REV UP New Jersey

03/03/2026

📢 The Civic Holidays campaign season is officially here!

Organizations across the country are stepping up to help their communities participate in this year's Election Day.

Join the movement and show your community that civic participation matters.

Get started: civicholidays.org

02/18/2026

Beginning this Thursday, REV UP NJ will be meeting virtually on the third Thursday of the month as we work to increase voter turnout among people with disabilities and plan for our statewide REV UP event in Trenton this September.

Your insights, energy, and leadership are vital as we move toward the June primary and November general elections.

Register here: https://www.adacil.org/recurring-events/rev-up-nj-virtual-meeting

02/18/2026

Our monthly REV UP NJ Virtual Meetings begin this week! ☑️ https://conta.cc/3MBe8B2

Email from Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) Upcoming Events from ACI NEWS PROGRAMS EVENTS ABOUT DONATE     REV UP NJ VIRTUAL MEETING 📆 Third Thursday of the Every Month  (beginning February 1

02/17/2026

Remembering Bob Kafka & Monthly Virtual Meeting ☑️ https://conta.cc/4qpNb1g

Email from Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) REV UP New Jersey NEWS PROGRAMS EVENTS ABOUT DONATE HONORING BOB KAFKA  (1946–2025) REV UP NJ remembers Bob Kafka, national disability rights leader

02/17/2026

Today we honor Reverend Jesse Jackson and his support for dignity, access, and inclusion for ALL people, including the disability community.

In 1988, during the historic Deaf President Now movement at Gallaudet University, Rev. Jackson stood with Deaf students fighting for representation and leadership. His message was powerful and simple: the issue isn’t that people with disabilities can’t be heard, it’s that society must learn to listen.

Throughout his life, Rev. Jackson advocated for civil rights, voting access, economic justice, and opportunity, issues that deeply affect people with disabilities every day. He reminds us that true justice means everyone belongs.

Pictured here is Jesse Jackson speaking at a national disability rights rally in Washington, DC. NJ was proudly represented that day. A delegation organized through the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Monday Morning Project traveled to Washington with a delegation of 400+ as part of the Freedom Express effort. ACI's Carole Tonks and Luke Koppisch were proud to be part of the organizing. Advocates came from across the country and gathered on Capitol Hill, this was a powerful moment of unity, and a collective voice for disability rights!

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.
_

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