Center for People With Disabilities

10/24/2025

🌟 Opening Her World: Kim's story 🌟

When Kim lost her vision, life felt overwhelming and isolating. She didn’t know how to use a white cane or how to move through the world with confidence.

Then she found CPWD’s Beyond Vision program. Through training, community, and peer support, Kim discovered new tools — and new friends — that helped her regain her independence and joy.

Today, she’s thriving: getting out often, connecting with others, and embracing each day with renewed confidence.

🎥 Watch Kim’s story and see how the power of community and skill-building can open doors to new possibilities.

10/17/2025

Advocacy isn’t a one-time victory — it’s an ongoing commitment.

From the fight to defend Section 504 in the 1970s, to the Olmstead decision guaranteeing the right to live in the community, disability rights have always depended on people speaking up and demanding to be heard.

Today, budget cuts, regulatory rollbacks, and reduced oversight remind us that progress is never permanent — and that protecting independence, access, and equality requires ongoing advocacy.

Read our latest article, Protecting Our Rights: Why Advocacy Is Never Finished, to learn how we can all take part in shaping the future of disability rights:

👉 www.cpwd.org/blog/protecting-our-rights-why-advocacy-is-never-finished

Each generation of the disability rights movement has worked hard, through advocacy and other efforts, to ensure basic rights for people with disabilities in the areas of equality, equity, access, and independence.  From Section 504 to the ADA to the community-based living victories of Olms

10/11/2025

When Marcy began to lose her vision to macular degeneration, fear set in. But through CPWD’s Beyond Vision program, she found something unexpected — a new way to see her life.

Today, her world is filled with hope, joy, confidence, and community.
Watch Marcy’s story and see how the right support can open new doors to independence and happiness.

🎥 Watch now: https://youtu.be/NOMpXVruPN8



https://youtu.be/NOMpXVruPN8

Marcy began losing her vision, she thought her world was closing in—until CPWD helped her discover a new way to see.W...

10/01/2025

🎉 October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) — a time to recognize the vital contributions of people with disabilities in the workforce and to spotlight the need for full inclusion.

Employment not only offers a paycheck, it also brings purpose, independence, and dignity for individuals. Yet in 2024, only 22.7% of people with disabilities are employed, compared to 65.5% of those without. This gap stems not from lack of skill, but from systemic barriers and ableism in hiring practices, workplace culture, and accessibility.

📈 Research shows that inclusion benefits everyone: companies identified as leaders in disability employment report 60% higher revenue, 2.6x more net income, and twice the economic profit of their peers.

✅ One meaningful way to take action this month? Host a Disability Etiquette Training and start building a workplace where everyone can thrive.

📖 Read the full article: www.cpwd.org/blog/building-inclusive-futures-national-disability-employment-awareness-month

Each October, the nation recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) as a time to honor the contributions of people with disabilities to the American workforce and reflect on the work still needed to build truly inclusive workplaces. Established by Congress in 1945 as “Nation...

09/27/2025

🌐 From ASL to AI: The Many Ways We Speak 🗣️

Language is not just speech. It’s gestures, sign, code, and technology.

Our new article dives into how accessibility has evolved — from human connection through American Sign Language, to voice-to-text tools, captioning AI, and emerging assistive tech.

Whether you’re Deaf, Hard of Hearing, neurodivergent, or simply curious — join us in celebrating all the ways we communicate.

📖 Read now → https://www.cpwd.org/blog/the-many-ways-we-speak-from-asl-to-advanced-technology-the-evolution-of-accessibility
🔁 Share this if you believe access is a right, not a privilege
💬 Comment: Which mode of communication has been especially meaningful to you?

On August 11, 2025, CPWD’s Beyond Vision program consumers visited the Denver Art Museum for a unique, inclusive experience: an Audio Described and Tactile Tour that brought exhibits to life through touch, narration, and shared storytelling. What’s special about this is that the participants wer...

09/19/2025

📣 Did you know?
There are five Core Services that every Center for Independent Living (like CPWD!) offers, designed to support people with disabilities in living fully, freely, and on their own terms:

✅ Advocacy
✅ Information & Referral
✅ Independent Living Skills Training
✅ Peer Support
✅ Transition Services

These services the foundation of the Independent Living movement and are proven to help individuals gain confidence, build skills, and connect with their community.

👉 Learn more about how these services came to be, why they matter, and how CPWD is helping people thrive every day.

📰 The Power of Possibility: CPWD’s Core Services and the Independent Living Legacy

🔗 Read the full article at www.cpwd.org/blog/the-power-of-possibility-cpwds-core-services-and-the-independent-living-legacy

Everyone deserves the opportunity to live with independence, purpose, and joy, no exceptions. CPWD’s work is guided by this belief every day, and it's brought to life through what are known as the Core Services of Centers for Independent Living (CILs). These Core Services are pathways to self-dete...

09/12/2025

🚨 New Article! 🚨
How can a black license plate change lives?

Thanks to the Laura Hershey Disability Support Act, funds raised through Colorado’s “Support People with Disabilities” license plates are now fueling essential programs like ours.

📝 We’re proud to announce that CPWD was awarded a CDOO grant to expand our SSI/SSDI benefits assistance—empowering more people with disabilities to access the resources they need to thrive.

📊 With over 100,000 Coloradans relying on disability benefits, this work matters more than ever.

💬 Read more about how this grant, this legislation, and this community are driving lasting change:

👉 https://www.cpwd.org/blog/empowering-independence-how-cpwd-is-supporting-coloradans-through-ssissdi-benefits-and-beyond


♿🖤📈💪🏼

For many people, applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI),  and other benefits can be challenging. Navigating all the paperwork and requirements with accuracy is often more accessible and successful with the support of an expert.CPWD recog

09/09/2025

Ron is a Veteran and is enrolled in CPWD's VIP program through one of our spoke providers, the League of Human Dignity. We are so happy to share his success story!

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09/03/2025

This year has brought powerful momentum across the disability community through legislation, policy changes, inclusive design, and grassroots leadership. From the Supreme Court to the fashion runway, people with disabilities are not only gaining greater access and protection, but also claiming space in new, joyful, and deeply visible ways.

Here’s a detailed look at the most significant good news stories from 2025—nationally and here in Colorado—that are shaping a more inclusive future.

Photo from Weston Mosberg and Denver Fashion Week.

This year has brought powerful momentum across the disability community through legislation, policy changes, inclusive design, and grassroots leadership. From the Supreme Court to the fashion runway, people with disabilities are not only gaining greater access and protection, but also claiming space

08/29/2025

🌄 Accessible End-of-Summer Adventures in Colorado 🌿

As the warm days begin to wind down, many of us feel the call to get outside one last time. Luckily, Colorado is packed with accessible ways to soak up the sunshine — from adaptive hiking trails and cycling programs to inclusive fishing, camping, and more.

💚 Recreation isn't just fun — it’s a gateway to wellness, independence, and community. And thanks to cities, parks, and nonprofits stepping up across the state, more people with disabilities can now explore Colorado’s incredible natural beauty like never before.

✨ Whether you're looking for one last adventure or planning ahead for fall, we've gathered some of the best accessible outdoor options to help you get out and explore.

🗺️ Read the full list here: https://www.cpwd.org/blog/accessible-colorado-outdoor-adventures



www.cpwd.org/blog/end-of-summer-adventures-accessible-trails-parks-and-recreation-across-colorado

As summer begins to wind down, many of us feel the pull to get outside one last time before the cooler weather sets in. Colorado offers endless opportunities to enjoy nature, from hiking, fishing, cycling, camping, or simply soaking in the views. We understand that recreation is a pathway to wellne

08/16/2025

♿✨ Accessible tech = essential.
For millions of people with disabilities, it’s the difference between being included… or being left out.

💻 As AI becomes part of the tools we use every day, it’s changing how we:
📄 Read documents
🚌 Navigate public spaces
📞 Join meetings
🏛️ Access public services

Some AI innovations are breaking barriers in ways we’ve never seen before. Others still have a long way to go.

🔍 In our latest article, CPWD explores:
✅ How AI is improving accessibility
⚠️ The challenges we still face
🚀 What the future could hold

Read the full story 👉 www.cpwd.org/blog/how-ai-is-changing-accessibility-progress-challenges-and-the-path-ahead

Accessible technology is essential for people to function in our ever-increasingly digitized society. For millions of people with disabilities, access to technology can mean the difference between participating fully in education, employment, healthcare, and civic life, or being excluded as a result

08/11/2025

Just attended a great community conversation hosted by the City of Boulder and the Center for People With Disabilities on making our city’s buildings, parks, and programs more accessible and inclusive for everyone.

Your voice matters in shaping Boulder’s ADA Transition Plan, this is our chance to ensure accessibility is not an afterthought, but a core part of how we plan for the future. Scan the QR code in the photo or use the link to let the city know how we can improve accessibility for all.