Disability Rights Advocates

Legal Victory: A settlement agreement has been reached with the City of #Berkeley that provides significant policy changes for people who require remote meeting attendance due to their #disabilities! ? Read the press release: https://lnkd.in/gVV3JGf5 ? Under the settlement, board members and commissioners with disabilities will be able to attend meetings remotely. People with disabilities who require remote attendance will no longer be excluded from participation and will be able to safely serve as commissioners. ? #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #EqualAccess Image: “Press Release: Workplace Accessibility, Settlement Agreement with City of Berkeley Improves Accessibility for City Commission and Board Members with Disabilities” + Person's hands using a laptop on a desk, the laptop screen is a meeting with multiple participants + DRA logo

On Saturday, Disability Rights Advocates President & CEO?Rebecca Williford?was a panelist at?The New York Public Library?for an exciting discussion with other?#disability?advocates in the community! Guests learned about community activism and the work involved. From left to right, Mbacke Thiam, Robert White, Kevin Beauchamp, Kathy Collins, and Rebecca Williford sit at a long table with microphones to present at the Disability Activist Panel Discussion.?On the table is a black tablecloth with white text that displays the New York Public Library logo and text that reads Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library.?A banner of colorful triangle-shaped flags with various patterns hangs on the wall behind the table.

Register today to join DRA's President & CEO Rebecca Williford this Saturday, September 21 at a The New York Public Library event at the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library for an exciting free panel discussion with other #disability advocates in the community! Guests will learn about community activism, the work involved, and how the work gets done with everyone on board. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gP5f-kSe Disability Activist Panel Discussion Saturday, September 21, 2024. 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011

Last week we announced that a federal judge has substantially denied the State of #Tennessee’s attempt to dismiss our lawsuit against two state agencies for failing to ensure effective communication to #deaf people who receive services. This means that the lawsuit brought by DRA and Disability Rights Tennessee in 2022 can proceed! Check out coverage from Tennessee Lookout/States Newsroom: https://lnkd.in/gBdB5VgC #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #EqualAccess

Check out Cook County Record coverage of the federal lawsuit that DRA & Access Living filed against Preferred Open MRI for illegally refusing to provide #healthcare service to a #Chicago patient because he uses a wheelchair: https://lnkd.in/g755gGfm #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #HealthcareMatters

Register today to join DRA's President & CEO Rebecca Williford on Saturday, September 21 at a The New York Public Library event at the Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library for an exciting free panel discussion with other #disability advocates in the community! Guests will learn about community activism, the work involved, and how the work gets done with everyone on board. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gsTMWba4 Image: "Disability Activist Panel Discussion" + Portrait of Rebecca Williford + "Rebecca Williford,DRA President & CEO" + "Andrew Heiskell Library, New York, NY, Saturday, September 21, 2024, 1 - 4 PM"

Case Update: A federal judge has substantially denied the State of #Tennessee’s attempt to dismiss our lawsuit against two state agencies for failing to ensure effective communication to #deaf?people who receive services. ? This means that the lawsuit brought by DRA and Disability Rights Tennessee in 2022 can proceed! ? Read the press release: https://lnkd.in/gzGBshFk ? #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion?#EqualAccess

Last week we announced that a federal judge denied #NYC's motion to free itself from its court-ordered obligation to make 50% of its #taxis wheelchair-accessible and ruled that 100% of all new taxis must be #accessible until the 50% requirement is met. Check out New York Daily News coverage: https://lnkd.in/gkz2iRzi This victory would not have been possible without our partners: 504 Democratic Club, Disabled In Action of Metropolitan New York, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP, Taxis For All Campaign, and United Spinal Association #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #EqualAccess

This weekend, DRA CEO Rebecca Williford and DRA Director of Development Aileen Parker attended WOW - Wine on Wheels, an event founded by one of our 2024 Gala honorees, Yannick Benjamin. Coincidentally, Wine on Wheels took place at City Winery, the exact same venue where DRA will honor Yannick on November 13th! Join us in celebrating Yannick and our other amazing honorees who advance the rights and equity of people with #disabilities.?Attend DRA’s 2nd Annual Nationwide Gala this fall! Buy your tables and tickets today: https://lnkd.in/gmJKMiD2 Image: DRA President & CEO Rebecca Williford, DRA Director of Development Aileen Parker, and 2024 DRA Gala honoree Yannick Benjamin smiling and posing at the Wine on Wheels event, with wine barrels and tasting tables in the background.

The fight for #accessible subway elevators continues! ? A?federal judge has?denied?a?motion from New York's MTA?to dismiss?claims?brought by the?#disability community?in?long-running litigation regarding the?#MTA's failure to maintain the few elevators that exist in NYC’s subway stations. ? The case is now headed to trial. Learn more from the press release: https://lnkd.in/gnZyVjXt ? DRA's clients and co-counsel include Bronx Independent Living Services, Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID), Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York, Harlem Independent Living Center, Disabled In Action of Metropolitan New York, New York StateWide Senior Action Council, Rise and Resist, & Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP! ? #DisabilityRights #DisabilityInclusion #EqualAccess Image: "Press Release: Public Transit. Disability Advocates’ Lawsuit Challenging the MTA’s Failure to Maintain New York City’s Subway Elevators Proceeding to Trial" + Subway elevator with yellow caution tape across the door + Logos for BILS, BCID, CIDNY, DIA, HILC, DRA, Sheppard Mullin, & NY StateWide