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7/21/25 - A conference, accessibility warning signs, and a step back on air travel

Andrew Pulrang

• 4 min read
White wheelchair symbol painted on a blue colored pavement, marking an accessible parking space
White wheelchair symbol painted on a blue colored pavement, marking an accessible parking space

Good morning!


I hope everyone has a good week. Here are three disability links to get us started ...

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Monday Links
Monday Links

NCIL Annual Conference - Level Up: Building Tomorrow Together - Updates

National Council on Independent Living - July 21, 2025

"NCIL’s 2025 conference theme, Level Up: Building Tomorrow Together, perfectly aligns with the spirit of the quote, 'You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.' This year’s theme emphasizes that creating a more inclusive, accessible, and equitable world requires collective action and a commitment to continuous progress."

"Independent Living" isn't anything even close to being new or revolutionary anymore. It definitely used to be, say in the late 1970s and '80s. And in the '90s and '00s it felt new and revolutionary to me, since I had only just been introduced to the CIL model of disability nonprofit. But Independent Living is now clearly an institution – at various times and in certain ways in both the good and bad sense. Like any movement that becomes an institution, Independent Living has become a bit less cutting edge, less confrontational, less raw in advocacy, and maybe a little less cool. It has also, perhaps inevitably, racked up enough failures, shameful moments, and chronic complaints to feel a bit tired and tainted quite a lot of the time. And yet, the model itself – run and staffed by disabled people, decentralized and local, and offering both sound services and strong advocacy – still seems promising and essential for disabled people and disability communities. So, I'll be interested to follow these updates on the National Council on Independent Living's Annual Conference in Washington, DC this week. NCIL conferences are still some of the best, most exciting, and personally rewarding gatherings of disabled people.

Red Flags for Accessibility

Christiane Link, The Accessible Link - July 15, 2025

"Recognising these red flags is the first step to meaningful change. By challenging these patterns, everyone can drive a culture where inclusion is everyone’s responsibility, and progress is both visible and valued."

This list of six warning signs that an organization's accessibility efforts are falling short is probably meant for businesses and agencies that aren't primarily focused on disability. But I think the list might also be useful for disability organizations themselves. Even the best disability organizations and initiatives can fall into some of the bad accessibility habits we might more readily expect from others. And if you're going to fight for accessibility in others, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for what you're doing, or not doing, yourself.

The Trump Administration Is Refusing to Enforce an Air Travel Disability Regulation

Mike Ervin, The Progressive - July 8, 2025

"The Trump Administration, which refers to the regulation as the 'Wheelchair Rule,' announced in February that it would be delaying enforcement for a month 'to review the final rule to ensure that it is consistent with the law and administration policies.' Shortly after that, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and their trade association, Airlines for America, filed a federal lawsuit seeking to shoot down the rule on the basis that the DOT did not have the legal authority to issue it."

I wonder if there is a comprehensive list somewhere of all of the bits of progress made in disability policy over the last ten years or so that have been revoked, stalled, or threatened by the Trump administration. I like charts. Maybe we need a chart showing specific disability-related policies and government initiatives and their current status – a reference that can be regularly updated and consulted. Any readers who know of such a summary, please share by email or in the comments.

Take Action
Take Action
National Action for Wheelchair Repair Reform with the United Spinal Association
National Action for Wheelchair Repair Reform with the United Spinal Association
Take Action for Safer Accessible Parking & More Economical Paratransit with the United Spinal Association
Take Action for Safer Accessible Parking & More Economical Paratransit with the United Spinal Association
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