Spotlight on HILC Board Member Marcus Johnson
HILC Board Member Marcus Johnson, who serves as the Manager for Advocacy Programs and Initiatives at Independence Care System (ICS), offers insightful reflections in an article focused on the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s recent designation of people with disabilities as a health disparities population. This historic acknowledgment by the NIH, long overdue, marks a significant shift in the approach to understanding and addressing the complex factors contributing to health inequities within this demographic. The article highlights the struggles faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing equitable healthcare and the intersection of these challenges with issues of racial and ethnic discrimination. Johnson’s perspective as a Black African-American with a physical disability adds a profoundly personal and informed view on the systemic issues of racism and ableism that exacerbate health disparities for minorities with disabilities.
Judy Heumann, Advocate for People With Disabilities, Has Died
The news of the loss of Judith Heumann saddens us. If you know anything about the Disability Rights movement, you know about Judy’s fierce advocacy, knowledge, and fearlessness when demanding accessibility for all disabled people. In her mind, Disability Rights were and are Human Rights.
As she said many times, she wanted to see feisty disabled people change the world. We hope we can honor her memory with feisty, good trouble that will change the world and make it accessible for all people with all disabilities.
We at Harlem Independent Living Center remember Judith for her compassion, courage, and steadfastness and as a shining example of how to positively change the world by fighting for the rights of people with disabilities.
We send our deepest condolences to her husband, Jorge Pineda, and their family.
To honor Judy, here is a link to Crip Camp to watch free online:
Crip Camp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFS8SpwioZ4
Subways Class Notice for Dissemination
Notice of Proposed Settlement of Class Action Lawsuits
If you would like the notices in other languages (Spanish, Chinese, Bengali, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian) you can find them all on our website here: https://dralegal.org/case/de-la-rosa-v-mta/ (we’re still working on uploading them to other locations).
DRA Fairness Hearing: https://dralegal.org/class-notice/nyc-subways-settlement-fairness-hearing/.