Paraquad

10/16/2026

On , we celebrate our President and CEO, Latosha R. Fowlkes, LCSW!

Latosha has earned numerous accolades throughout her career, but those who work alongside her know that her leadership is about so much more than awards and recognition. A champion for equity and community empowerment, she has built an impressive legacy of leadership, innovation, and service.

She leads with compassion, authenticity, and a belief in , inspiring those around her to keep learning, growing, and moving forward together.

As Latosha reminds us, "The story of Paraquad did not begin with us. But the responsibility for its next chapter belongs to us."

We're grateful for her vision, dedication, and commitment to leading Paraquad into its next chapter. Please join us in celebrating Latosha today!

10/15/2026

Today is Day, and October is .

A white cane is much more than a tool for navigation. For people who are blind or have low vision, it can represent independence, mobility, and the freedom to move through the world on their own terms.

White Cane Awareness Day also reminds us that accessibility isn't about doing things for people with disabilities. It is about removing barriers so people have the tools, access, information, and choices they need to navigate their own lives.

Today, we celebrate blind and low-vision people and reaffirm something at the heart of the Independent Living Movement - people with disabilities are the experts in their own lives.

10/15/2026

10/15/2026

Join REV Up Missouri and on Monday, October 19, at 11:30 a.m. for a free, statewide virtual rally focused on disability voting rights, voter education, and making sure every Missourian has the opportunity to participate in our democracy.

Hear from disability advocates, election officials, and voting rights experts about the importance of accessible elections and protecting the right to vote.

We're especially excited to have our very own Mike Parker joining the conversation as a panelist and Teona McGhaw serving as a moderator!

Join the rally at tinyurl.com/REVUPMOZOOM

Voting is a right, and accessibility matters. Let's make sure every voice is heard and every vote counts!

REV Up is a nonpartisan program of American Association of People with Disabilities. REV Up Missouri brings together disability advocates across the state to register, educate, and vote.

CC: Law LLC, National Disability Rights Network, St. Louis County Board of Elections, The Whole Person, empower: abilities, Boone County Clerk's Office

10/15/2026

At 10:15 a.m. today, people across the country will participate in the , an annual earthquake preparedness drill.

Earthquake preparedness is for everyone, and knowing how to protect yourself should include options for people with disabilities.

If you feel shaking or receive an earthquake alert, remember: DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON! Your actions may look different depending on your mobility needs.

If possible: Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck, and hold on to sturdy shelter.

If you use a cane: Lower yourself if you can safely do so, cover your head and neck, and hold on.

If you use a walker or wheelchair: Lock your wheels or brakes, remain seated if appropriate, and cover your head and neck until the shaking stops.

At Paraquad, we believe emergency preparedness must be accessible and inclusive. Everyone deserves the information, resources, and opportunity to prepare for an emergency in a way that works for them.

Take a few minutes today to practice your earthquake safety plan, consider your individual needs, and make sure you're prepared.

Learn more: https://www.shakeout.org

10/14/2026

As comes to a close, we celebrate the Hispanic and Latino people whose leadership has strengthened the disability rights movement.

One of those leaders was Andrés Gallegos, a disability rights attorney, U.S. Air Force veteran, and former chair of the National Council on Disability. Gallegos is also a 1993 graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law.

After acquiring a spinal cord injury in 1996, Gallegos became a powerful advocate for disability rights, particularly equitable access to health care. His work helped advance policies and practices designed to ensure people with disabilities receive equal access, dignity, and opportunity.

His story is also a reminder that disability is part of every community and every identity.

10/12/2026

Today, on , we honor the histories, cultures, contributions, and resilience of Indigenous peoples.

Paraquad is located in St. Louis, on lands with deep connections to Indigenous peoples, including the Osage, Illini, and Missouria.

As a disability rights organization, we also recognize Indigenous people with disabilities whose voices, leadership, and advocacy continue to shape disability rights and disability justice:
• Hoskie Benally Jr., a legally blind member of the Navajo Nation who has spent years advocating for Native people with disabilities and bringing disability access and Navajo culture together in his work.
• Jen Deerinwater, a Two-Spirit, multiply disabled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, journalist, organizer, and founder of Crushing Colonialism, whose work explores the intersections of disability, Indigenous identity, and other marginalized identities.
• Jules Edwards, a neurodivergent Anishinaabe writer and disability justice advocate whose work focuses on neurodivergence, child safety, disability policy, and building stronger communities.

Their work is an important reminder that disability is part of every community and that there is no single Indigenous experience of disability.

Today, we celebrate Indigenous people with disabilities — past and present — and the many ways they continue to advocate, lead, create, and strengthen their communities.

10/11/2026

Affordable housing is essential to independent living. On October 15, the Missouri Statewide Independent Living Council (MOSILC) will host the Advancing Affordable Housing Symposium: Regional Roadmap — Financing to Front Door. This action-oriented event will bring together housing, finance, policy, and community leaders to explore how affordable housing is financed, built, and delivered.

10/10/2026

October is , a time to recognize the people, movements, protests, and milestones that have shaped disability rights and the Independent Living (IL) Movement.

That history includes the 1977 Section 504 Sit-In, the Capitol Crawl, the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and generations of disabled people who organized and advocated for equal rights, access, and the freedom to live independently.

It also includes Paraquad’s own history.

Our founder, Max Starkloff, became a nationally recognized leader in the IL Movement. His advocacy helped bring curb cuts and accessible parking to St. Louis, advance accessible public transportation, and eventually contributed to the national movement that led to passage of the ADA.

In 1972, the first curb cuts were completed in St. Louis. Five years later, St. Louis became the first city in the nation to have lift-equipped public buses on its streets.

Those changes didn't happen because accessibility was inevitable. They happened because people with disabilities organized, advocated, and demanded access to their communities.

More than 50 years later, Paraquad is still part of that movement.

This month, we honor the people who made disability history — nationally, here in St. Louis, and within Paraquad — and the advocates who are still making it today.

10/10/2026

Today is .

The 2026 theme, “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change,” carries a message that feels very familiar to the disability community: people with lived experience should help shape the policies, services, and systems that affect their lives.

Listening is important. But true inclusion means more than asking people to tell their stories. It means giving people real power in decisions. It means creating community-based, person-centered services that support choice, dignity, and independence.

Today, we recognize people living with mental health disabilities and conditions and reaffirm that lived experience is expertise.