Press Releases

Washington, D.C. – Disability Belongs™ is the proud recipient of the 2024 Moxie Award in the nonprofit category. The Moxie Awards recognize organizations that are “innovative, fearless, and willing to embrace risks.”

“I want to congratulate all of the other nominees and winners, and give our sincere thanks to the incredible judges, sponsors, and organizers of this year’s Awards,” said Ariel Simms, President and CEO of Disability Belongs™. “This recognition is even more special to us as we start our next chapter as Disability Belongs™, following an intentional rebranding process to put disability front and center in our name.”

Disability Belongs™ is honored to be recognized for its work transforming the conversation around disability to redefine harmful and ableist narratives that have not only contributed to systemic barriers but to societal isolation and stigmatization. Disability Belongs’ work emphasizes disability not as something to overcome but another part of human diversity. Disability cuts across all demographics and identities and is the one group that anyone can join at any time in their lives. [continue reading…]

Khadija Bari Elected as new Board Chair, with two new additions to the Board of Directors

Khadija Bari speaks at the 2024 Disability Impact Awards

The diverse, disability-led nonprofit Disability Belongs™ (formerly RespectAbility) is focused on systemic change, including changing perceptions and attitudes towards people with disabilities, so they can fully participate in all aspects of community. The recent name change reflects the evolution of the organization’s brand, and with it, the organization also welcomes new board leadership. 

Disability Belongs™ is proud to announce that Khadija Bari (she/her) has been elected as the sixth Chair of the organization’s Board of Directors. “I am thrilled to lead the Board of Disability Belongs™, as we begin this new chapter in the organization’s bright future,” said Khadija Bari. “It is a much-welcomed change as we continue and grow in our work of redefining narratives, developing leaders, and driving opportunity for the disability community across the nation. I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of Disability Belongs™’ past Chairs that have made their mark and continue to pave the way in strengthening the rights of people with disabilities around the world. The expertise of the Board of Directors and Advisors is invaluable to me, and I look forward to supporting President and CEO Ariel Simms as we turn the page and usher in a new era for Disability Belongs™.” [continue reading…]

Steve Bartlett Award and Spangenberg-Chappell Memorial Award will be presented in Washington D.C. at 3^rd Annual Disability Impact Awards.

June 6, 2024 – RespectAbility is proud to announce the recipients of its third annual Disability Impact Awards, which recognize individuals working to advance opportunities for people with disabilities. Lex Frieden, one of the chief architects of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will receive the 2024 Steve Bartlett Award, named after the Honorable Steve Bartlett, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a principal co-author of the ADA. The Spangenberg-Chappell Memorial Award will go to RespectAbility Fellow and groundbreaking deaf-blind journalist Steven McCoy. Both Frieden and McCoy will accept their awards at RespectAbility’s Disability Impact Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on July 11^th, closing out a week of policy activity during Disability Advocacy Week. [continue reading…]

This week, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced RespectAbility as one of the Yield Giving Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States.

RespectAbility is a diverse, cross-disability, and disability-led nonprofit organization that works to create systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities, and that advances policies and practices that empower disabled people to have a better future. RespectAbility’s mission is to fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community.

“This generous contribution from Yield Giving will enhance our ability to achieve systemic change and foster inclusion across sectors,” said Ariel Simms, President and CEO of RespectAbility. “We will be able to leverage this support to expand our reach and impact, advancing more opportunities for our community, developing future generations of disabled leaders, and creating greater shifts in societal attitudes toward disability.” [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, October 26 – The national disability advocacy nonprofit RespectAbility is excited to announce the lineup of entertainers for its 10^th Anniversary Celebration next week, featuring Platinum Sponsor Wells Fargo. The event will be hosted by actor, comedian, and RespectAbility Entertainment Lab alumna Nikki Bailey. Musician James Ian and dance troupe Straight Up Abilities will be the featured performers, and Sabeerah Najee will be the featured DJ. [continue reading…]

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

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…]

August 17 – RespectAbility is proud to announce that its strong financial health and ongoing accountability and transparency has earned a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator. This rating designates RespectAbility as an official “Give with Confidence” charity, indicating that our organization is using its donations effectively based on Charity Navigator’s criteria. Charity Navigator is America’s largest and most-utilized independent charity evaluator. Since 2001, the organization has been an unbiased and trusted source of information for more than 11 million donors annually.

Charity Navigator analyzes nonprofit performance based on four key indicators, referred to as beacons. Currently, nonprofits can earn scores for Impact & Results, Accountability & Finance, Culture & Community, and Leadership & Adaptability.

“We are delighted to provide RespectAbility with third-party accreditation that validates their operational excellence,” said Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator. “The Four-Star Rating is the highest possible rating an organization can achieve. We are eager to see the good work that RespectAbility is able to accomplish in the years ahead.” [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, July 27 – As RespectAbility enters its second decade fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities, the organization is proud to announce that Linda L. Burger has been elected as its first female Chair of the Board of Directors. Additionally, Christine Cadena and Paul Martin have been elected to the Board of Directors after serving on the organization’s Advisory Council. Cadena has joined the Executive Committee as a Vice Chair, alongside continuing Vice Chairs Vivian Bass and Delbert Whetter. Craig Leen has joined the Executive Committee as Secretary, and Khadija Bari remains Treasurer. Shelley Cohen remains on the Executive Committee as an at-large member.

Ollie Cantos

Ollie Cantos is staying on the Executive Committee as the Immediate Past Chair. “I am filled with intense gratitude for having had the privilege of being at the helm of RespectAbility over the past two years, and it is my honor to join the ranks of Donn Weinberg, Calvin Harris, and Steve Bartlett as Chairs Emeriti,” said Cantos. “I am grateful to pass the baton to a new leader, who will surely build on our solid history as we tackle a future that is extraordinarily bright with promise and possibility.”

Linda Burger

Linda L. Burger has served on RespectAbility’s Board since 2016; she was elected Treasurer in 2018. Her professional life has been devoted to leading and shaping a robust resume of work in the Houston Jewish community, most recently in creating significant social service programs as CEO of Jewish Family Service of Houston, from which she retired in 2022. Since becoming CEO in 2005, Burger and her team instituted game-changing initiatives that transformed and expanded the agency’s ability to respond to basic needs and community emergencies and focus on erasing stigmas associated with disability and mental health issues. Her leadership on inclusion of and advocacy for people with disabilities and the prevention of suicide and substance misuse has received national recognition. [continue reading…]

Los Angeles, CA, June 14 – For the second year, RespectAbility is proud to announce the recipients of its annual awards recognizing individuals working to advance opportunities for people with disabilities. Elizabeth Kim is the recipient of the 2023 Justin Chappell Memorial Award and Nicole Homerin is the 2023 Steve Bartlett Award recipient. Each will receive $1,000 and be honored on stage at RespectAbility’s 10^th Anniversary Celebration, sponsored by Wells Fargo, in Los Angeles on July 27. [continue reading…]