Dear Friends,

Two weeks ago, the Disability Rights California (DRC) Board of Directors approved a new strategic map with a rejuvenated mission, vision and values statement and 5 overarching goals to guide our work over the next several years.

Our new mission directs DRC to work “in partnership with disabled people to defend rights, advance opportunities, grow power, and expand public support for disability justice in California and beyond.”  The map calls on us to deliver results, be resilient, model a culture of belonging, grow power and invest in disability pride and cultural identity.

During this time of disruption, where leaders in Washington, DC and Sacramento have maligned the rights of unhoused people with disabilities, DRC has pushed back and called for a continuum of care that will produce results and not expand coercive, ineffective policies. We have used our protection and advocacy investigative authority to expose shocking treatment of disabled detainees and patients at immigration detention centers and residential treatment centers. We have fought against harmful federal cuts to Medi-Cal and the weakening of the federal role in protecting civil rights in education and other settings. We have organized a cross-disability alliance of disability-led organizations and launched a power-building team to work to bring together activists to fight for real change in our state and beyond.

In the last year, we created a substack that already has over 16,000 subscribers and launched our first podcast to supplement our other communications platforms. We have been steadfast in our commitment to improving equity in healthcare, education, and other systems that serve our community. Alongside these systemic efforts, we continue to deliver quality legal services to people with all types of disabilities across our state.

If you support our mission and feel connected to our work, please join us. Sign up for the substack, follow the podcast, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Bluesky. If you would like to make an online donation, please donate here.

DRC was created in 1978 to be a powerful advocate for disability rights and to protect disabled people from abuse and neglect. In this time of division and disruption, it is important for Californians with disabilities, our family members and supporters to come together and demand a future where (to quote our new vision statement) “disability is recognized as a natural part of the human experience” and disabled people are supported, valued, encouraged to take leadership in our communities, and make our own decisions. We look forward to working alongside you to make that vision a reality in California and beyond.

Andrew J. Imparato
DRC CEO