Disability Rights Arizona

05/29/2026

We are SO excited about the Virtual Summer African American Conference on Disabilities coming to you live via Zoom on July 14th. Tickets are free and you won't want to miss out! ASL and CART will be provided. Exciting speakers will be announced soon!

We are planning on bring back the in-person African American Conference on Disabilities (AACD) in 2027 in Phoenix, Arizona! In order to reach that goal, we need YOUR help through generous sponsorship of our virtual summer conference.

Check out our sponsorship packages and get your free tickets here: https://givebutter.com/2026SummerAACD

Got questions about sponsorships or tickets? Email Jessie Barbosa at [email protected]

05/29/2026

We're rounding out month with another message from our PAIMI Advisory Council (PAC) Chair, Denise Wetzler about DRAZ's EVERYDAY commitment to advocating for the rights of people with mental illness to receive appropriate mental health care. The PAC advises DRAZ on priorities to be carried out in protecting and advocating the rights of people with mental illness.

that through the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) program, P&A's like DRAZ area able to investigate mistreatment in any place people with mental illness live and learn such as schools, hospitals, care home and prisons?

05/28/2026

We are so excited to announce that we are bringing the African American Conference on Disabilities back this summer at our upcoming two-session FREE virtual conference on Tuesday July 14th , 2026!

Registration is now open: https://givebutter.com/2026SummerAACD

Secure your ticket today! Once you order your free ticket, a Zoom link will be emailed to you. ASL and CART will be offered at both informative sessions-speakers will be announced very soon- stay tuned for some exciting announcements!

05/28/2026

FREE VIRTUAL TRAINING

Voting in Arizona

What People with Disabilities Need to Know

June 17, 2026 from 1 to 3 p.m.

ASL and CART Provided

Votes help decide the people and policies that shape our lives. Join us to learn more about using your voice and your vote. This free training session focuses on:

« Your voting rights

« Who can register and where

« Ways to vote and location(s)

« Voter identification requirements

« Assistance with voting

« Voting tips

Register using the link or QR code

Zoom Registration Link

(or paste the following address into your browser: https://bit.ly/REVUP-AZDAC-JUN2026)

Presenters

« Asim Dietrich, Supervisory Attorney for Investigation, Monitoring & Accountability, Disability Rights Arizona

« George Garcia, Executive Director, Southwest Institute for Families and Children

For more information, contact [email protected]

Logos of the sponsors, Arizona Disability Advocacy Coalition (AZDAC) and REV UP Arizona

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Today's is all about mental health and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)!

The ADA is a federal law that applies to organizations with 15 or more employees. Among other things, it requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. Under the ADA, mental health conditions can count as disabilities. The law considers any condition, whether physical or mental, a disability when it keeps someone from accomplishing basic tasks referred to as "major life activities.”


Reasonable accommodations look different for everyone and are not a "one size fits all" solution- below are some examples of what reasonable accommodations can look like.

05/26/2026

Please join us in giving our newest intern a warm DRAZ welcome! Sophie Feldman has joined our team as a Legal Intern on the Education Team! Sophie is a second-year law student at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law- she also attended the U of A for her undergraduate degree! This year, she participated in the Education Advocacy Clinic, where she had the opportunity to represent students with disabilities in special education matters. Sophie is looking forward to spending the summer with DRAZ doing what she describes as the "work that brought her to law school in the first place"! Welcome to DRAZ, Sophie.

05/26/2026

We're honoring throughout the month of May. that our website has easy-to-ready self-advocacy tools and resources- including resources to help people who are navigating the mental health system?

Check out our resources today! https://disabilityrightsaz.org/resources/mental-health/

05/22/2026

Just a friendly reminder that DRAZ will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen at 8:00 AM on Tuesday May 26th.

05/21/2026

Today, Thursday, May 21, 2026, marks the 15th Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)! GAAD focuses on digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people worldwide who live with disabilities, and encouraging tech developers, designers, and organizations to build more inclusive technology! Accessibility removes barriers and unlocks possibilities!

P&As like DRAZ have a program called PAAT (Protection & Advocacy for Assistive Technology). The PAAT program was created in 1994 when Congress expanded the Tech Act to include funding for P&As to assist people with disabilities in the acquisition, utilization, or maintenance of assistive technology devices.