Your monthly newsletter from Ability Central | March 2023
Rest in Power, Judy Heumann
On March 4th, Judith (Judy) Heumann, the “mother of the disability rights movement,” passed away at age 75. From leading the 504 Sit-ins in the 1970s to lobbying for legislation that
would eventually become the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Judy was an integral, impactful voice that shaped the world we know today.
Almost a year exactly before her passing, Ability Central invited Judy to speak at our annual grantee gathering. She discussed the role of philanthropy in the disability rights movement, effective allyship, and her view on the shift from a disability rights mindset to a disability justice perspective.
While we mourn the loss of a leader, mentor, and international advocate for people with disabilities, we choose to celebrate the life and extraordinary accomplishments of a woman who changed not only how the world views disability, but how people with disabilities view themselves.
Rest in power, Judy.
In Focus:
Opportunity for Ability Central Subscribers: Teaching Safetypowers – LIVE!
Tuesday, April 18 at 12-1:30 pm PDT via Zoom
A special opportunity for educators & leaders committed to empowering teens and adults who have communication challenges. Organized by Ability Central exclusively for Ability Central community members.
Are you dedicated to helping adults and teens with communication challenges build skills for independence? Do worries about bullying, abuse, harassment, or assault – in public, at work, at school, or at home – stop you or them from making the most of opportunities that could help them grow, learn, and thrive?
This live online special event is for you – and for all adult leaders committed to empowering adults and teens who have communication challenges with practical,
adaptable skills they can use to take charge of their safety.
This is a unique opportunity to get live, individual coaching tailored to your specific needs, provided by a senior team of Safetypowers Trainers!
Inclusion Drives Innovation - The Value of "By and For" Product Design Thursday, March 23, 2023 – 8-9 am PDT
Join Ability Central staff and community partners at MozFest, Mozilla’s annual virtual conference.
New technologies have historically been designed with an ableist lens, ignoring or excluding the more than 1 billion people disabled globally. The inclusion of people with disabilities in the design and testing of technologies intended to meet their needs not only enhances general user experience, but generates new insights for product optimization.
Bringing together diverse disability communities, this session showcases two innovative products funded by grants from Ability Central, the only foundation focused exclusively on communication disabilities. It includes demonstrations of assistive technologies created to broaden people’s opportunities to learn.
The panel will include developers and users from Peerbots and from YouDescribe.
Ability Central shares eight facts about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), including what it is, what causes it, and who is most often affected.
