Sophia’s Seat: Lessons on Belonging, Bullying, and Change
Sophia watches as groups form. Chairs scrape, voices rise. She lingers, waiting for an opening that never comes. Chairs pull close. Voices drop and heads lean in.
Archive
Rethinking Access: Understanding Federal Policy Shift
As of September 12, 2025, the U. S. Department of Energy no longer requires buildings receiving its funding to meet long-standing accessibility standards under Section 504 of the…
NDEAM: Where Awareness Meets Action
National Disability Employment Awareness Month, workplace access, leadership, organizational culture, and employment partnerships.
The Door May Narrow
It begins quietly, almost imperceptibly. Desire stirs — a move toward a job, a dream, a love, a chance — and for a time, the way seems open. The horizon widens, clear and promising, as if life itself has said yes.
The Hidden Costs of Belonging
Last week, the “Disability Squeeze Symposium” took place in New York City. This event brought together advocates, scholars, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience to examine the complex challenges underpinning the Disability Squeeze.
Guardrails in Question: Disability Protections Under Strain
I recently read an article in The New Yorker that has stayed with me. It told the story of Sara Fernandez, a lawyer and federal employee with dwarfism who built her career in the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL).
Protecting Programs that Support Inclusion and Participation
As Congress works to finalize a budget to keep the federal government open, the future of programs that support people with disabilities and their families is once again under discussion.
Where the Sound Doesn’t Settle
Distance begins with omissions: a question unanswered, a word withheld, a silence recorded but unacknowledged. Alone, they appear intact. Together, they fracture.
A Single Shot Should Never Speak
Violence, speech, public disagreement, and the limits of a single act.
When Inclusion Must Be More Than a Word
The U. S. Department of Education recently announced adjustments to grants funded under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.