Because the world continues to threaten our civil rights, we work to ensure there are strong disability perspectives in leadership spaces. By connecting our leaders to civic engagement opportunities, we believe they can and will create solutions for our most intractable social problems—ultimately, all social justice issues are also disability issues. Here's our Q2 update.
In 2023, Disability Lead has identified and made connections to 104 opportunities for our Members with 39 successful connections. Some highlights include:
- Kevin Irvine joined the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board of the State of Illinois Office of the Governor
- Maureen Burns and Benjamin Salentine joined the Access Advisory Committee of the Illinois Holocaust Museum
- Frank Lally, Candace Coleman, and Christopher Huff were appointed to Brandon Johnson's Transition Committee
- Emily Blum was appointed to the Advisory Council of New Disabled South
- Kennedy Healy was a consultant for Indie Lens Pop-Up program at ITVS
- Amy Johnson was a panelist at ADPList's Product Day
- Vanessa Harris was named one of Field Foundation's 2023 Leaders for a New Chicago
- Tsehaye Hébert was awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Chicago Recovery Plan Community Wealth Building Initiative
Congratulations to all and we look forward to sharing more stories of our leaders paving the way in September! If you have an advancement you’d like included in future stories, please contact Risa, rrifkind@disabilitylead.org.