uplift marginalized identities:
Adam believes that the only true way to combat ableism is for the disabled community to be allowed to branch out into essential corridors of American society, such as government, business, media and education. He believes this is what ADA has done at its core: helped to integrate people with disabilities into society as a whole. Even though it is still rare, just now are we starting to experience disabled people being more represented in these aspects of our society. Therefore, Adam feels that ADA is an essential tool to combat systemic ableism in American society in the long term.
