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Millions with Disabilities Still Forced to Choose Between Food and COVID-19

Iowa state flag. Text: Online SNAP in IowaDes Moines, Iowa, May 19 – The disability nonprofit RespectAbility congratulates the USDA and the state of Iowa for enabling people with disabilities who rely on SNAP to avoid the high risk of shopping for food in person. The CDC reports that approximately 90 percent of people hospitalized with COVID-19 have underlying conditions. People with disabilities and other historically marginalized communities are the groups most likely to have these conditions, and are among the most at risk for severe complications from the coronavirus.

“This is potentially lifesaving news for the approximately 98,000 Iowans with disabilities who depend on food stamps to put food on the table,” said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, President and CEO of RespectAbility. “We are grateful that Gov. Kim Reynolds and the state of Iowa are committed to supporting the disability community.” [continue reading…]

Read the webinar transcript (coming soon)
Download the accessible PowerPoint
Watch the webinar on YouTube with live embedded captions

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.

[continue reading…]

National Leadership Program, Spring 2024

Kaylee Harris smiling headshot in front of a wall of artwork

Kaylee Harris

Kaylee Harris is a Policy and Civic Engagement Fellow in RespectAbility’s National Leadership Program for Spring 2024. RespectAbility is a national nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so that people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community.

Harris enlisted in the United States Navy immediately following her high school graduation, serving in Damneck, Virginia. After her enlistment, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Science in Educational Psychology. Her thesis focused on Twice Exceptional students and the lack of support they receive in the classroom. Her research focused on students with disabilities and the lack of proper training given to teachers. Harris then went on to teach elementary education in Texas, Hawaii, and Iowa. Her current focus is on the higher education space. She has been working with community colleges in both Iowa and Nebraska while also continuing to support children with IEP’s (Individualized Education Plans) and their families as an IEP Advocate. Her work in community colleges ranges from teaching to working within student services. Her most recent role was the Director of Academic Support. In that role, she oversaw various departments including tutoring, the library, testing centers, the veteran’s center, and disability services.

Harris hopes to someday advance education and accessibility policies to ensure that disabled students of all ages not only have access to an education, but also that educational institutions provide an equitable educational experience without underestimating their students or creating unnecessary barriers to accommodations.

Learn More About The National Leadership Program

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

Greyscale photo of Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell smiling together wearing suits.

Justin Chappell and Ben Spangenberg

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…]

Ben Spangenberg

RespectAbility mourns the sudden loss of Ben Spangenberg, who passed away after surgery on September 29, 2023. Spangenberg has been a part of RespectAbility’s team since 2015, and since 2017, has 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 RespectAbility’s 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 RespectAbility, 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 RespectAbility. The RespectAbility 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.

Ben Spangenberg smiling with his late husband, Justin Chappell

Ben Spangenberg with his late husband, Justin Chappell

In lieu of flowers, Ben’s family has requested donations to RespectAbility. 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

RespectAbility staff and board members smile together outside a restaurant in Washington DC“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 Spangenberg with RespectAbility staff members around a table at a restaurant in Arlington“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 Spangenberg smiling with headphones around his neck“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

Jim Obergefell with Ben Spangenberg and Justin Chappell in front of the Supreme Court steps smiling together

“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 smiling with one of his cats sitting on his shoulder“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

Read transcript

Developing leaders means that we model the practice of training and empowering the next generation of leaders in disability advocacy across our pillars. This includes investing in our staff through professional development and building new pathways for employee recognition and advancement. We also created new policies to shape a workplace environment that centers equity and inclusion. In 2022, RespectAbility trained 34 Apprentices and ran three Labs for 52 disabled entertainment professionals. More than 400 people have graduated from one of our pipeline programs since 2013.

Watch the recording to learn from members of our Staff, and alumni of our pipeline programs, about our work in this area, and our vision for the coming years. [continue reading…]

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