Global Disability Caucus

  • Welcome to the Global Disability Caucus (GDC)!

    Over 1 billion people across the globe live with a disability.  

    We speak for them.

    The mission of the Democrats Abroad Global Disability Caucus is to provide a voice for individuals with disabilities across its global membership; to help organize the group’s agenda; to work with allies within other Democratic parties and disability rights groups to ensure that all activities and venues are accessible; and to educate and empower Democrats Abroad members and leaders about the issues impacting individuals with disabilities.  Our members are not only persons with disabilities but also their allies.  We all believe that

    THE FUTURE IS ACCESSIBLE!

    --

    OUR MISSION

    • Provide a voice for individuals with disabilities across Democrats Abroad global membership.
    • Ensure that the organization is fully ADA compliant.
    • Advocate on proposed legislation addressing disability rights.
    • Educate, empower and activate Democrats Abroad members and leaders about the issues impacting persons with disabilities.
    • Facilitate GOTV efforts for Americans with disabilities living overseas.

    Join Us!  Sign up to get news and information or volunteer to join our team!  Click JOIN THE CAUCUS button!

    An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.

    CDC describes 7 major categories of primary barriers to participation for people with disabilities - they are described in this article and listed below.

    https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability-barriers.html

    1. Attitudinal
    2. Communications
    3. Physical
    4. Policy
    5. Programmatic
    6. Social
    7. Transportation

     

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    Learn more about the Global Disability Caucus and read our caucus founding document, the Terms of Reference. You can write to us at [email protected].

    DA Global Disability Caucus Leadership:

    marnie delaney
    | Chair - Global Disability Caucus and Violence Against Women Task Force -----Global Women's Caucus Steering Committee-- Medicare Portability Task Force
    Anthony Nitz
    | Country Committee Vice Chair; Chair, Global VMF Caucus; Global Disability Caucus Steering Committee
    Caroline Ruchonnet
    | DPCA Representative, UK ExCom, UK Scotland Chapter Vice Chair, EMEA Deputy RVC
    Denise Roig
    | GDC Member-at-Large - Americas | GDC Allyship Initiative | Global Women’s Caucus Comms Team
    See all Leaders

    News

    A Disability Discourse - Podcast

    posted by | Chair - Global Disability Caucus and Violence Against Women Task Force -----Global Women's Caucus Steering Committee-- Medicare Portability Task Force
    May 07, 2022

    A Disability Discourse - Podcast with Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman



    PodcastDC.pngHow has America historically defined physical disabilities? How have disability rights activists achieved hard-fought wins? And how does the current debate over mask mandates and pandemic restrictions leave out those with disabilities or chronic illness? 
    Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the impact of pensions for disabled war veterans in the Revolutionary and Civil War periods, the interlocking histories of racism, sexism, and ableism, and the impact of the 1970s disability rights movement. 

     

    read more

    Disability Rights Advocates to Meet with CDC Director Following GMA Appearance

    posted by | Chair - Global Disability Caucus and Violence Against Women Task Force -----Global Women's Caucus Steering Committee-- Medicare Portability Task Force
    January 13, 2022

    The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) / News and Media / Press Releases

    • Disability Rights Advocates to Meet with CDC Director Following Good Morning America (GMA) Appearance; Nearly 150 Disability Organizations Release Policy Demand Letter Ahead of Meeting

    Washington, D.C. – On Friday, January 7, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, in an interview with Good Morning America, commented on the results of a research study. Director Walensky remarked that a disproportionate number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the study population occurred among those with four or more comorbidities, calling those patients “people who were unwell to begin with” and these results as “encouraging news”. The disability community, who represent those with four or more comorbidities who died in the study, responded in turn. The hashtag #MyDisabledLifeIsWorthy, started by writer and activist Imani Barbarin, was a top trend on Twitter over the weekend.

    ... Ahead of the meeting, advocates sent a letter to the CDC Director from nearly 150  disability-focused organizations from around the country, representing tens of millions of disabled Americans from every state and territory. The letter, which can be read in full here, reads: 

    “The disability community’s faith in the government agencies responding to the pandemic has taken hit after hit with repeated policy choices that devalue disabled lives. For every step in the right direction, there have been steps backwards or actions delayed. It is necessary for the public health of our nation that the CDC and other agencies responding to the pandemic take immediate, concrete policy steps to rebuild that trust, protect disabled and high-risk people, and enact an equitable vision of pandemic recovery that centers on those communities most at risk and begins to shift long-standing systemic inequities.” 

    Click here to read more ...

    ~The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)

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    Upcoming Events

    Friday, May 27, 2022 at 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US & Canada) · 15 rsvps
    Zoom in Washington, DC

    Monthly Friday Casual Social

    Democrats Abroad Global Seniors and Disability Caucuses invite you to join us for our monthly Social -- a time for Seniors and members of the Disability Caucus to connect with one another and discuss topics of concern and information. We will reflect, discuss, plan, and strategize together from the comfort of our own homes and with no duties or assignments! This will be fun as we can discuss freely any topic we would like.  

    When: Friday May 27, 2022 at 9.00 am Eastern time

    Where: on Zoom. 
    Vancouver CA 6:00 AM PDT
    Washington DC 9:00 AM EDT
    London UK 2:00 PM BST
    Paris FR 3:00 PM CET
    Hanoi VN 8:00 PM ICT
    Beijing CN 9:00 PM CST
    RSVP
    Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US & Canada) · 1 rsvp
    Zoom in Washington, DC

    ☀️ GDC Steering Committee 🏳️‍🌈 June Meeting ☀️

    The Global Disability Caucus is dedicated to building a stronger Democrats Abroad! Our goals are to increase accessibility to information, events and activities. We strive to create sensitivity to and awareness of disability issues.

    In addition to Democrats Abroad members with disabilities, we welcome and encourage the involvement of supporters of our members and our messages. We hope to form an inclusive, diverse, active, and effective community which provides fulfilling experiences for all.

    Please check the Global Disability Caucus Wiki-Page or the DemsAbroad Global Calendar to find future dates for these meetings and other GDC events!

    • 9 AM Eastern Daylight Time
    • 3 PM Central European Time
    • 9 PM China Standard Time

     THE FUTURE IS ACCESSIBLE! 

    Consider making a donation to help get out the VOTE in 2022. Please donate today: https://www.democratsabroad.org/dc-donations

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