4/16/25 - U.S. cuts, a growing family, and learning Sign online
A bit of a wider variety today. Not all of it is bad or discouraging news.
Sweeping HHS Cuts Will Put Disabled and Older Americans’ Right to Live in Their Communities at Risk
Susan J. Popkin, Nina Russell, Barbara Butrica, Dana Ferrante, Urban Institute- April 7, 2025
"The ACL is critical to ensuring adults with disabilities and older adults can access supports they need to live and fully participate in their communities, including as they age. Dismantling the ACL and its programs will make it more difficult and costly for communities across the US to serve disabled people and older adults and will put residents at risk of institutionalization and food insecurity."
This article provides a pretty good overview of what the Administration for Community Living, (ACL) does, or rather did before being dismantled earlier this month. It's also a good read for anyone who isn't familiar with one of the core goals of modern disability activism – that helping elderly and disabled people live in their own homes rather than care facilities is both cheaper and preferred by elderly and disabled people themselves. There are just two parts of this story that I think are thin or missing here – whether eliminating ACL is the same thing as cutting funding for the services it used to oversee, and the larger moral and historical significance of Centers for Independent Living. What CILs are designed to be, what they are, and what they could be is of course more than enough for a whole series of articles. Maybe that's for another day.
Parents in Wheelchairs Welcome 2 Foster Sons, Then Baby Triplets. How They Show Doubters the 'Power' in Their Journey (Exclusive)
Jordan Greene, People - April 14, 2025
"'I love when people say, 'I have a disability and I want to have kids someday, and your videos make me feel like it might be possible,'' she says. 'As a young disabled woman, I didn’t have anyone to look up to or aspire to be like. So being able to show people that they absolutely can have the life they want is truly a privilege. Getting those messages is amazing. I also love when people say, 'You've changed my perspective. I didn’t think people in wheelchairs could have kids, but your videos have completely changed my view.''"
I have quite a few thoughts about this article, including how nice it is to get a more complete picture of what Stephanie has been going through. I know Stephanie a little bit – virtually you might say – as she edited some freelance writing I did for the organization she used to work for. The People article also provides a positive and these days I think a necessary example of how disability representation really is powerful. And at a time when being skeptical about social media is almost the sensible default, it's good to see how it can still be used to present portraits of disabled people and disability life that are both positive and nuanced – with details taking viewers far beyond a few sentimental slogans and dusty cliches.
6 Free Ways to Practice Sign Language Online
Reece Rogers, WIRED - April 3, 2022
"Although studying ASL online cannot replicate the nuanced experience of in-person communication, curious students who are willing to invest time do not need to pay money for beginner lessons. All of the learning options on our list are either completely free or offer a generous amount of content in front of their paywalls."
It's important to be cautious about recommending disability-related education of any sort of depth for free. Sometimes it seems right – like offering basic ADA guidelines so small businesses don't always have to pay for expensive consultants or lawyers just for simple compliance. Other times free advice ends up being too shallow, and diverts potential income from people who have invested their own resources and labor into becoming reliable experts offering real, top-notch services. I'm not sure where free online Sign Language training falls on this continuum. But my sense is that at least some of these sites strike the right balance, and are worth exploring.
If you have something to add to these topics, please share in the comments below!
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