MetroWest Center for Independent Living

04/09/2026

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/municipal-ada-improvement-grant-program

The application for MOD's FY27 Municipal ADA Improvement Grant opens May 1st! These grants support capital improvements specifically dedicated to:
improving programmatic access,
removing physical barriers for people with disabilities,
or both of the above

The FY27 Application will be open from May 1, 2026 at 9 AM through June 12, 2026 at 5 PM. Any Massachusetts municipality, school district, or housing authority is eligible to apply.

Private businesses, private property, non-profit organizations, private homes, or other non-municipal properties are not eligible to apply.

There are two grant types available:
Project grants of up to $250,000 will be awarded to successful applicant communities to remove barriers and create and improve accessible features and programmatic access for people with disabilities.

Planning grants of up to $250,000 will be awarded to assist applicant communities in creating or updating the Self-Evaluation or Transition Plan required under Title II of the ADA.

Examples of project grants include: addition of ramps, elevators, power lifts and Limited Use/Limited Application (LULAs), signage, communication access devices, accessible playground equipment, curb cuts, audible pedestrian signals, and any other features that are designed to improve architectural access or programmatic access.

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that demonstrate real and tangible positive impacts to people with disabilities.

To learn more about the grant, the application process, and tips for strengthening your application, please join us at one of our upcoming virtual information sessions:

Thursday, April 23, 2026,
Time: 1 - 2 PM
Register: April 23 Grant Information Session https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/G6BZP1OtRzGjYZJbRhk5wA #/registration

Thursday, May 21, 2026
Time: 1 - 2 PM
Register: May 21 Grant Information Session https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/AlwE81j0TyODM_1rEi_zDA #/registration

Funding to Massachusetts cities and towns for accessibility planning and projects

04/09/2026

https://www.worcesterart.org/exhibitions/open-door-gallery/repeat-after-me/

Through May 13

Image: broken street barrier with lit sign saying Are You Suffering, and a golden shawl draped over the barrier

Repeat – 1. Say again, 2. Say from memory, 3. To make or do again, 4. To express or present oneself again.We are the experts in our own experiences. This exhibition positions the artist as a teacher. Through painting, fiber, sculpture, and video, these artists assert themes of connection, embodim...

04/06/2026

The article discusses two students' experiences at West Virginia University. The pdf issue below is a challenge for many organizations, and i'm sure many other universities.

"Students with disabilities are often forgotten

For many assignments – say a PDF document from a professor – most students simply click "download," and read it. But that same assignment is more complicated for students who are blind.

To demonstrate, Rogers sits at a small table in his living room where a green, painted sign reads "one-eyed legend."

He opens his laptop and chooses a PDF from one of his classes. A word in the title has an extraneous gap, so the automated voice of the screen reader says "misspell, misspell, misspell," as if it's repeatedly walking into a virtual wall.

Rogers navigates down to an image of a chart. "Unlabeled text box, unlabeled image, page break," the reader says.

"Could you imagine listening to that all day?" asks Rogers.

Lacy jokes that, by the end of the school day, she often wants to throw her computer out the window."

https://www.npr.org/2026/04/06/nx-s1-5720191/digital-accessibility-college-education-Disability Policy Consortium

Image: two blind students with canes on the steps of a college building

Higher education is especially reliant on computers and phones, but accessibility for people with disabilities has often been forgotten. A new federal rule could change that.

04/06/2026

04/02/2026

Advocates for mental health and substance use recovery are calling on Congress to reject the SAVE America Act and instead take action to protect and expand access to voting, particularly for people with disabilities.

“Voting is a fundamental right, and access to voting is a disability rights issue,” said Paolo del Vecchio, a former federal official and one of the leaders of a new campaign for recovery and rights advocates.

“People with disabilities deserve equal opportunity to participate in our democracy, yet too many already face significant barriers when trying to register and cast their ballots,” added Vanessa Ramos of Disability Rights California.

The advocates are strongly opposed to the SAVE America Act that will create new and unnecessary obstacles by requiring specific proof of citizenship and additional identification to register and vote.

“Voting is a fundamental right in a democracy, not a privilege reserved for a select few. The SAVE America Act is an unnecessary and dangerous step backward, echoing tactics used during the Jim Crow era to disenfranchise our most vulnerable communities,” said Eric Buehlmann, Deputy Director for Public Policy, National Disability Rights Network.

In this letter, mental health and substance use recovery advocates, along with disability rights organizations, are urging Congress to reject the SAVE America Act. Instead, they advocate for protecting and expanding access to the vote for people with disabilities. They stress that voting is a basic....

03/30/2026

Consumers, PCA's, IL Centers, the union and other advocacy groups descended on the State House to advocate for fair wages and no cuts to the state's PCA program. Personal Care Attendants make independent living possible for many with physical disabilities. The PCA program in MA is a model, but needs our constant attention to continue to enable people with disabilities to live their best lives. And PCA's deserve a fair wage for the hard work that they do!

03/30/2026

Before I post 2026 PCA Rally photos, I wanted to share these from 2011. We can all agree that Courtland has not changed a bit!

Pictured: Carmen advocating to the Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo's staff.
View from above.
Courtland speaking from the heart!

03/30/2026

MWCIL staff, board and alumni thanked Rose on Friday for her 35 years of service at the Center. Rose was at the heart of the action back when it was the Greater Framingham Association of Disabled Citizens and she is still at the heart of the action! After Paul passed away, she stepped up as Acting Executive Director and held the Center together during those difficult days. She continues to keep help us stay on track and we are all privileged to work with her!

Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Ronald Mariano, sent a commendation.

03/30/2026

Join us, alongside hundreds of advocates from across Massachusetts, for the 2026 Independent Living Education Day at the State House!
Together, we’ll educate decision makers on the priorities of the disability community.

🗓️ April 23, 2026

⏰ 10 AM to 3 PM

📍Massachusetts State House, Great Hall

🔗 Register: bit.ly/ILeducation

Agenda:
• 10:00 AM - Registration
• 11:00 AM - Speakers
• 12:00 PM - Lunch
• 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM - Legislative visits

Bring your lived experience into the spaces where decisions are made!

CART and ASL will be provided. A bagged lunch will be served.

03/30/2026

03/16/2026

During the 2026 Oscars on ABC, Lynette Howell Taylor, the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, came onstage and among her remarks, recognized Marlee Matlin for her work as a trailblazer and as a part of the community that created and supports the innovation of captioning technology.

The cameras were on Matlin and she said ILY to the audience and expressed gratitude. Sitting next to her is her husband since 1993, Kevin Grandalski.

What a nice honor for Matlin, to be recognized during the Oscars live broadcast!

In 2025, Matlin accepted an Academy Award of Merit (a honorary Oscar) that recognized individuals who have developed and supported captioning technology, whether open or closed, for film.

Matlin, at the beginning of her career, advocated for captioning during the pre-ADA era. This work was featured in the “Not Alone Anymore” documentary directed by Shoshannah Stern.

(YouTube video of Matlin accepting the 2025 honorary Oscar) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6-e35SjDwM

(Not Alone Anymore) https://www.pbs.org/video/marlee-matlin-not-alone-anymore-r3hvo4/

03/16/2026

Take Action to Protect Voting Rights for People with Disabilities!

Congress is considering several bills that would change federal voter registration requirements, including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act and the SAVE America Act. These bills would require many voters to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote. While framed as election security measures, these bills could create new barriers to voter registration, particularly for disabled people. If Congress fails to oppose these bills, there could be significant consequences for voters with disabilities. Contact your Members of Congress today and urge them to oppose these bills.

Learn more and take action: https://www.disabilitybelongs.org/2026/03/protect-voting-rights/