Ensuring People with Disabilities to Have Equality

Hi Friends,  

Happy New Year! As you may have heard, 2023 marked RespectAbility’s tenth anniversary. Since our founding in 2013, we have made significant progress in our mission to fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community. Compared to when we started this journey, there are now millions more individuals with disabilities who are employed. Today, we celebrate a historic high of the disability employment rate in the United States 

As we enter the new year, we reflect on the growth and impact across our key advocacy pillars during the past year: 

Policy and Civic Engagement: We have been fighting for the voting rights of people with disabilities, including pushing for accessibility at the ballot box. No one should lose their right to vote due to inaccessible polling practices. 

Faith Inclusion and Belonging: We have established more than 20 new partnerships with Jewish and multifaith organizations, including Hunter College Hillel, Yale Divinity School, and the University of Southern California Center for Religion and Civic Culture. 

Entertainment and News Media: Our team was busy this year training major companies in the entertainment industry to be more accessible and inclusive in their work, as well as in supporting disabled creatives to move the needle on more authentic storytelling. 

Leadership and Workforce Development: We are building a pipeline of career-ready, emerging leaders through targeted skills-training and development opportunities.   

RespectAbility does all this while embodying the accessibility, equity, and inclusion we advocate for in the workplace. We provideaccommodations, assistive technology, and remain flexible in our work as we are committed to being a welcoming environment for anyone and everyone.   

People with disabilities face significant challenges in finding employment due to persistent barriers such as low wages, inaccessible work environments, lack of accommodations, and negative stigmas. Your support throughout this journey has been incredible, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for continuing by our side!