Empowering Women and Non-Binary People with Disabilities

Women and Non-Binary People with Disabilities
News You Can Use
Women’s Disability Leadership, Inclusion & Advocacy Resources

Women and Non-Binary People with Disabilities


Baksha Ali She Sees What You Cannot See [Read More]	Qiana Allen Sharing Her Journey as an Entrepreneur with Lupus [Read More]	Maya Angelou Legendary Poet and Civil Rights Activist Who Had Disability, Inspires Generations [Read More]	Khadija Bari Becoming Her Whole Self [Read More]

Ariella Barker This Women’s History Month, I Remember the #MeToo Survivors with Disabilities [Read More]	Halle Berry Living with Disability While Taking a Stand against Domestic Violence [Read More]	Simone Biles Olympic & Disability Champion Makes History While Mesmerizing Many [Read More]	Selma Blair Positive Role Model for Success for Individuals with Acquired Disabilities [Read More]

Kelley Cape Queer, Quarantined, and Quitting [Read More]	La’Rina Carolina Pioneer breaking the inequality lines between deaf and hearing societies [Read More]	Teren’e Chambers Aspiring Director and Production Studio Owner [Read More]	Kim Chua How I Dance with Depression and Dissociation [Read More]

Barbara Corcoran Shark Tank Entrepreneur and Business Owner Proves Dyslexics Can Be Successful [Read More]	Lois Curtis Woman with Mental and Intellectual Disabilities Fought for Freedom For All [Read More]	Andrea Dalzell RN Who Uses a Wheelchair Treating COVID-19 Patients in NYC [Read More]	Sneha Dave Super Talent Creates Network for Teens and Young Adults with Chronic Health Conditions [Read More]

Shannon DeVido Best Summer Ever Star Shines in Comedy and Beyond [Read More]	Collette Divitto Showcases Importance of Supporting and Hiring Disabled Employees [Read More]	KiAnna Dorsey Sharing the stories of underrepresented communities [Read More]	Tammy Duckworth Illinois Senator Severs as Role Model for Many [Read More]

Ashley Eakin Changing Media Perceptions of Disability, One Film at a Time [Read More]	Missy Elliott ‘Works it,’ Serves as Role Model for Young Women with Disabilities [Read More]	Shaina Ghuraya Triple Threat Creates Space for Spectacular Intersectional Stories to Grow [Read More]	Haben Girma Deafblind Civil Rights Lawyer Advocates for Disability Rights in Media [Read More]

Whoopi Goldberg Talented Actress, Comedienne and Talk Show Host Lives with Dyslexia [Read More]	Lori Golden Self-Advocate and Trailblazer in Disability Inclusion in the Workplace [Read More]	Selena Gomez Prioritizing Health, Serving as Role Model for Young Women with Disabilities [Read More]	Claudia Gordon First Female Deaf Black Lawyer and Anti-Discrimination Advocate [Read More]

Salma Hayek Sharing Story of Dyslexia, Serving as Role Model for Latina Woman with Disabilities [Read More]	Ketrina Hazell Unlocking Society’s Mold of Expectation [Read More]	Abigail Heringer The Bachelor Standout Calls for Intersectional Disability Visibility [Read More]	Mazie Hirono Hawaii Senator Recognized for Leadership as an Immigrant and as a Person with a Disability [Read More]

Cami Howe Strong Independent Woman Who Doesn’t Need A Knight in Shining Armor [Read More]	Dani Izzie Disabled Mother and Star of “Dani’s Twins” [Read More]	Andrea Jennings Black History Representation Matters in Arts Activism and Civic Leadership [Read More]	Frida Kahlo Through Art, Role Model for Artists, People with Disabilities and Bisexual Women [Read More]

Sophie Jaewon Kim 14-Year-Old Korean-American Actress Paving the Way for Better On-Screen Representation [Read More]	Solange Knowles Role Model for African American Performers with Disabilities [Read More]	Ana Kohout Young Activist Aims to Change Beliefs About People with Disabilities [Read More]	Tonya Koslo Cancer Survivor Who is Helping Others in Need [Read More]

Emily Kranking A Cute But Determined Girl with Cerebral Palsy: Believe It! #DisabledandCute [Read More]	Janet LaBreck Successful Pioneer of Change and Role Model for African American Women with Disabilities [Read More]	Kannie Yu LaPack I Was Diagnosed With Breast Cancer—Then Coronavirus Happened [Read More]	Andrea Lausell Disability Pride & Hispanic Heritage Pride as One [Read More]

Vanni Le Striving To Effect Social Change and Champion Diversity and Inclusion [Read More]	Nicole LeBlanc Reflecting on Women’s History Month [Read More]	Tatiana Lee Changing Media Perceptions of Disability, one Modeling Job at a Time [Read More]	Gisselle Legere Deafness Gives Her a Positive Edge in the Writer’s Room [Read More]

Christina Lisk The Crash of Learned Carelessness [Read More]	Courtney Munnings Never Lose Sight of Your Worth [Read More]	Laka Mitiku Negassa Brain Injury Survivor Hopes to Support Reform of U.S. Disability Policy [Read More]	Nelly Nieblas Making The Outsider The Insider [Read More]

Carly Okyle The Myth of Non-Progression [Read More]	Krista Ramirez-Villatoro Fighting for the Rights of Disabled Latinas While Also Remembering How Far We’ve Come [Read More]	Dr. Nelle Richardson “We are more than enough, and we are standing firmly in our truth!” [Read More]	Ava Rigelhaupt Yes, I’m Jewish: An AAPI Month Reflection [Read More]

Gina Rodriguez Star of Jane the Virgin Opens Up About Her Anxiety [Read More]	Michelle Rodriguez Fast and Furious Actress Cites ADD as Motivation for Success [Read More]	Diana Romero Award-Winning Producer with Multiple Sclerosis Continues to Find Success in Hollywood [Read More]	Leah Romond Disability and Traumatic Brain Injury Advocate “Finding Her Place in the Universe” [Read More]

Cristina Sanz First Hispanic with a Disability to Win an Emmy Award, Shatters Stigmas [Read More]	Mritika Senthil Community Engagement Specialist at the Asian Americans with Disabilities Initiative [Read More]	Abigail Shaw Finding Independence Through Community [Read More]	Lauren “Lolo” Spencer The Importance of Authentic Storytelling [Read More]

Joy St. Juste RespectAbility Marketing and Communications Director on ADHD, Motherhood, and Defeating Ableist Expectations [Read More]	Faith Strongheart Bringing Compassion and Reflection in Her New Documentary “Faith Brings the Wild” [Read More]	Alejandra Tristan Becoming Proud of Her Disabled Identity as a First-Generation American [Read More]	Harriet Tubman Legendary Poet and Civil Rights Activist with Epilepsy and TBI, Inspires Generations [Read More]

Donna Walton Creates Nationwide Movement of Representation with Divas With Disabilities [Read More]	Lexi Zanghi “Normalizing anxiety and talking about it is so important now more than ever” [Read More]	Lachi NY Music Sensation & Ardent Disability Champion [Read More]	Anonymous Gender, Queerness, and Dissociation [Read More]

News You Can Use

Women with Disabilities: Challenges, Opportunities, and Role Models in 2022: Read More
Women with Disabilities Dramatically Outpace Men with Disabilities in Job Gains (March 5, 2020): Read More
3,736 Women with Disabilities Lose Jobs in the U.S. (March 13, 2019): Read More

Women’s Disability Leadership, Inclusion & Advocacy Resources

The Women’s Disability Leadership, Inclusion & Advocacy Resources below are from a six-part training series that RespectAbility developed and implemented for women with disabilities, with support from New York Women’s Foundation and the Coca-Cola Foundation; and thanks to our fully accessible, gracious hosts: Guttman Community College (for five of the six trainings) and Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan (for the sixth training). Its two goals were:

To upskill and empower women with disabilities, preparing them to bring their unique lens to civic life (e.g., becoming volunteers, board members, or employees for nonprofits and government agencies). By advancing their civic engagement, together we advance equity and inclusion in their communities and overall city that they call home.
To build community among the attendees.

While each training was uniquely designed to be most relevant to its target audience/participants, there were five components that, for nearly all trainings, remained consistent:

A noteworthy female keynote speaker and/or panelists who addressed the overall topic, relevant research, mental health advocacy, self-disclosure in the workplace, a Q&A, and sometimes sprinkled with live music. (This ‘frontal component’ was covered as a webinar and/or FB livestreamed. Video coverage shut down after the final Q&A, to ensure the privacy of our participants for the ensuing interactive components.)
Original ‘intra-active’ (self-reflection) empowerment exercises that became highly interactive, joyful empowerment exercises.
Small Group Discussions, [co]facilitated by women with expertise in that particular field (e.g., Self-Advocacy and Mental Health).
Civic Engagement / Volunteer Opportunities relevant to the target audience participating at each training.
A closed FB Group established for each, to foster opportunities for connection among the attendees.

Empowerment for Latinas with Disabilities

The spellbinding keynote speaker and self-advocate was Carol Robles-Román (former Deputy Mayor of NYC). Other dynamic Latinas – all self-advocates and allies – were presenters and facilitators for the later small group discussions (Dr. Shirley Leyro, Clarissa Ramos-Cafarelli, Jessica Palacios, Dr. Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, and Crystal Vazquez). Live music was provided by Amanda Lopez and Rebecca Muller.