REV UP New Jersey

02/05/2026

On January 13th, Assemblywoman Linda Carter of Plainfield reintroduced a package of bills designed to improve safety and customer service for NJ Transit riders with disabilities. These bills were originally introduced during the 2024–2025 legislative session and required reintroduction for the new legislative cycle.

All three bills are currently before the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee, chaired by Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese of Ridgefield, with Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds‑Jackson of Trenton serving as a co‑sponsor.

ACI has been actively collaborating with Assemblywoman Carter and her staff to address the transportation challenges faced by people with disabilities using both Access Link and fixed‑route bus services.

Read more: https://www.adacil.org/latest-updates/transportation-bills-update-feb-2026

01/22/2026

📆 Third Thursday of the Every Month (beginning February 19th) ⌚ 1:00 to 2:00 PM 🌐 Google Meet: meet.google.com/dju-hhfc-otr 📞 +1 929‑900‑1724 (PIN: 959 453 177 #) Join us on Google Meet every third Thursday of the month as we work to increase voter turnout among people with disab

01/21/2026

ACI Remembers Disability Advocate Bob Kafka https://conta.cc/4qCSnQc

Email from Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) Latest Updates from ACI NEWS PROGRAMS EVENTS ABOUT DONATE     ACI REMEMBERS DISABILITY ADVOCATE BOB KAFKA The Alliance Center for Independence mourns

01/20/2026

The Alliance Center for Independence mourns the passing of Bob Kafka, a national leader and advocate in the disability rights movement.

Bob was a longtime organizer with ADAPT, serving as co-lead of ADAPT Texas, and the founder of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)’s REV UP Campaign (Register, Educate, Vote, Use Your Power), which mobilizes people with disabilities to participate fully in the electoral process.

In a statement honoring his life, AAPD wrote that “Bob was driven by the conviction that disabled people deserve freedom, choice, dignity, and power. His ideals were not just dreams; they were a mandate, a directive that guided how he lived his life. He carried his conviction with a steady, patient, laid-back confidence. He believed there was always work to be done, but he also believed in making time for banter and jokes, time to educate and mentor people new to the movement.” You can read AAPD’s full tribute on their website.

Bob was not only an influential national advocate, he was a mentor and friend to many of us at ACI. Over the years, we partnered with him at rallies and actions, including the 2016 protest of Professor Peter Singer in Princeton. Bob played a key role in helping ACI establish the New Jersey Chapter of REV UP, and he personally trained ACI advocates during an intensive ADAPT training in Texas. As recently as this past August, Bob welcomed Luke Koppisch onto his Barrier Free Futures podcast to discuss the gubernatorial election and REV UP NJ.

Bob Kafka’s lifelong commitment to justice, dignity, and power for people with disabilities leaves an enduring legacy. ACI calls on New Jersey’s disability community to honor his memory by continuing the work he championed: organizing, advocating, and pushing forward with the same spirit of dynamism and persistence that defined his life.
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Image source: AAPD

01/05/2026

Updates on NJ Disability Transportation Bills 🚌 https://conta.cc/3L48WoO

Email from Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) Upcoming Events from ACI NEWS PROGRAMS EVENTS ABOUT DONATE     UPDATES ON NJ DISABILITY TRANSPORTATION BILLS On December 22nd, the full NJ Assembly pa

12/10/2025

Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill

12/09/2025

12/04/2025

Understand your rights and be an effective advocate! 📢 https://conta.cc/3XAamdf

Email from Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) Upcoming Events from ACI NEWS PROGRAMS EVENTS ABOUT DONATE     EMPOWERMENT 101 📆 Tuesdays, January 13 to February 17, 2026 ⌚ 1:00 to 2:00 PM 🌐 Goog

11/25/2025

📆 Tuesdays, January 13 to February 17, 2026 ⌚ 1:00 to 2:00 PM 🌐 Google Meet Empower yourself. Empower your community. Ready to speak up and make change! ACI invites you to join a FREE 6-session virtual workshop that will teach you the skills to be an effective advocate. Learn how to: Advoc

11/18/2025

Many New Jerseyans, including those with disabilities will see their healthcare cost double or even triple. At the end of December, those who rely on health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will see their premiums increase to over $1000 a year as a result of the tax subsidies expiring.

In addition, under the "Big Beautiful Bill" passed by Congress in July, $880 billion will be cut from Medicaid starting in late 2026. Other changes include updating work requirements and increasing out-of-pocket costs.

For many of us, we will no longer be able to afford the necessary coverage to maintain our health or self-sufficiency. Others will end up reducing other important expenses.

Senator Andy Kim's office has asked ACI to collect stories on how these cuts will affect you and your family. How has the ACA and Medicaid benefitted you and your family? Will you still be able to afford healthcare once these cuts take effect? Which household expenses will you have to cut in order to afford your needed health care coverage?

Send your stories to Luke Koppisch at lkoppisch@adacil.org. They will be forwarded to Senator Kim's office.

11/05/2025

In this blog, Dr. Jackee Jackson, a leader from REV UP New Jersey, writes about the power of the disability vote. She reflects on the first time she voted, the history of the voting rights movement, and the importance of REV UP's voting advocacy. https://ow.ly/atYk50Xm8VG

ID: Dr. Jackee Jackson sits in front of a house holding a REV UP sign that says "Powering the Disability Vote". She is a Black woman wearing black glasses, red lipstick, a large necklace, and a shirt that says "vote!". Beneath is a quote from the linked blog.

11/05/2025

Democrat Mikie Sherrill has won the gubernatorial election here in New Jersey, according to the Associated Press. For Republican Jack Ciattarelli, it’s the 3rd time he tried and failed to be elected governor.