Colorado Disability Bar Association

10/02/2026

Employment is a disability rights issue. As we head into October and National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we’re celebrating the value, talent, and contributions of people with disabilities in the workplace—but we’re also remembering that access to employment was something we had to fight for, and the fight for equal opportunity at work isn't finished.

In Colorado, 57.1% of working-age people with disabilities were employed in 2024, compared with 82.5% of Coloradans without disabilities. That’s a 25.4 percentage-point employment gap.

Employment means more than a paycheck. It can mean economic independence, professional identity, community, opportunity, and the ability to contribute one’s values, skills and talents. This National Disability Employment Awareness Month, let’s celebrate what workers with disabilities contribute, and keep working toward a workforce where disability is not a barrier to opportunity!

09/25/2026

Some people change the world by refusing to accept the way things are. Judy Heumann was one of those people.

A lifelong disability rights activist, educator, organizer, and advocate, Judy Heumann helped transform the disability rights movement from a demand for inclusion into a powerful force for change. From fighting for her right to become a teacher to helping lead the historic 1977 Section 504 protests, Judy spent her life insisting that disabled people belonged at the table — and had every right to help decide what that table looked like.

Her legacy is enormous, but her story is also a reminder that progress is made by people willing to organize, speak up, take up space, and keep pushing when the system says no.

This November, Judy's story will reach a new audience with *Being Heumann*, Apple Original Films' new feature based on her life and the 1977 Section 504 protests. The film premieres in select theaters November 6 and globally on Apple TV November 13, but the trailer is available now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9INUY8uKRyU

And if you want to learn more about the history behind Judy's activism, *Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution* is currently available on Netflix. The documentary follows the disability community that came together at Camp Jened in the 1970s — including Judy — and traces how those experiences helped fuel the disability rights movement.

We celebrate Judy Heumann not only for what she accomplished, but for the doors she helped open for the generations of disabled people who continue passing through them.

09/18/2026

Today, we’re celebrating the incredible work of the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, an organization that has been fighting for disability rights in Colorado for more than three decades! 🎉

Run by and for people with disabilities, CCDC is out there doing the hard work of building power, challenging barriers, advocating for better laws and policies, educating communities, and making sure the voices of disabled Coloradans are heard where decisions are being made. The motto says it perfectly: Nothing About Us Without Us.

We’re grateful for all CCDC does for Colorado’s disability community and proud to celebrate an organization that continues to turn intentions into action.

And there’s a perfect opportunity to celebrate with them this Saturday at Beats & Eats! Come enjoy great food, music, community, and a chance to support CCDC and its important work.

📅 Saturday, September 19 | 12–6 PM
📍 The Quad at York St., Denver

Finally, give CCDC’s brand new Instagram page a follow! 🎊

09/11/2026

Today, we’re celebrating one of the people who helped make the Colorado Disability Bar Association possible from the very beginning — Magistrate Judge Jamin Alabiso.

As a founding member of the CDBA, Judge Alabiso has been part of our organization’s story since its earliest days, helping build a place where disability, the legal profession, and access to justice can be discussed openly and meaningfully. His own career reflects that same commitment. From his years working in juvenile justice to his work addressing disparities in the justice system and his ongoing efforts to promote meaningful access for people with disabilities, he has consistently brought thoughtfulness, compassion, and a commitment to fairness to his work.

But we’re also grateful for Judge Alabiso as a colleague and a member of this community. The CDBA is stronger because he chose to be part of it, and we’re proud to celebrate the person behind the robe as well as the judge who wears it. Judge Alabiso, thank you for helping us build this organization from the ground up, for the work you continue to do, and for the perspective and dedication you bring to our legal community. We’re fortunate to have you with us!

09/09/2026

Disabilities in the Courtroom ⚖️♿

The Colorado Disability Bar Association is proud to partner with the Boulder County Bar Association for an incredible CLE exploring disability rights, the experiences of disabled legal practitioners, and how we can make the practice of law more inclusive and accessible.

This program brings together members of the CDBA for a conversation spanning disability rights, the experiences of attorneys and legal professionals with disabilities, and the practical challenges—and opportunities—for creating a more accessible legal system. The panel will be moderated by CDBA Board member and BCBA Civil Litigation Section Chair, Matt Simonsen, with Magistrate Jamin Alabiso, River Sedaka, Dr. Ellen Blatt, Josh Savelkoul, and Andrew Montoya sharing their perspectives on a panel.

Join us today, September 9, from 12–1 PM via Zoom for this lunch-hour CLE. 1 General and 1 EDI credit will be available.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn, listen, and help build a more accessible legal profession.

09/04/2026

👏 Some people join an organization. Others help build it.

Spencer Kontnik was one of the early members who helped bring the Colorado Disability Bar Association into reality, turning an idea into an organization and helping lay the groundwork for the community we have today. He continues that work as a member of our Board of Directors, bringing the same commitment and dedication to the CDBA that he brought from the beginning.

And, as impressive as his work building the CDBA has been, Spencer’s record as a lawyer speaks for itself. He has been recognized among the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, an honor reserved for attorneys recognized by their peers for outstanding professional excellence. Even more impressively, Spencer recently secured a *unanimous* decision from the United States Supreme Court in his client’s favor—the kind of result that needs no embellishment.

We’re proud to celebrate Spencer not only for what he has accomplished in the courtroom, but for what he has helped create outside of it. The CDBA is stronger because he helped get it started—and continues to help move it forward. ⚖️

09/02/2026

🌟 Join Us September 15! 🌟

We’re honored to welcome Andrew Romanoff, Executive Director of Disability Justice, as our guest speaker at our September 15 meeting, and we’d love to have you join us!

Andrew brings a wealth of experience in public service, advocacy, and disability rights, and we’re looking forward to hearing his perspective on the issues affecting the disability community and the work being done to advance disability justice. We’re grateful to Andrew for taking the time to join us, and to Disability Justice for the work they do every day to advance the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.

Whether you’re a longtime member or just getting acquainted with our organization, this will be a great opportunity to listen, learn, and connect with others committed to disability rights.

📅 September 15, 2026

Interested in attending or want more information? Contact us here or at the link in the comments and we’d be happy to tell you more!

08/28/2026

Today, we’re celebrating Matt Simonsen, a member of our Board of Directors and a tireless advocate for disability rights. Most recently, Matt coauthored an amicus brief filed in the United States Supreme Court alongside disability rights powerhouses Fox & Robertson, P.C. and Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), on behalf of several disability rights organizations—including our own Colorado Disability Bar Association. This is a powerful reminder that advocacy can reach the highest levels of our justice system, and that the voices of people with disabilities belong there.

We thank Matt for his leadership, his dedication, and the many ways he puts his legal skills to work advocating for people with disabilities. Thank you, Matt, for helping turn advocacy into action!

08/26/2026

Would you like to know more about the CDBA? This month, the Denver Bar Association's monthly newsletter, The Docket, highlights the CDBA, including articles by several of its members!

10 Questions with Nicholas Catanzarite Aug 11, 2026 Docket Issue | July/August 2026 10 Questions with Judge Nicholas Catanzarite 1. What is the first...