Webinar – Disability Rights Activism and Organizing

Date: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET

Click here for a transcript for this webinar

Disability rights are universal civil and human rights, but these rights are not yet fully realized by society. People with disabilities continue to encounter systemic barriers that limit their economic prospects, well-being, and human rights. Attaining these rights requires more than compliance with the ADA or other current disability rights laws. It also requires the advocacy and organizing of disability rights activists, whose targeted, strategic action has been crucial to expanding disability inclusion, rights, and justice. Join us in a discussion with disability advocates and policy workers to learn how disabled organizing impacts disability-related policy, and how funders can support disability rights activism.

CART will be provided. If you require another accommodation to fully participate in the webinar, please note it in your registration, or contact us at communications@disabilityphilanthropy.org. This free webinar is presented by the Disability & Philanthropy Forum.

About the Panelists

Satonya Fair, a Black woman with low cut straight black hair, wearing a black blouse, silver earrings, and a matching necklace. She is smiling brightly at the camera.

Moderator: Satonya Fair, President and CEO, PEAK Grantmaking

Satonya (she/her/hers) brings over 25 years of experience in philanthropy and nonprofit management. Her deep expertise spans the funder landscape, nonprofit structures, compliance, change management, philanthropy technology, outcome measurement, and knowledge management, enabling her to guide strategic efforts effectively. Committed to fostering equity and parity between funders and nonprofits, especially for communities of color, Satonya excels in managing large-scale initiatives, reshaping procedural norms, and promoting “next level” practices. Her focus on prioritizing people over projects cultivates stronger culture, continuity, and sustainability within organizations. With a JD from the University of Cincinnati and bachelor’s in psychology and political science from Miami University (Ohio), Satonya resides in Catonsville, Maryland, on Piscataway ancestral land.

Panelist: Dom Kelly, Co-Founder, President & CEO, New Disabled South and New Disabled South Rising

Dom Kelly is the Co-Founder, President & CEO of New Disabled South, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and New Disabled South Rising, its 501(c)(4) arm. Dom is one of a set of triplets with cerebral palsy and a lifelong disability advocate. He received a Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. He is a 2024 Rockwood National Leading From the Inside Out Yearlong Fellow and as one of ten winners of The J.M. Kaplan Fund’s 2023 Innovation Prize. He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Catie, their daughter Mahalia, and their dog Vivi.

An image of Daphne Frias, a young disabled Latina with brown shoulder-length hair, wearing brown patterned glasses, a white necklace, and a white off-the-shoulder blouse. She is smiling at the camera.

Panelist: Daphne Frias, Activist, Organizer, and Founder of Box the Ballot

Daphne Frias is a 25-year-old youth activist. She is unapologetically Latina. Daphne has Cerebral Palsy, and uses a wheelchair to ambulate. She is fiercely proud to be a loud champion for the disabled community. She got her start shortly after the Parkland shooting by busing 100+ students from her college campus to the nearest March For Our Lives (MFOL) event. In July of 2019, she was appointed as the NY State Director for March For Our Lives, and completed her one year tenure there in June of 2020. Daphne created her own non-profit called Box The Ballot (BTB), which aims to harness the power of absentee ballots. Her passion for advocacy propelled her to run for county committeewoman of Assembly District 70, Election District 80 in West Harlem. In June of 2019, Daphne won her election and continues to work hard to represent her constituents. In the spring of 2019, she was appointed as one of the North American Regional Focal Points for Sustainable Development Goal 16 at the U.N. Major Group for Children and Youth. Currently, she continues to stay passionate about creating change, as a freelance organizer. In addition, she consults with non-profits, crafting engaging campaigns highlighting the voices of Gen-Z.