I started at Disability Rights Advocates in 1995—answering phones for our founders, Larry and Sid, in a small, donated office space in Downtown Oakland. It’s an honor and privilege to now serve as DRA’s Managing Director of Litigation—working in partnership with Rebecca Williford, our talented and dedicated Acting President & CEO, to oversee the organization’s robust and diverse portfolio of disability rights legal work.
I’m writing today to share DRA's 2022 annual reportwith you and to ask you to consider making a year-end gift to support our ongoing work. Why should you make a gift to DRA? The same reason why I’ve dedicated more than a decade of my career as an attorney to working here: IMPACT. Here are a few examples I’m most proud of from 2022:
DRA and the MTA reached a historic settlement that will ensure New York City’s subway goes from around 25% to at least 95% accessible stations.
DRA and partners secured the release of approximately 60,000 ICE detainees with disabilities and other health conditions that placed them at increased risk if exposed to COVID-19.
DRA was one of the first organizations to leverage disability laws to protect the civil rights of houseless individuals—preventing the displacement of residents with disabilities living in oversized vehicles in multiple locations last this past year, including in Mountain View, CA.
DRA won a major victory for job seekers with mental health disabilities when a Superior Court Judge found that Los Angeles County violated state disability laws by barring social work interns suspected of having such disabilities from employment without conducting a meaningful interactive process to consider possible accommodations—laying the groundwork for future equitable reforms.
You can read more about these victories and many others in our 2022 annual report. You’ll also hear from our Acting President & CEO Rebecca Williford who has brought a remarkable balance of presence in in the disability community and skilled leadership of our legal team to steer DRA’s ship.
Your gift of cash, stocks or securities will directly fuel our legal team to continue defending the rights of people with disabilities across the country. With your support, in 2023, we’ll continue to bring innovative cases, including those that protect the rights of people with disabilities who are unhoused and those that ensure the newest technologies are available to the disability community. And we’ll also continue to ensure that basic civil rights like navigating city sidewalks, using public transportation, and crossing busy intersections safely are protected.
Thank you for being a part of DRA’s critical cadre of supporters. We couldn’t do it without you.
Sincerely,
Stuart Seaborn, Managing Director, Litigation
Image: Portrait of Stuart Seaborn
P.S., Interested in including DRA in your estate plans? Learn more about joining DRA’s Legacy Circle on our website and leave a legacy of systemic, inclusive change.
