Search: Iowa

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Employer engagement is a critical part of a robust and effective workforce development system. Crossing the cultural and communications divide between the worlds of work and disability is critical for expanding job opportunities for people with disabilities. The great state of Iowa has been at the forefront of outreach work to educate business partners on the bottom-line benefits of hiring more and more people with disabilities.

Watch this webinar to learn how Iowa’s Vocational Rehabilitation system has built up a robust network of business partnerships with Kwik-Trip and other diverse firms. Our guests also spoke about the unique challenges of meeting the workforce training needs of youth with disabilities in rural Iowa.

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The Iowa Able Foundation-Micro-Enterprise, Micro-Lending and Financial Security for Iowans with Disabilities 

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Texas and 16 other states are suing to undo important updates made in 2024 to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act—a key law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination, especially in health care and human services.

This lawsuit, called Texas v. Kennedy (previously Texas v. Becerra), remains a serious threat to the civil rights of disabled people. When the case was first filed, these states asked the court to strike down Section 504 entirely and declare it unconstitutional. Thanks to strong pushback from the disability community, that extreme claim was withdrawn. But the case is still moving forward—and it’s still dangerous.

If the states win, they could roll back recent Section 504 updates that clarify and strengthen protections in health care, housing, community living, and family rights. This would make it easier for discrimination to occur and harder for disabled people to access the services and supports they need to thrive.

Additionally, recent statements from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggest a troubling willingness to narrow protections for disabled people—such as by walking back recognition of gender dysphoria under Section 504. This is particularly concerning because disabled people have intersectional identities, including LGBTQIA+ identities, and policies that fail to account for this intersectionality risk further marginalizing people who already face compounding discrimination.

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Alabama

Attorney General Steve Marshall

Address: 501 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104

Phone: (334) 242-7300

Website Contact Page

Alaska

Attorney General Treg Taylor

Email: attorney.general@alaska.gov

Address: 1031 West 4th Avenue, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK 9950

Phone: 907-269-5100

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Arizona

Attorney General Kris Mayes

Email: AGInfo@azag.gov

Address:  2005 N Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004

Phone: 602-542-5025

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Arkansas

Attorney General Tim Griffin

Email: oag@arkansasag.gov

Address: 323 Center Street, Suite 200, Little Rock, AR 72201

Phone: (501) 682-2007 or (800) 482-8982

Website Contact Page

California

Attorney General Rob Bonta

Email: DisabilityRights@doj.ca.gov

Address: Attorney General’s Office, California Department of Justice, P.O. Box 944255 Sacramento, CA 94244-2550

Phone: 916-210-6276

Website Contact Page

Colorado

Attorney General Philip Weiser

Email: attorney.general@coag.gov

Email Submission Form

Address: Office of the Attorney General Colorado, Department of Law
Ralph L. Carr Judicial Building, 1300 Broadway, 10th Floor Denver, CO 80203

Phone: 720-508-6000

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Connecticut

Attorney General William Tong

Email: Attorney.General@ct.gov

Address: Office of the Attorney General, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106

Phone: 860-808-5318

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Delaware

Attorney General William Tong

Email: attorney.general@delaware.gov

Address: Delaware Department of Justice, Carvel State Building
820 N. French St., Wilmington, DE 19801

Phone: 860-808-5318

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Florida

Interim Attorney General John Guard

Email: john.guard@myfloridalegal.com

Address: Office of the Attorney General State of Florida, PL-01, The Capitol, Tallahassee, FL 32399-105

Phone: (866) 966-7226 or (850) 414-3300

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Georgia

Attorney General Chris Carr

Address: 40 Capitol Square, SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Phone: (404) 458-3600

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Hawaii

Attorney General Anne E. Lopez

Email: hawaiiag@hawaii.gov

Email Submission Form

Address: Department of the Attorney General, 425 Queen Street, Honolulu, HI 96813

Phone: 808-586-1500

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Idaho

Attorney General Raúl R. Labrador

Email: AGLabrador@ag.idaho.gov

Address: State of Idaho Office of the Attorney General, 700 W. Jefferson Street, Suite 210, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, Idaho 83720-0010

Phone: 208-334-2400

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Illinois

Attorney General Kwame Raoul

Email Submission Form

Address: Office of the Illinois Attorney General, Constituent Services, 115 S. LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603

Phone: 217-782-1090

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Indiana

Attorney General Todd Rokita

Email Submission Form

Address: Indiana Government Center South, 302 W. Washington St., 5th Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Phone: (317) 232-6201

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Iowa

Attorney General Brenna Bird

Email: comment@ag.iowa.gov

Address: Office of the Attorney General of Iowa, Hoover State Office Building, 1305 E. Walnut Street, Des Moines IA 50319

Phone: (515) 281-5164

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Kansas

Attorney General Kris Kobach

Email Submission Form

Address: 120 SW 10th Ave. 2nd Floor, Topeka, KS 66612

Phone: (785) 296-2215

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Kentucky

Attorney General Russell Coleman

Email Submission Form

Address: Office of the Attorney General, 700 Capital Avenue, Suite 118, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601-3449

Phone: 502-696-5300

Louisiana

Attorney General Liz Murrill

Email: constituentservices@ag.louisiana.gov

Address: 1885 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802

Phone: (225) 326-6079 or (877) 297-0995

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Maine

Attorney General Aaron Frey

Email: attorney.general@maine.gov

Address: 6 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333

Phone: 207-626-8800

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Maryland

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown

Email: civilrights@oag.state.md.us

Email Submission Form

Address: 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202

Phone: 410-576-6300

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Massachusetts

Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell

Email: AGOcommunityengagement@state.ma.us and bethany.h.brown@mass.gov (ADA Coordinator)

Address: 1 Ashburton Place, 20th Floor, Boston, MA 02108

Phone: 617-727-2200 or 617-963-2917

Website Contact Page

Michigan

Attorney General Dana Nessel

Email: miag@michigan.gov

Address: G. Mennen Williams Building, 525 W. Ottawa Street, P.O. Box 30212 Lansing, MI 48909

Phone: 517-335-7622

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Minnesota

Attorney General Keith Ellison

Email: attorney.general@state.mn.us

Address: 445 Minnesota Street, Suite 600, St. Paul, MN 55101

Phone: 651-296-3353 (Twin Cities Calling Area) or 800-657-3787 (Outside the Twin Cities)

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Mississippi

Attorney General Lynn Fitch

Email Submission Form

Address: 550 High Street, Suite 1200, Jackson, MS 39205

Phone: 601-359-3680

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Missouri

Attorney General Andrew Bailey

Email Submission Form

Address: Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Supreme Court Building
207 W. High St., P.O. Box 899

Phone: 573-751-3321

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Montana

Attorney General Austen Knudsen

Email: contactdoj@mt.gov

Address: P.O. Box 201401, Helena, MT 59620-1401

Phone: 406-444-2026

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Nebraska

Attorney General Mike Hilgers

Email: ago.info.help@nebraska.gov

Address: Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, 2115 State Capitol, P.O. Box 98920, Lincoln, NE 68509

Phone: 402-471-2683

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Nevada

Attorney General Aaron D. Ford

Email: AgInfo@ag.nv.gov

Address: Office of the Attorney General, 100 North Carson Street, Carson City, NV 89701

Phone: 775-684-1100

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New Hampshire

Attorney General John Formella

Email: attorneygeneral@doj.nh.gov

Address: 1 Granite Place South, Concord, NH 03301

Phone: 603-271-3658

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New Jersey

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin

Email Submission Form

Address: Office of the Attorney General, 25 Market Street, PO Box 081 Trenton, NJ 08625-0081

Phone: 609-984-5828

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New Mexico

Attorney General Raúl Torrez

Email Submission Form

Address: 408 Galisteo Street, Villagra Building, Santa Fe, NM 87501

Phone: 505-490-4060

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New York

Attorney General Letitia James

Email Submission Form

Address: Office of the New York State Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany NY 12224-0341

Phone: 800-771-7755

Website Contact Page

North Carolina

Attorney General Jeff Jackson

Email Submission Form

Address: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001

Phone: 919-716-6400 and 919-716-0058 (En Espanol)

North Dakota

Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley

Email: ndag@nd.gov

Address: 600 E. Boulevard Ave Dept. 125, Bismarck ND 58505

Phone: 701-328-2210

Website Contact Page

Ohio

Attorney General Dave Yost

Email Submission Form (Scroll Down)

Address: 30 E. Broad St., 14th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 800-282-0515

Oklahoma

Attorney General Gentner Drummond

Email: contact@oag.ok.gov

Address: Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General, 313 NE 21st Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Phone: 405-521-3921

Website Contact Page

Oregon

Attorney General Dan Rayfield

Email: AttorneyGeneral@doj.oregon.gov

Address: Oregon Department of Justice, 1162 Court St. NE, Salem, OR 97301-4096

Phone: 503-378-4400

Website Contact Page

Pennsylvania

Attorney General David W. Sunday, Jr.

Email Submission Form

Address: Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Strawberry Square, Harrisburg, PA 17120

Phone: 717-787-3391

Rhode Island

Attorney General Peter F. Neronha

Email: pfneronha@riag.ri.gov

Address: Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903

Phone: 401-274-4400

Website Contact Page

South Carolina

Attorney General Alan Wilson

Email: info@scag.gov

Address: The Honorable Alan Wilson, P.O. Box 11549, Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: 803-734-3970

Website Contact Page

South Dakota

Attorney General Marty Jackley

Address: Office of the Attorney General, 1302 E Hwy 14 Ste. 1, Pierre, SD 57501-8501

Phone: (605) 773-3215

Website Contact Page

Tennessee

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti

Email: tnattygen@ag.tn.gov

Address: Office of the Attorney General and Reporter, P.O. Box 20207, Nashville, TN 37202

Phone: 615-741-3491

Website Contact Page

Texas

Attorney General Ken Paxton

Email: publicinfo@oag.texas.gov

Address: Office of the Attorney General, PO Box 12548, Austin, TX 78711-2548

Phone: (512) 463-2100

Website Contact Page

Utah

Attorney General Derek Brown

Email: uag@agutah.gov

Address: Office of the Attorney General, Utah State Capitol Complex, 350 North State Street Suite 230, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2320

Phone: (801) 366-0260

Website Contact Page

Vermont

Attorney General Charity R. Clark

Email: ago.info@vermont.gov

Email Submission Form

Address: 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609

Phone: 802-828-3171

Website Contact Page

Virginia

Attorney General Jason S. Miyares

Email: mailoag@oag.state.va.us

Address: Office of the Attorney General, 202 North Ninth Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219

Phone: 804-786-2071

Website Contact Page

Washington

Attorney General Nick Brown

Email: crc@atg.wa.gov

Email Contact Form

Address: 1125 Washington Street SE, PO Box 40100, Olympia, WA 98504-0100
Phone: 360-753-6200

Website Contact Page

West Virginia

Attorney General John B. McCuskey

Email: ago@wvago.gov

Address: State Capitol Complex, Bldg. 1, Rm E-26, 1900 Kanawha Blvd., Charleston, WV 25305

Phone: 304-558-2021

Website Contact Page

Wisconsin

Attorney General Josh Kaul

Email: DOJ@doj.state.wi.us

Email Submission Form

Address: Attorney General, PO Box 7857, Madison, WI 53707-7857

Phone: 608-266-1221

Wyoming

Attorney General Bridget Hill

Email: DOJ@wyo.gov

Address: 109 State Capitol, Cheyenne, WY 82002

Phone: 307-777-7841

Website Contact Page

Elizabeth Kim to receive first-ever Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell Memorial Award at RespectAbility’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, sponsored by Wells Fargo

Los Angeles, October 17 – The national disability advocacy nonprofit RespectAbility is announcing that after the sudden passing of long-serving staff member, Ben Spangenberg, on September 29, 2023, the Justin Chappell Memorial Award has been renamed to honor Spangenberg alongside the person who first inspired this award, Justin Chappell. Spangenberg and Chappell were life partners, marrying in 2015 after marriage rights were extended to same-sex couples in all 50 states. Together, they advanced RespectAbility’s democracy and civic engagement work, spending several weeks in Iowa and New Hampshire interviewing presidential candidates in 2016. They met with all candidates, educating their campaigns on the importance of not only ensuring accessibility of events and materials but also creating thoughtful policies for helping people with disabilities achieve their goals and fully participate in their communities.

Spangenberg was a part of RespectAbility’s team since 2015, and from 2017 until his passing, served as the Senior Manager of RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program. Under his leadership, more than 200 Fellows graduated from the program, going on to careers in disability advocacy, on Capitol Hill, in philanthropy, and many other sectors. To honor Ben’s legacy of service, his family has requested donations in his memory to RespectAbility.

The newly renamed Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell Memorial Award honors a former or current Fellow of the National Leadership Program who demonstrates a solid commitment to advancing the disability community in policy, entertainment, or philanthropy. The 2023 Spangenberg-Chappell Memorial Award will celebrate former Fellow, Elizabeth Kim. Kim will receive $1,000 and be honored on stage at RespectAbility’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, featuring Platinum Sponsor Wells Fargo, in Los Angeles on November 2. [continue reading…]

It is still very fresh news for all of us at RespectAbility that my friend and colleague Ben Spangenberg passed away, but amidst the grief, it is impossible not to remember Ben’s amazing contributions. Obviously, Ben was best known in our world for his leadership of our National Leadership Fellowship Program. He lived by a simple vision saying, “I want young people in the disability community to know they are loved and appreciated for their unique dreams, talents, and skills.” He always maintained that the disability community needed the opportunity to share and be recognized for our talents. He was particularly excited when the fellowship began to pay hourly wages, as he knew that it would enable many more people to participate in the program. This exemplified one of the strongest facets of Ben’s leadership, but not the only one. [continue reading…]

Disability Belongs™, formerly RespectAbility, mourns the loss of Ben Spangenberg, who passed away after surgery on September 29, 2023. Spangenberg was a part of the organization’s team since 2015, and since 2017, had served as the Senior Manager of our National Leadership Program. Under his leadership, more than 200 Fellows have graduated from the program, going on to careers in disability advocacy, on Capitol Hill, in philanthropy and other sectors.

Spangenberg also assisted with our democracy work, spending several weeks in Iowa and New Hampshire interviewing presidential candidates. He met 100 percent of the 2016 candidates on both sides of the aisle, educating their campaigns on the importance of not only ensuring accessibility of events and materials but also creating thoughtful policies for helping people with disabilities achieve employment goals.

Prior to working with our organization, Spangenberg worked on Capitol Hill and spent seven years working with a government contractor on several disability-related projects pertaining to employment, education and community living. Spangenberg received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley.

Spangenberg was a mentor to many of our Fellows and Staff. But more than that, he was a kind, caring, loyal friend to everyone at our organization. Our team offers their condolences to his family, friends, and the disability community at large which dramatically benefitted from his life’s work. Ben, you will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, Ben’s family has requested donations to our organization. Our Board has generously offered to match donations made in Ben’s honor up to $10,000. You can donate online here.

Tributes From Our Team

“When I first joined RespectAbility, Ben was one of the first team members I met. He shared with me that RespectAbility was a family, not just a workplace, and it turns out, he was right. What he didn’t say back then, but I came to learn during my tenure, was that Ben was a big part of why RespectAbility is more than just a team of disabled and disability advocates working toward common goals.” – Ariel Simms, President & CEO Read More

“Ben was a kind, sweet, smart, and effective advocate for himself and so many others with disabilities and their families. I always enjoyed working with Ben. He will be deeply missed. May his memory be a blessing for all.” – Donna Meltzer, Board of Directors

“Ben was more than a co-worker for me. He was a really great friend. I’m sad that the world will be deprived of the good Ben would have done if he was still here, and that I won’t be able to have another conversation with him. I am seriously going to miss him.” – Eric Ascher, Senior Communications Associate Read More

“Ben was always a kind and supportive member of the team. I always felt comfortable coming to Ben when I needed his help. So many Fellows found a springboard to launch their careers because of Ben’s dedication to the National Leadership Program, and even when we were working together virtually, I could feel his warmth and care for the Fellows. Ben, we’ll never forget you.” – Ian Cherutich, Development Associate

“Ben has helped countless people learn how to advocate for themselves – especially in terms of disability accommodations. His legacy will live on in the dozens of Fellows he mentored – reviewing resumes, conducting mock interviews, and connecting them to a vast network within the disability community.” – Lauren Appelbaum, SVP Entertainment & News Media Read More

“The world lost a beautiful soul way too soon when Ben Spangenberg passed away last week. A leader in the disability world, Ben mentored RespectAbility leadership fellows for a decade. Invested in their success, Ben provided opportunities for many to gain career enhancing work experiences. He generously drove me to the airport each time I visited the Maryland offices and we had special one-on-one time together. He also attended every presentation I made to the fellows which meant a great deal to me. His passing leaves a huge hole in all of our hearts and only time will allow us to feel the blessings of his memory and impact he made on our lives.” – Linda Burger, Chair, Board of Directors

“It is still very fresh news for all of us at RespectAbility that my friend and colleague Ben Spangenberg passed away recently, but amidst the grief, it is impossible not to remember Ben’s amazing contributions. To Ben, we say, ‘Rest in Power. Your part is done.’ To the rest of us, Ben’s legacy and spirit shout, ‘Onward!'” – Matan Koch, Senior Policy Advisor Read More

“One of our last conversations was via text when Ben went to the hospital. I told him we missed him at our team meeting that day. “Benly wisdom just wasn’t the same without its namesake,” I wrote. Ben wrote back, “You’ll have to keep folks in line while I’m out-but don’t do too well without me. I like my job and don’t want to become obsolete!” He followed this with three laughing smiley faces. “Ben, not a chance,” I replied. Ben’s smile always made me want to mirror one back. There was a lot of smiling when Ben was in the Zoom room. He gave people a safe space to be themselves, for he was a great listener and sounding board, and he was so completely genuine. In our last conversation, I offered, “I’m always here if you get bored and want to tell Dad jokes!” “My nurses love the Dad jokes,” he replied. Despite our groans after Ben delivered his punchlines, we loved his Dad jokes, too. May his memory be an enduring blessing.” – Shelly Christensen, Senior Director of Faith Inclusion and Belonging

“Ben and I worked for the same organization, but we chose to be friends and work-siblings! I will cherish our goofy conversations, our joyful chats, our sad times, and our shared love of all the Fellows who came through our program. Ben’s light will continue to shine in our Fellows and for so many of us, he taught us to fight for everyone’s rights and fight for space at the decision-making table.” – Tonya Koslo, VP of Finance & Operations Read More