Today is the third Thursday in May, making it Accessibility Awareness Day, launched 10 years ago to expand digital access and cement the political power and gains of people with disabilities. Disabled adults make up the largest minority group in the country, at 26 percent, and the largest in the world, at 17 percent. Yet the day could use a name update; it’s a day of “action,” or can be, as much as of “awareness.” It’s also a day of demarcation, mirroring how far disability rights have and haven’t come.
Younger folks are driving it, notably 17- to 24-year-olds. The newest opportunity is an ambassadorship program for people who want to create material justice, greater participation, and wider conversation among changemakers digitally on any topic. Share this Recharge if you know activists or advocates or community leaders. I worked years ago for the team that’s now conceived of and launched it and support its broader mission and methods, and say so independently. It’s not limited to disability justice by any means, though today’s disability day intersects with it, highlights one small slice, and evokes its range. The program is for anyone 17 to 24 who wants to promote digital dialogue, equality, and progress. Hit ’em up, share widely, and send Recharge story tips to recharge@motherjones.com.
