126 search results for "california"

Early Voting Begins: A Voter Guide for Californians with Disabilities

Early Voting Begins: A Voter Guide for Californians with Disabilities

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on January 27, 2020

First Edition of California Voting Guide Highlights Presidential Candidates’ Responses to 2020 Disability Candidate Questionnaire

Los Angeles, Jan. 27 – As Californians with and without disabilities get ready to go to the polls to vote in their state’s primary election, a disability rights nonprofit has released its California State Voter Guide. While primary election day in California is on March 3, 2020, early voting begins weeks before in many localities across the Golden State. Early voting gives voters with and without disabilities the flexibility and choice to their ballots long before primary day.

Research conducted in the 2018 election shows that 74 percent of likely voters either have a disability themselves or have a family member or a close friend with disabilities. The upcoming elections and their results will have an impact on people with disabilities, so it is important to become familiar with the candidates’ positions on certain issues.

Expansion of Best Practices leads to 19,745 new jobs for Californians with Disabilities

L-R: Gavin Newsom, Philip Kahn-Pauli, and Heidi Wangelin smile together in the Marriot Marquis lobby

Expansion of Best Practices leads to 19,745 new jobs for Californians with Disabilities

Published by Philip Pauli on April 2, 2019

Washington, D.C., April 2 – Nationwide 111,804 people with disabilities got new jobs last year, including 19,745 new jobs for Californians with disabilities. The Golden State now ranks 35th among the 50 states in terms of the employment rate for people with disabilities. The newly published 2018 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium shows there…

Kamala Harris Wins California Senate Seat

Kamala Harris speaking behind a podium and microphone with sign saying her name in the background

Kamala Harris Wins California Senate Seat

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on November 8, 2016

Washington, Nov. 8 – Democrat Kamala Harris is set to be California’s next U.S. Senator, after beating Loretta Sanchez in this year’s election.

Harris completed the #PwDsVote Disability Questionnaire for presidential, senate and gubernatorial candidates put out by RespectAbility, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to end stigmas and advance opportunities for people with disabilities. Sanchez also responded to the questionnaire.

The Harris campaign response spoke of her dedication to supporting legislation that further disability rights.

“As San Francisco District Attorney and California Attorney General, Kamala has a lengthy record of advocating for civil rights, including disability rights, women’s rights, racial justice, and LGBT equality,” the Harris campaign responded. “In the Senate, Kamala will continue her civil rights advocacy for persons with disabilities by ensuring that the ADA is fully enforced and that similar international laws, such as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, are given full effect.”

California has 4,019,882 citizens with disabilities. There are 2,010,783 Californians with disabilities who are between the ages of 18-64. Currently only 33.3 percent of working-age Californians with disabilities are employed compared to 72.2 percent of those without disabilities. Additionally, there are 115,000 Californians ages 16-20 with disabilities. More than 613,000 California students have individual education plans (IEPs).

There are 56 million people with disabilities (one in five Americans), more than 35 million of whom are eligible voters (one-sixth of the electorate). A new poll showed that half of voters either have a disability or a loved one with a disability. The poll also showed that voters were more likely to support candidates who prioritize ensuring that children with disabilities get the education and training they need to succeed as well expanding job and career opportunities for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility reached out to candidates for president, governor and U.S. Senate – requesting them to complete the #PwDsVote disability questionnaireon multiple disability topics ranging from employment, education, violence and abuse, criminal justice, healthcare and more.

On the presidential level, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton filled out the full questionnaire. Despite numerous requests in person and by phone and email, Mr. Trump did not.

Forty down ballot candidates, including 26 for Senate and 11 for governor, from both sides of the aisle (25 Democrats, 14 Republicans, 1 Green Party) responded, showing that disability rights is a nonpartisan issue. The responses also were geographically diverse, coming from states all around the country as politicians are paying more and more attention to the disability community.

View Harris’ response to the questionnaire below:

California Senate Candidates Speak Out Against Discrimination and For Disability Rights

Published by Charles Butler on October 11, 2016

Washington, Oct. 11 – As voters get ready to head to the polls in California, RespectAbility has released its California Disability Voter Guide. Democratic candidates Loretta Sanchez and Kamala Harris are seeking California’s open senate seat, and both of them, as well as presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, have completed the…

California’s Kamala Harris Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 27, 2016

Kamala Harris

Washington, Sept. 27 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Democrat Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, as well as Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez, who are both running for the open U.S. Senate seat representing California, completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

California has 5.9 million eligible voters with a disability, and they are looking to know where the candidates stand on important disability issues in order to increase opportunities for competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities.

California’s Loretta Sanchez Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Loretta Sanchez wearing a red dress and pearls standing facing camera with background being ocean

California’s Loretta Sanchez Completes #PwDsVote Senate Campaign Questionnaire

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on September 15, 2016

Loretta Sanchez

Washington, Sept. 15 – RespectAbility, a nonprofit organization working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream, has asked Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle to fill out a questionnaire on disability issues. Democrat Rep. Loretta Sanchez completed the #PwDsVote Disability Campaign Questionnaire for Senate and Gubernatorial Candidates for people with disabilities.

RespectAbility is nonpartisan and does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

Will Bernie, Hillary or Trump Win the California Disability Vote?

Text in Image: #PwDsVote 2016 Presidential Questionnaire: California Voter Guide, with headshots of three presidential candidates: Clinton, Sanders, Trump

Will Bernie, Hillary or Trump Win the California Disability Vote?

Published by Lauren Appelbaum on June 2, 2016

5.9 Million Eligible Voters with a Disability in California Washington, June 2 – Next week’s California primary is being called the final battleground for the Democratic primary. While Hillary Clinton is expected to secure the nomination in New Jersey, which also goes to the polls on June 7, California has become an…

California Disability Voter Guide Released

Image of a male hand handing an "I Voted" sticker to another hand

California Disability Voter Guide Released

Published by Charles Butler on May 18, 2016

5.9 Million Eligible Voters with a Disability in California Washington, May 18 – As voters head to the polls in California next month, RespectAbility is releasing its California Disability Voter Guide for the 5.9 million eligible voters with a disability in the state. California’s voters are looking to know where…

RespectAbility at the Pacific Northwest Employment Forum

illustration of a bridge over a body of water. Text: 8th Annual PNWEF Spokane, WA

RespectAbility at the Pacific Northwest Employment Forum

Published by Wally Tablit on July 7, 2023

Seattle, WA, Sept. 28 – After two years of an exclusively virtual conference due to COVID, the Pacific Northwest Employment Forum took place in-person in Spokane, WA last week. More than 250 attendees from Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii gathered together to advance the work of workforce development, Employment First policies, and true equitable employment for people with disabilities.

The opening keynote speaker was Carrie Davis, the Vice President of Patient Experience at Hanger Clinic, the nation’s largest prosthetics and orthotics provider. Born without her left arm, Davis has worn a prosthesis since she was 9 months old. She shared how she was initially ashamed and afraid to present her disability and prosthesis, and would hide her arm behind her back. But she grew to see her disability as a part of her full existence, and it has shaped her outlook and approach to life and disability justice.

Disability Pride On The Rise Among Candidates for Public Office

Headshots of John Fetterman and Ollie Cantos, two candidates with disabilities who won in the 2022 elections

Disability Pride On The Rise Among Candidates for Public Office

Published by Adina Karten on December 7, 2022

Having a disability in government has typically meant concealing, masking, or otherwise hiding any difference of mind or body on the campaign trail and in office. Franklin Delano Roosevelt remained paralyzed from the waist down after a bout of polio. Roosevelt used a wheelchair and leg braces for mobility, which he tried to conceal in public.

While government roles have been filled by people with disabilities before and after Roosevelt, people running for public office have rarely felt comfortable revealing their disability status. Thankfully, there are signs that this is starting to change. Only days prior to the Pennsylvania Democratic primary, John Fetterman had a stroke. Fetterman proceeded to win the Senate seat despite the public nature of his disability. He embraced the use of accommodations and used closed-captioning technology, which translates audio into text on a screen in real time. Additionally, the Chairman of RespectAbility’s Board of Directors and Los Angeles City Council District 4-elect, Ollie Cantos VII, described himself as “blind since birth” on his campaign website.

RespectAbility Disability Voters’ Guide: Los Angeles

Los Angeles skyline with a mountain in the background

RespectAbility Disability Voters’ Guide: Los Angeles

Published by Rostom Dadian on September 28, 2022

Los Angeles, CA, September 28 – In the run up to the 2022 midterm elections, the nonpartisan disability rights nonprofit RespectAbility has released its latest Los Angeles Disability Voters’ Guide. According to the 2021 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, there are more than 992,000 Angelenos with disabilities. In Los Angeles County, the disability community makes up 9.9 percent of the population, and fully 11.3 percent of California’s statewide population has a disability. 

The nonpartisan disability group RespectAbility has asked Democratic and Republican candidates the same five key questions about issues affecting people with disabilities, including employment, education, and accessibility. RespectAbility has sent multiple emails and placed many phone calls to the campaigns in order to solicit responses to the questionnaire.

Bass Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire in Los Angeles Mayoral Runoff

Published by Philip Pauli on September 7, 2022

Los Angeles, CA, September 7 – Los Angeles mayoral candidate and Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

According to the 2021 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, there are approximately one million people living in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area with some form of disability. The disability community makes up 9.9 percent of the population in Los Angeles County and fully 11.3 percent of California’s state population.

RespectAbility has asked Democratic and Republican candidates in key races across the country a series of questions about issues affecting people with disabilities, including employment, education, and accessibility. RespectAbility has sent multiple emails and placed many phone calls to the campaigns in order to solicit responses to our questionnaires.

Sivalingam Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire in New Hampshire Senate Race

Tejasinha Sivalingam selfie in front of a mountain

Sivalingam Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire in New Hampshire Senate Race

Published by Eric Ascher on June 30, 2022

Concord, NH, June 30 – New Hampshire Republican Senate candidate Tejasinha Sivalingam has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

One-in-five Americans has a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. People with disabilities are America’s largest minority group. It is also the only one that, due to accident, aging or illness, anyone can join at any time. Indeed, there are more than 183,112 people living with some form of disability in New Hampshire and their votes could be crucial in deciding who will represent them in the United States Senate.

Sivalingam is the second candidate in the upcoming New Hampshire Senate race to respond to RespectAbility’s candidate questionnaire. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to key Senate and gubernatorial campaigns on both sides of the aisle and will be posting all responses on The RespectAbility Report.

Los Angeles Mayor’s Race Advances to November Runoff – What Voters with Disabilities Need to Know

Los Angeles Mayor’s Race Advances to November Runoff – What Voters with Disabilities Need to Know

Published by Philip Pauli on June 8, 2022

Los Angeles, CA, June 8 – The race to replace Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti will continue this fall, with Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA) facing off against billionaire real estate mogul Rick Caruso in a November runoff election. Despite weeks of hard campaigning, neither candidate secured more than 50 percent of the vote. This means that Angelenos will have one final chance to choose their next mayor on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

“Los Angeles faces a major turning point when it comes to picking their next mayor,” said Nelly Nieblas, RespectAbility’s Los Angeles-based State and Federal Policy Associate. “Both candidates need to lay out a clear vision for what they would do to earn the votes of the 1 million Angelenos living with a disability.”

The Los Angeles Mayor’s race garnered national attention and featured a crowded field of diverse candidates, each pitching their vision for the future. Over the past several months, RespectAbility has actively engaged with the different mayoral campaigns to educate them about the key issues facing Angelenos with disabilities.

King Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire in Maryland Governor’s Race

Published by Eric Ascher on May 31, 2022

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability, education, jobs, immigration, climate, criminal justice and more.

Annapolis, MD, May 31 – Democratic gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. Secretary of Education John King responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

One-in-five Americans has a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. People with disabilities are America’s largest minority group. It is also the only one that, due to accident, aging or illness, anyone can join at any time. Indeed, there are more than 669,000 people living with some form of disability in Maryland and their votes could be crucial in deciding who succeeds Larry Hogan as Governor of the Old Line State.

King is the seventh candidate in the upcoming Democratic primary to respond to RespectAbility’s candidate questionnaire. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility is actively communicating with all candidates in Maryland’s upcoming gubernatorial race.

RespectAbility Disability Voters’ Guide: Los Angeles

Published by Alex Hilke on April 30, 2022

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability, education, jobs, homelessness, and more

Los Angeles, CA, April 30 – Ahead of the upcoming primary, the nonpartisan disability rights nonprofit RespectAbility has released its latest Los Angeles Disability Voter Guide. According to the 2021 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, there are approximately one million people living in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area with some form of disability. The disability community makes up 9.9 percent of the population in Los Angeles County and fully 11.3 percent of California’s state population.

Nationwide, one-in-five Americans has a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. People with disabilities are America’s largest minority group. It is also the only one that, due to accident, aging or illness, anyone can join at any time.

RespectAbility has asked Democratic and Republican candidates the same key questions about issues affecting people with disabilities, including employment, education, and accessibility. RespectAbility has sent multiple emails and placed many phone calls to the campaigns in order to solicit responses to the questionnaire. Below you can read responses from candidates on the ballot in Los Angeles who have already taken the time to address the concerns of voters with disabilities.

Coalition Partners Offer Key Solutions to Work Disincentives

Published by Philip Pauli on April 27, 2022

Washington, D.C., April 27 – This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) closed public feedback via a Request for Information (RFI) about key disability topics, benefit system challenges, and economic mobility questions. In response, several national disability advocacy organizations, acting as part of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD), joined forces to develop a thorough set of recommendations to CMS about how to support people with disabilities who want to work.

The Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities (CCD) is the largest coalition of national organizations working together to advocate for federal public policy that ensures the self-determination, independence, empowerment, integration and inclusion of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of society.

The Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), RespectAbility, and the United Spinal Association, operating under their joint work as the CCD Employment and Training Task Force, collaborated to offer employment-focused policy ideas. Members of the CCD Long-Term Services and Support (LTSS) Task Force offered their own comments with a strong focus on rights, independent living, and continued access to key life-saving benefits.

Park Completes Los Angeles-Area Disability Candidate Questionnaire

Published by Philip Pauli on April 11, 2022

Los Angeles, April 11 – Candidate for the L.A. City Council and municipal law attorney Traci Park has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

One-in-five Americans has a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. People with disabilities are America’s largest minority group. It is also the only one that, due to accident, aging or illness, anyone can join at any time. Indeed, there are approximately one million people living in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area with some form of disability.

Polls show that the majority of voters have either a disability or a loved one with a disability. Voters with disabilities and their families are up for grabs – and the actions campaigns take to reach out to these voters can make the difference between winning and losing.

Park is running in the primary to represent the 11th District in the L.A. City Council.

Blumenfield Completes Los Angeles-Area Disability Candidate Questionnaire

Published by Philip Pauli on April 5, 2022

Los Angeles, April 5 – 3rd District L.A. City Council member Bob Blumenfield has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

One-in-five Americans has a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. People with disabilities are America’s largest minority group. It is also the only one that, due to accident, aging or illness, anyone can join at any time. Indeed, there are approximately one million people living in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area with some form of disability.

Blumenfield is running for re-election in the Los Angeles City Council’s 3rd District, representing the West San Fernando Valley.

O’Gabhann Completes Los Angeles-Area Disability Candidate Questionnaire

Published by Philip Pauli on March 25, 2022

Los Angeles, March 25 – Candidate for L.A. City Controller and schoolteacher J. Carolan O’Gabhann has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes.

One-in-five Americans has a disability, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. People with disabilities are America’s largest minority group. It is also the only one that, due to accident, aging or illness, anyone can join at any time. Indeed, there are approximately one million people living in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area with some form of disability.

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