SimplyHome: Empowered by Technology

02/17/2026

Disability rights and racial justice are deeply connected.

Black people with disabilities experience higher rates of discrimination in education, health care, housing, and the criminal justice system. These barriers don’t exist in isolation. They are shaped by history, policy, and long-standing inequities.

Disability Rights Florida wrote an article about 17 Black disability advocates who shaped the fight for disability rights. Read full article to learn how these leaders paved the way for change.

Celebrating Black history means telling the full story, including disability. 🖤

Link in comments.

02/13/2026

Wishing everyone a sweet Valentine's Day weekend!

02/11/2026

Nike's Project Amplify shoes (expected 2028) learn how you move—your ankle motion, stride length, and walking pattern—and then use algorithms to personalize the feel 👀

A phone app lets you power them on, adjust speed, and switch between walk and run modes while they propel you forward.

Nike's battery-powered footwear system, which propels wearers forward, is part of a broader push to help humans move farther and faster.

02/11/2026

The Department of Developmental Disabilities offers communication boards that help people communicate using symbols and images.

Using the First Responder Communication Board and registering for Keith's Law can help people stay safe during emergency situations.

Download this board and others here: https://bit.ly/4ka5LYc

02/09/2026

Watch Julian Ortiz perform America The Beautiful in American Sign Language at last night's Super Bowl🌟

02/09/2026

The NFL has enlisted Celimar Rivera Cosme, a native of Puerto Rico who is hard of hearing and who has deep experience interpreting Bad Bunny’s performances into Puerto Rican Sign Language, for the Super Bowl. The halftime performance will be, by far, Cosme’s largest platform. https://nyti.ms/4qZoyJK

02/06/2026

Plans are in the works to develop a pocket neighborhood where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live long-term with family, friends, caretakers or on their own.

02/05/2026

Over the last several years, Italy accelerated accessibility efforts, including throughout its museums and historical sites.

Italy is making its artistic treasures more accessible to people with disabilities. Michela Marcato, who has been blind since birth, recently toured Rome's Colosseum, using touch to understand its architecture.

02/02/2026

Punxsutawney Phil made his annual Groundhog Day prediction in Pennsylvania, signaling six more weeks of winter after seeing his shadow. https://bit.ly/4tiIU2q

01/29/2026

For those who need some uplifting news...

A North Carolina mom shared the moment Buddhist monks stopped to tie a bracelet on her son’s wrist — and it’s been viewed more than 1 million times.

01/28/2026

The R-word is back, and people with disabilities are at the center of its impact. We won't accept a culture where the people we care about are demeaned.

The New York Times just reported on the resurgence of this slur and featured three people connected to The Arc: advocates Jill Eglé and Nicole LeBlanc, and our CEO Katy Neas. Katy is clear: it is “language used by bullies to bully.” Jill shared what it was like to be targeted: “They all called me the R-word, and I tried to be nice, but it was hurtful.” Nicole described the harm: “It makes me want to run, hide and curl up into a ball.”

We've fought for decades to push this word out of laws and everyday life. Seeing it return is heartbreaking, and it's a warning sign about how we as a society value respect and inclusion.

Please read and share. Then do one simple thing today: don't repeat it, and don't laugh it off when someone else does.

Gift link in comments below.

01/26/2026

If you're planning on going outside, below are some safety tips for dealing with the cold and ice.