Disability Empowerment Center

03/19/2026

A dose of positive news to share:

"A loop group supplies the ambient voices that fill out a film’s soundscape — from crowd noise to background chatter and reaction sounds. For “GOAT,” which follows an underdog goat chasing his dream of playing professional roarball in an all-animal world, the group helped construct the film’s arena sequences from scratch, building chants and crowd energy across two days of recording on the Sony lot."

Sony Pictures Animation's 'GOAT' made history as first major studio film voiced by an all-disability loop group.

03/19/2026

The Washington state Senate recognized March 2026 as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.

"THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington state Senate acknowledge March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, honor individuals with developmental disabilities across Washington state, and express appreciation for the families, caregivers, educators, providers, and advocates whose care and support help make our communities more inclusive, more connected, and stronger for everyone."

Download and read the full Resolution here: https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Resolutions/8689-Developmental%20disabilities.pdf?q=20260318143155

03/18/2026

Update from the state legislature:

Parents will get more time to review their child's special education evaluation, thanks to this new law. Signed by the governor last week, the bipartisan bill was spearheaded by parents of kids with disabilities.

Read more:

Families will have at least five days to review a crucial document school districts use to determine whether a child is eligible for special education services.

03/17/2026

SDFF CEUs Available for Interpreters!

How can you get CEUs? Seattle Deaf Film Festival will offer 9 film programs where you can catch all 38 films from 12 countries in person or virtually! Watch one, some or all film programs and answer 3 reflective questions for each film program. You could get up to *1.45 PS!

Step 1: Review our film programs here: https://www.deafspotlight.org/filmprograms2026

Step 2: Purchase your SDFF tickets for selected programs /passes for all 9 film programs ASAP

Step 3: Register through HSDC Continued Education Program (HSDC-CEP) (https://www.hsdcceu.org/ceu-catalog/p/seattle-deaf-film-festival) and pay $35

Step 4: Get an Independent Study Application via email from HSDC-CEP

Step 5: Fill out and submit the application to HSDC-CEP BEFORE April 10th

Step 6: ENJOY THE FILMS!

Step 7: Answer the questions for each program and submit to HSDC-CEP afterwards.

Questions? Email CEU@HSDC.org

ID: Flyer for “CEUS AVAILABLE” with the pink title: "Seattle Deaf Film Festival
on top of an illustration of an octopus' tentacles. Popcorn kernels dot the space around it. Subtitle: “April 10-12, 2026. Northwest Film Forum. Streaming: April 13-26, 2026.”

03/16/2026

We have two more peer groups coming up before we wrap up March!

Join us either in Seattle or Redmond for one of these fun events:

March Westside Peer Group
This month we’ll give crocheting a try. Come learn a new skill or share your knowledge of this fun fiber craft.
🍀Thursday, March 19, from 2-4 p.m.
Disability Empowerment Center's Seattle office: 1401 East Jefferson St. #506

March Eastside Peer Group
Join us to talk about how to build resilience and bounce back—just like the spring season. We’ll talk about adaptability, reframing and hope.
🍀Tuesday, March 24, from 2-4 p.m.
Disability Empowerment Center's Redmond office: 16305 NE 87th St., Suite 113 (inside the Together Center) plus online option

Hope to see you there!

Find more: disabilityempowerment.org/upcoming-events

03/12/2026

03/10/2026

Ready to dismantle ableism? It starts with how we see it.

We’re spending our March Understanding Ableism webinar exploring the "models" of disability that shape our world. Join the conversation as our panelists discuss how shifting our understanding can break down barriers and spark a more fair society for everyone.

Our panelists include:
- Lydia McDermott – Professor, Whitman College
- Philip Bradford – Independent Living Specialist, Disability Empowerment Center

Tuesday, March 17
10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (Pacific Time)

Platform: Zoom
Accommodations: Sign language interpretation and CART provided
Register: disabilityempowerment.org/events

03/10/2026

Free Seattle Art Museum / Seattle Asian Art Museum tickets to Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing community members: https://tinyurl.com/wwdmmnfk.

Back for a 4th year, Deaf Spotlight will distribute FREE museum passes to Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing community members through the Seattle Art Museum Community Pass Program.

Please fill out the form below with your name, your mailing address, and how many passes you would like to get. Each person can get up to 2 community passes. Each community pass will give you 6 tickets each. Your passes must be redeemed by the end of year 2026.

The passes can be redeemed at both locations: Seattle Art Museum (Downtown) and Seattle Asian Art Museum (Volunteer Park) during regular hours.

Many handwaves to Seattle Art Museum’s Community Pass Program for making this accessible for all!

ID: Flyer for “Free Community Passes”, stylized as yellow ticket stubs with an orange background with text inside the stub. Further text below: “To Seattle Art Museum or Seattle Asian Art Museum for Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled, and Hard of Hearing members! Tinyurl.com/SAM-DS2026”. Logos for the Seattle Art Museum and Deaf Spotlight on the bottom.

03/05/2026

Heads up!

We've moved our March EPIC outing to the Museum of Pop Culture to
APRIL.

Mark your calendar for this new date:

Friday, April 10, from 1-4 p.m.
(was previously scheduled for Friday, March 13)

RSVP by Monday, April 6: info@disabilityempowerment.org

We'll check out decades of music history together at this awesome museum. Hope you can join us!

03/04/2026

Artists: Cool opportunity!

📣 : The Washington Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY) and the Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) invite individual artists or artist teams to design and create a unique artwork for the Northop Modernization Project on the Washington School for the Deaf (WSD) campus in Vancouver, WA.

📆Deadline: Monday, March 16, 2026 by 5 p.m. PST
💵 Budget: $68,000 inclusive of design, fabrication, and installation, and tax
👉🏽Learn more and apply: https://artswa-publicart.submittable.com/submit

ID: Children sit at a table side by side as they follow an unseen instructor. Image used with permission from Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY).

Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth

03/03/2026

"When Max Voehl auditioned to play the lead role in the musical “Wonder,” he sensed he was playing a version of himself onstage.

Voehl, who was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate, has endured multiple surgeries like Auggie Pullman — 13 to Auggie’s 28. The 12-year-old from Utah also has been bullied, much like Auggie, who is targeted over his rare genetic condition known as Treacher Collins syndrome, which causes underdeveloped facial bones and tissue."

Read the article:

It was first a bestselling novel, then a movie and now “Wonder” has been turned into a musical.

03/02/2026

It's March, and spring is on the horizon! 🌼

Here are some of the great events we have this month. Come get connected to your community!

- March 11: Virtual Peer Group
- March 17: Understanding Ableism webinar on "models of disability"
- March 19: Westside Peer Group
- March 24: Eastside Peer Group

Find more: disabilityempowerment.org/upcoming-events