Image Description (photo on right): Laura (a redheaded woman wearing a green shirt and glasses) and Clark (a man with brown hair and beard wearing a yellow shirt) lean together and smile on a sunny day at Gold Creek Pond; in the background, a lake, evergreen trees, and mountains under a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.

Why DRW?

In 2017, we believed so much in the power of Rooted in Rights' media advocacy to shape new stories about disabled people and to reshape the world in which we live, that we pulled up deep roots in Philadelphia to move 3,000 miles across the country to be part of that work. Clark began as Creative Production Assistant at Rooted in Rights and is now Creative Co-Director, and I have been lucky to be able to use my experience as a nonprofit fundraiser to work alongside DRW staff to build its first development program. 

Along the way, Clark and I have seen how DRW is committed to growing its work around disabled leaders and leadership, and engaging the whole community, wherever disabled people are, including folks segregated from society in institutions, prisons and jails. 

Support disabled leadership! If you are able, please make a donation of any amount toward this work that has become such a huge part of our lives.

The road to freedom and justice for disabled people relies not on one organization but on a collective network of organizations large and small, groups and individuals working together across geographies to push for change. If you are interested, please also check out these organizations and initiatives led by disabled Black, Indigenous, people of color:

Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (https://www.beam.community/)

Disability Visibility Project (https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/)

Sins Invalid (https://www.sinsinvalid.org/)