Join Pacific ADA Center staff for an in-depth look at your rights in the workplace under the ADA. This session will explore reasonable accommodations, the interactive process, disclosure, and protections during hiring and employment. Whether you’re a job seeker or currently employed, this session will help you better understand your rights and advocate for yourself at work.
Session Date: October 15, 2025 Session Time: 12 Noon-1 PM PT — 3-4 PM ET
Join us as we unpack this research study and provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the opportunities, as well as the challenges and barriers, faced by Black individuals with disabilities in accessing information and exercising their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By presenting the findings of this study, we will highlight the discrimination and marginalization these individuals experience, while also exploring avenues for advocacy, collective action, and support.
The Intersection of Race, Disability, and the ADA: Findings from a Focus Group Study
March 4, 2025, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET
This study explores the intersection of race, disability, and rights under the ADA. On this webinar we shared key themes from the research, including the systemic barriers Black individuals with disabilities face in exercising their rights. Topics included access to information about the ADA, the role of advocacy, and recommendations to improve access, awareness, and inclusion. We will highlighted the strength and resilience of Black disabled communities, as well as strategies for collective action to address injustice.
Intersectionality: Unpacking Discrimination, Stigma, and Multiple Marginalization
June 3, 2025, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET
Intersectionality recognizes that individuals hold multiple, interconnected social identities—such as race, disability, gender, and class—that interact in shaping their experiences of privilege and oppression. For Black individuals with disabilities, these overlapping identities often lead to compounded barriers in exercising rights and accessing opportunities under the ADA. This webinar will explore how these intersecting identities create specific vulnerabilities in areas like healthcare, education, employment, and public spaces. Through real-world examples, we will examine the impact of intersectional discrimination on Black disabled communities and discuss actionable strategies to address these challenges. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with the tools to analyze and advocate for the rights of Black individuals with disabilities through an intersectional framework.
Fighting for Civil and Disability Rights: Strategies to Overcome Barriers
September 2, 2025, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET
For Black individuals with disabilities, systemic barriers can present unique challenges in securing equal opportunities and exercising fundamental rights. This webinar will delve into the legal landscape of civil and disability rights, highlighting key legislation and protections. We will explore common barriers faced by individuals with disabilities, including discrimination, inaccessible environments, and lack of inclusive policies. Participants will learn advocacy strategies to overcome these obstacles, ranging from self-advocacy and community organizing to legal recourse and policy engagement.
The Power of Visibility and Community Advocacy
December 2, 2025, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. ET
Visibility matters. When we share our stories and perspectives, we challenge stereotypes, build empathy, and inspire others to action. This webinar will explore how embracing visibility can combat the intersectional discrimination faced by Black disabled individuals. We’ll discuss how sharing your authentic experiences can spark important conversations, foster understanding, and drive social change within your communities. Learn practical strategies for leveraging your voice and platform, building alliances, and engaging in effective community advocacy to amplify your impact.
National Trends in Disability Employment (or nTIDE) Lunch & Learn series is scheduled on the first Friday of every month, corresponding with the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report. The live Zoom Webinar will share the results of the latest nTIDE findings. Also, the Webinar includes news and updates from the field of Disability Employment, plus an invited panelist who will discuss current disability related findings and events.
12:00 pm: Introduction & Welcome Andrew Houtenville, University of New Hampshire
12:10 pm: Overview of National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) Jobs Report
Release John O’Neill, Kessler Foundation
The Numbers Andrew Houtenville, University of New Hampshire
12:15 pm: Announcements from the field of Disability Employment Denise Rozell, Director of Policy Innovation, AUCD
12:30 pm: Guest Presenter:
12:45 pm: Open Question & Answer period for attendees
Note. All webinars will be recorded and closed captioned and will be added to our website archives along with full transcripts following the live broadcast.
Presenters
Andrew Houtenville, PhD, is a Professor of Economics and Research Director of the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Houtenville is extensively involved in disability statistics and employment policy research. He has published widely in the areas of disability statistics and the economic status of people with disabilities. He is the Principal Investigator on the NIDILRR-funded Employment Policy and Measurement Rehabilitation and Research Training Center. Dr. Houtenville received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of New Hampshire in 1999 & was a National Institute on Aging Post-Doctoral Fellow at Syracuse University in 1998/1999.
John O’Neill, PhD is the director of employment and disability research at Kessler Foundation and has over 28 years of experience in vocational rehabilitation as a rehabilitation counselor educator, disability employment researcher, and advisor to state vocational rehabilitation agencies. Dr. O’Neill has been a PI or co-PI on six NIDILRR funded, five-year research and training centers focusing on TBI and community integration, disability statistics, disability employment service system, and how individual and contextual factors relate to employment outcomes among people with disabilities.
Denise M. Rozell, JD is the Director of Policy Innovation at the AUCD. Prior to joining AUCD, she spent fifteen years as Assistant Vice President for State Government Relations with Easter Seals. Denise was the primary resource to Easter Seals 75 affiliates in building capacity to increase awareness of and support for Easter Seals in state government. Prior to that, Denise was the Executive Director of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, an international membership organization for the professionals serving individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Denise holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Occidental College in Los Angeles and a juris doctorate from Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California in Berkeley.
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