CIDNY joins AAPD and others in opposing the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. Judge Kavanaugh’s previous rulings and statements on health care, self-determination, employment, and education threaten the rights of all Americans with disabilities.
He would allow the President to wield dangerous power.
He is dismissive of the fundamental rights of people with disabilities.
He won’t protect the rights of workers with disabilities.
He would narrow the protections of civil rights laws.
He promotes school voucher programs that leave students with disabilities without key protections.
He discounts the role of the administrative agencies that enforce your rights.
He would allow states to impose restrictive voter ID laws.
He imposes barriers for people seeking justice in courts.
He will not protect the rights of all people, including people with disabilities.
Take Action
Educate yourself and others about Judge Kavanaugh’s record.
Contact your Senators to express your opposition and emphasize the importance of health care and self-determination for all Americans with disabilities. Judge Kavanaugh’s Senate confirmation hearing starts on September 4th – contact your Senators today to oppose to his nomination!
Target States
Senators need to hear from the disability community on how Judge Kavanaugh will roll back disability rights if confirmed. It is especially important to contact Senators from the following states:
Alabama – Senator Doug Jones
Alaska – Senator Lisa Murkowski
Indiana – Senator Joe Donnelly
Maine – Senator Susan Collin
North Dakota – Senator Heidi Heitkamp
Nevada – Senator Dean Heller
West Virginia – Senator Joe Manchin
Call your Senators
Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (202) 224-3091 (TTY) and ask to be connected to your Senators.
These employers are making good faith efforts to recruit, hire, and promote qualified people with disabilities. CIDNY is presenting this information for the benefit of New Yorkers with disabilities who are seeking jobs. Each employer listed below is linked to more information about the opportunities. Please click the employer for more information. We have not examined each opportunity or employer and will do our best to keep these listings current. Click here for opportunities at CIDNY.
Below are additional employers that have made good faith efforts to recruit, hire, and promote qualified people with disabilities.
The New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Constituent Services Bureau (CSB) is seeking a talented undergraduate student for a paid, part-time placement this fall. Full details can be found HERE.
For this series, students from Hunter College interviewed CIDNY Action Network members and staff about their work with us and what brought them to organizing. Author Nadia Guennouni is currently working towards her Masters in Mental Health Counseling.
Elizabeth Melas was born and raised primarily in Greece as an American citizen living abroad, until she came to the United States for high school in 2004. During her junior year of high school, Elizabeth developed a large tumor around her brain stem that required immediate removal. The removal of the tumor left lasting damage that caused neurological ataxia, which in turn caused speech and vision problems as well as the inability to walk. She went on to get her Bachelor’s degree in International Criminal Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
“I did not let any of that stop me from being me,” Elizabeth says. She identifies as an activist, first and foremost. Elizabeth is deeply rooted in justice in all forms, particularly political, social, and environmental. She is a strong advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, the rights of immigrants, and the right to a clean environment.
Her first foray into activism was at a Bernie Sanders rally in 2014, which changed how Elizabeth viewed her role in the world of activism. Prior to that rally, she always had an interest in activism, even as a child. Elizabeth says, “I’ve been an activist mentally since I was 7 years old, but I did not know how to get involved until recently when I started going to rallies.”
Since that rally in 2014, Elizabeth has gone to several more rallies and marches, even speaking to a crowd of 13,000 people. Elizabeth has also participated in events with New York Progressive Action Network (NYPAN) and Rise and Resist. NYPAN mobilizes citizens and advocates for, and defends, the well-being of the people within its communities through conferences and lobbying at the local and state level. Rise and Resist (RaR) are a direct action group committed to opposing, disrupting, and defeating any government act that threatens democracy, equality, and civil liberties. CIDNY partners with RaR on some actions and events, particularly on health care and subway accessibility.
According to Elizabeth, “Facebook has made it so easy to find events and organizations to get involved in.” Facebook is also what brought Elizabeth to CIDNY. She joined the group a few years ago, but became more involved in the past year through a mutual friend she shared with our Executive Director, Susan Dooha.
Group photo of advocates at Lobby Day in Albany with a multi-colored striped painting the background.
Elizabeth has taken trips to Albany with the CIDNY Action Network to lobby for the rights of people with disabilities. She finds this very fulfilling because “instead of talking about politicians, I’m actually talking to the politicians trying to affect change.” She has also gone to the Supreme Court of New York recently to fight against the MTA. Elizabeth views these lobby trips as doing her civic duty for the community. She intends to continue to work with the CIDNY Action Network to lobby Albany for the rights of the disabled and she hopes to one day lobby Congress in Washington DC. As she tells it, “it really feels like my voice matters and that is all I really want.”
They Voted to Take Away SNAP and FAILED – thanks to you! Now they want to try again.
We did it once, we can do it again! Join Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY and other advocacy groups across the country for a National SNAP Call-In Day today, Wednesday, June 20th to #SaveSNAP and Defeat the House Farm Bill (Again)
Urge New York Representatives like Rep. Dan Donovan, Rep. John Faso, Rep. Elise Stefanik, and Rep. Lee Zeldin to “Vote No” on the House Farm Bill, H.R. 2, which would cut SNAP and take food off the tables of more than 2 million low-income people, including people with disabilities. The House is expected to reconsider H.R. 2 on or before June 22, after failing to pass the bill in May.
On Wednesday, June 20th 2018 – Call 1-888-398-8702 (Toll-Free Feeding America number) or Call 202-224-3121 (U.S. Capitol Switchboard) and enter your zip code to be connected to your Representative. Urge him/her to “Vote No” on H.R. 2. Check out FRAC’s talking points and CBPP’s talking points for more information about what to say when you call.
New Yorkers, Keep Up The Pressure!
If you live in any of the districts listed below, we ask you to please call in and urge your Representative to “Vote No.” Their votes critical in ensuring that working families and children are able to keep food on their tables. We need a bipartisan bill that strengthens and protects SNAP, and what they have proposed is certainly not it! Please consider calling the district offices if you are unable to get through via the other numbers listed below.
Remember: Today, Wednesday, June 20th 2018 – Call 1-888-398-8702 (Toll-Free Feeding America number) or Call 202-224-3121(U.S. Capitol Switchboard) and enter your zip code to be connected to your Representative. Urge him/her to “Vote No” on H.R. 2.