News

The Bentonville Film Festival (BFF), taking place June 16-22, is highlighting several disability-inclusive films. Chaired by Academy Award winner Geena Davis, BFF champions women and diverse voices.

According to festival programmers, 12% of the films in the competition categories have a director who identifies as disabled. In addition, 17% of these films include a lead character with a disability. These numbers are less than in 2023, when  “over 30% of the (competition) program is comprised of creators with disabilities” and “25% (of onscreen leads) represent talent with disabilities.” However, the 2025 numbers are an increase from 2021, when eight percent of the directors, four percent of the writers, and four percent of the leads identified as having a disability.
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“I know my words carry power.”

SPEAK. follows five high school students as they prepare and compete in one of the world’s largest public speaking competitions. Viewers learn the stories of Noor, Noah, Sam, Mfaz, and Esther, the two-time reigning national champion in the Oratory division.

SPEAK. is at times electric and at others contemplative, inviting reflection as well as moments of bold, unrestrained energy. Although Disability Belongs™ often reviews films that are centered around disabled protagonists or plotlines, SPEAK. is not, at its core, a story only about disability. Teenage orators share stories about LGBTQIA+ equality, gun safety legislation, war in the Middle East, and more. The beauty of the disability representation in this film is that it is so natural, because it’s simply part of what makes several students who they are.

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is currently working to quietly rollback two regulations that help implement Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. These regulations guarantee individuals with disabilities the right to access buildings constructed or modified with federal funding, as well as require existing facilities to have a plan to remove access barriers over time. If this change is implemented, builders would no longer be required to meet established accessibility standards, such as providing elevators, ramps, accessible bathrooms, as well as the placement of accessories, such as changing tables, grab bars, towel dispensers, etc. These changes would represent a significant setback for disability rights and could undermine years of progress toward ensuring access for all.

Public comments are due by June 15th. The DOE needs to hear from you, so submit a comment opposing this change today.

On behalf of Disability Belongs™, a diverse, nonpartisan, disability-led nonprofit that drives cultural and policy change, we express deep concern about proposed federal budget cuts to essential programs that millions of Americans rely on—especially people with disabilities, older adults, and underserved communities.

Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid would have devastating consequences for individuals who already face systemic barriers to food security, quality healthcare, and economic stability. [continue reading…]

Viewers may think they know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. However, writer/director Regan Linton has reimagined this classic tale in a new short film as part of Warner Bros. Discovery’s Reframed: Next Gen Narratives program. In this series, six filmmakers adapted classic movies through a contemporary lens, tackling modern-day issues surrounding identity.

Episode Three: Jack and the Beanstalk is about a young man named Jack (Josh Elledge), who is an employee at the Beanstalk Grocery. Jack is a subminimum wage worker being exploited by his employers. Despite being an excellent worker, beloved by his colleagues and customers and recommended for a promotion by his manager, Ellie (Valentina Fittipaldi), Jack is caught off guard when the regional manager, Marge (Hannah Duggan), tries to shut his progression down. Marge cunningly cites the company’s compliance with employment laws while evading the obvious exploitation of Jack.

“That really resonated for me in relation to our disability community, and the constant battles we are fighting to be able to live fully and productively,” director Regan Linton shared in an interview with Disability Belongs™. “So, I wanted our Jack to be someone who has a lot going on underneath the surface (which most of us do), and follows the rules (however absurd they may be) in order to influence and win. And when I thought about current metaphorical ‘giants’ our community faces, there are so many, but the inherently inequitable subminimum wage issue jumped out to me.” [continue reading…]

In Sūnna (Hindi for listen), Radha Mehta invites the audience into a contemplative and atmospheric film that recognizes sound and silence as forces that can shape identity and belonging. It follows Lakshmi, a young Indian girl who experiences sudden hearing loss just as she is about to perform a cherished religious song. The film deftly explores identity, familial love, and spiritual belonging.

“I like to have sound as its own character,” Mehta shared in an interview with Disability Belongs™, “because it’s very much been its own character in my life, throughout my entire life.”

“When that sound escaped me, I felt like I was losing parts of myself,” recalled Mehta, who is hard-of-hearing herself, describing the autobiographical roots of Lakshmi’s story. “Music was all around me, [it was] so entrenched within our home.” [continue reading…]

Every day, millions of people across the United States rely on long-term services and supports (LTSS) to lead full and independent lives. These supports—ranging from in-home caregiving and personal attendant services to assistive technology and transportation—are not about comfort or convenience. They are about dignity, inclusion, access, and human rights.

Conversations about LTSS often focus narrowly on aging, yet more than half of Medicaid LTSS users are under the age of 65 and live with disabilities. This includes children with developmental disabilities, adults with spinal cord injuries, working professionals managing chronic conditions, and countless others navigating systems not built with them in mind.

As demand for LTSS grows, people with disabilities must be at the center of every conversation—across funding, program design, delivery, and reform—to build a system that is equitable, inclusive, and sustainable. [continue reading…]

In 2020, voters with disabilities were twice as likely to report difficulties voting. Only 17% of polling places were fully accessible in 2016. And more than 38 million eligible voters with disabilities could benefit from improved access. Passing the Accessible Voting Act (AVA) would be a major step towards addressing these issues.

Disability Belongs™ works to advocate for accessible voting for all Americans. At the federal level, we vigorously supported the Accessible Voting Act in the last Congress (118th) and are hoping for its reintroduction in the current Congressional session (119th). [continue reading…]

Community and belonging are central to many faith and spiritual traditions. Yet, people with disabilities face many barriers to access and inclusion. Addressing these barriers acts as a catalyst not just for participation, but for true belonging. Shifting the conversation from “can people with disabilities attend our worship services?” to “who is missing from our gatherings, and what would it take to make everyone feel seen, heard, and valued here?” demonstrates how accessibility can move beyond welcoming to create genuine belonging.

When people think about accessibility, physical features such as ramps, elevators, and accessible seating often come to mind. While these are critical, it’s important to recognize that not all disabilities are visible or physical. Expanding our understanding of accessibility and disability allows faith and spiritual organizations to better meet the full needs of disabled individuals. [continue reading…]