American Association of People with Disabilities

American Association of People with Disabilities The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) promotes equal opportunity, economic power, and political power for people with disabilities

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is a convener, connector, and catalyst for change, increasing the political and economic power of people with disabilities.

The 2026 Summer Internship Application Is Now Open! 🤩 Read below to learn more, and if you think you might want to apply...
09/25/2025

The 2026 Summer Internship Application Is Now Open! 🤩 Read below to learn more, and if you think you might want to apply, register to join our webinar for interested applicants on Thursday, October 9 from 4-5 PM ET on Zoom.

Are you a disabled student (high school diploma by 2026 - graduate student) or recent graduate who is looking to gain professional experience, grow your leadership skills, and connect with disabled community? Then being an could be a perfect opportunity for you!

AAPD places interns at paid internships within the nonprofit, government, and for-profit industries, in-person in Washington DC and remotely. Interns work at their placement site Monday – Thursday and attend weekly AAPD programming on Fridays. Interns also get to attend events and network on Capitol Hill, conferences, policy briefings and other community events, as well as be matched with a disabled mentor.

AAPD interns are paid a living stipend and transportation to and from Washington, D.C. In-person interns are provided fully accessible housing. Remote interns receive a technology, internet, and a housing stipend if applicable.

Applications for the Summer 2026 cohort will close on October 21, 2025 at 5PM ET! You can view a sample application, review our application FAQs, register for the October 9 information session, and begin your application at https://ow.ly/5vk850X2tJY

ID: Stylized graphic showing information shown in post -- AAPD Summer Internship Program Applications are now open!

AAPD is proud to join this statement with leading autism organizations, calling for the government to make decisions bas...
09/24/2025

AAPD is proud to join this statement with leading autism organizations, calling for the government to make decisions based on quality science and compassion for the autism community.

On Monday, September 22, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced the department's actions to address what he called the “epidemic of autism.” The theories that Secretary Kennedy and President Trump presented to the public demonstrate disrespect for autistic people and follow a now-familiar pattern of citing debunked claims, demeaning people with disabilities, and spreading misinformation about vaccines and autism.

These unfounded and unscientific claims that Tylenol causes autism endanger the lives of pregnant people and go against the advice of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. They also focus the government's work on autism on "preventing" autism, something that decades of research and scientific consensus says is not possible, and only perpetuates stigma against autistic people. There are many ways the government could use its resources to improve autistic people's lives, which don't include yesterday's actions.
Read our full statement to understand more about the science and facts behind AAPD's position, and actions that policymakers, public leaders, media, and others can take to protect public health and support autistic Americans.

Read our full statement here: https://ow.ly/zFcb50X1QgG

ID: Leading Autism and Disability Organizations Call for Decision-Making based on Quality Science and Compassion for the Autism Community in bold pink text over logos of various disability- and autism-focused organizations

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we asked Valois J. Vera, who is a poet, author, and AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Aw...
09/23/2025

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we asked Valois J. Vera, who is a poet, author, and AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Awardee, to write a blog for us. In this piece, he poetically describes living at the intersection of being Latinx and Disabled. Read the full piece at the link in our bio and stories. Read the full piece: https://ow.ly/ZuUt50X0WnB

EDIT: We've closed the comments on this post because many people were making ableist comments that harm autistic members...
09/22/2025

EDIT: We've closed the comments on this post because many people were making ableist comments that harm autistic members of our community. Ableism and eugenics will not be tolerated on AAPD's platforms.

When AAPD says that autism doesn't need to be cured, this is what we mean: Efforts by the current administration to "cure" and "prevent" autism are rooted in stigma, ableism, and eugenics. Autistic people are not a problem to be fixed. Autistic people deserve to, and can, live meaningful lives of their own choosing when they are accepted, supported, respected, and accommodated.

We want the government to spend its time and energy figuring out how to better support and care for autistic people, not try to "prevent" autism and taking away Medicaid supports and services.

When family and friends of autistic people say their loved one needs to be cured, that reinforces stigma and hate. Autistic people do notice how others talk about them, including their family and friends. Many autistic people, when asked, say they do not want or need to be cured. They want to be accepted, respected, and supported, starting at home and in their communities.

Original: Despite what the government is claiming today, Tylenol doesn't cause autism. Tylenol/acetaminophen/paracetamol is one of the most vetted and studied medications on the market. Research has shown zero causal relationship between taking Tylenol while pregnant and autism.

More importantly, autism does not need to be cured or eradicated. Autistic people need to be accepted and accommodated.

The government needs to provide Americans with accurate, scientific information, instead of fearmongering and providing false information about safe medication.

ID: Stylized image of text in a retro cursive font with a thick outline that says "Tylenol Doesn't Cause Autism. Autism Doesn't Need To Be Cured."

Our latest blog with Haben Girma is live! Head to the link below to read about Haben's experience as a Deafblind protest...
09/19/2025

Our latest blog with Haben Girma is live! Head to the link below to read about Haben's experience as a Deafblind protestor and access AAPD's resource for protesting while disabled.

https://ow.ly/F4Oi50WZGEk

ID: Haben Girma, a Deafblind woman in front of a blue background. She's wearing a red top. Underneath, a quote that says: "For me, as a Deafblind person, I need a seat or table for my Braille computer and keyboard. Organizers who share detailed accessibility information make it easier for disabled people to join."

The applications for the 2026 Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Awards are now open! We have some big news about an excitin...
09/19/2025

The applications for the 2026 Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Awards are now open! We have some big news about an exciting change starting in 2026: AAPD is increasing the award amount from $10,000 to $25,000 per recipient.

This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Paul G. Hearne Awards, and this increase will ensure recipients can make an even bigger impact with their award. This change will also increase the cash award we give to recognize the awardee's contributions to the community. We are very excited about this increase, and we look forward to providing greater support to these outstanding leaders.

Are you interested in applying to the 2026 award? Go to our website to learn more, read our press release about the award increase, and register for our webinar for interested applicants on Tuesday, September 30 at 4 PM ET: https://www.aapd.com/paul-g-hearne-emerging-leaders-award/

Alt Text: A navy blue graphic with lighter blue design elements, a white AAPD logo, and white text says, "2026 Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award. Big news: The Hearne Award amount is increasing to $25,000 per recipient! Applications now open! Application deadline: Monday, October 20th at 5pm EST." A black and white photo of Paul Hearne, a white man with brown hair and a mustache in a suit with a polka dot tie.

Immigration is a complex process that creates many challenges. For immigrants with disabilities, the administrative, str...
09/16/2025

Immigration is a complex process that creates many challenges. For immigrants with disabilities, the administrative, structural, and interpersonal difficulties are even greater.

Luanjiao Hu shared with us what it means to her to be a disabled immigrant in her recent blog: https://ow.ly/cve150WXwx1

ID: A photo of Luanjiao Hu with a quote "Many disabled people plan and live their lives based around their disability. As a disabled immigrant, I also plan and live my life based on my immigration status."

Contact the Administaion about this! 🏛️We don't want to sugarcoat this: this is bad for people with disabilities. Why?Th...
09/12/2025

Contact the Administaion about this! 🏛️

We don't want to sugarcoat this: this is bad for people with disabilities. Why?

This will limit the number of disabled apprentices, contractors, and subcontractors in the federal government. It will make it more difficult to know how many people with disabilities there are working for the government, and it means that fewer people with disabilities will have access to these opportunities to begin with.

Disabled people are already at a much higher risk of being unemployed or underemployed. The federal government is the largest employer of disabled workers, so when things like this happen, it directly harms a lot of people in our community. We encourage you to contact the Administration about this, and you can do so at aapd.com/action

AAPD is seeking a mission-aligned, detail-oriented, and collaborative Grants Manager to manage and coordinate the organi...
09/11/2025

AAPD is seeking a mission-aligned, detail-oriented, and collaborative Grants Manager to manage and coordinate the organization's grant reporting and compliance efforts, while also supporting fundraising and donor stewardship. This role is ideal for a strong writer and relationship-builder who understands the power of narrative and the importance of inclusive, cross-team collaboration.

Selected candidates will participate in a 15 - 20 minute screening. Next, the candidate will participate in two rounds of interviews, one panel interview and a final round interview. If you have any inquiries, please email sisenberg@aapd.com with the subject line, “Grants Manager Inquiry.” AAPD will accept applications on a rolling basis.

The pay range for this role is: $70,000 - $85,000 per year

See the full description and apply here!
https://ow.ly/Jitj50WVllZ

ID: AAPD is hiring, picture of the text that is in the post.

Is energizing you? Good news: REV UP's work is nationwide! If you'd like to find a REV UP coalition near you, or start...
09/11/2025

Is energizing you? Good news: REV UP's work is nationwide! If you'd like to find a REV UP coalition near you, or start your own, check out https://ow.ly/K7Kb50WVl5Q.

Disability Voting Rights Week is all about using your power and building our collective power as a group. REV UP coalitions are proof that we are stronger when we work together. Disabled Americans are 40 million people strong, and harnessing that power is so important. Voting is just one part of civic engagement, but it is critical, and REV UP helps us maximize our impact at the ballot box.

ID: There are 21 REV UP Coalitions Across the Country

Disabled people deserve the right to make decisions about our own bodies. That should be a given, not something we have ...
09/11/2025

Disabled people deserve the right to make decisions about our own bodies. That should be a given, not something we have to keep fighting for.

Shruti Rajkumar knows this fight well. After losing private insurance, they turned to Medicaid and saw just how fragile access to care can be. Now, with $911 billion in cuts on the table, over 10 million people could lose coverage completely.

Shruti shares their story, why Medicaid matters, and what these cuts could mean for our community.

Read the full piece: https://ow.ly/5kuT50WVi4V

ID: Shruti Rajkumar, a brown femme presenting person with curly black hair, sitting in their wheelchair and smiling with the Manhattan skyline in the background. They are wearing gold hoop earrings, a black top, a red checkered skirt and a brown bag around their body.

Want to share important civic information with your communities during Disability Voting Rights Week? AAPD's DVRW toolki...
09/09/2025

Want to share important civic information with your communities during Disability Voting Rights Week? AAPD's DVRW toolkit has loads of resources you can use, such as:

How to talk about the disability vote
Key messages to use and share
How to stay non-partisan

The AAPD team worked hard to expand language access for DVRW 2025: All of this information is available in English, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Spanish, Korean, Hindi, and ASL!

If you haven't downloaded our toolkit, do so by filling out the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPpZVCMQcUMA2sWKjDjVkJcXpUHwbVj44wzxiqMJNeQ-rVOQ/viewform.

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