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National Disability Rights Network

@ndrnadvocates.bsky.social

We are the national membership association for the congressionally mandated Protection & Advocacy Systems and Client Assistance Programs. https://linktr.ee/ndrnadvocates

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National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2d ago

Airlines break and mishandle nearly 30 wheelchairs every day. People with disabilities deserve access to safe, dignified, and accessible air travel. Learn more about the rights of air travelers with disabilities: https://www.transportation.gov/AccessibleAirTravel

White text on solid purple background, stating "Airlines mishandle 29 wheelchairs daily. Source: Air Travel Consumer Report, 2019."

White text on solid purple background, stating:
When using air travel, people with disabilities face more barriers, such as:
- Mishandled or broken mobility equipment
- Inaccessible plane or airport bathrooms
- Narrow plane aisles that cannot accommodate mobility aids and no on-board wheelchair (OBW)
- Inadequate seating accommodations within airports
- Lack of consistency amongst airlines, airports, and staff in accessibility protocols (i.e. TSA Cares)

Timeline titled "Regulations exist, but the problem persists." Points include:
1986- Air Carriers Access Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air travel
1990 - Americans with Disabilities Act is signed but does NOT apply to air travel
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018: Airlines must report damage to wheelchairs and scooters and development of Airline Passengers With Disabilities Bill of Rights
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 establishes new training standards...

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 5d ago

these challenging, ableist times are giving us some strong feelings. to get these feelings off our chest, we let our gen z staff take over for the day 🤭 💬 see anything relatable here? what's keeping you going right now?

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · last wk.

People with disabilities belong everywhere – including in the music industry. This Tuesday, August 11 was National Hip-Hop Day. In honor of the day, we’re sharing about 3 hip-hop artists with disabilities! 🎵 Who are some of your favorite musicians with disabilities? 💬

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · last wk.

Kinda chic to rep your disability identity. VERY chic to fund disability advocacy. Our new merch collection boldly celebrates disability AND funds NDRN's work to keep disabled people in their community. 🛍️ Browse the collection: https://www.bonfire.com/store/national-disability-rights-network.

Person lying on a blue carpet reading a book titled 'Care Work' wearing a black t-shirt. The shirt has an orange sunflower in the center and test that says "Not all disabilities are visible."
Text over the image reads: Kinda chick to rep your disability identity.

Image of a young woman with curly hair smiling while wearing a pink hoodie. The hoodie has a line drawing of a cartoon animal neighborhood. Some of the animals have disabilities like limb differences or low vision, and one animal is in a wheelchair. There is a banner wrapped around the drawing with text that reads “Community Over Confinement.”
Text over the entire image reads: Kinda chic to support disabled art.

Smiling woman wearing headphones and a black t-shirt. The t-shirt has playful, multicolor text that reads “Abolish Ableism.” Surrounding the text are multicolor icons of sparkles, flowers, and a heart.
Over the image, text reads: Kinda chic to be proud of your disability.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2w ago

On August 6, 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law. Over 60 years later, voting rights for people with disabilities are still under attack. Inaccessible polling places. Threats to mail-in voting. Barriers to voter registration. To learn more, visit https://www.ndrn.org/voting/.

What did it do?
The Voting Rights Act outlawed racist and discriminatory voting practices...which also harmed people with disabilities.
The VRA created specific protections for voters with disabilities:
Election officials must allow a voter who is blind or has another disability to receive assistance from a person of the voter's choice.
Officials are prohibited from requiring voters to be able to read or write, have a particular level of education, or pass an interpretation test.
Source: ADA.gov

Who made it happen?
Fannie Lou Hamer was one of many Black disabled people who marched and lobbied for voting rights

During a 1963 arrest for her peaceful voting access efforts, Hamer suffered physical police violence that caused kidney damage and worsened her existing disabilities.
Source: Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum

What's at stake now?
Today, there are new threats to voting rights.
Shelby County v. Holder, a 2013 Supreme Court ruling, removed many safeguards against voter suppression in areas with a history of anti-Black discrimination.
Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, a 2021 Supreme Court ruling, made it harder to win lawsuits that fight back against voter discrimination.
The recent attempt to pass the SAVE Act would’ve added...
Source: Brennan Center for Justice; Center for American Progress

What can we do?
That’s why NDRN supports the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (H.R.4).
If passed, this act would:
Make it easier to identify voter discrimination in states and cities
Protect voters from harmful last-minute changes by requiring all voting changes to be announced at least 6 months before an election
Allow the government to send observers to any polling place that is at risk of discrimination
Source: Human Rights Campaign

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3w ago

Disability Pride Month is almost over, but pride never stops. How will you wear your disability pride? We've got some ideas! Be proud year round with our new merch. All proceeds fund disability advocacy. Order yours: http://bonfire.com/store/national-disability-rights-network.

Image of light blue short-sleeve t-shirt with a line drawing of a cartoon animal neighborhood. Some of the animals have disabilities like limb differences or low vision, and one animal is in a wheelchair. The animals are resting, reading, cooking, visiting each other, delivering mail, and exploring the neighborhood. There is a banner wrapped around the drawing which reads “Community Over Confinement.” Also includes image of blue jeans, a blue scrunchie, blue headphones, and brown sandals.

A blue/gray short-sleeve t-shirt with a sunflower smiley face and text in a playful font that reads “Not All Disabilities Are Visible.” There is also a dark blue tote back with with playful, multicolor text that reads “Abolish Ableism.” Surrounding the text are multicolor icons of sparkles, flowers, and a heart. The shirt is paired with an orange water bottle, orange sneakers, and an orange lanyard.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 4w ago

On this episode of National Disability Radio, Alden Blevins, Stephanie Flynt McEben, and Eric Buehlmann pull back the curtain on the federal funding process. They discuss the successful FY26 funding fight, why advocacy on Capitol Hill matters, and how everyday people can help.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 4w ago

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a landmark disability law. It requires businesses, employers, and government bodies to be accessible to people with disabilities. Protecting and enforcing these rights is at the heart of our network. Accessibility is the future.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · last mo.

Eugenics and ableist language become more common every day. Powerful people suggest that people with disabilities are less valuable, important, or worthy. Disability Pride Month is one way to resist messages of ableism and eugenics. Why does disability pride matter to you? 💬

Image of the disability pride flag colors depicted as a wave on a solid black background. Text in text box reads:
"Disability pride [matters] because the rights that disabled individuals enjoy today were because those who came before us literally put their own bodies on the line, in front of buses or doing the Capitol Craw…Disability pride gives us an opportunity to keep this memory and this knowledge alive"
-Tho Vinh Banh
Disability Rights California

Image of the disability pride flag colors depicted as a wave on a solid black background. Text in text box reads:
"I am proud of my disability because fitting the mold is BORING."
-Virginia Pharis
disAbility Law Center of Virginia

"Because shame, embarrassment, and fear no longer have a place in my life. I am proud to be an Afro-Latina. With both apparent and non-apparent disabilities…Every time I show up authentically, I push back against the harmful belief that disability is something to be pitied, hidden, or fixed…Disability pride is my way of showing the world that disabled people belong, matter, and deserve to be seen, heard, and celebrated exactly as we are."
- Elizabeth Campos
Disability Rights California

"Disability Pride Month is a reminder that my disability is not something to hide, fix, or overcome... I celebrate the resilience, creativity, and strength of the disability community while recognizing that pride also means continuing to fight for a world where accessibility, inclusion, and belonging are not special accommodations, but basic expectations. My disability has never limited my worth. It has strengthened my purpose."
-Ashley Volion
Disability Rights Louisiana

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · last mo.

Want to fund disability rights AND show off your values? Check out our new merch! 🛍️ - Designed by and for people with disabilities - Perfect for Disability Pride Month - 100% of the profits help NDRN defend disability rights Order today: https://ow.ly/BtCI50Znyk7

Image of two t-shirts. On the left is a bright orange short-sleeve t-shirt with a sunflower smiley face and text in a playful font that reads “Not All Disabilities Are Visible.” On the right is a light blue short-sleeve t-shirt with a line drawing of a cartoon animal with disabilities in a neighborhood. There is a banner wrapped around the drawing that reads “Community Over Confinement.” Text on image reads:
Wear your pride + fund disability rights!
Multiple colors available
Sizes XS-5X

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · last mo.

PAID INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY: Seeking people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who rely on Medicaid and live in rural areas outside St. Louis, MO for a short documentary. Filming will take place August 4th - 6th. 🎥 For more details: tinyurl.com/NDRN-medicaid.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

NDRN is working every day to make the disability community heard at the federal level. We will not stop fighting to ensure that people with disabilities have a seat at the policy table. You can join this fight. Be the power behind our advocacy: give today. https://www.ndrn.org/donate/

Image of five disabled people of color with canes, prosthetic legs, and a wheelchair sit on a rooftop deck, laughing and sharing stories. Greenery and city high-rises are visible in the background. Below that is another image of disabled protestors holding signs at a protest. Text on both images reads: Disability pride is joy. Disability pride is resistance.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The U.S. observes an anniversary this Saturday. For many marginalized groups, we still have a long way to go. We celebrate those working toward a new future. One where all people have the full rights, access, and support to be as independent (or interdependent) as they want.

Disabled protesters in wheelchairs holding signs advocating for disability rights and freedom, such as "Buses are for everyone," "lifts not lies," and "freedom rider." Text above image: No one is free until everyone is free.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

This Pride Month, NDRN celebrates advocates throughout queer and disabled history like Kitty Cone, Connie Panzarino and Dr. Bruce Voeller. We honor the contributions these individuals and many others have made to the movement, and stand in solidarity with all disabled people.

A group of disabled queer Black folks talk and laugh at a sleepover, relaxing across two large beds. Everyone is dressed in colorful t-shirts and wearing a variety of sleep scarves, bonnets, and durags. On the left, two friends sit on one bed and paint each other’s nails. On the right, four people lounge on a bed: one person braids another’s hair while the third friend wearing a C-PAP mask laughs, and the fourth person looks up from their book. Text: Happy Pride! Our Movements are connected.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Count Us In: Disability, the Census and Federal Data Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BPtoeK-MS9-FJ9wvwNc-1g#/registration Join NDRN for a webinar highlighting key findings from our recent convening of census and disability data experts.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

For National Bingo Day, we're sharing some of the common phrases people with disabilities hear. This is one way that ableism shows up in disabled people's daily lives. For what to say instead, check out this disability etiquette guide: https://unitedspinal.org/top-10-disability-etiquette/

A bingo card titled Disability Bingo. Each square on the bingo card has an ableist phrase. View post caption for the full image description with the list of phrases.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Isolation in institutions used to be the only option for people with disabilities. The Olmstead decision changed that. What is Olmstead? THIS is Olmstead: upheld and defended every day by the P&A network. Here's to deinstitutionalization and community living.

Portraits of Stephanie Patrick, Executive Director of Disability Rights Center-NH, and Kelly Bagby, AARP Foundation VP of Litigation. Text: Potential national implications loom as judge sends New Hampshire Medicaid HCBS case to trial. The lawsuit... claims the state’s underinvestment in its Medicaid waiver program, Choices for Independence, leaves recipients “at serious risk of unjustified institutionalization”

Image of Mary Mac Jenkins, and her 9-year-old disabled son, Miles. Text: Medicaid cuts are in effect. NC mom fears losing nurses helping keep her son alive. In North Carolina, the state's health department was sued by the legal advocacy group Disability Rights North Carolina, which filed what became known as the Samantha R. case. The group argued that North Carolina’s failure to provide access to community-and-home-based behavioral health services violated the rights of people with disabilities.

Image of Emma Denice Milligan and her caregiver, Wanda Kincy, laughing in her Oakland home. Portrait of Sabrina Epstein, Policy Analyst at Disability Rights California. Text: ‘I’d Be Left Alone’: Medicaid Cuts Put Disabled Patients’ In-Home Care at Risk. Analysts warn even a 10% reduction could increase overall Medicaid costs by about $1 billion as more people are pushed into institutional care. Disability Rights California policy analyst Sabrina Epstein called the cuts “an absolute disaster.”

Image of disability rights advocate Mary-Ann Langton exiting the governor’s office. Portrait of Sheldon Toubman, Litigation Attorney at Disability Rights Connecticut. Text: Lamont backs off plan to sunset Community First Choice, as lawmakers and advocates reject proposal.... The cost of home and community-based services programs are bound to grow as enrollment increases. Such programs also help keep people out of institutional long-term care, which can be far more expensive ...

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Community living is a right. DOJ’s latest opinion puts that at risk. We will defend Olmstead, the ADA, and the freedom of people with disabilities to live in their communities; not institutions. We will not go back.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Juneteenth reminds us that no one is free until we're all free. Abusive prisons and institutions still strip rights and humanity away from Black people with disabilities. Let’s keep moving toward liberation for Black communities, people with disabilities, and everyone in the U.S.

Historic black and white photo of six Black individuals dressed in 19th-century attire celebrating Emancipation Day held in "East Woods" on East 24th Street in Austin (June 19, 1900). Text on image reads:
Juneteenth - A legacy of liberation for Black disabled people. June nineteenth, 1865.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The federal government’s plan would move special education programs and civil rights enforcement out of the Department of Education and into different agencies. Disability advocates across the US are concerned because these systems are designed to work together.

Image of a group of students with disabilities visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Cast Collection galleries. Photographed November 23, 1922. Text on image reads: Students with disabilities have a right to learn, belong, and succeed in school.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Share your Medicaid story 🎥 Seeking people with I/DD in Roanoke, VA area for short documentary (honorarium provided) For more details: https://forms.office.com/r/0vNN2sWzaM

This image features several black-and-white portraits of individuals who are members of the intellectual or developmental disability community. On the right side of the image, text reads: “Faces of Medicaid. Seeking storytellers who want to share more about their experiences with Medicaid, especially members of the intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD) community. Locations: In and around Roanoke, Virginia.

Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund @dredf.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Future disability rights lawyers: DREDF is accepting candidates to support with application for fellowship sponsorship opportunities beginning in Fall 2027. Receive guidance in crafting a high quality application for disability civil rights legal advocacy work. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Sf5PNJ

Disability Culture Lab @disabilitylab.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Apply to the 2026 cohort of the Disability Rising Fellowship! Program includes media training and coaching, speaking and publishing opps, and a $5,000 stipend upon completion. Ready to shift the narrative? Submit your interest at tinyurl.com/DisabilityRising26 by 11:59 p.m. ET on June 28, 2026.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Good news! This month, disability joy showed up as Medicaid rights, more inclusive care, and increasing disabled people’s access to history. With growing attacks on disability rights, joy is more important than ever. What good news have you learned recently? 🗞️

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Many children with disabilities experience trauma, neglect, and abuse in the foster care system. We’re grateful for the Protection and Advocacy agencies holding child welfare systems accountable and protecting some of the nation’s most vulnerable children. #NationalFosterCareMonth

Image of Tom Stenson.
Headline: Oregon shows notable progress for foster kids after class action lawsuit exposed horrors
Tom Stenson, deputy legal director for Disability Rights Oregon... said he thinks the child welfare agency is too ready to pat itself on the back and needs to do more, ... he said, “We believed change was possible for children in Oregon’s foster care system – and we still do.” But, he said, “There is far more work ahead of us than behind.”

Image of Virginia Knowlton Marcus, Executive Director at Disability Rights North Carolina.
Headline: State probes alleged 24-hour confinement, educational lockdown at Durham Youth Home. The advocacy groups have now returned with evidence, including a report from Disability Rights North Carolina that describes education in the Youth Home being largely replaced by isolation... During a February visit by DRNC...youth at the Home were “confined to their cells for 22.5 to 24 hours every day..."

Image of Joe Sarra, Julie Kegley and Ilias Savakis from the Georgia Advocacy Office.
Text: Some Kids End Up in Foster Care Solely for Mental Health Reasons...Georgia parents who voluntarily give up their children to foster care aren’t necessarily abusive, neglectful or unloving, numerous speakers have told state lawmakers in a series of public hearings... “This is an act of desperation — parents do not want to abandon their children,” said Joe Sarra of the Georgia Advocacy Office.

Text: Six Years After Landmark Settlement, New Mexico Makes Limited Progress on Child Welfare Reforms.
The class-action suit, Kevin S. v. Blalock & Scrase, was filed by Disability Rights New Mexico, the Native American Disability Law Center, and 13 foster children in 2018. According to court filings, these youth cycled in and out of emergency placements like homeless shelters and government offices...
Disability Rights New Mexico and Native American Disability Law Center logos at bottom.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3mo ago

When people with Celiac Disease eat gluten, their intestines and digestive system are damaged. In 2025, the disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV) defended accommodations for people with gluten-related disorders. Read more: https://ow.ly/VUtj50Z4ogz. #CeliacAwarenessMonth

Solid dark purple background with light pink text. In the middle, there is an icon stating "gluten free." Text on image reads:
1 in 100 people live with celiac disease. For them, gluten-free eating is essential treatment, not a preference.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Check out NDRN's very own Manager for Voter Access and Engagement, Michelle Bishop, on Disability Rights California's recent podcast episode. With practical tips, candid insights, and a bit of humor, the conversation encourages voters to feel informed and empowered. rss.com/podcasts/the...

I Love This About Voters | The Game Plan Episode 12 | Podcast Episode on RSS.com

As a grassroots production, we greatly value your support. Please subscribe, comment, rate, review, and share The Game Plan. It’s a special election episode on The Game Plan! This time, Eric is joine...

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National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are a good start to make digital content accessible. But color contrast, image descriptions, and captions are just the beginning. Access is a journey to make sure everyone with and without disabilities can stay connected. #GlobalAccessibilityAwarenessDay

Purple and green background with six disability icons. Text on image reads: Access isn't a checklist. It's a practice.

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Want your content to reach audiences with diverse access needs? Join our Accessible Communications 101 training! 📅 June 11 ⏰ 1 PM 💻 Register for the webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/b4zyScNbStC9-gngHhNnDw#/registration

National Disability Rights Network @ndrnadvocates.bsky.social · 3mo ago

⚠️Content warning: this post contains examples of ableist language. People with mental illness are not broken and do not need to be fixed. What they DO need is care, support, and community. #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #MHAM

Pink text on dark purple background. Text states:
People with disabilities experience mental distress almost 5 times more often than those without disabilities
Source: CDC

Green and purple backgrounds. Text reads:

Ableist mental health language makes stigma worse.

“This weather is so bipolar.”
“I’m OCD about organizing my books.”
“She acts schizo when she’s tired.”

This type of language is harmful and makes it harder to talk about the real lived experience of mental illness.

Text reads:
Need support?
-Call the 24/7 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
-Call the 24/7 Trevor Project Suicide Hotline for LGBTQ youth: 1-866-488-7386.
-Contact the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) HelpLine weekdays only via call (1-800-950-6264) or text (62640).
-Visit Youth Move National for youth mental health resources: youthmovenational.org

If you are Deaf, you can:
-Contact the 24/7 Deaf Crisis Line for ASL video services by video phone: 321-800-3323.