New Tools to Be Released

Washington, D.C., July 22 – As more than 6.3 million students in America with disabilities are coping with COVID-19, the national disability nonprofit RespectAbility is hosting experts and self-advocates to mark the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and to promote greater success for students with disabilities.

“Thus far during the pandemic, distance learning has been a train-wreck for students with disabilities. Much more must be done so that no more harm comes to students with disabilities. This includes both access to real learning and preventing further mental health distress,” said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of RespectAbility. Mizrahi is dyslexic herself and, as a parent of a child with disabilities, is working to enable her own child to have access to a quality education during this current COVID-19 crisis. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, California, July 22 – Across America people are doing vital work – protesting and working to fight structural racism. At the same time, Black and other people with disabilities are being excluded even in nonprofit groups that are working to fight inequity.

RespectAbility conducted a major study and published Disability in Philanthropy & Nonprofits, which looked at the levels of disability inclusion in the social sector across the country. The largescale study found significant data showing that nationwide, organizations overall want to be inclusive, but are unintentionally excluding the one-in-five people with disabilities. [continue reading…]

#SNAPDeliverySavesLives

Washington, D.C. July 21 – With the COVID-19 pandemic raging out of control and many resisting wearing life-saving masks, something as simple as going to the grocery store can become a life or death decision. People with disabilities and other underlying medical conditions are uniquely vulnerable to this disease and need access to safe options for putting food on the table.

According to the CDC, 90 percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations are people with underlying conditions. Moreover, it is very hard for people who are blind to see who does or does not have a mask on. People who use wheelchairs cannot simply jump out of the way when someone comes near them without a mask. Thus, in places where people are not wearing masks or practicing full social distancing, RespectAbility – a national disability nonprofit – is encouraging people with disabilities to use food pickup or delivery so they can stay healthy. [continue reading…]

This week, almost 400 people registered for the exciting session, “How to Ensure Accessible Events: Both Live and Virtual Across All Platforms.” By now, you’re probably aware of our  Disability Access and Inclusion Training Series for Jewish Organizations and Activists offered by a coalition of over 45 Jewish organizations. If not, this week is the place to start. Perhaps the most exciting thing about our record-breaking numbers is that, even if everyone only follows the tips and tricks we gave this week, it would be a quantum leap forward in access and inclusion for the Jewish world. Combining that with next week’s session, “How to Ensure a Welcoming Lexicon, Accessible Websites and Social Media and Inclusive Photos,” we will literally revolutionize the way your organization approaches disability inclusion. There is amazing learning to be acquired in all seven webinars; yet if your time is limited, I strongly recommend watching the accessible recording of this week’s webinar, and then register for the one on Tuesday. [continue reading…]

Washington, D.C., July 16, 2020 – On July 26, America will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the most comprehensive piece of civil rights legislation ever passed for people with disabilities.

In celebration, the national disability advocacy nonprofit RespectAbility is hosting #ADA30 Summit 2020, with daily virtual events from Monday, July 27 through Friday, July 31. The #ADA30 Summit 2020 is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal, the Murray/Reese Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment and The Walt Disney Company. [continue reading…]

RespectAbility was thrilled that nearly 200 participants from six different countries including the United States, Canada, Israel, United Kingdom, Germany and Argentina registered to attend the informative and innovative webinar held on July 7th entitled `How to Recruit, Accommodate and Promote Jewish Leaders with Disabilities.” This session was the third in a series of seven such webinars generously funded by The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles through a Cutting Edge Grant, The Diane and Guilford Glazer Philanthropies, and The Charles & Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation among others. Additionally, nearly 45 local and national/international Jewish organizations are serving as co-promoters for this series.

As Co-Chair of RespectAbility’s Global Jewish Inclusion work, I was pleased and proud to serve as moderator for this stellar webinar in tandem with the superb panelists Lee Chertosky, and Lori Golden. [continue reading…]

More than 200 people registered for the exciting session “Disability Access and Inclusion Training Series for Jewish Organizations and Activists” offered by a coalition of over 40 Jewish organizations. “How to Advance Disability Inclusion in Jewish Education” debunked the long-held belief that the Jewish world did not have educational models for students with disabilities. More than that, it highlighted three of those models, any or all of which might be of use to your community as you grapple with that all-important value of Mi Dor l’Dor – from generation to generation, passing the Torah into the hands of all of our children, and successfully including children with disabilities.

Our three panelists – moderator Meredith Polsky of Matan (sadly, I can claim no relation), Lianne Heller of Sulam and Debbie Niderberg of Hidden Sparks – each introduced us to both the founding stories of their organizations and what this genesis meant for their model. [continue reading…]

Rockville, Maryland, June 28 – Known for her multidisciplinary approach and exemplary soft and hard skills, Debbie Fink is the Director of Community Outreach and Impact for RespectAbility. Maximizing this approach and dual skillset, she efficiently and effectively crafts trainings, programs and events that elevate purpose, deepen understanding, broaden community and quantify impact.

What does that mean, and how does she do it? A keen observer of all people around her, Fink elicits personal stories, cultivates connectivity and garners buy-in. Fink then identifies common threads among individuals and groups, pinpoints gaps and weaves together programming that promotes powerful change – change that is woven with earned trust, mutual respect and common goals.

After any such event, Fink assesses impact through ongoing surveys, data collection and analysis. At RespectAbility, Fink’s trainings, programs and events advance opportunities and fight stigmas for—and with—people with disabilities. Several best practices have emerged from her diligent work. [continue reading…]

More than 100 people joined the first session of the new “Disability Access and Inclusion Training Series for Jewish Organizations and Activists” offered by a coalition of over 40 Jewish organizations. The session “Inclusion as a Jewish Value” laid the groundwork for the other six sessions, not only demonstrating clearly that inclusion is present even in our earliest texts, but also responding to common misconceptions and obstacles.

Aaron Kaufman, Senior Legislative Associate at the Jewish Federations of North America, who has cerebral palsy, shared with us how his Judaism informed his leadership in disability policy, and his disability gave him a unique facet to lead in the Jewish world. He was also quick to point out that this was nothing new, and that in fact Moses – our greatest teacher – himself had a disability. Aaron also lined up a number of common concerns raised about practicing disability inclusion, from a perceived conflict with other inclusion needs to a perception of cost. Aaron responded factually, pointing out that disability cut across all categories, and that everyone could join the disability community eventually. He also pointed out that the financial cost of accommodation was low. [continue reading…]