Los defensores de los derechos de las personas con discapacidad en Nueva York están trabajando para romper barreras en numerosas áreas legislativas, incluidas las del transporte, vivienda y empleo. Otra área de atención es la votación y los lugares de votación accesibles. Un informe del Centro Brennan para la Justicia encuentra que casi todos los lugares de votación de Nueva York no son accesibles para personas con discapacidad, lo que los deja incapaces de albergar a una cuarta parte de la población del estado. La doctora Sharon McLennon-Wier, del Center for Independence of the Disabled New York, describe algunas formas en que esto funcionaría.

"Estamos analizando boletas accesibles, especialmente boletas electrónicas para personas ciegas, con discapacidad visual o con dificultades de aprendizaje. Si pueden enviar una boleta accesible a través del voto en ausencia, sería útil porque tal vez no puedan conseguir que alguien los lleve a las urnas," enfatizó la entrevistada.

Agrega que la Junta Electoral Estatal también debería capacitar a los trabajadores electorales sobre el uso de dispositivos para marcar boletas. El informe del Centro Brennan encuentra que en el 42% de los lugares de votación encuestados, los dispositivos para marcar las boletas no estaban configurados para garantizar la privacidad del votante discapacitado. Los proyectos de ley sobre la capacitación de los trabajadores electorales y la habilitación del voto electrónico en ausencia están pendientes en el Comité Electoral de la Asamblea.

En educación, McLennon-Wier expresa que la educación sexual adecuada para las personas con discapacidades es importante. Ciertas discapacidades pueden requerir que una persona reciba ayuda con la vida diaria, pero señala que esto puede dejar a la persona en situaciones más vulnerables. Proporcionar este tipo de educación podría ayudar a reducir la cantidad de agresiones sexuales que enfrentan las personas con discapacidad.

"Entonces, queremos que a las personas con discapacidad se les enseñe sobre sus cuerpos, sobre el contacto inapropiado, sobre cómo obtener una buena atención médica reproductiva, cómo entender la higiene, la buena salud y el proceso reproductivo," insistió también McLennon-Wier.

La Oficina de Estadísticas de Justicia de EE. UU. encuentra que las agresiones sexuales a personas discapacitadas aumentaron un 27% entre 2017 y 2019. Además, una encuesta de 2023 señala que el 48% de las mujeres con discapacidad han experimentado agresión o acoso sexual en el lugar de trabajo.

New York disability-rights advocates are celebrating the 34th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The 1990 legislation prohibits discrimination against people with physical or mental disabilities. Along with becoming a standard part of employment law, it bolsters accessibility in the public environment.

As seminal as the ADA is, said Dr. Sharon McLennon Wier, executive director of the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York, more work must be done to achieve true accessibility.

"Even though ADA has been around for many, many years," she said, "there is still ignorance regarding what is true accessibility and how new construction at times can still be put up without following the principles of ADA universal access."

Downstate New York's transportation systems lack ADA compliance. Only 31% of New York City's Subway system is accessible to people with disabilities. Funding has been allocated to make the system 95% compliant. The work would have been done by 2055, but since Gov. Kathy Hochul paused congestion pricing, these plans have been put on hold indefinitely.

A New York City Comptroller report finds only 40% of the city's disabled population is employed. Statewide reports show post-pandemic employment for people with disabilities is recovering much slower than the nation.

To change this, said McLennon Wier, classroom instructional materials need to be more accessible, "having more raised line drawings, having more Braille available, having more assistive technology that can read various types of charts and diagrams."

She said she thinks certain industries are siloed, but once they open up to better comprehend universal accessibility, more people with disabilities will join them. One place this can work is in STEM fields, as only 3% of that workforce includes people with disabilities.

July is Disability Pride Month, and today is the 34th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Federal data show that more than 42 million Americans have a disability affecting their cognition, mobility, hearing, vision or ability to provide self-care or live independently.

"Studies over and over demonstrate that people with disabilities are a very solid
part of our workforce," said Joe Xavier, director of the California Department of Rehabilitation, which helps people with disabilities thrive at work. "They stay in their jobs, they're committed to the work that they do, and so there's much less turnover with people with disabilities, thereby reducing the cost and all the work associated with that."

Advocates have said companies are responsible for providing accommodation in the same way they provide chairs and technology for all their workers. They encourage companies to follow principles of universal design when building new spaces, so access is not an afterthought.

Britanny Comegna, a member of the State Rehabilitation Council, runs a company called Deaf and Disability Mediation Services and said people shouldn't be shy about direct communication with disabled people.

"When you meet a new disabled person," she said, "you have to ask, 'How do you want to identify? What do you need? And what can I learn from you?' Ask those questions because we really do appreciate that you're making that effort to connect with me and understand me as a person."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to reduce health disparities among adults with disabilities, who have higher rates of smoking, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.


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Advocates for individuals with disabilities want the state of Nevada to further embrace what is known as the "independent living" model.

Dawn Lyons, executive director of the Nevada Statewide Independent Living Council, said the philosophy is centered around people with disabilities being their own experts on their needs and the services they require. Lyons acknowledged within the state's disability community, there exists what she called "inter-conflict," leading to a lack of a unified voice and sending mixed signals to policymakers.

"Even though we have these other voices interfering, saying different things, what it comes down to is 'We don't need to fight each other,'" Lyons emphasized. "I think the reason why we end up with that inter-conflict is because we've been put down so often and we've been told that we don't matter."

Lyons has been with the council for the last eight years and pointed out progress has been made but more needs to be done. She argued education related to independent living is key to moving the needle and the council supports developing educational materials as well as consulting with a state currently employing an effective independent living approach. Lyons explained one of those states could be Colorado, which she adds even has its own independent living agency.

John Rosenlund, program director for the Nevada Assistive Technology Collaborative, said independent living boils down to empowerment. He said he recognizes the state cannot move forward with implementing a philosophy if there are those who do not agree with it or are comfortable with the status quo.

Rosenlund contends centers for independent living across the state have strayed from independent living values such as peer support, individual and systems advocacy and independent living skills training.

"Things aren't right, they've lost the meaning of what independent living is, perhaps," Rosenlund suggested. "Or they're too focused on certain things so that stability at centers for independent living is, in my mind, instrumental."

Rosenlund added the lack of awareness and adoption of independent living's core values is having real effects across the state, with some missing out on real opportunities to enhance their lives. He reminded people without any change or challenge, there will not be any growth.