As many people across the country prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, I find myself filled with gratitude.
To start, I’m thankful for the opportunity to lead and work with a team of dedicated professionals with whom I share a common passion and purpose. I’m also grateful for DRA’s many partners and supporters, without whom we simply would not be able to achieve our mission.
As evidenced by our high-impact, precedent-setting work, in recent months, we’ve helped advance the rights and inclusion of, and equity for, people with disabilities across the nation through a number of settlements and new case filings addressing everything from emergency planning to transportation and technology.
I’m also grateful for the success of our annual gala last month, during which we had the opportunity to showcase the depth and breadth of our reach as well as raise funds to support our work. On behalf of everyone at DRA, let me say a sincere thank you to all who attended and contributed to the event, whether through speaking, donating or simply tuning in to learn more about DRA. We are happy to have you as part of the DRA family. Click here to experience and share the gala!
On that note, we recently welcomed a fabulous new DRA board member Morgan Duffy, who you can learn more about in this issue of our newsletter. In recent weeks, we’ve also welcomed several new staff members: Christina Espinosa, Erin Gallagher, Dale Rabinov, and Julia Robaidek.
As we close the books on 2021, we have our sights firmly set on the future. We’re working hard to finalize objectives for our strategic plan, which will guide our work going forward and assist us in ensuring we meet the needs of people with disabilities from all backgrounds. We also continue our work on a brand refresh, including a new, more accessible website that we hope to unveil soon. Stay tuned for DRA’s 2021 annual report coming soon.
With gratitude and hope for the future,
Image: Kathy Martinez signature
Thomson Reuters Public Interest Profile: Stuart Seaborn
DRA's Managing Director of Litigation Stuart Seaborn was profiled by Thomson Reuters Practical Law Journal.
Check out the interview with Stuart for an inside look at what it's like to oversee litigation at the nation's leading nonprofit disability rights legal center.
Image: Portrait of Stuart Seaborn
Washington Post: Prefer to Keep Your Vote Private? Those of Us with Disabilities Do, Too
Image: Paper with "Bill of Rights" and small text from US Bill of Rights (via iStock)
The Washington Post published an op-ed by DRA's President and CEO Kathy Martinez.
Read Kathy's op-ed in the Washington Post about DRA's ongoing nationwide battle for voting accessibility and the critical need for persons with disabilities to be able to vote privately and independently.
New Board Member Profile: Morgan Duffy
Image: Portrait of Morgan Duffy
DRA is excited to welcome Morgan Duffy to our board of directors!
Morgan is a proud disabled woman currently working in health technology. She is the Strategy Lead at OneFifteen, a learning health system for addiction treatment and the Sr. Program Manager for Behavioral Health at Verily, an Alphabet Company.
Why did you decide to join DRA’s Board of Directors?
"I firmly believe that change happens best when it is grounded in grassroots movements, fueled by personal experience, and addressing problems at their source. DRA is doing all of that and I’m excited to support its mission however I can. Additionally, I’m thrilled to see the representation of disabled people on the Board and across staff."
Image: Outside view of PS 43 in The Bronx NYC (via Wikimedia)
Education
In July, a U.S. District Court approved a landmark settlement agreement with NYC Department of Education that will result in a variety of changes to NYCDOE’s policies and practices that deny legally mandated special education services to Bronx students with disabilities.
Image: Flooding and submerged benches in Buffalo, NY during April 2018 windstorm (via Wikimedia)
Image: Main in wheelchair waiting for elevator outside Grand Central Station NYC (via Flickr)
Transportation DRA’s ongoing battle with NYC’s MTA continues: In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of DRA, ensuring that New Yorkers with mobility disabilities who require elevators to access the NYC subway system can proceed with their claims in Court.
