Disability Empowerment Center

04/04/2025

MOBILIZE FOR MEDICAID: April 3-11, 2025

The federal budget reconciliation is still underway and currently calling for devastating cuts to Medicaid.

Join us in calling on Congress to reject any cuts and work requirements.

Medicaid is the lifeline that keeps disabled people in their homes and communities — yet Congress is considering proposals that would slash funding, impose work requirements, and limit access to critical services like personal care and home and community-based services (HCBS).

These changes would force many people with disabilities into institutions, undermining the core principles of independent living.

As part of the Independent Living Network, we know how vital Medicaid is for our community. We must act now to protect it!

Contact your members of Congress now and tell them to oppose any cuts and work requirements. Share this message widely go ensure the voice of the disability community is heard!

Take Action: https://bit.ly/4hIXI4b

Image: MOBILIZE FOR MEDICAID. White text on olive green background.

04/04/2025

It's finally Friday!

There is a lot going on in the country and the world right now. You may be feeling uncertainty, frustration or fear.

We want to remind you that you have a voice. 📢 And you can use it to advocate!

Everyone has the right to advocate and tell their legislators how policies impact their lives—speaking up is how change happens.

Find your state and federal legislators and how to contact them: app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder

04/02/2025

Don't forget to use your voice to vote!

Watch your mailbox!

Ballots have been mailed for the April Special Election.

If you do not receive your ballot by Monday, give us a call at 206-296-8683 and we can help!

04/02/2025

Join us for a free webinar this month about accessibility and housing.

Our incredible speaker line-up is:
- Luna Fera, Director of the University of Oregon's Accessibility Student Union
- Brenda Zacapu, Parent to Parent Coordinator for Spanish-speaking families at the Arc of King County
- Kristina Sawyckyj, a disabled homeless Veteran
- Carol Salter, Executive Director at Banchero Disability Partners

This webinar will highlight the experiences the disability community has had in getting and and maintaining housing. We will also explore how to give landlords or resident assistants feedback on accessibility. Lack of affordable housing and lack of accessible and sensory-friendly housing are two key factors. Our guest speakers will talk about their housing experiences as disability community members or allies and use them to discuss ways in which housing can become more accessible, more sensory friendly and more affordable for the disability community.

Tuesday, April 15
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Virtual via Zoom. RSVP here to receive the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mQhFfwXpTNOKW5dg79wi9A #/registration

Sign language interpretation and CART will be provided.

For questions or to request other accommodations: [email protected]

04/01/2025

This is super cool!

https://frontporch.seattle.gov/2025/03/26/ramps-of-distinction-art-exhibit-highlights-the-beauty-in-accessible-spaces/

Local cartoonist, graphic novelist, and disability awareness activist, E.T. Russian highlights the beauty that can be found in accessible places in the exhibit "Ramps of Distinction."
Check out link in comments to learn more about E.T.'s art and how you can view it!

03/27/2025

Save the date to learn about affordable housing plans in the city of Bellevue

Housing 101 Drop-In Event:
Saturday, April 5
10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Stevenson Elementary School (14220 NE 8th St. in Bellevue)

What is affordable housing and how do we ensure everyone has a place to call home in Bellevue? Join us for an educational event to learn more about affordable housing concepts. Attendees will be able to engage in hand-on activities, review information boards and ask questions.

Registration at Home-in-Bellevue.eventbrite.com is encouraged but not required. This is a drop-in style event; come anytime and stay as long as you’d like. People of all ages and abilities are welcome. Light snacks and drinks will be provided.

For more information or to register, visit the EventBrite link above or contact Hannah Bahnmiller at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you there!

03/27/2025

03/26/2025

You may have heard that former secretary of state Ralph Munro passed away last week. But did you know he was a champion for people with disabilities throughout his entire career?

Kudos to The Seattle Times for highlighting the many impactful ways he fought for disability rights as he served Washingtonians.

Read more:

He served 20 years as secretary of state, ushering in seismic changes to Washington elections. But he is defined as much by campaigns he made outside of office.

03/24/2025

Happy Monday!

Our staffer Philip recently shared who he thinks has been a trailblazer in the disability rights movement. Listen to his audio recording (captions available) here:

vocalvideo.com/v/disability-empowerment-center-trailblazer

👤Who do YOU think is a trailblazer?

Record your own response:
vocalvideo.com/c/disability-empowerment-advocates

Disability Empowerment Center staffer Philip Bradford on who he thinks has been a trailblazer in the disability rights movement.

03/21/2025

We had a fantastic Understanding Ableism webinar this week, thanks to our thoughtful and insightful guest speakers, which included:

- Olivia Ortiz, Northwest Justice Project
- Elicia Tomason, King County resident
- Adrienne Stuart, Washington State Office of the Attorney General
- Alex Strout, Benefits Law Center

This month's topic was accessibility and ableism in the legal system.

📽If you missed it, you can watch or listen to the full webinar on our YouTube channel (captions and transcript available):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rCCSyo9KzM

Our Understanding Ableism Webinar series is a monthly series in partnership with the King County Disability Consortium.

Find past webinars:
youtube.com/

This free webinar is part of a series called Understanding Ableism, hosted by the King County Disability Consortium (KCDC) and Disability Empowerment Center....

03/21/2025

Our Executive Director Kimberly Meck recently spoke at a coffee chat with faculty and students at UW's Center for Research and Education on Accessible Technology and Experiences (CREATE).

Read about the conversation:
https://create.uw.edu/coffee-chat-summaries-winter-2025/

Learn more about the important research being done by CREATE to make technology more accessible: create.uw.edu

March 4, 2025 Topics have included opportunities for student involvement in CREATE, how researchers can benefit from community-engaged research, and where to find funding for research. These meetings have proved useful for sharing ideas, experiences, and information. Future Coffee Chat

03/20/2025

For World Down Syndrome Day on March 21, 2025, CoorDown is launching the international awareness campaign “NO DECISION WITHOUT US” to demand the presence of people with disabilities at the tables where decisions are made, whether regarding personal autonomy or a social and civic role.
World Down Syndrome Day, observed every year on March 21. The date, 3/21, symbolizes the triplication of the 21st chromosome, which defines Down syndrome.

03/19/2025

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! A great way to honor this month with your kids? Pick up a children's book that celebrates disabilities and differences!

Check out this book list full of stories featuring real people and fictional characters and all the ways they're wonderfully unique: https://www.readbrightly.com/books-about-disabilities-and-differences/

(Image description: Photo of a young girl reading a book over a yellow background with colorful star doodles surrounding the photo. Black text beneath the photo reads: "15 Kids' Books That Embrace Disabilities and Differences")

03/17/2025

💙 March is Trisomy Awareness Month 💙

This month, we honor and support individuals with Trisomy conditions and their families. Trisomy occurs when there is an extra chromosome in a person’s genetic makeup, and while it presents challenges, it also showcases incredible strength, resilience, and love. 💙💛

Let’s work together to spread awareness, promote inclusion, and celebrate the unique journeys of those living with Trisomy conditions like Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), Trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), and Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome).

Every life is valuable. Every story matters. Let’s raise our voices and celebrate abilities, not limitations! 💙✨

03/14/2025

Our next Understanding Ableism webinar is next Tuesday!

We are going to be talking to four experts about accessibility and ableism in the legal system. You won't want to miss this insightful discussion.

Our panelists are:
- Olivia Ortiz, Northwest Justice Project
- Elicia Tomason, King County resident
- Adrienne Stuart, Washington State Office of the Attorney General
- Alex Strout, Benefits Law Center

Tuesday, March 18
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Virtual via Zoom.
FREE

RSVP to get the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J2WH_u4CSWuHRYJ_3ChLxg

Sign language interpretation and CART will be provided.

For questions or to request other accommodations: [email protected]

03/11/2025

Did you miss our February webinar?

You're in luck... it's all available on our YouTube channel!

This free webinar is part of a series called Understanding Ableism, hosted by the King County Disability Consortium (KCDC) and Disability Empowerment Center.

Our topic for February 2025 was accessibility in healthcare. We discussed the disadvantages that people with disabilities have when accessing healthcare, including that many doctors and nurses believe the disability community is “broken” and “needs fixing.”

Our esteemed panelists were:
Zuzana Skvarkova, disability justice advocate and TED talk speaker
Justin Steinberg, research assistant at Stanford University

Watch or listen to the webinar: https://youtu.be/AEHnja4OUhI

(Closed captioning and transcript are available.)

See our schedule for more upcoming webinars in this series: disabilityempowerment.org/events

03/07/2025

Our next EPIC peer group outing is next Friday!

We will be taking a free tour of the award-winning Seattle Public Library’s Central Branch.

Friday, March 14, 12-4 p.m.

Meet at Disability Empowerment Center's Seattle office at 12 p.m. to take the bus together.

Everyone is responsible for paying for their own transportation and finding their own way home.

RSVP by the end of the day today, Friday, March 7: [email protected]

Our EPIC program (Empowering People In the Community) gives you a chance to explore places around our region together with other people with disabilities. All are welcome!

Find more events: disabilityempowerment.org/events
[Visual: Blue and green graphic with the text EPIC Peer Outings! Explore the Seattle region with us.]

03/06/2025

Announcing a FREE webinar series!

Disability Empowerment Center is pleased to co-host a free webinar series together with the King County Disability Consortium (KCDC).

Each webinar will tackle a topic that affects people in the disability community and will feature a panel of experts.

Our upcoming dates and topics include:

🔸March 18: Ableism in the legal system
🔸April 15: Accessibility in housing
🔸May 20: Long COVID

All webinars are virtual over Zoom
10:30 a.m.-noon

Sign language interpretation and CART will be provided.

➡Info and RSVP: disabilityempowerment.org/events

Thank you to AmeriCorps for their support of this series.