Step Up. Be A Reeve Foundation Advocate.
The 2024 elections are over. Maybe the candidates you supported won, and maybe they lost. Or maybe, as I experienced, it was a mixed bag. I know we are all exhausted, and if you are like me and don’t see another political ad on your TV for the rest of your life, it will still be too many. I get it.
But here’s the thing: public policy never stops. Government never stops, and decisions that affect our lives are made every day.
Last September, the Reeve Foundation held a Virtual Advocacy Day, allowing people with disabilities, their families, and allies to speak with our Congressional representatives over Zoom and make our voices heard. We advocated for continued funding for the National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC) and successfully protected $10.7m in funding for the NPRC. This allows the Foundation to continue serving individuals living with paralysis, particularly in underserved communities, ensuring broader access to resources, mentoring, and education.
We also requested continued funding for the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), and for sponsorship of the Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers (ABC) Act. The staff of the Foundation did an amazing job of preparing us for these discussions, making sure we had the facts at our fingertips to make the most persuasive arguments. I have been a professional lobbyist, and have taken part in citizen action for decades, and I have never seen a more well-organized and effective program.
In 2024, the Reeve Foundation also played a pivotal role in advancing federal regulations requiring accessible medical diagnostic equipment in healthcare settings. Working with key federal agencies, the Reeve Foundation ensured that people with mobility impairments can undergo diagnostic procedures with dignity and without barriers.
And in collaboration with disability advocacy coalitions, the Reeve Foundation influenced stricter enforcement of the Air Carrier Access Act, resulting in improved reporting, accountability, and commitments from airlines to enhance accessibility.
Join Our Movement
What started as an idea has become a national movement. With your support, we can influence policy and inspire lasting change.
Become an Advocate
But we cannot rest on this noteworthy progress. This is not the time to stop working for our rights as people with disabilities. January will bring a new Presidential Administration, a new Congress, new Governors, state legislators, new mayors, and city councils. Every one of them will hold in their hands the authority to make public policy that affects us and our families, and we will need to stay involved to protect this progress and make even more.
The Reeve Foundation makes it simple. Really! It is a great source of information and tips about becoming politically active. You can do as many or as few of the things they recommend in their guide to being an Advocate, which you will find here.
One easy way you can become an Advocate on the Reeve team is by signing up here. If you have never lobbied before, it might seem daunting, but trust me, it isn’t hard. You will receive periodic alerts with pre-written communications to send to your officials. All you need to do is add your name and hit “send”.
So, take some time off. Enjoy the absence of political ads on TV and campaign appeals filling your mailbox, email, and text messages. Then, join us in getting back to work to press for the funding, access, care, and community that will improve your life and the lives of over 300,000 Americans living with paralysis.
And here is an added benefit: when you write or meet with your elected officials, when you join with others to be heard, and when you stand up for your rights and those of people you love, you will feel powerful and strong.
You will feel like the Superman for whom the Foundation is named. And you will be right: You will be a superhero!