Tag Archives: advocacy
Accessibility Shouldn’t Be Rare
Overall, accessibility in the beauty space shouldn’t be rare, it should be the standard. Everyone deserves products that are thoughtfully designed, easy to use, and high quality.
Inclusion Aboard Icon of the Seas
By: Andrea Chavarriaga My name is Andrea Chavarriaga, and I am a high school sophomore sharing my experience aboard Icon of the Seas and how accessibility helps create a more inclusive travel experience for everyone. When I recently went on a cruise on the Icon of the Seas, I noticed how much cruise ships… Read More »
Get Ready to Vote: The Florida Primary Election
Florida’s Primary Election is happening this month! Election Day is Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Even if you do not have a party primary race on your ballot, you may still have important nonpartisan races or local questions to vote on.
Celebrating the ADA: Then & Now
The ADA is more than a law. It represents the voices of advocates who refused to accept barriers and believed that disability should never limit opportunity.
A Playground for Everyone
That is why accessible playgrounds are so important. They are made so that more kids can play together. Some have ramps instead of stairs, swings with extra support, sensory toys, and smoother ground. These changes help more kids join in, instead of being left out.
36 Years of the ADA: Why It Still Matters
As we recognize this anniversary, we should also remember that the ADA only works when it is understood, respected, enforced, and upheld. Its protections affect real people in real ways every day. The ADA establishes the minimum standards required by law, but our goal should never be to do the bare minimum.
Benefits 26-07
Public benefit programs for people with disabilities, especially Supplemental Security Income (SSI), are not aimed at increasing assets and independence for people with disabilities, as a result individuals with disabilities often have very limited income and few, if any, assets. The intent of asset building initiatives is that as individuals develop assets, they will be able to move out of poverty and remain out of poverty. Many asset building services for people with disabilities will NOT cause loss of critical SSI disability cash payments and essential health insurance such as Medicaid and Medicaid waivers.
Get Ready to Vote: Check Your Registration for Florida’s Primary Election
Even if you have voted before, it is a good idea to check your registration information now. If you moved, changed your name, or need to update your signature, taking care of it before the deadline can help prevent problems later.
Hurricane Season: Prepare Before the Storm
For people with disabilities, emergencies can affect more than shelter and supplies. Power outages, transportation changes, communication barriers, service interruptions, and limited access to medication or medical equipment can all impede staying safe and accessing needed support. Planning ahead can help reduce stress and make emergencies easier to manage.
Preparation does not need to happen all at once. Start by thinking about the things you use every day and what you would need if you had to leave quickly or stay home for several days.
Get Ready to Vote: Check Your Registration and Signature
Many people register once and do not think about it again, but information can change over time. If you moved, changed your name, or your signature looks different than when you first registered, it is a good idea to update your information now.
Your signature is especially important. In some situations, election officials compare the signature on voting forms to the signature they have on file. If your signature has changed because of age, disability, illness, injury, or simply signing differently over time, updating it now may help you avoid problems later.
Benefits 26-06
Social Security Disability Insurance or Title II, Disability Benefits SSDI: pays benefits to people with disabilities and certain members of their family if the beneficiary is “insured,” meaning that he/she worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.
Supplemental Security Income SSI or Title XVI pays benefits to people with disabilities based on financial need.
What Do You Have to Lose?
I didn’t get everything done correctly, but I exceeded my expectations and I met some amazing ladies in the cast, who I now call my angels. I am grateful to Phillip Church and his team, who brought us all together to bring Rebekah Taussig’s book to the theater.
More Than a Role: Finding Strength on Stage
All I knew was, there was a part for a woman who used a wheelchair. Imagine that! The thought that there was an interest to recruit someone with a disability, specifically a woman with a disability!
Local Elections: Why They Matter in 2026
Local elections are where change is most immediate and visible. When you vote, you are helping decide how your community is built, how services are delivered, and whether your community is inclusive and accessible. Your vote helps shape the place where you live every day.
State Elections: Why They Matter in 2026
State decisions have a direct impact on people with disabilities. These decisions affect access to health care and support services, funding for disability programs, and whether housing and transportation are accessible.
The View From Here (26-03)
For decades, disability advocacy has focused on access: access to buildings, transportation, education, employment and civic participation. Those efforts have opened doors that were once firmly closed. But, I believe, representation is what truly changes hearts and minds. It sends a message to those of us living with disabilities that You Belong Here Too. Not just in spaces that were designed specifically for you. But everywhere.
Federal Elections: Why They Matter in 2026
Federal elections directly affect the laws and programs that support people with disabilities. These decisions affect daily life, such as healthcare, housing, employment, education, and independence.
When Congress changes, priorities, funding, and protections can change. For people with disabilities, these choices matter.
Your vote helps shape the direction of federal policy and the future of disability rights.
The View From Here (26-02)
For some time now, I have felt a quiet pull to more intentionally merge art with advocacy. This role is another step in doing just that. I truly feel that disability representation expands creativity. It brings depth, resilience, and a perspective that the world needs more of. Theater uniquely asks us not just to witness a story, but to feel it. And that is often the beginning of change.
Understanding the 2026 Elections
Voting matters because it allows people with disabilities to help shape the laws, programs, and services that affect their rights and independence, and to help decide what kind of communities we live in and which issues our leaders focus on.
Benefits 26-02
Are you a person with a disability receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and considering employment? The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides several work incentives to help you explore work opportunities without risking your benefits.
