reflections
Disability Day of Mourning is an annual commemoration held on March 1st to remember the lives of people with disabilities murdered by their caregivers, particularly those killed by parents and other family members, and to demand justice for their deaths. Our executive director, Elena Hung, spoke at today’s vigil
hcbs
Danny loved to tease me. I was his younger brother by four minutes, a fact he never let me forget. If you asked him, “Danny, who’s ugly?,” without fail he’d yell “I-an!”-- his version of my name. When I sang to him, he heckled me with a
reflections
In the coming year, Little Lobbyists will keep showing up to represent our families and make sure ALL kids with complex medical needs and disabilities have a seat at the table to inform the policies that affect them. To be a part of our ongoing advocacy, follow us on social
ll-statements
Dear Josephine, Yesterday your father shared the news that your wonderful mom, Samantha, passed in her sleep early Christmas morning. Though we knew your mom had been battling cancer for a long time with incredible bravery, we still can’t believe we won’t see her again and our hearts
reflections
I’ve been thinking about trauma lately. Our children and our families have been through so much over the last year and a half--not only the pandemic itself, but the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol; the natural disasters caused by climate change; the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan; the
reflections
I still remember my first event with Little Lobbyists, a family-led group advocating for kids with complex medical needs and disabilities. My son Rob wasn’t with me that day--he was enjoying one of his last precious days of public school, which he loved. I’d gone to Capitol Hill
hcbs
“We shouldn’t live on this street anymore” I muttered to my son while pushing his wheelchair uphill toward an outdoor school gathering. I could feel my heart rate climb as we neared the top of the hill and sweat pooled inside my mask. My mind was occupied with many
reflections
On Thursday, June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I've lost count of how many times I have metaphorically held my breath while waiting to find out if the ACA, which ensures my
reflections
With vaccines on the horizon for teens and younger children this summer and fall, the end of the pandemic may be close enough to grasp. How will you seize the moment as an advocate? These last weeks, I’ve been reflecting on my own plunge into state and federal advocacy,
reflections
As parents of children and young adults with disabilities, we should always work to be better allies. Being an ally means empowering our kids and asking ourselves some challenging questions: Are we letting our children speak for themselves? Are we giving them the means and the platform to become their
reflections
I first heard Sister Simone speak at the Women’s March in Washington D.C. on January 21, 2017. Like many people on that unseasonably warm winter day, I’d never been to a protest march before. I was unsure what to expect, and uncertain if I belonged. As I
family-advocacy
We must end police violence against Black Americans, and against all people of color, and people with disabilities. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Bill of 2021, which, if enacted, would ban chokeholds and end qualified immunity for police officers. Police violence