New Disabled South

We are so proud of Kiana Jackson!

2025 fellow and New Disabled South co-founder Dom Kelly was quoted in this article from Next City on how governments and organizations are working to simplify complex legal and policy language to improve public communication. “It’s increasingly difficult for the average person to understand the policy that impacts our day-to-day lives. Plain language is a way for folks to better understand the policies that impact their lives and also get engaged with our government, our politics and increase civic engagement.” Read more??? https://lnkd.in/ecJjQbyg

UPDATE: We have received over 3,200 applications for this role and as a result, we have chosen to close it to new applicants. We don’t use AI to screen applicants - a few members of our already small team review each one personally, so we don’t have the bandwidth to review more. We are so grateful for the interest! We’re looking for a dedicated HR & Operations Assistant to join our team! Reporting to the Director of HR & Operations, this person will provide essential remote administrative and operational support to both our C3 and C4, assisting the Operations team on a range of critical functions and supporting on a range of scheduling, finance, systems, and other needs. More details: https://lnkd.in/gTC7UPsk #hiring

Trans liberation and disability justice are one fight.

Our statement on the confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation to lead HHS: RFK Jr. is blatantly anti-Black, ableist, anti-science, a conspiracy theorist, and completely unqualified to lead a department that should be focused on scientific advancement and service to those who are most impacted by oppressive systems. He holds beliefs that served as the basis for unethical medical research and biased conclusions, that disregard Black bodies and Black lives as nothing more than tools for research. He believes that vaccines cause autism, among other debunked, deadly theories. His confirmation to lead the Department of Health and Human Services is not only a betrayal to the researchers and medical professionals who have dedicated their lives to this work, but it is a confirmation of what the most marginalized disabled folks have already known: that the systems the elite claim are supposed to support the American people were actually designed to ensure that the white, male, cis, nondisabled few can hold onto power. The results of this disastrous confirmation? Black women will die during childbirth at higher rates, disabled people will be institutionalized at higher rates, BIPOC disabled kids will be further excluded from opportunities to advance their futures, and mis/disinformation around vaccines and other lifesaving medical advancements will literally get people killed. Now more than ever, it’s up to us to keep our communities safe.

National Coalition on Accessible Voting Statement on Rescinding Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting The National Coalition on Accessible Voting, a group dedicated to protecting and expanding voter access for people with disabilities released a statement in response to the the recession of Executive Order 14019, “Promoting Access to Voting.” #AccessibilityInTheNews #GOTV #Voting #VotersRights Access Ready Billion Strong Disability Belongs New Disabled South Center for Living & Working The Arc of the United States Autistic Self Advocacy Network National Association of the Deaf National Disability Rights Network SELF ADVOCATES BECOMING EMPOWERED Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) https://lnkd.in/gV5mgMms

Despite Donald Trump’s claims on live TV, disabled people did not cause the plane crash at DCA. What a dangerous, repugnant, morally reprehensible thing to say to a nation of people who are shocked and scared and especially to the grieving families of people who just died in a horrific and unimaginable way. #DEI did not cause a plane crash. This is infuriatingly ableist and racist garbage. In our greatest moment of need, we are once again abandoned by the very people meant to lead.

Following yesterday’s announcement about our Black Disability Institute, we’re beyond thrilled that our friend Dr. Sami Schalk, author of Black Disability Politics, is joining the team as a Senior Research Fellow through May 2026! We are really looking forward to doing some great work together this year and next.

Job alert! New Disabled South Rising is the 501c4 arm of New Disabled South, and we’re hiring for a Donor Organizing Manager. Are you a fundraiser with experience prospecting, stewarding, and soliciting donors? Are you excited about building relationships and moving people with resources to take action? Have you raised money for other c4 organizations, PACs, and/or progressive campaigns? We’d love for you to apply and help us build political power for disabled people in the South! Apply today at https://lnkd.in/eW-zj5BK #hiring #politicalfundraising #development #majorgifts #progressivepolitics

We are so excited to announce the launch of the Black Disability Institute, a think tank housed under our Research and Data team! Conceived and led by our Director of Data and Research Kiana Jackson and our Co-Founder and COO Kehi Iman Wilson, BDI’s mission is to initiate original research and bolster existing advocacy efforts examining issues uniquely affecting Black people with disabilities. In this moment, it’s more important than ever that we center Southern Black disabled folks in all aspects of our work, and BDI helps us expand that in a new way. We have more exciting updates to share on BDI soon!