04/06/2026
Throwback to our recent 'A Seat at the Table' 40th Anniversary Dinner - a meaningful reminder that a seat at the table is only the beginning.
When persons with disabilities say, “Save us a seat,” we are asking for more than physical presence. We are asking to belong, to contribute meaningfully, and to help shape the decisions that affect our lives.
At DPA, our motto is "A Voice of Our Own", because true inclusion cannot happen without the meaningful participation, lived experiences, perspectives, and leadership of persons with disabilities.
For persons with disabilities, inclusion is not simply about being invited into the room. It is about being heard, respected, valued, and empowered to shape our communities and society.
Real inclusion means:
• Respecting lived experience as expertise.
• Creating space for diverse ways of communicating, engaging, and contributing.
• Ensuring persons with disabilities have influence, agency, and a voice of our own.
If people are invited to the table but leave feeling unheard, then inclusion has not truly happened.
Beyond saving us a seat, listen to our voices. Value our perspectives. Include us in decisions. Work alongside us as partners, contributors, and leaders.
Because meaningful inclusion begins when persons with disabilities are not only present - but empowered to speak, contribute, and lead.
[Image description: An illustration on a red background featuring five different types of chairs. From left to right: an orange metal chair with headphones hanging on it, a simple striped chair, a classic blue wooden armchair with a white cane leaning against it, a hearing aid placed on a red-and-white striped office swivel chair, and a green patterned wheelchair. Below the chairs, the text reads: “Hey, save us a seat.”]