A New Jersey restaurant sent a woman her 29th birthday dessert with the word wheelchair written on it in place of her name, after staff used her mobility device to mark the kitchen ticket. Antonia Sinibaldi, who has used a wheelchair since she was two years old, was offered free drinks before she was offered an explanation, and she has said she will not return. Nobody had to intend harm for her to be reduced to her equipment, and that is the everyday shape of ableism. She stated the standard herself: do not bring up my disability.

Seating arranged by phone weeks ahead of a concert turned out to be a metal bench on the far side of a barricade, facing away from the stage, with the standing crowd's elbows level with her head, and when a man from the VIP side put his child on it he demanded to know what made her so special, then watched her the rest of the night to see whether dancing or smiling would disqualify her. Her disability moves along a spectrum and shifts with circumstance, which for years brought dismissal from the people she consulted and doubt from relatives, and none of that changes the fact that asking for what removes a barrier does not depend on anyone else's sympathy. Belonging is the starting condition for People with Disabilities, and any gathering that hands it out as a prize has already built the barrier.

Self-care is foundational to participation, independence and long-term sustainability at work and in school, particularly in environments that still carry unspoken expectations around appearance, presentation and productivity. Societal expectations set uniform appearance standards. Sarah Todd Hammer emphasizes access over novelty, naming concrete options: accessible makeup from Tilt Beauty (ease of use certified by The Arthritis Foundation (AF)), Kizik shoes that are put on and taken off completely hands-free, and the Flaus electric flosser whose vibrations move the floss side-to-side to…

This Brief But Spectacular segment features Micaela Connery reflecting on how a close family relationship led her to focus on homes and neighborhoods that welcome People with Disabilities as full neighbors, framing community as ordinary daily life shared in the same buildings, streets, and routines. She describes The Kelsey’s approach: mixed-income, mixed-ability housing where universal design, inclusive property management, and resident leadership are planned from the start to remove barriers that keep People with Disabilities out of typical apartments and community spaces. The segment…

At the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Jernigan Institute on December 5, 2025, members of Maryland’s congressional delegation announced legislation introduced in the House of Representatives (H.R. 6467) and the United States Senate (S. 3371) to designate the Museum of the Blind People’s Movement as the National Museum of the Blind People’s Movement. The article frames this as a civil rights moment grounded in “collective action,” insisting that blind people’s central role in advancing civil rights belongs in the nation’s official story—not treated as optional or “undershared.”…

Raffi Stein-Klotz, 24, is part of an adult Jewish learning series created specifically for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at Jewish Association for Residential Care (JARC), where he and his housemates study Genesis, learn terms in Hebrew and English, and practice “boker or” and “boker tov.” The article makes clear why this matters: advocates say there are “few if any options” for formal adult Jewish education tailored to them, leaving adults pushed out of the learning that shapes Jewish life—until programs commit to providing “Jewish academic resources for adults with…

The North Star Memo, built over a year by close to 50 disabled leaders and backed by over 20 groups working for disability justice and rights, puts People with Disabilities in charge of imagining the future instead of inviting them in once the decisions are made. It argues that who becomes disabled is shaped by choices made for profit and power, that the weight falls hardest on trans people and on Black and Indigenous women, and that interdependence and care deserve the same standing as roads and broadband. For us, the lesson is to bring disabled people into our planning while it is still taking shape.

.

An opinion piece on the future of the Lake Tahoe region argues that a place protected for thirty years is still built for a narrow slice of the people who love it, where the beach, the trails, the snow, and the events open only to those who can already reach them and anyone asking for access is told to justify the request. More than one in four adults in the United States is a Person with a Disability, and real access is designed from the first meeting for cognitive, psychiatric, sensory, communication, physical, and non apparent disabilities rather than counted off a list of ramps and parking spaces. The familiar answers about short capacity, short money, and mission scope are choices that hand the work back to the People with Disabilities already shut out, because access is not charity granted when it is convenient. Sustainability that guards water and forests but not the people who love the lake preserves only half of it, and People with Disabilities belong in planning seats, paid consulting roles, and leadership positions before the barrier is ever built.

This article shines a powerful spotlight on the lived experiences and words of wisdom from 26 brilliant women who are proudly part of the Disability community. Their insights serve as bold affirmations of self-worth, purpose, and identity—reminding us that having a disability is not a limitation but a unique lens through which we contribute to the world. Comedian Rosie Jones captures this beautifully: “Having a disability is not a disadvantage; it’s a different perspective.” These voices are not just personal reflections; they offer a roadmap for Removing Barriers that prevent us from…

Welcome to The Shining Lamp This space is about building community. Imagine a community that fosters a genuine sense of belonging Where a diverse membership is warmly embraced. Where people of different Races, Disabilities, Ages, Genders, and Cultures, otherwise marginalized, participate fully and inclusively in all of their community's activities and events. Where children find the encouragement to explore and grow, and older members share their wisdom and experience. Where each person is valued for who they are and have opportunities to contribute. Where the community exemplifies the…

Sarah Kovac, a journalist and advocate who lives with arthrogryposis, which severely limits the use of her arms and hands, built a fully independent life using her feet for virtually every daily task and coined the term "ability drift" to describe the reality that physical capability shifts over time through aging, accidents, and temporary circumstances. Through her Consumer Reports collaboration, Kovac brought in journalists with disabilities whose practical adaptive guidance proved valuable across situations far beyond their specific experience, demonstrating that disability community expertise is wisdom that cannot be obtained anywhere else. People with Disabilities have long been spoken at rather than consulted as the actual authorities on their own lives, and Community Builders striving to create Vibrant, Diverse, Inclusive, Accessible Communities must center the lived experience of People with Disabilities as the foundation of every decision about accessibility and inclusion.