Bridging the Gaps in Disability Policy

The Americans with Disabilities Act turned 35 this year. Even though we have come a long way in advancing the rights of people with disabilities, millions are still waiting for the future the law promised.

Our nation is failing to meet the needs of the one in four Americans who are disabled.

As the population of people with disabilities continues to grow, our existing framework of fragmented policies and systems is untenable, and we need better, evidence-based solutions.

We can no longer operate in silos, with every sector having its own tangled web of eligibility requirements, application processes, and service limitations. Our current lack of disability-informed, cross-sector approaches continues to lead to policy solutions that may be theoretically sound but are practically ineffective. This has unintended consequences that can reverberate throughout and beyond the disability community.

We urgently need evidence-based solutions, informed by people with lived experience and designed by policy experts who can bridge existing gaps. That’s why New America is hosting a forum to bring together grassroots advocates and people who are passionate about policy.

Join us on Wednesday, October 15 for an afternoon of blending authentic storytelling and a deep well of policy expertise to address real-world challenges and chart a path toward creating a more cohesive, disability-informed policy framework that works better not just for people with disabilities, but for everyone. Panels will also be presented virtually for those who wish to attend remotely.

Agenda

Moderator: Taryn Mackenzie Williams, Senior Fellow for Disability at the National Partnership for Women & Families

Panel 1: Promises of the ADA: What People with Disabilities Still Need

• Christopher Robin Judson Worth, BFA, MA, MED, educator, visual artist, writer, community organizer, consultant, & PhD student at the University Missouri St. Louis
• Alisa Yang, artist, filmmaker, and cultural worker based in Los Angeles.
• Ashland Murphy, PhD, mother and advocate professional
• Jocelyn Mondragon, Communications Manager at New Disabled South

Panel 2: Policy Paths to Inclusion: Disability in Focus

• Vicki Shabo, Senior Fellow for Gender Equity, Paid Leave & Care Policy and Strategy, Better Life Lab
• An-Me Chung, Director, Teaching, Learning & Tech & Strategic Advisor, Education Policy Program
• Carrie Gillispie, Project Director, Early Development & Disability, Education Policy Program
• Jazmyne Owens, Senior Policy Advisor, PreK-12 Education Policy, Education Policy Program
  

A reception will follow the forum, where we can engage with fellow community members and keep the conversation moving toward action over wine and refreshments.

New America strives to make the forum inclusive for all participants. CART and American Sign Language (ASL) will be provided throughout the duration of the panels. In-person ASL interpreters are available upon request for the reception on the event registration form. Please request any additional accommodations on the event registration form.