Disability Lead

05/28/2026

Interested in applying for the Disability Lead Institute?

The Institute is the only leadership program in the nation specifically for leaders with disabilities, and that makes connections to opportunities for civic engagement and leadership. The Institute is a year-long fellowship that centers disability identity to explore leadership skills, civic engagement, and understanding of self and others.

Join us for an upcoming informational webinar where we’ll talk about the 2027 Institute. Our Director of Programs, Clare Killy, will discuss what to expect about the fellowship experience, the application and selection processes, and answer questions live.

📅 Thursday, June 11
⏰ 11:30 AM–12:30 PM CT
📍 Zoom

A recording will be shared with those registered and on YouTube.

🔗 Register today and learn more about the Institute. https://www.disabilitylead.org/events/institute-webinar

05/19/2026

Applications are now open for the 2027 Institute!

The Institute is the only leadership program in the nation specifically for leaders with disabilities, and that makes connections to opportunities for civic engagement and leadership. The Institute is a year-long fellowship that centers disability identity to explore leadership skills, civic engagement, and understanding of self and others.

What you need to apply.
1️⃣ Live in Chicagoland or Southwestern Pennsylvania
2️⃣Part one and two of the application
3️⃣Answer the (3) essay questions in part two of the application
4️⃣A completed nomination form

Application deadlines
☀️ Early Bird – Wednesday, July 1, 2026*
🗓️ Final – Wednesday, September 9, 2026

*Applicants who submit their application by the early bird deadline are guaranteed an interview.

Are you ready for a transformative leadership development experience? Apply today. www.disabilitylead.org/apply

05/15/2026

Join us for Our Stories, a virtual storytelling event featuring Members from our Network of 300+ positive disruptors.

Storytelling has the power to challenge assumptions, deepen understanding, and build stronger, more inclusive communities.

✨ Featuring:
1️⃣Jon Haven (Fellow, 2025)
2️⃣Liliana Schiller (Fellow, 2025)
3️⃣Timotheus “TJ” Gordon Jr. (Fellow, 2022)

Event Details:

🗓 Date: June 25, 2026
⏰ Time: 12:00–1:00 PM CT
💻 Location: Zoom Webinar

When we elevate authentic stories, we build deeper understanding and real connection.

✅ ASL interpretation and live captioning will be provided.
📩 Additional accommodations available upon request.
We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful conversation— register today!

Register here: https://www.disabilitylead.org//events/our-stories-june2026

05/12/2026

Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month!

In 1977, Jeanie Jew advocated for this observance to honor her grandfather’s legacy. In 1990, a congressional resolution established "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month" to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant and the completion of the transcontinental railroad, and acknowledge the history, diverse cultures, and contributions of AAPI communities. At Disability Lead we are proud to support a network of leaders with disabilities, which includes a beautiful community of Asian American and Pacific Islander folks. These leaders are positive disruptors who are working to achieve an equitable, just, and inclusive society.

05/05/2026

At Disability Lead, we believe we are most powerful when we are represented and championed by an intersectional disability voice.

Take a look at our new “About Us” video! This video highlights the diversity of the Disability Lead Network of 300+ disabled leaders in Chicago and Southwestern Pennsylvania, and the impact of our work. Special thanks to these five Members for sharing their stories on camera: Ana Monga (Fellow, 2023), Barbara Padilla (Member, 2021), Bernardo Gomez (Fellow, 2024), Emily Blum (Fellow, 2018), and Lashon Gurrola (Fellow, 2020).

Watch the video below and go like the video on YouTube to help us elevate the power of disability leadership! https://youtu.be/XF0jKVYwiaw

05/01/2026

This May, Disability Lead continues to raise awareness and honor the diversity of disabilities within the disability community. Together, we are working towards a more inclusive future that embraces diversity, equity, accessibility, and the collective power of our community.



Note: All slides have a peach background with the Disability logo with the text, “Power. Influence.
Change.” beneath it at the top with center alignment. Image 1 reads, "Disability Awareness Month and Days May Twenty Twenty-Six." The bottom portion of the graphic features people of various races and disabilities. (All of the following graphics list disability awareness days and months in between partial graphics of a wall calendar coming from the top right and bottom left corners.)

Image 2: Lists "ALS Awareness Month, Apraxia Awareness Month, American Stroke Month, Arthritis Awareness Month, Better Speech and Hearing Month, Bladder Cancer Awareness Month".

Image 3: Lists "Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month, Brain Tumor Awareness Month, Celiac Awareness Month, Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Month".

Image 4: Lists "Fibromyalgia Awareness Month, Hepatitis Awareness Month, High Blood Pressure Education Month, Huntington's Disease Awareness Month, Lupus Awareness Month".

Image 5: Lists "Lyme Disease Awareness Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, Mobility Awareness Month, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, Myositis Awareness Month".

Image 6: Lists "National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, Deaf Awareness Week: May 4-10, Face Equality Week: May 11-15, National Eosinophil Awareness Week: May 17-23".

Image 7: Lists "International 5p Syndrome Awareness Day: May 5, World Asthma Day: May 5, International Day for Osteogenesis Imperfecta: May 6, National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day: May 7".

Image 8: Lists "World Ovarian Cancer Awareness Day: May 8, World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day: May 8, Ependymoma Awareness Day: May 10, World Lupus Day: May 10".

Image 9: Lists "International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND) Day: May 12, Mental Health Action Day: May 14, International Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) Awareness Day: May 15".

Image 10: Lists "International Behcet's Disease Awareness Day: May 20, International Blue Cone Monochromacy Awareness Day: May 20, World Autoimmune Arthritis Day: May 20, Global Accessibility Awareness Day: May 21".

Image 11: Lists "International Day to End Obstetric Fistula: May 23, National Schizophrenia and Psychosis Awareness Day: May 24, World Thyroid Day: May 25, World Multiple Sclerosis Day: May 30".

04/29/2026

On Monday, we hosted our biannual Exchange in-person networking event exclusively for Members. Exchange is designed for Members to deepen current connections, foster new ones, and expand their network. It was an evening of networking over light bites and refreshments. Severe storms tried to rain on our parade, but inside was warm and lively.

Special thanks to Sydney Holman (Fellow, 2023) and Cozen O'Connor for hosting us!

04/22/2026

Thank you, Governor Shapiro, for prioritizing expanding opportunities for Pennsylvanians with disabilities. These Executive Orders are great moves for opening decision-making tables to include people with disabilities at the state level.

We have a network of leaders who are passionate chnagemakers who would be great additions to your new Commission. We would love to connect them to you.

For too long, decisions have been made ABOUT people with disabilities, not WITH them.

Here in Pennsylvania, we’re not just giving these folks a seat at the table — we're asking them to be the decision makers about policies that affect them.

04/20/2026

🗳️Vote for Disability Lead!

We have submitted a session proposal to take the stage at --an annual event that brings together a global audience of funders and founders, plus others aiming to drive meaningful impact--taking place October 12-14 in Chicago.

Our topic is "Why Disabled Leadership Is the Infrastructure We Keep Overlooking" featuring our Members Nakia Green, Christina Armstrong, and CEO Emily Blum. Disabled people are the world’s largest minority and among the most underrepresented in leadership across every sector. This is a structural issue, not a pipeline problem. In our session, we will reframe real challenge SOCAP attendees are facing around disability inclusion. How? We will invite attendees to consider, "What changes when you start at the top?" Attendees leave with a practical lens, concrete questions, and connections to peers ready to move from commitment to action.

Let's make disability leadership the topic of conversation at SOCAP 2026! Voting ends THIS Sunday, April 26. Click here to vote for our session: https://socapglobal.com/session-idea/the-missing-multiplier-why-disabled-leadership-is-the-infrastructure-we-keep-overlooking/

SOCAP - Social Capital Markets

04/16/2026

One of our Members, Peter Berg, passed away on Monday, April 6. He joined our Network in 2017 and was instrumental in teaching Disability Lead accessibility best practices. Peter was recognized as one of the leading experts on the ADA within the National ADA Network and was highly respected by federal agency personnel who work with Technical Assistance staff nationwide.

As a community, we are saddened about this loss, and we send our most heartfelt condolences to Peter’s family and friends.