2024 Annual Report - New Disability Advocacy Groups Work to Advance Disability Rights at the State Capitol
2024 Annual Report - New Disability Advocacy Groups Work to Advance Disability Rights at the State Capitol
Breakthroughs New Disability Advocacy Groups Work to Advance Disability Rights at the State Capitol
The creation of two new groups from inside and outside of the state Legislature were a breakthrough in advocacy for Californians with disabilities.
California Disability Leadership Alliance
Founded in 2024, the California Disability Leadership Alliance (The Alliance) published its first report: State of the State: California Disability Policy in 2024. The Alliance is made up of disability and Deaf leaders from disability-led organizations who work to improve policies for disabled people in California.
The report provides an overview of California’s gaps in disability rights covering topics like health care, education, employment, transportation, and housing.
Caption: Members of The Alliance: Top row, left to right: Debbie Toth, Claudia Center, Susan Gallagher, Jeff Thom, Sheri Farinha. Bottom row left to right: Eric Harris, Regina Brink, Russell Dawson Rawlings and Dan Okenfuss.
The Alliance and the report both represent a new chapter in disability advocacy, one that works across disabilities to amplify their voices into one message: good policy must include people with disabilities at the decision-making table. “That kind of cross disability solidarity...is really important and it makes sense for an organization like Disability Rights California to do what we can to bring that group to the table and stay at the table long enough to get to that level of solidarity,” said DRC’s Chief Executive Officer Andy Imparato.
The Alliance has met with several state and Congressional representatives such as Rep. Lateefah Simon when she was a candidate, State Assembly member Isaac Bryan when he became the chair of the California Legislative Disability Caucus, and Assembly member Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer who was the caucus’ founding chair. These meetings are crucial to build connections with people in positions of power to effect change for the disability community.
California Legislative Disability Caucus
In 2024, DRC’s Legislative team worked to support the creation of the California Legislative Disability Caucus, a first-of-its-kind bi-partisan group of legislators committed to advancing disability policy in the California Legislature. This is significant because it uplifts the collective power of the disability community and shows that disability votes matter.
“We need our legislators here to fight for our civil rights and our human rights,” said DRC Board Chair Sheri Farinha. “Even better when we have legislators who have family members, or who also have disabilities or are themselves D/deaf or disabled because when you experience discrimination personally you begin to see injustices everywhere.”
Left to Right: DRC Executive Director Andy Imparato, DRC Associate Executive Director of External Affairs Eric Harris, and DRC's Special Advisor to the Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement Unit Tho Vinh Banh outside of the state Capitol Building after the press conference announcing the formation of the California Legislative Disability Caucus.
“It was just important to hear a commitment that disabled people are the experts in our lives and you need to listen to disabled people if you want to help them,” said DRC CEO Andy Imparato. “It's a pretty simple concept, but it's not something that the Legislature has been particularly good at in recent years, especially around mental health and unhoused populations.”
DRC’s Associate Executive Director of External Affairs Eric Harris and DRC Board Chair Sheri Farinha both spoke at the press conference that announced the Caucus.
“It is important to remember that all issues are disability issues. This includes, education, health care, housing, transportation, public safety and access to democracy. California can be a leader, but it starts with prioritizing disabled experiences in all of our work,” said DRC Associate Executive Director of External Affairs Eric Harris. “We look forward to working with Caucus Members to advancing access, opportunity, and equity for disabled people in California.”
