Disability Solidarity in Action at the 2025 GEO Learning Conference
Learn how the Disability & Philanthropy Forum brought disability solidarity to the 2025 GEO Learning Conference!
Britney Wilson: How Civil Rights Era Attorneys Fought for Black Disabled People
Find out how civil rights era cases showcase a history of intentional disability advocacy by Black leaders.
Britney Wilson: We Need Both Racial Justice and Disability Rights to Protect Section 504
Learn why collaboration between racial justice advocacy and disability rights efforts is so essential in the face of attacks on Section 504.
Responding to the Moment: Resources on Rollbacks on Protections for People With Disabilities
Learn more about the rollbacks on protections for people with disabilities, and how both movement leaders and philanthropy are responding.
Disability Equity Webinar Series: Disability Justice and Immigration
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2025Time: 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET With the escalation in legislation targeting immigrants in the United...
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 20 – Dreaming Freedom, Finding Joy: Funding the Transgender Justice Movement with Aldita Amaru Gallardo and Rainier Miles
Learn how philanthropy can fund tangible impact in the transgender justice movement, and why it's so crucial to refuse to fall in line with rollbacks and attacks on trans disabled communities.
Disability Equity Webinar Series: Black Disabled Leadership: Essential Yet Overlooked
Unpack the intersecting oppression of ableism and anti-Blackness, and learn how philanthropy can support Black disabled leadership.
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Member Workshop Series: Back to Basics: Disability Terminology and Connecting to Movement
Getting Back to Basics: Disability Terminology and Connecting to Movement
Jen Deerinwater: How Racism and Genocide Create Disability in Native Communities
Learn how anti-Native racism and genocide disables Native communities.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 19 – Funding the Flowers: Philanthropy’s Support of Our Disabled Elders with Aurora Levins Morales
Justice Shorter and Aurora Levins Morales discuss how philanthropy can cherish, uplift, and fund the wisdom of disabled elders.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 18 – On Disability And Democracy: A Conversation with Sarah Blahovec
Justice Shorter and Sarah Blahovec dive into the landscape of disability-led political advocacy and solidarity through local, national, and global lenses.
Maria Town: What is the Care Movement?
Learn about the wide-reaching definition and vast impact of the care movement and care economy.
Rahnee Patrick: How Philanthropy Can Support the Care Movement
Learn one way that philanthropy can get involved in the care movement.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 17 – On Work, and Cross-Movement Organizing
Nikki Brown-Booker, Yolanda Vargas, and host Justice Shorter explore what it means to work while disabled and cultivate inclusive and equitable workplaces.
“Leadership of the Most Impacted”: Black Philanthropy Month and Disability Justice with Ryan Easterly
Ryan Easterly shares how disability justice has influenced his journey as a Black disabled leader in philanthropy.
How Funders Can Help Divert People with Mental Health Disabilities from Contact with the Criminal Legal System
Learn how philanthropy can aid in preventing the overrepresentation of people with mental health conditions in the criminal legal system.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 16 – The Role of Impact Litigation in the Fight for Disability Rights
Rebecca Williford, Esq., President & CEO of Disability Rights Advocates, shines a spotlight on the work of her organization, a national nonprofit disability rights legal center that fights systemic discrimination against people with disabilities through impact litigation.
Naomi Ortiz: Why Disability Pride is Just as Important as Accessibility
Learn why disability community, culture, and pride are crucial for creating systemic change.
Jen White-Johnson: How Funders Can Support Disabled Storytellers
Learn how philanthropy can engage with and fund disabled storytelling.
Cory Lira: Why Philanthropy Needs to Fund Disabled LGBTQIA+ Communities
Learn about the key issues facing disabled LGBTQIA+ communities, and how philanthropic funding can support solutions.
Masen Davis: Why HIV/AIDS is a Disability Justice Issue
Learn why the HIV/AIDS movement requires both LGBTQIA+ rights and disability justice lenses.
Daphne Frias: Why Disabled Activists Are Excellent Climate Leaders
Learn about the essential qualities that disabled activists bring to climate advocacy - and why funders should be prioritizing them.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 14 – Connections Between Mental Health and Disability
Mental health activist Dior Vargas discusses the role philanthropy can play in supporting mental health, wellness, and self-care.
Disability Inclusion: A Radical Departure from Philanthropy’s Past
Emily Harris reflects on philanthropy's ableist past and urges the sector to move forward in a way that truly embraces disability inclusion.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 13 – The Impact of Funding Disabled Media Makers
Inevitable Foundation co-founders Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska discuss the importance of supporting authentic disability representation in the media.
How Funders Can Increase Disabled Women’s and Birthing People’s Access to Reproductive Healthcare
Author Sarah Katz addresses concrete steps that philanthropy can take to improve access to reproductive healthcare for women and birthing people.
Mona Abhari: Why Disability Justice is Crucial for Labor Organizing
Learn about the systemic barriers facing disabled workers and why disabled leadership is necessary for labor movements.
Joan Morris: How Labor Discrimination Impacts Disabled Black Women
A Black disabled worker shares the devastating effect that labor discrimination has on Black disabled women.
Dr. Zoie Sheets: Why Funders Need to Listen to Long COVID Patients
An urgent call for funders, healthcare providers, and organizers to follow the leadership of those living with Long COVID.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 12 – How Can Philanthropy Help Dismantle Healthcare Inequities?
A conversation with Dr. Bonnie Swenor, Endowed Professor of Disability Health and Justice at The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Director of the Johns Hopkins Disability Health Research Center, about the many healthcare inequities that the disability community experiences due to ableism and inaccessibility
Dessa Cosma: Why “Compliance” is Not Enough for Accessible Housing
Learn why it’s important to shift away from viewing accessibility through the lens of compliance.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 11 – Reflections on Ableism, Anti-Blackness, and Honoring Black Disabled Ancestors
A conversation between Olivia Williams and Dr. Sami Schalk on the connections between ableism and anti-Blackness, shines a spotlight on historical and contemporary Black disabled activism, and uplifts why it's essential to fund the groundbreaking work of Black disabled folks.
Dr. Subini Annamma: How Racism and Ableism Work to Criminalize Disabled Children of Color
A deconstruction of the racist and ableist ideologies that criminalize Black and Brown disabled children.
Jamelia Morgan: How Policing Impacts People With Non-Apparent and Psychiatric Disabilities
Learn how over-policing can lead to violence against disabled communities - and what funders can do about it.
Proposed Census Bureau Changes and the Impact on the Disability Community
Learn more about proposed changes to Census Bureau disability data collection.
Disability Equity Webinar Series: Disability in Indigenous Communities
Learn why funding the leadership of disabled Indigenous people is vital for advancing justice for Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, and everyone who exists at the intersection.
Disability Equity Webinar Series: Disability Rights Activism and Organizing
A look into how disability rights activism shapes public policy.
Disability Equity Webinar Series: Disability Pride, Joy, and Visions for the Future
Celebrate disability pride and learn about the impact of funding disabled joy.
Disability Equity Webinar Series: Disability and the Care Economy
Learn how philanthropy can center disability justice while funding organizing around care policies and programs.
Disability Equity Webinar Series: Disability Justice and Labor Rights
Learn why the leadership of disabled workers is crucial for labor rights organizing.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 9 – Get to Know the Disability & Philanthropy Forum Team
A fun, insightful conversation with the team members of the Disability & Philanthropy Forum.
Fact Sheet: Disability & Democracy
Democracy is not just about having the ability to vote and make an informed choice, but it’s also knowing that everyone…deserves that opportunity and that right. Therefore it’s up to [all of us] to ensure that we bring everyone to the table and that everyone has a voice.
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Disability and Long COVID
Learn about the implications of Long COVID — both for those newly disabled by COVID-19, and those who already live with other disabilities.
We Cannot Achieve Housing Equity Without Accessibility
Dessa Cosma, the Executive Director of Detroit Disability Power, reflects on her experiences with housing inaccessibility and urges policymakers and funders to take action toward a more equitable housing sector.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 6 – Disability-Inclusive Civic Engagement
A conversation with Dom Kelly, Co-Founder, President & CEO of New Disabled South, and Jalyn Radziminski, Founder of Count US IN; Commissioner and Vice Chair for Indiana Disability Rights’ Protection and Advocacy Services, and Director of Engagement at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, on why it's essential to incorporate disability into all civic and political engagement work.
Jennifer Lee: How Disabled and Asian American Communities Form “Parallel Narratives of Resistance”
An exploration of how systemic oppression and persistent anti-Asian violence marginalize disabled Asian Americans.
Heather Watkins: Disabled Black Women and the “Strong Black Woman” Stereotype
An example of how the “Strong Black Woman” stereotype particularly burdens disabled Black women.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 4 – Disability Identity and Pride
A conversation on disability pride with Ryan Easterly, Executive Director of WITH Foundation, and Justice Shorter, a Disability Justice advocate and international advisor for disability inclusive humanitarian and disaster assistance.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 3 – All About Accessibility
A conversation with Taryn Mackenzie Williams, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, on accessibility--what it means, how to implement it, and why it makes the world a just, equitable place.
Disability Inclusion: Required – Episode 2 – Disability 101
A conversation with Maria Town, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, that shines a light on disability and offers insights for wherever you may be on your learning journey.
Day Al-Mohamed: Why Media Created by Disabled Artists is So Important
An explanation of how disability representation in media shapes public perceptions.
Lillie Lainoff: How Writing Can Be a Platform for Representing Disabled Youth
Learn how amplifying disabled voices in literature can lead to dismantling internalized ableism.
Jen White-Johnson: Why Joy Must Be the Center of Disability Narratives
A personal look at ableist stigma in education and how disabled joy can dismantle it.
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Disability, Policing, and Mass Incarceration
We must dismantle the systemic racism and ableism that criminalizes disabled people.
The Disabled Mindset: Embracing My Disability Identity
Learn more about Sarah Napoli, the Forum's Learning Services Director, in this blog post about her experiences coming into her disability identity.
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Disability and Housing
A dialogue about the economic disparities that disabled people encounter when trying to find a place to call home.
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Disability and Lived Experiences of Communities of Color
Applying disability-explicit and race-explicit lenses to philanthropic work is critical to achieving equity and justice.
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Disability and Leadership
Learn what is possible when philanthropic leadership centers disability and disabled people.
Cara Reedy Flips the Script on Societal Perceptions of Disability
A reflection on how we talk about disability and encourages us to reconsider the language we use.
Mia Ives-Rublee Explains Why Poverty is a Policy Choice
A spotlight on what actions can mitigate the poverty that disabled people experience.
Shifting My Mindset: From Internalizing Ableism to Dismantling It
Learn more about Emily Harris, the Forum's Executive Director, in this blog post about her journey to identifying as disabled and working to dismantle ableism.
Fact Sheet: Disability and Economic Justice
Learn more about key statistics that highlight some of the many economic inequities disabled people experience.
Fact Sheet: Disability 101
Learn more about the disability community, frameworks to understand disability, and key disability terminology.
Black and Disabled: I Have Lived in the Shadows
Learn more about Gail Fuller, the Forum's Program and Communications Director, in this blog post about her experiences as a Black woman with a non-apparent disability.
A Letter to the Americans with Disabilities Act on Its 32nd Birthday
Sandy Ho reflects on the ADA as a first step for disability rights and looks ahead to the future.
Rebecca Cokley Unpacks Philanthropy’s Ableist History
A call to use the mechanisms of philanthropy to address inequities, first by acknowledging its roots in ableism.
Centering Disability Rights and Justice in Philanthropic Practice – Unity Summit 2021 Fire Session
Emily Ladau and Sandy Ho share perspectives on disability rights and justice frameworks as ways for philanthropy to move equality and equity forward.
Daphne Frias Celebrates Resilience of Disabled People as an Asset to Fighting Climate Change
Daphne Frias shares her perspective on why the resilience and knowledge of the disability community are vital assets to the work to fight climate change.
Valerie Novack Discusses Environmental Racism
Valerie Novack highlights the cause and effect connections between environmental racism and disability.
How to Foster Meaningful Connections with Disability Advocates and Organizations
This resource offer suggested starting points for forging meaningful connections and partnerships with the disability community.
Supporting Mental Health in Philanthropy
Insights on incorporating a mental health focus within both internal operations and grantmaking practices.
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Disability and Economic Justice
Click here for a transcript of this webinar. In the United States, full and equal participation in society is a...
How to Make Accessible, Inclusive Self-Introductions
The process of introductions during group gatherings are an important way to ensure a welcoming, inclusive, and accessible experience for...
Dr. Joseph Stramondo Addresses the Relationship Between Technology and Disability
Dr. Joseph Stramondo urges a reconsideration of how technology is used in relation to disability, focusing on technology as a...
Dr. Subini Annamma Addresses the Connection Between Mass Incarceration and Eugenics
Dr. Subini Annamma shares the ways in which mass incarceration is connected to eugenics. She addresses both the disproportionate incarceration...
Lydia X. Z. Brown Addresses the Ableism of Algorithmic Technologies
Lydia X. Z. Brown addresses the ableism of algorithmic systems and the impact this has on the disability community--especially multi-marginalized...
Victoria Rodriguez-Roldán Addresses the Connections Between LGBTQIA+ and Disability Identities
In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum's webinar on gender, sexuality, and disability, Victoria Rodriguez-Roldán calls upon the...
Leslie Templeton Addresses the Connections Between Disability and Experiences of Sexual Violence
In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum's webinar on gender, sexuality, and disability, Leslie Templeton addresses the connections...
Robin Wilson-Beattie Addresses Ableism and Racism in Reproductive Healthcare
In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum's webinar on gender, sexuality, and disability, Robin Wilson-Beattie addresses how ableism...
Journey to Inclusion Series: Disability Language
Click here for a transcript of this webinar. Words matter. Wherever foundations may be on their journeys to inclusion, questions...
Journey to Inclusion Series: Learning from Disability-Led Organizations
Click here for a transcript of this webinar. “Nothing about us without us,” is a guiding principle of the disability...
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Climate Change and Disability
Click here for a transcript of this webinar. Adverse effects of climate change disproportionately impact the global population of people...
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Gender, Sexuality, and Disability
Click here for a transcript of this webinar. Successfully advocating for the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ people requires...
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Health Equity and Disability
Click here for a transcript of this webinar. According to The Missing Billion, disabled people are three times as likely...
Disability & Philanthropy Webinar Series: Racial Equity and Disability
Click here for a transcript of this webinar. Disability cuts across all identities, but the impacts of systemic disability discrimination...
How Philanthropy Can Support Disabled Parents
by Robin Wilson-Beattie Having spent almost 17 years as a parent who has chronic, physical, and mental health disabilities, I’ve...
Eugenics: Historical Practice to Present Day Technology
by Dr. Joseph Stramondo Sir Francis Galton coined the term “eugenics” in 1883 to refer to the belief that the...
Eugenics and Disability
Many of the earliest philanthropists in the U.S. were significant ideological and financial supporters of the eugenics movement. According to...
Connections Between Gender, Sexuality, and Disability
This resource list was originally compiled in July 2021. One in five women ages 18 and older are disabled. The...
Andrés Gallegos Addresses Ableism in the Medical Field
In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum’s webinar on health equity and disability, Andrés Gallegos speaks to the...
A Conversation about Disability and Language with Julie Petty
Emily Ladau, Digital Content & Community Manager for the Disability & Philanthropy Forum, interviews Julie Petty, Project Trainer, Initiatives on...
Anti-Black Racism and Ableism in the Workplace
by D'Arcee NealApril 2021 When I went for a job interview in the summer of 2015 for a high-powered federal...
Connections Between Health Equity and Disability
When it comes to health care, significant disparities abound between people with disabilities and non-disabled people. From physical barriers and...
Taryn Williams Addresses the Need to Work Toward Economic Justice with a Disability-Explicit Lens
In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum's webinar on racial equity and disability, Taryn Williams discusses the critical...
Conchita Hernández Legorreta Addresses How Ableism and Racism Affects Disabled Immigrants
In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum's webinar on racial equity and disability, Conchita Hernández Legorreta speaks to...
D’Arcee Neal Addresses Intersections Between Ableism and Anti-Black Racism
In this excerpt from the Disability & Philanthropy Forum's webinar on racial equity and disability, D’Arcee Neal speaks to the...
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What does self-disclosing a disability mean?
This blog post was written collectively by the Ford Foundation's Disability Employee Resource Group. While few Ford staff members have...
Members only
Chicago Community Trust Webinar on Race and Disability
As part of their "Conversations With..." speaker series, which explores high-profile topics with some of today’s most strategic thinkers in...
Connections Between Climate Change and Disability
People with disabilities are both the most vulnerable and the most overlooked population when it comes to addressing the effects...
Four Ways We Can Work Towards Creating Inclusive Workspaces
By Sarah Napoli, Project Officer, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Open Society Foundations, July 2020 When the pandemic hit the globe...
Members only
Disability Inclusion 101: Getting Started and Tips/Tools for the Journey
In this webinar, hosted on July 14, 2020 by the Presidents' Council on Disability Inclusion in Philanthropy, Adela Ruiz from...
Disability History: An Introduction
Go on a journey with disability rights activist Lawrence Carter-Long as your guide in this video overview of the rich history...
Alice Sheppard: Disability as an Art
Meet Alice Sheppard, a dancer and choreographer who uses a wheelchair. In this video, she encourages us to rethink our...
Claudia Gordon: Barriers to Inclusion
Meet Claudia Gordon, the first Black Deaf female lawyer in the United States. In this video, she encourages a perspective...
Disability Inclusion & Philanthropy: What Funders Need to Know
This extended video combines our Introduction and Message to Funders videos for streamlined viewing purposes. It features the perspectives of...
Disability Inclusion & Philanthropy: An Introduction
Throughout your disability inclusion learning journey, it's vital to listen to the wisdom and insights of the disability community. This...
Disability Rights History: A Brief Introduction
Disability rights are universal civil rights and human rights, but these rights are not yet fully realized by society. Though...
What is Disability?
This introductory resource explains how disability is defined and the "models of disability," or frameworks, that are used to understand...
Members only
Disability Rights Hashtags and Disability Rights Activists for Grantmakers to Follow
This resource offers several starting points for connecting with the disability community on social media. Please note: This list is...
Road Map for Inclusion: Changing the Face of Disability in Media
This resource addresses the gaps in disability representation in mainstream media and addresses ways to fill these gaps. Road Map...
Disability and Language
This resource seeks to provide tips on rights-affirming language and narratives preferred by people with disabilities. It is a starting...
Know Your Disability Rights Laws
In this resource, you'll learn about key disability rights laws. While meaningful disability inclusion is about more than just complying...
Intersections Between Racism and Ableism
This resource offers insights and resources to better understand the strong connections between racism and ableism. For our work to...
The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Brief Background
Learn about the history and intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), its impact on the disability community, and...
What is Disability Justice?
In this resource, you'll learn about the origin and definition of disability justice as a movement and framework. Disability Justice...
What is Ableism?
This introductory resource provides a working definition of ableism along with information to help reflect on ableist practices. Ableism is...
Resources on Disability & COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, philanthropy must further the commitment to ensure the disability community is not left behind.
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Recommended Reading on Disability
Written works on disability have shaped the Disability Rights Movement. These selections are helpful and insightful starting points.