02/26/2026
Black advocates with disabilities have been at the forefront of advancing civil rights, disability rights, education, and community inclusion. Their leadership has helped build stronger, more equitable systems that benefit us all.
This month, and always, we invite you to join us to:
- Learn about Black leaders who shaped both the civil rights and disability rights movements
- Support Black-owned businesses and community initiatives- https://www.supportblackowned.com/states/pa
- Listen to and uplift lived experiences in your community
- Reflect on how equity and inclusion show up in everyday life
At Vision for Equality, we know that true inclusion means honoring the intersection of identity, culture, and lived experience. We celebrate the strength, leadership, and contributions of Black self-advocates, families, and community leaders - this month and every month.
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In the graphic, two Black historical figures with disabilities are featured. One is of Lois Curtis in the 1990s, smiling in a jacket and scarf on the stairs of a courthouse. Curtis is best known as the lead plaintiff in Olmstead v. L.C., the 1999 Supreme Court case that affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in the community. Curtis had been involuntarily institutionalized from the age of 11. Miss Lois Curtis passed away in November, 2022.
The second person featured is Dennis Billups who is still alive today. The photo features Dennis and another advocate at a meeting in the 1970s. Dennis is wearing sunglasses and a pin on his shirt. Alongside figures like Brad Lomax and Judy Heumann, blind activist Dennis Billups helped lead the 28-day protest that ultimately forced the federal government to enforce long-overdue disability rights protections.
Read more about these important historical figures and others at https://www.ancor.org/connections/7-black-activists-who-shaped-disability-rights/
