Our Disability Power Series is BACK! Join us on August 8th from 12 pm—1 pm CST for Disability Lead's first Disability Power Series of 2024, featuring Dior Vargas, MS, MPH! Dior is renowned for her impactful advocacy for mental health. During this virtual program, she will share her personal journey, offering profound insights and practical strategies for navigating conversations about mental health with loved ones. Dior is also the creator of the People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project and editor of The Color of My Mind and was recognized as a White House Champion of Change for Disability Advocacy. Dior's work has garnered international acclaim and has been featured in major media outlets like The New York Times, Forbes, and NBC News Latino. Following her presentation, Dior will engage in a fireside chat with Disability Lead staff, during which she will answer live questions from the audience, further enriching the discussion. Register For This Engaging Event Here: https://lnkd.in/gYmimeq8
Disability Lead
Civic and Social Organizations
Chicago, Illinois 6,249 followers
Power. Influence. Change.
About us
VISION: People with disabilities will lead with power and influence for full participation and equal opportunity as a vital part of the civic fabric in the Chicago region. MISSION: To increase civic engagement and diverse leadership in the Chicago region by developing and building a network of leaders with disabilities — consistent with the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Disability Lead pursues its vision with a voracious belief that creating a more equitable and inclusive society matters and is an obligation of everyone. Disability is a natural part of the human experience. Disability exists in every facet of society including in immigrant communities, in Black and Brown communities, in LGBTQIA+ communities, in Indigenous Communities and every community in between. While the Americans with Disabilities Act affirmed the rights of people with disabilities, we work with the understanding that we will only be an equitable and inclusive society when we achieve true disability justice. Disability justice is a cross-disability and cross-social justice movement that centers intersectional identities led by those who have been most impacted by systemic oppression. It insists that our worth is inherent and tied to the liberation of all people. In 2015, over 200 Chicagoland groups convened by The Chicago Community Trust celebrated and leveraged the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADA 25 Chicago identified the pressing need to address the lack of disability representation at the region’s tables of power and influence. A Leadership Institute was created to build a deeper bench of leaders with disabilities to serve on task forces, boards, commissions, and other roles. After a successful pilot, the initiative evolved into ADA 25 Advancing Leadership initially incubated at The Chicago Community Trust. In 2019, ADA 25 Advancing Leadership was established as an independent 501c3 and in 2021 rebranded to Disability Lead.
- Website
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http://www.disabilitylead.org
External link for Disability Lead
- Industry
- Civic and Social Organizations
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Headquarters
- Chicago, Illinois
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 2015
- Specialties
- Civic Engagement, Leadership, and Disability Rights
Locations
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Primary
Get directions
567 W Lake St
Suite 1150
Chicago, Illinois 60661, US
Employees at Disability Lead
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Elisabeth Johnson
Violinist, Musician, Performer, Activist
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Sadaf Ajani
Global Social Impact Consultant - Connecting people, ideas, & resources by Managing Global Grantmaking Portfolios | Partnerships | DEI | Training &…
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Clare Killy
Leadership Development | Disability Advocacy | Nonprofit Management
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Jenn Jones
Director Of Operations and Projects | Customer Success Obsessed | SaaS Enthusiast
Updates
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Disability Lead reposted this
34 years ago today, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, ushering in unprecedented legal protections for people with disabilities. The ADA protects against discrimination in a variety of situations, including employment and governmental services. Importantly, the law protects against retaliation for a person who has asserted their rights under the ADA or complained about a lack of accessibility. The Shriver Center on Poverty Law is fighting for equity and opportunity for all, and that includes people with disabilities. To learn more about the ADA, check out Disability Lead’s overview: https://lnkd.in/e5i244nv
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We were thrilled to celebrate the 34th anniversary of the ADA earlier this month. We know our Members continue to create a more just, inclusive, and equitable society every day. Here's our celebration of them: https://ow.ly/vlK950SKnAZ A special thank you to The iO Theater for being a great venue for our annual members celebration this month. Thank you for being a wonderful accessible space for Disability Lead and our members!
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Dive into our 2024 Disability Power Series on August 8th, from 12 to 1 p.m. CST, featuring Dior Vargas, MS, MPH! Known for her impactful advocacy in mental health, Dior will share personal insights and strategies for navigating these conversations. Following her presentation, Dior will engage in a fireside chat with Disability Lead staff, during which she will answer live questions from the audience, further enriching the discussion. Register now to secure your spot: https://lnkd.in/gYmimeq8
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Are you a person with a disability who wants to help make the Chicago region a more equitable and just place by becoming more civically engaged? The application is OPEN for the 2025 Institute! Go to disabilitylead.org/apply for more info. Share this post to spread the word! #WeAreDisabilityLead
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Member News - Gizelle C. Check out Disability Lead Member and Senior Director of Alumni and Impact at National Medical Fellowships, Inc., Gizelle Clemens, in this recent episode of the Intersection Podcast with Nancy A. Harris. Join Gizelle and Nancy A. Harris as they explore the intersections of disability, gender, and race. Listen as Gizelle shares her inspiring vision for disability justice, emphasizes the critical importance of representation, and offers actionable insights to tackle systemic barriers within organizations. Dive into this impactful conversation now: https://lnkd.in/e4H4teWh #MemberNews #Members #Disability #LeadingWithDisability
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Thank you to all of our members and allies who joined Disability Lead, this past Saturday, in marching in this year's Chicago Disability Pride Parade! We loved marching, celebrating and amplifying the strength, diversity and power of disabled folks in Chicago. Michele L. , we can't wait to do this again with you and with all of our amazing members and community next year! #DisabilityPride, #Chicago #WeAreDisLead
💕 Loved celebrating the strength, diversity, and power of disabled folks at Chicago’s #DisabilityPride Parade this weekend 🎉 Let’s do it again next year Emily Blum @ Disability Lead, Karen Tamley, Bridget Hayman, Daisy Feidt, Amber Smock @ Access Living, Kevin Irvine @ Rush University Medical Center, Irma Gomez, Ed.M Chicago Transit Authority, Rachel Arfa @ Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), Tekki Lomnicki @ Tellin' Tales Theatre, Rahnee Patrick, Veronica " V " L., George Hayman, Claire T. McNorton, PMP @ Planned Parenthood of Illinois, Tsehaye Geralyn Hébert, Rachel Weisberg @ Disability Rights Advocates and Katie Hench!! 📸 George & Bridget Hayman #DisabilityPride2024 #TheFutureIsAccessible
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Henry L. Hillman Foundation inspires, invests in, and leverages great ideas to make Pittsburgh one of the world's most forward-looking cities. Disability Lead is grateful to Hillman for its support and partnership as we begin a two-year project to build a network of disabled leaders in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
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🌟 Calling All Emerging Leaders In Chicago! 🌟 Disability Lead's 2025 Emerging Leaders Fellowship is now accepting applications! Join a groundbreaking new class of up to 20 Fellows who will shape the future of disability representation in Chicago. Our Fellows are driven to grow as leaders and make a lasting impact on Chicago's civic landscape. Apply to our leadership Institute by the early bird deadline of September 20th to secure your chance for an interview. The final deadline is October 4th. Ready to elevate your leadership journey? Apply today and help us redefine possibilities for disability leadership across the Chicagoland area. Share this post to spread the word! #WeAreDisabilityLead disabilitylead.org/apply #Fellowship #Disability #EmergingLeaders #Leadership
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Join Disability Lead at The Chicago Disability Pride Parade THIS Saturday! Disability Lead is actively seeking enthusiastic participants to march alongside us this year! Whether you identify as a person with a disability, an ally, or share our vision, your presence and support are invaluable! To join Disability Lead's parade team, sign up using the link below! https://lnkd.in/gwAapzdB If you're interested in watching the parade, the MOPD post below provides more information on how to do that. We can't wait to see you there!
The Chicago Disability Pride Parade is coming soon! Watch the parade on Saturday, July 20 at 11AM on Dearborn Ave. in the Loop from Van Buren Street to Washington Street. Join us for a resource fair in Daley Plaza after the parade. #DisabilityPride
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