Disability Lead

?? Join us for a powerful session with Vesper Moore on mental health justice! ?? We’re honored to host Vesper Moore, an Indigenous political activist, leader, and educator, for our upcoming Disability Power Series event on Tuesday, March 25. Vesper’s advocacy work spans the globe, from shaping policy strategies with the U.S. government and the United Nations to supporting the development of peer-run mental health organizations worldwide. Vesper will share their invaluable perspective as a “mad” queer Indigenous person of Kiskeia and Borikén Taíno descent. With experience working as a consultant for both the U.S. government and the United Nations, Vesper has been at the forefront of legislative reforms that challenge the dominant narratives of mental illness and re-institutionalization. Their session will explore how we can all shift societal paradigms around mental health, tackle trauma, move from awareness to action, and build inclusive communities. Vesper’s commitment to dismantling the mental health-industrial complex and advocating for psychiatric survivorship will provide insightful lessons to all who attend. ?? Time: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. CT ?? Price: Free ?? Platform: Zoom Webinar ? For Disability Lead Members: After the session, join us for an exclusive Meet & Greet with Vesper from 5:00 – 5:30 p.m. CT ? ?? Register here: https://lnkd.in/gz5iCigP #DisabilityPowerSeries #Webinar #MentalHealth #Disability #Education #Leadership #Programs #PowerInfluenceChange

As one of our earliest and most enduring funders and champion of disability inclusion and rights in the Chicago region and beyond, we are thrilled to see John Palfrey, CEO of the MacArthur Foundation, named as co-chair of the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy. ??

Hands Up! Forgiveness – Experience a night of powerful and profound storytelling. Join Tellin Tales Theatre for an unforgettable night of healing and connection! Tellin Tales Theatre is a Chicago theater company founded by Disability Lead Member Tekki Lomnicki. In “Hands Up! Forgiveness” storytellers from diverse backgrounds — both with and without disabilities — will share heartfelt stories of resilience, compassion, and healing in the face of pain and betrayal. “Hands Up! Forgiveness” will also feature live djembe drumming by Victoria Boateng, and on Saturday, March 21, ReinventAbility will have a dance performance. More information about the show can be found on their website: https://tellintales.org/ ? #ChicagoTheatre #Storytelling #HandsUpForgiveness #InclusionMatters #WeAreDisLead

Today, we honor the legacy of Judy Heumann, widely recognized as one of the founding leaders of the disability rights movement in the United States. She remained determined in her fight for disability justice, rights, and inclusion. When the New York City Board of Education refused to allow her to teach, she took legal action against them and won. Her activism along with the sit-ins of 1977, played a crucial role in the passage of the Section 504 regulations. On this day marking her passing, we reflect on her words and the challenges we face today with the ongoing attacks on inclusive education and the 504 regulations. We continue to heed our many disabled ancestors, disabled leaders, and advocates today who urge us all to stay the course and remember the power of disability solidarity. "Change never happens at the pace we think it should. It happens over years of people joining together, strategizing, sharing, and pulling all the levers they possibly can. Gradually, excruciatingly slowly, things start to happen, and then suddenly, seemingly out of the blue, something will tip." - Judy Heumann Image description: A quote from Judy Heumann in white text reads, “Change never happens at the pace we think it should.” Behind the text is a photo of Judy at a Meeting of the Presidents’ Council on Disability Inclusion.

This March, Disability Lead continues to raise awareness and honor the diversity of disabilities within the disability community.?Together, we are working towards a more inclusive future that embraces diversity, equity, accessibility, and the collective power of our community. #DisabilityAwareness #WeAreDisLead #Community #Inclusion #AwarenessDay #Disability?#Accessibility Image Description: All slides have a peach background with the Disability logo with the text, “Power. Influence. Change.” beneath it at the top with center alignment. ? ? Image 1 reads, "Disability Awareness Month and Days March Twenty Twenty-Five." The bottom portion of the graphic features people of various races and disabilities. ? ? (All of the following graphics list disability awareness days and months in between partial graphics of a wall calendar coming from the top right and bottom left corners.)? ? Image 2 lists “Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, Color Therapy Month, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Prevention Awareness Month, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, Endometriosis Awareness Month.”? ? Image 3 lists “Essential Tremor Month, Kidney Month, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, Endometriosis Awareness Month.”? ? Image 4 lists “Self-Injury Awareness Month, Brain Injury Awareness Month, National Trisomy Awareness Month, World Glaucoma Week, 2nd full week of March.”? ? Image 5 lists “Disability Community Day of Mourning - March 1, International Wheelchair Day - March 1, World Teen Mental Health Day - March 2, World Hearing Day - March 3.”? ? Image 6 lists “Breast Implant Illness Awareness Day - March 8, National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - March 10, World Kidney Day - Every 2nd Thursday of March.”? ? Image 7 lists “National Trisomy 18 Awareness Day - March 18, World Down Syndrome Day - March 21, World Tuberculosis Day - March 24.”? ? Image 8 lists “U.S. National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day - March 25, Purple Day for Epilepsy - March 26, Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) Awareness Day - March 27th.”?

Join the disability community and our allies today from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. CT for the Chicago Disability Day of Mourning Vigil. Every year, communities across the country and around the world come together for the Disability Day of Mourning (DDOM) to honor the lives of people with disabilities who have been killed by their families, caregivers, or through acts of police violence. Theme: Mourn the Dead, Fight for the Living Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Location: In-person at the UIC Disability Cultural Center (1007 W. Harrison Street, Room 231) or online via Zoom This hybrid event is a collaboration between the Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition (DPOCC), UIC Disability Cultural Center, Center for Racial and Disability Justice at Northwestern University, Access Living, Coalition of Autistic and Neurodivergent Students (CANS), UIC Institute on Disability and Human Development, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and Autism Society of Greater Chicago. More information about attending in person: https://lnkd.in/gSPvTUZX To register and participate online via Zoom: https://lnkd.in/e_zucmGW #DisabilityDayofMourning #MournTheDeadFightForTheLiving #DisabilityJustice #DPOCC #Disability #Community Image Description: A background image of purple flowers against a purple and pale orange sunset can be seen with white text over top of the background image. To the left in big white text reads, “Disability Day of Mourning C H I.” The “NI” in mourning is designed to mimic candles with two flames on top of the “N” and one flame over the “I.” To the right, towards the top, it says, “Vigil and Open – Mic.” Underneath reads, “In Person at the UIC Disability Cultural Center & Virtual on Zoom.” At the bottom is a white bar with 8 company logos: Chicagoland DPOCC, UIC Institute on Disability and Human Development, Center for Racial and Disability Justice, UIC Disability Cultural Center, Access Living, Autism Greater Chicago, Chicago CANS and Autistic Self Advocacy Network.

Community Reminder: Join the disability community and our allies today, February 28, for the Chicago Disability Day of Mourning Vigil. Every year, communities across the country and around the world come together for the Disability Day of Mourning (DDOM) to honor the lives of people with disabilities who have been killed by their families, caregivers, or through acts of police violence. This vigil is a time for remembrance, reflection, and solidarity. It’s a moment to ensure that those we’ve lost are never forgotten and to stand united in the fight for justice. Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. CT Location: In-person at the UIC Disability Cultural Center (1007 W. Harrison Street, Room 231) or online via Zoom.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for this year's Disability Leadership Summit! ?? With 15 insightful speakers and 12 powerful sessions, we are grateful for your engagement at this convening. A big thank you to our sponsors for making this summit a reality: AbbVie, HCSC, Cruise, AARP, the Mary and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, The Chicago Community Trust, The Field Foundation, and Bally’s. We look forward to continuing this journey together next year! #DisabilityLeadership #DiversityAndInclusion #ThankYou #WeAreDislead #DisabilityLeadershipSummit #Sponsors #ProfessinalDevelopment

Join us for our first Disability Power Series of 2025 featuring Indigenous and political activist Vesper Moore! Vesper, known for their focus on cultivating social movements and raising public awareness to foster lasting social change, will be leading an informative hour-long presentation where attendees will learn how to move beyond mental health awareness and into action. Through personal storytelling and leadership practices, Vesper will also share how they fight for mental health rights and justice every day. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to drive advocacy for themselves and within their own communities. More information can be found below: ??? Session Topic: A Guide to Mental Health Justice: From Awareness to Action? ?? Date: March 25, 2025 ? Time: 4:00–5:00 p.m. CT ?? Price: Free ?? Platform: Zoom Webinar ? Disability Lead Member Exclusive: Meet and Greet with Vesper from 5:00–5:30 p.m. CT ? Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the movement for mental health justice! You can register for our upcoming event here: https://lnkd.in/gz5iCigP #DisabilityLead #MentalHealth #DisabilityPowerSeries #Advocacy #DisabilityJustice #MentalHealthMatters #Leadership #Disability #MentalHealthAwareness

Check out this post from one of our Members, Jittaun Taylor, who designed another stunning Ventra Signature Card in honor of Black History Month. Beautiful work, Jittaun! #WeAreDisLead #MemberHighlight #Ventra #CTA #Chicago #PositiveDisruptors #Leadership #BlackHistoryMonth #Design