Disability & Accessibility Advocacy

Protect People with Disabilities

People with disabilities deserve equal access to housing, education, healthcare, jobs and transportation, free from discrimination, violence and harassment. I will continue to fight for policies that protect our disabled community and ensure that they have equal access to human rights.

• More than 1 in 4 (28.7 percent) adults in the United States have some type of disability.
• Less than 5% of the national housing supply is accessible. Moreover, less than 1% of housing is accessible for people who use wheelchairs.
• 1 in 4 adults with disabilities 18 to 44 years do not have a usual health care provider.
• 1 in 4 adults with disabilities 18 to 44 years have an unmet health care need because of cost in the past year.
• Persons with disabilities were victims of 26% of all nonfatal violent crime, while accounting for about 12% of the population.

Vision and policy priorities

Ensure People with Disabilities have Equal Access and Resources

Cost of living has skyrocketed while disabled workers are being paid sub-minimum wages and are unable to find accessible housing or afford healthcare. We must ensure that the disabled community has access and can afford these basic human rights.

• Pass the Raise the Wage Act to increase the minimum wage and the Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act to eliminate the sub-minimum wage for workers with disabilities.
• Fight for strong funding for affordable and accessible housing, in addition to the $1,000,000 secured for the People Serving People’s Modernization Project for Families Experiencing Homelessness and Disability and $514,000 secured for the Low Income Housing Improvements for Persons with Disabilities in Minneapolis, Golden Valley and St. Anthony
• Pass the IDEA Full Funding Act to to ensure that all students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education
• Expand transit and mobility options so that people with disabilities have freedom of movement through policies like the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act
• Pass my Long COVID Research Moonshot Act to provide much needed resources for a condition that affects millions of Americans and leaving many disabled
• Pass Medicare for All so that every resident of the United States has guaranteed access to care.
• Strengthen and protect critical Social Security benefits

Protect the Disabled Community from Discrimination

We must end all forms of discrimination against the disabled community. Disabled people disproportionately endure violence and discrimination, affecting their freedom and ability to participate in the community.

• Pass our Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act to ensure our schools are a safe and nurturing environment for students of color and students with disabilities
• Hold companies accountable for violations of the American Disabilities Act
• Uphold the important protections against disability discrimination enshrined in the Fair Housing Act