DC Assistive Technology Program

Image description: Alicia, a Black woman with short brown hair, smiles at the camera against a neutral background. She is wearing maroon glasses and dangly gold earrings. 

Alicia Johns Celebrates 25 Years at ULS!

This year, Alicia Johns celebrated 25 years with ULS! As the director of the DC Assistive Technology Program (DCATP), Alicia works to provide Washingtonians with assistive technology. She bases her advocacy on the principle that “Technology makes things easier for persons without disabilities, but technology makes things possible for persons with disabilities.” In this feature, we take a moment to celebrate Alicia's 25 years of service and thank her for her hard work. 

DCATP's AT Champion Program Is Looking for Participants

Do you know any young adults with disabilities who could be fierce assistive technology (AT) advocates? Tell them about DCATP’s AT Champion program! This paid opportunity will teach youth (16+) about various forms of AT. Participants will use this knowledge to advocate for greater AT access in DC and advertise DCATP’s work on its social media platforms. The program will run from October 2023 to March 2024. Contact DCATP’s Outreach Specialist, Deborah Kale, at [email protected] for more information. See the full flyer below! 

Image description: Two AT Champions from previous years hold up their AT Champion certificates surrounded by DCATP staff in DCATP’s AT Resource Center. The AT Champions and staff are wearing white shirts with blue and gold AT Champion logos in the center. 

Consider supporting our work by making a recurring or one-time donation on our website! Your contribution can help us support clients who can benefit from assistive technology.

Housing Counseling Program (HCP)

HCP's Clients Achieve Their Homeownership Goals

ULS’ Housing Counseling Program (HCP) helps moderate-to-low-income DC residents achieve their homeownership goals. For example, we help DC residents navigate a number of housing programs by the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). This month, we wish to celebrate HCP clients who have achieved their homeownership dreams with our support! 

Image description: One of HCP's clients, Shelly (a brown-skinned woman with short brown hair), smiles in front of a light-brown brick building. She is holding up a pair of keys and standing on the building’s stairwell. 

Consider supporting our work by making a recurring or one-time donation on our website! Your contribution can help us support our clients and continue to advocate for the rights of DC's renters and buyers.

Disability Rights DC (DRDC)

DRDC Publishes Its Latest Report on Voting Access in the District

As DC’s Protection and Advocacy organization, DRDC ensures that all vote centers and ballot drop boxes in the District are accessible. During the 2022 General Election, DRDC surveyed 87 (or 97% of) designated vote centers. 70% of surveyed centers were operationally inaccessible. This means that these centers were not accessible due to issues that poll workers or DC Board of Elections (DC BOE) staff could have fixed. For example, these centers did not have assistive equipment or proper signage for voters with disabilities. 7% of surveyed centers were structurally inaccessible, or inaccessible due to issues that poll workers or DC BOE staff could not have fixed. These were centers that lacked any accessible entrance or path to the voting area because they were blocked by stairs, broken elevators, or single door doorways that were too narrow for a wheelchair to navigate, to name a few examples. In total, 74% of surveyed centers were operationally or structurally inaccessible or both. Read the full report below.

Disability Rights Organizations Show Support for ADA Testers

Earlier this month, 18 disability rights organizations filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of testers for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), the membership organization for all Protection and Advocacy programs in the nation, was one of these organizations. Testers are necessary to preserve the civil rights of all marginalized groups. As NDRN puts it, "If testers are stripped of standing, the result will be less private enforcement of the ADA, a less accessible society, and the continued exclusion of people with disabilities from community life." Read more about the amicus brief and the case from NDRN using the link below.

Consider supporting our work by making a recurring or one-time donation on our website! Your contribution can help us support our clients and continue to advocate for the rights of DC residents with disabilities.