Advocacy
Digital Accessibility
By Erin Vallely, ATI Advocacy Specialist
April 28, 2023
INTRODUCTION
Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, our country has come a long way in ensuring our communities are physically accessible to everyone. However, digital accessibility is still not a priority. As of 2021, 98% of the world’s top 1 million websites were still not completely accessible.
Making Nature More Accessible To All
By Erin Vallely, ATI Advocacy Specialist
March 31, 2022
INTRODUCTION
As people celebrate Earth Month and Earth Day this April, people are encouraged to go outside and enjoy nature. However, disabled and chronically ill individuals are frequently left out of outdoor recreation campaigns and cannot access traditional opportunities to enjoy nature. Outdoor gear companies rarely show visibly disabled and ill people in their ads, hiking trails and campsites don’t offer accessible accommodations, and outdoor space designers frequently focus on aesthetic rather than functionality. Enjoying nature is treated as a privilege, when it is actually a universal right.
Protecting People with Disabilities from Unhealthy Relationships & Abuse
By Erin Vallely, ATI Advocacy Specialist
February 24, 2022
INTRODUCTION
Trigger warnings: The following will discuss sexual assault, sexually transmitted infections and intimate partner violence.
In the past decade there has been an increased effort to promote awareness and prevention of unhealthy and abusive relationships. While efforts focus on teaching basic skills like communication, consent, and conflict resolution, many disabled individuals are left out of these critical discussions. As a result, disabled individuals, especially those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, experience significantly higher rates of abusive relationships and sexual violence as compared to non-disabled people.
Make Mental Health A Priority This Holiday Season
By Alison Taylor, ATI Advocacy Intern
December 20, 2022
INTRODUCTION
Trigger warnings: The following will discuss suicide, mental health, and mental illness.
Is It the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
The holiday season can easily be both the best and worst time of year. While it is advertised as when we gather with loved ones and share gratitude, it can also be a time of heightened stress and mental health struggles – even for those without mental illness diagnoses.
