Welcoming disabled individuals into leadership brings fresh perspectives, challenges stereotypes, and deepens the sense of belonging for all. When leadership is truly inclusive, faith communities become more compassionate, equitable, and reflective of the diverse people they serve. Varied Perspectives and Experiences People with disabilities bring unique insights shaped by navigating a world not always designed [click to continue...]
As we begin the spring season, we recognize several important religious observances happening across different faiths. Embracing and accommodating these events within our faith communities fosters inclusivity and respect for all traditions. It’s essential that we create spaces where everyone, regardless of ability, can fully engage in these celebrations. Religious Observances That Happened This Month [click to continue...]
Work requirements create barriers, not opportunities. Instead of promoting employment, they deepen poverty and exclusion for disabled individuals. Together, we can challenge these policies and push for meaningful change.
https://vimeo.com/1068908449 Read transcript Neurodiversity and neurodivergence may feel like buzz words that are thrown around, but what do they mean, and why does it matter? In this session, neurodivergent experts from Disability Belongs™ shared their own perspectives on what it means to be neurodivergent, why authentic representation of neurodivergence is necessary, and how employers, educators, [click to continue...]
In 2024, 37% of working-age disabled people were employed, compared to 75% of working-age people without disabilities. This disparity is largely due to accessibility challenges, harmful misconceptions, and the pervasive stigma surrounding disability. The challenge for people with disabilities isn’t their ability to succeed in a career. The issue is that disabled individuals encounter more obstacles to employment.
Executive Summary The U.S. Department of Education plays a critical role in ensuring that students with disabilities receive access to inclusive education, services, and legal protections under federal law. Recent proposals to dismantle, restructure, and defund the Department threaten to undermine decades of progress in disability rights and educational equity. This policy brief outlines the [click to continue...]
“Laying off a significant portion of staff in one fell swoop undermines the civil rights of students, especially those with disabilities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provide students and their guardians with the right to report discrimination, but without adequate personnel to investigate these claims, we essentially leave disabled students without a safe avenue for redress.” – Ariel Simms, President and CEO, Disability Belongs™
Accessibility is not just a checklist to tick off; it is an ongoing commitment to ensuring that all members, from every background and belief, feel truly valued and embraced.
Under current law, more than one million Americans with lifelong disabilities who receive benefits as ‘Disabled Adult Children’ (DACs) lose their Social Security and Medicare benefits if they marry a non-disabled person. This can severely limit disabled individuals from having access to lives of their choosing, including marriage. People shouldn’t have to choose between marriage [click to continue...]
https://vimeo.com/1020300535 Communication is essential to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace and ensuring a seamless and collaborative accommodation process. In a webinar with the Job Accommodation Network (AskJAN), Disability Belongs™ shared key strategies and resources to help employers navigate accommodation discussions with confidence. Reasonable accommodations help unlock employee potential, enhance workplace productivity, and support a [click to continue...]
