Michigan Disability Rights Coalition

02/24/2026

El programa LEAD está aceptando solicitudes para nuestros padres hispanohablantes. Este programa está completamente en español y está diseñado para ayudar a las familias hispanohablantes a aprender sobre la defensa y el apoyo a sus hijos con discapacidades. A continuación, encontrará los enlaces a la solicitud. Tenemos la solicitud en inglés y español, pero el programa se llevará a cabo completamente en español.

A continuación, algunos detalles clave sobre el programa:

Fechas: Sábado 11 y domingo 12 de abril (sesiones presenciales) y 4 sesiones virtuales con fechas por determinar.
Ubicación: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Se proporcionarán comidas y un estipendio de $175 a quienes asistan al programa. Se ofrece asistencia con el cuidado de niños y el transporte previa solicitud.
Solicitud en español: www.tinyurl.com/LEADPadres26
Solicitud en inglés: www.tinyurl.com/LeadParents26

[Descripción de la imagen: Programa para padres de niños con discapacidad en español
Michigan Disability Rights Coalition esta
aceptando solicitudes para su programa para padres de niños con discapacidades cuyo idioma principal es el español.
LEAD es un programa de desarrollo de liderazgo y defensa cuyo objetivo es generar poder dentro de las comunidades de color con discapacidades
El grupo de padres comienza con una sesión presencial de dos días en Kalamazoo, Michigan. Seguida de cuatro sesiones virtuales de aprendizaje.
Sábado 11 y domingo 12 de abril de 2026.
Se proporcionarán comidas.
Se proporcionará un estipendio de $175 a quienes asistan al programa. Se ofrece asistencia con el cuidado de niños y el transporte si se solicita.
Los padres aprenderán sobre:
Orgullo, historia, cultura e inclusión de las personas con discapacidad
Apoyo a sus hijos con discapacidad
Cómo navegar el sistema de educación especial
Autodefensa y defensa de sus hijos
Para Aplicar:
Web: https://tinyurl.com/LEADPADRES26
Correo electronico: LEAD@MyMDRC.org
Telefono: 517-333-2477
El Programa LEAD esta financiado por el Consejo de Discapacidades del Desarrollo de Michigan. Fin de la descripción de la imagen]

02/24/2026

The LEAD program is accepting applications for our Spanish speaking parents. This program is completely in Spanish and it is designed to help Spanish speaking families learn about advocacy and supporting their children with disabilities. Below are the links to the application. We have the application in both English and Spanish but the program will be conducted completely in Spanish.

Here are a few key details about the program:

Dates: Saturday, April 11th and Sunday April 12th (in-person sessions) and 4 virtual sessions (dates to be determined).
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Meals will be provided and A $175 stipend will be provided to those that attend the program. Childcare and transportation assistance is available upon request.
Spanish Application: www.tinyurl.com/LEADPadres26
English Application: www.tinyurl.com/LeadParents26

[Image Description: Program for spanish speaking parents
Michigan Disability Rights Coalition is accepting applications for their Program
for Spanish Speaking Parents. This program is for Spanish speaking parents of children with disabilities.
LEAD is a leadership and advocacy development program with a goal to build power within communities of color with disabilities.
The parent cohort begins with a 2 day in person session in Kalamazoo, MI. Followed by FOUR Virtual learning sessions.
Saturday, April 11th and Sunday, April 12th, 2026
Meals will be provided.
A $175 stipend will be provided to those that attend the program. Childcare and transportation assistance is available upon request
Parents will learn about:
Disability pride, history, culture, & inclusion
Supporting their child with disabilities
Navigating the special education system
Self-Advocacy & Advocating for their child
To Apply:
Web: https://tinyurl.com/LEADPARENTS26
Email: LEAD@MyMDRC.org
Ph: 517-333-2477
The LEAD Program is funded by the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council. End of Image Description]

02/21/2026

Today, Priscilla and Feliece are proud to be attending the Dia De La Mujer (DDLM) Conference in Lansing representing our leadership programs! They are grateful to show up, learn, and lead in community.💜✨

This gathering honors leadership and empowerment for Latina communities.



[Image Description:Two women stand smiling in front of a pastel conference backdrop decorated with pink floral graphics and balloon columns in gold, sage green, pink, and white. Large illuminated letters spelling “DDLM” sit at their feet as they pose together wearing name badges at a leadership and empowerment event. End Image description.]

02/11/2026

MDRC celebrates the contributions of black disabled activists this month and every month. Did you know our staff can provide an entire training on Black Disability History? Contact us at leaders@mymdrc.org for more information.

Image description: A bold graphic with the red, black, and green Pan-African flag as the background. Large gold and white text reads, “Disabled History is Black History.” In front of the flag are three historic Black figures connected to civil rights and disability history. On the left is Brad Lomax, a Black man who used a wheelchair and was a disability rights activist. In the center is Fannie Lou Hamer, a Black civil rights leader speaking passionately. On the right is Harriet Tubman, the historic abolitionist and freedom fighter, shown later in life holding a cane. end of description.

02/07/2026

Today was a day of joy, vision, and creative love for Michigan Disability Rights Coalition.

MDRC staff came together from across the state and remotely for a full day dreaming session about what it means to raise funds for our organization in ways that align with our mission, vision, and values. This day was coordinated and led by our amazing Director of Leadership Programs, and it was powerful. Some staff left their homes before 7 a.m. Every single person showed up with their whole self and shared their commitment to our mission: to cultivate disability pride and strengthen the disability movement by recognizing disability as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity while collaborating to dismantle all forms of oppression.

We worked all day. Many of us got home late. And then we saw the news.

President Trump shared a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama, the first Black president and first lady in our nation's history, as apes. This is racism. We are going to call it what it is.

Depicting Black people as apes is a tool of dehumanization that was used to justify slavery, lynching, and Jim Crow. It is white supremacy. It has always been white supremacy. And it does not become something else because it was posted as a "meme" or blamed on a staffer.

MDRC exists to dismantle all forms of oppression.
In 2026, the President of the United States shared content rooted in hate. I am so sorry for the pain that white supremacy causes our community, our children, and the people I love and work alongside every day. To my staff who gave everything they had today building something beautiful and then came home to this: I see you. I am grateful for you. I am committed to you.

While racism has been embedded in policy, in public comments, in executive orders, in the very structure of our systems, today's act was not subtle. It was not hidden in policy language. It was not buried in a budget line. There is not an adult in America today who does not know that this is racism. The only people who might not understand what they saw are very young children. And our children deserve better. They deserve better from the adults who love them. From the adults who are planning their futures. From the leaders who are supposed to be building the world they will inherit.

MDRC spent today dreaming about the future. About how we raise the resources to do this work in ways that honor our values. About how we show up with integrity. Our staff poured themselves into that vision all day long because they believe in a world where people with disabilities are valued as essential and vital members of the community, where everyone can be their full selves, in all their identities, in all aspects of their lives.

And then we came home to a reminder of exactly why this work matters. Why dismantling all forms of oppression is not optional. Why solidarity is not a talking point. It is the work.

We are against white supremacy in all its forms, whether it shows up as a policy, a budget cut, an executive order, or a video posted in the middle of the night and blamed on a staffer by morning.

In solidarity,

Theresa Metzmaker, CEO
Michigan Disability Rights Coalition
www.mymdrc.org

MDRC cultivates disability pride and strengthens the disability movement by recognizing disability as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity while collaborating to dismantle all forms of oppression.

[image Description: text “To my staff who gave everything they had today building something beautiful and then came home to this: I see you. I am grateful for you. I am committed to you.” MDRC logo in corner. End image description.]

02/05/2026

Thank you to Disability Equality in Education for providing this resource!

[Image description: Black background with white text and red, yellow green and orange accents. Text reads: February is Black History Month. Be sure your lessons and conversations include Black Disabled people too. www.DisabilityEqualityEducation.org/black_history
Colorful geometric patterned borders (red, yellow, green, orange, black) run along top and bottom edges and the word BLACK is in red, HISTORY is in yellow, MONTH is in green. End Image Description.]

Image description: Black background with white text and red, yellow green and orange accents.
Text reads: February is Black History Month
Be sure your lessons and conversations include Black Disabled people too
www.DisabilityEqualityEducation.org/black_history
Colorful geometric patterned borders (red, yellow, green, orange, black) run along top and bottom edges and the word BLACK is in red, HISTORY is in yellow, MONTH is in green

02/04/2026

There is still time to apply to join American Association of People with Disabilities 2026 Fall Internship Program! Read below to learn more.

Applications close on Thursday, February 5th, at 5:00 PM ET. Apply today https://ow.ly/P59c50Y7QrN

Are you a disabled student or recent graduate who is looking to gain professional experience, grow your leadership skills, and connect with disabled community? Then being an could be a perfect opportunity for you!

AAPD places interns at paid internships within nonprofit, government, and for-profit organizations. AAPD's Fall Internship Program is a fully virtual opportunity where interns work 15 hours a week at their placement sites, Monday – Thursday, and attend weekly AAPD programming on Fridays. AAPD interns are also matched with disabled mentors in their fields of interest.

[Image description: A promotional graphic with a teal background featuring the text "AAPD 2026 Fall Internship Program" in a white oval, followed by "There's still time to apply!" and a dark blue "APPLY TODAY!" button with an arrow pointing to it. The application deadline of "February 5, 2026, 5 pm ET" appears at the bottom in white text on a black banner. The design includes colorful wavy stripes in purple, blue, and pink across the top, a black and white illustration of a hand holding a megaphone in the bottom left corner, and the handle in the bottom right. End Image Description.]

02/03/2026

We're Hiring: Communications & Development Director

Michigan Disability Rights Coalition is looking for a storyteller and changemaker to join our team

This full-time role leads communications strategy, social media, newsletters, and fundraising support—all in service of cultivating disability pride and strengthening the disability movement.

What we offer:
$60,000–$65,000 salary
Hybrid work options
Outstanding benefits starting day one (medical, dental, vision)
208 hours PTO + 14 holidays + earned sick time
403(b) match, paid parental leave, and more

We're looking for someone with:
3–5 years in nonprofit communications and/or development
Exceptional storytelling skills
Commitment to disability justice
Tech-savvy with accessibility know-how

Don't meet every qualification? Apply anyway—we value diverse perspectives and experiences.

📅 Apply by February 18, 2026

🔗https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eU5ZiZhraq9FRCsunY3kjtfEKMoGWL6ghY27tspgAIg/edit?tab=t.0 =h.kreovx7m19hk

01/24/2026

The conversation about AI and mental health is growing. MDRC is adding our voice, rooted in disability justice.

We're not here to shame anyone who's turned to AI for support. The barriers to mental health care are real. They fall hardest on disabled people, BIPOC communities, and anyone living at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities. We understand why people are looking for alternatives.

But we think you deserve to know what the research says. The Public Health Communications Collaborative started this conversation. We're here to bring a disability justice perspective.

Read our statement on our blog https://mymdrc.org/blog/

Thank you to CDC Foundation , de Beaumont Foundation , The Kresge Foundation , , and Trust for America's Health for sparking this conversation.

[Image Description. "We are entering this conversation because we believe people deserve to know. You deserve to know how these tools work, what the research says, and what the risks are. You deserve to make informed decisions about your own care." Michigan Disability Rights Coalition with liberty and access for all. End Image Description.]

01/23/2026

MDRC joins Access Living in solidarity with immigrants with disabilities.

We amplify this urgent call from Access Living and join in solidarity with immigrants with disabilities facing the devastating impact of ICE/CBP enforcement.

The stories Access Living lifts up demand our attention: Aliya Rahman, a U.S. citizen with a traumatic brain injury and autism, dragged from her car while driving to a medical appointment—denied medical care until she lost consciousness in custody. Geraldo Lunas Campos, who lived with bipolar disorder and anxiety, died in ICE custody in El Paso; his death was ruled a homicide by the county medical examiner. Carlos Chalco Chango, a blind man, detained for days in solitary confinement without his cane. Deaf community members held in detention without interpreters or accessible communication.

We are with our immigrant siblings with disabilities of all statuses. We will continue to resist the dehumanization of people and demand accountability for the violence occurring in our streets, detention centers, and neighborhoods

Across the country, immigrants with disabilities are at high risk of harm from ICE/CBP Patrol enforcement activities. In the last year alone: Aliya Rahman was on the way to a traumatic brain injury appointment when she was stopped and dragged out of her car by ICE. Geraldo Lunas Campos, who had anxiety and bipolar disorder, was strangled to death by ICE in El Paso. Carlos Chango, who is blind, was detained for days in solitary with no cane. Multiple Deaf people have been detained. These are only some of the disability stories from streets and neighborhoods where ICE/CBP's presence is creating unsafe and sometimes deadly conditions for everyone. Access Living calls on all our friends and allies to lift up the disability stories within the immigration law enforcement surge. We reaffirm our support for the constitutional, disability and human rights of immigrants with disabilities of all statuses. What is happening right now is unacceptable.

Image description: A colorful group of people with different disabilities raise their fists in support of immigrants. They stand against an orange background on top of a purple swoosh. Below is the purple Access Living logo, which is a drop of water creating a ripple effect. Above them is the text: "We reaffirm our support for the constitutional, disability and human rights of immigrants with disabilities of all statuses. What is happening right now is unacceptable."

01/22/2026

Leaders in Policy Advocacy (LIPA) is a comprehensive 6-month leadership development program designed for adults with developmental disabilities and parents of children with developmental disabilities. The program aims to cultivate empowered leaders within the disability rights movement. LIPA is offered through a hybrid training format of both in-person and online trainings. Michigan Alliance for Families relaunched LIPA in 2023, after it was previously administered by The Arc Michigan.

Space is limited to 20 participants. Application opens in February. Selected participants are notified in March.
If you have any questions, contact Karah Ley at karah@michiganallianceforfamilies.org or 517-574-1517

For faq please visit https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/lipa/

[IMAGE Description. This is a promotional flyer with a purple, white, and red color scheme advertising the "Leaders in Policy Advocacy" (LIPA) program.
Header Section:
The top portion features a torn paper effect with a purple background. A graphic of a hand holding a red and white megaphone appears in the upper left corner. Bold white text reads "ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT DISABILITY ADVOCACY?"
Main Content Area:
The word "Leaders" appears in large, stylized red script font with "In Policy Advocacy" beneath it in smaller black text.
A paragraph explains that LIPA is a comprehensive 6-month leadership development program designed for adults with developmental disabilities and parents of children with developmental disabilities, aimed at cultivating empowered leaders within the disability rights movement.
Training Topics Section (left side):
A red banner contains "TRAINING TOPICS" in white text. Below it lists:

Disability History
Special Education
Assistive Technology
Self-determination
Alternatives to Guardianship
Person Centered Planning
Access to Housing & Employment
Public Benefits & Systems of Support
Systems Change

2026 Training Dates Section (right side):
A blue banner contains "2026 TRAINING DATES" with a small calendar icon. The schedule lists:

April 10-11 in Mt Pleasant
May 29-30 Online
June 26-27 Online
July 24-25 Online
August 21-22 in Lansing
Sept 25-26 in Mt Pleasant

Application Information:
A red "APPLY HERE" button with a globe icon links to tinyurl.com/2026LIPA. Purple text states "Applications accepted February 1-28, 2026."
Footer:
The Michigan Alliance for Families logo appears with the tagline "information, support, and education." Contact information shows Karah Ley at karah@michiganallianceforfamilies.org.Claude is AI and can make mistakes. Please double-check responses. Opus 4.5 End Image Description. ]

01/19/2026

Sharing from The NAMED Advocates

*caption below in quotes and image description both courtesy of the original poster

“Today we take a moment to honor and reflect on Dr. King’s work.
‌
His fight for civil rights paved the way for others, like the disabled community, to do the same.
‌
Racial and Disability Justice have always been tied together.”
‌

‌
[Image descriptions:

There are three slides with a photo of Dr. King on top and a brown box with white text at the bottom. The NAMED Advocates logo is in white in the top right.
‌
Slide 1: No quotes today.
Just some reminders.
‌
Slide 2: Dr. King’s fight for civil rights would pave the way for disabled advocates to fight for their community.
‌
Slide 3: Our liberation is tied together.]