In the Face of Harm, We Choose Solidarity
This week’s headlines are heavy, but they’re only part of the full story. Even as our access to care, education, and basic rights is threatened, disabled people are organizing, resisting, and building our futures. From activists protesting Medicaid cuts to disability justice elders like Anita Cameron still fighting (and writing) for our collective future, the truth is clear: We are not powerless.
Whether it's protesting dangerous policies, amplifying stories that need to be heard, or helping a family through sudden grief, these acts of care and courage remind us that the future is not fixed. We create it together.
Photo of six people with new DCL summer shirts. The first is a brown-skinned person with long hair wearing a white shirt with the words “Cure Ableism” in rainbow letters — they have fierce makeup. The second person is Black with long locs, silver jewelry, and tattoos in a black shirt that says “Disabled Joy is Revolutionary.” The third is a brown-skinned femme in a white shirt with a red mask on it that reads “Mask If You Hate Fascists.” The fourth is a femme with long straight dark hair wearing a gray shirt that reads “Protect Trans Kids” in hand lettering. The fifth is a brown-skinned person with short hair wearing a shirt that reads “Disability Justice is….” The sixth is a tall smiling person with a short beard wearing a shirt that reads “Crips Against Fascism” three times.
Connect and Find Joy
The Disability Culture Lab Store Summer Collection is LIVE!
We’re thrilled to reopen the (virtual) doors to our merch store for summer! Our new collection is a celebration of disabled joy, pride, protest, and culture. It’s packed with bold, unapologetic designs created by and for our communities.
We are so proud to be a trans-disabled led organization and we will never stop fighting for our people. Join us: Get your “Protect Trans Disabled Youth” shirt in time for Pride, and your donation will help us keep up the fight.
The new collection features partnerships with amazing disabled artists Jen D. Rafanan, Jen White-Johnson, and Bob Bland. Read more about them on our social media this week!
The products are all sensory friendly, USA-made, and union-made because worker justice is disability justice.
Decolonized Beatz: Indigenous World Pride 2025
May 30 + June 1, 2025 | Piscataway Land (Washington, D.C.)
Crushing Colonialism is proud to present Decolonized Beatz: Indigenous World Pride 2025. It’s a vibrant two-day celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ Indigenous artistry, performance, and storytelling from across the globe. This landmark event coincides with World Pride, offering a powerful platform to amplify the voices of Indigenous Queer and Two-Spirit people.
What We’re Reading This Week
College Students With Disabilities Are Being Abandoned by the Trump Administration
by Mia Ives-Rublee
“More—not less—needs to be done to help disabled students transition from high school to secondary education. Students need access to more resources to help them understand their rights, receive help applying for disability services, and, in some cases, secure financial assistance to get the evaluations required for approved accommodations.” (H/T Teen Vogue)
Medicaid Cuts Could Leave Millions of Black People Without Care
by Brandon Tensley and Candace Y.A. Montague
“Medicaid has helped Walker to afford this life-saving treatment. It also has covered her blood thinner, copays, and transportation to her doctor’s appointments. But that access is in doubt for her and the 72 million people—one-fifth of the U.S. population—enrolled in the government health care program for low-income people and people with disabilities.” (H/T Capital B News)
“Any Moment Could Be the Last”: Red States Could Preview Gender-Affirming Care Under Trump
by Erin Sellers, RANGE
“But transgender people across the country—even in blue states considered sanctuaries—could soon find themselves facing the same hurdles as Ellis in Idaho if President Donald Trump fulfills campaign promises to prevent Medicaid funds from being used to pay for gender-affirming care.” (H/T The 19th)
“It Is Going to Kill People”: Disability Rights Activist Speaks Out on Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill”
by Julie Farrar
“‘We’re putting our bodies on the line [because] our bodies are on the line,’ says Julie Farrar, an activist with ADAPT, which organized the protest. ‘It is blood on the hands of the GOP and the president and the administration, that they want this big, beautiful bill for billionaires that will kill poor people [and] disabled people.’” (H/T Democracy Now)
Plug In and Take Action
Act TODAY to tell the FDA we need universal COVID vaccine access.
From The People’s CDC: “Our access to COVID vaccines is under attack. It’s more important than ever to make our voices heard. According to CIDRAP, ‘The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will likely remove recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that children, teens, and pregnant women receive the COVID-19 vaccine,’ the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported yesterday, citing people familiar with the developments. This is a highly concerning development, which would limit people’s access to vaccines.
“Further, the FDA announced that they approved the COVID vaccine by Novavax but limited it to older adults 65 years and older and those 12 to 64 years with certain health conditions. Creating these unnecessary barriers to COVID vaccines could also result in limited access to Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines. It further undermines public confidence in vaccines, which are crucial and time-tested public health tools. We can’t let that happen.
“We need your voice today to oppose these limitations by the FDA in order to ensure universal access to COVID vaccines to protect people from infection, hospitalization, death, or Long COVID. The FDA is continuing to accept public comments as they consider future recommendations regarding COVID vaccines up until [TONIGHT] May 23, 11:59 pm Eastern.”
>> Find a step-by-step guide and sample language here.
Introduction to Lobbying from Disability Victory
“What is lobbying, who does it, and how can it make you a better advocate? Join Disability Victory board member and lobbyist Rebecca Lamorte on Thursday, May 29 at 2:00 Eastern to learn about how lobbying can influence the legislative process.
“You’ll learn the basics of lobbying and how different groups engage in lobbying, debunk myths about the practice, hear examples of how lobbying has been used to advance disability advocacy, and learn techniques and best practices.”
Thursday, May 29, 2025 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET | ASL | CART | Virtual | >> Register
Support Our Community: Mutual Aid
May his memory be a blessing to his family and all who loved him.
It is with deep sadness we share the passing of one of our team members' fathers. If you are able, please join us in supporting the family in their time of grief to help them fund the funeral.
We share this statement from the family and support them in their grief and quest for answers, as all workers deserve safety at work:
"Garbage workers are our family and family friends. He should have never died at work that day. It is our sincere hope that all the lessons this horror can teach are actually learned, so that it never happens to anyone else. We are truly devastated.” — Michelle Romero
Flowers For Our Elder: A Fundraiser for Disability Rights Icon Anita Cameron
Anita Cameron is a pivotal figure in our community. A Black, Indigenous, disabled lesbian and lifelong activist, she participated in the 1990 Capitol Crawl that helped pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, organized the first Pride March in Colorado Springs, and has tirelessly advocated for accessible voting. She’s also a writer, educator, and emergency preparedness leader, known for her intersectional approach and unwavering commitment to justice.
Now, Anita needs our support. Facing ageism and discrimination, she’s struggling to find work as speaking engagements are canceled amid funding cuts. This fundraiser, organized by Nechama Moring, aims to provide Anita with financial stability so she can complete two critical projects: We Were There Too: Blacks in the Disability Movement (an inclusive history of Black disabled activists) and her autobiography, titled Troublemaker: The Life and Times of an Intersectional Activist. Every contribution helps ensure that Anita’s voice continues to guide and inspire future generations.
Have news, tips, joy, or actions to share? Drop us a line at Hello@DisabilityCultureLab.org. We’d love to hear from you!
Want to support DCL’s work to shift the narrative on disability from fear and pity to solidarity and liberation? Donate here!
