Through the Looking Glass

11/11/2025

Through the Looking Glass honors our veterans and thanks you for your service. Veterans are more likely than non-veterans to have a disability (38% vs. 26% nationally, CDC). A quarter (26%) of veterans are BIPOC. Veterans are also parents. We recognize the intersectional identities of veterans and diverse needs of families.

11/05/2025

For additional resources and ways to find financial, food, and health care assistance by zip code check out

Search and connect to support. Find financial assistance, food pantries, medical care, and other free or reduced-cost help in your area, anywhere in the US.

11/04/2025

For families struggling due to interruption with their CalFresh (SNAP) benefits, please call the Alameda County Community Food Bank (ACCFB) Food Helpline at 1-510-635-3663 (Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm), or visit https://www.foodnow.net/. The Food Helpline will connect callers to a source for groceries or a hot meal the same day. They can assist callers in multiple languages.

10/29/2025

Love the creativity people have in making their mobility aids a seamless part of there costume. Designers could learn from the creativity of disabled people who construct a whole look.

Making costumes that work with a wheelchair takes creativity and commitment, but for those who go all in at Halloween, the experience also offers something unexpected: empowerment. “There’s something joyous about costuming you and your chair together and encouraging even more staring but on your terms,” John Mohler writes. “This is me. This is my chair. Also, my costume’s better than yours.”

https://newmobility.com/they-came-from-planet-wheelchair-how-costuming-your-wheelchair-adds-to-the-halloween-fun/

10/16/2025

Being a mom with CP isn't easy, but it is possible 💚

Our community member Kiaira shares her story and what she hopes to see for the future of cerebral palsy care:

"Growing up with cerebral palsy shaped my self-image and how I moved through the world. For a long time, I saw it as a limitation, but I’ve learned that while things may take me longer, I’m capable of anything I set my mind to. CP has taught me patience, grace, and resilience. Now, I use my lived experience to inspire and educate others, showing that motherhood is possible with a disability. Adaptation and patience are everything. Without CP, I wouldn’t be the woman or advocate I am today.

I hope to see more focus on how we can support adults with CP, especially when it comes to independent living, parenthood, and sexuality. Most times our experience gets overlooked, and I would love to see more intentional programs targeted towards adults trying to navigate these areas of life with CP."

Share your story at https://airtable.com/appRuQGYaUH9Xd7lN/pagC4WiDt0yElfVxj/form

09/24/2025

This movie highlighted yet another way disabled people are kept in poverty and unable to be with those they love. Check out the movie to learn more.

09/03/2025

We have added to our toy list, which includes toys with sensory elements that may be useful for those with vision and/or mobility disabilities. I saw something on the list that makes picking up small toys like Legos easier, and wish I had known about it back when my floors were constantly cluttered. Check it out and let us know if you have a favorite we should add to our list.

https://lookingglass.org/play-equipment/



Photo by Vanessa Bucceri on Unsplash of brightly colored blocks, toy cars sock monkey

09/03/2025

People with disabilities drive innovation. I or someone in my family uses all of the examples.

Did you know that many of the conveniences and tools we enjoy every day were first designed for people with disabilities?

Closed captions, curb cuts, audiobooks, electric toothbrushes, and speech-to-text all began as disability innovations.

Now, they’re everyday tools that make life easier for everyone.

This is the power of accessibility.

Inclusion helps create solutions that increase independence, dignity, and convenience for everyone.

People with disabilities are drivers of innovation and progress for all.

Access fuels innovation — and innovation benefits all of us.

That’s why protecting and expanding disability rights is about more than the right thing to do — it just makes sense if you wish to build a better future for everyone.

Which of these innovations do you use most in your daily life?
Are there other tools you know of that people would be surprised to learn were originally designed for people with disabilities?



[Image Description: A colorful infographic titled “5 Everyday Things That Started as Disability Innovations.” It lists: 1. Closed Captions & Subtitles – originally designed for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, now used by parents with strollers, travelers, and more; 2. Curb Cuts – originally for wheelchair users, now used by most for convenience; 3. Audiobooks – originally for the blind or those with reading challenges, now popular with commuters and multitaskers; 4. Electric Toothbrushes – originally for people with limited dexterity or arthritis, now used by children and adults; 5. Speech-to-Text – originally for those with dexterity challenges, now used for dictation and hands-free messaging. The Yes! Access logo is in the top right corner. End ID]

08/30/2025

When thinking of must have's for the baby's room, a crib or bassinet is often top of the list. It can also be very stressful finding one that works for those of us with disabilities. We have put together a list of some crib and bedtime equipment on the market that may work for people with various disabilities. We describe pros, cons, and the price of various products. It can also be useful to talk with other disabled parents or an occupational therapist to find out ways that will work for you or figure out what options you may need. For example, does a co-sleeper or bassinet work for you, do you want an opening side, does a high or low height work best. Knowing what I needed helped me find the right type of sleepers. Let us know any of your favorites we are missing or reach out to us to help find out what may work for you. https://lookingglass.org/sleep-equipment/

Image description: Illustration of a baby nursery with crib low to the ground, toys, and other baby equipment.

08/27/2025

Your story matters! Find a place to share it.

Yesterday, a group of us proudly delivered letters from the disability community to Senate offices as part of the Disability Writes Campaign.

These powerful letters carried the lived experiences, need for stronger disability services, and demands of people with disabilities from across the country. They are a reminder that disability rights are human rights — and that our voices must be heard in the halls of power.

The Disability Writes Campaign isn’t just about words on paper; it’s about ensuring that policymakers understand the importance of disability services in the U.S.

We’ll keep writing. We’ll keep speaking. We’ll keep showing up. Because, nothing without us.

To share a letter from your state or to read some of the letters shared, check out the Disability Writes campaign link - https://www.disabilitywrites.org

08/12/2025

DRC invites you to an important conversation about public safety from a disability justice perspective. Together we encourage individuals and families to join us as we share experiences and envision safer, more inclusive communities for all.

This event will center the voices of people with disabilities, highlighting the barriers faced in interactions with law enforcement and exploring non-carceral, community-based alternatives to policing. Through storytelling, community discussions, and collective vision-building, we will explore ways to ensure that disabled people can live, work, and move freely without fear of harm or discrimination.

We will be hosting conversations in locations throughout the state and encourage folks to join us at the location nearest to them.

Register at the link: https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/events/drc-community-conversations-public-safety-for-people-with-disabilities

Spanish interpretation will be available.

Sacramento Location:
When: Thursday, August 14, 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM PT
Where: Disability Rights California
1831 K Street Sacramento, CA 95811

Berkeley Location:
When: Friday, August 15, 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM PT
Where: Ed Roberts Campus, Downstairs Conference Room
3075 Adeline Street Berkeley, CA 94703

07/26/2025

Through the Looking Glass is proud to support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 35th Anniversary. On July 26th we celebrate this important civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. It also guards against the discrimination of people with disabilities, including when it comes to parenting. Having a disability is not a reason for someone to criticize one's parenting or a restrict their participation in their child's life. The ADA also means people with disabilities have a right to reproductive health care access.


Image description: ADA 35 with the top line from the 5 connecting to a star. Text underneath reads– Celebrate July 26, 2025 – Americans with Disabilities Act.