Disability Rights California

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Video Description: Video starts with footage of a group photo including Antoine Hunter, Mychal Threets, Andy Imparato, and Nyle DiMarco smiling in front of a grassy wall. They are all dressed in formal wear. Intro Text: What You Missed From Mychal Threets at DRCGala2026. The award is presented by Keris Jan Myrick on stage at a podium with an ASL interpreter near. Keris is a Black woman with dark hair and wearing glasses and a Levar Burton Reading Rainbow shirt. The majority of the video is Mychal's acceptance speech, he is an Afrolatino man with a large afro and is wearing a suit. Video ends with text: Thank you, Mychal, for being an honored guest 🫶 Transcript: [KERIS] It is my honor to present the Disability Rights California National Leadership Award to Mychal Threets   [MYCHAL] A very close friend of mine. Reached out to me on social media. I never got to meet her in person, it was just social media and she just messaged me, she slid into my DMs in a very friendly way, and she said, hey, I just I follow you on social media, I like libraries, I like that you talk about libraries and literacy. They mean so much to me. I've been seeing some of your tweets and I just want to let you know, I also like basketball, and I'm just really glad that you're alive in the world. Thank you for being you. I'm a stranger. And that wonderful person's name is Alice Wong. And love Alice Wong so so very much. I would like to dedicate this award is very special thing to Alice Wong, to all the disabled library kids, disabled library people, every single person is beautiful, just as they are. I believe that disabled people can be the President of the United States of America can be the President of the United States of America that autistic people, ADHD, anybody who's different, anybody who's feeling othered, no matter what anybody says in the entire world, you can be the President, you can be a librarian, you can be a disability advocate. You can be a teacher. You can be a doctor. You can be a dancer. You can be the next Steph Curry. If you shoot a basketball, there's all sorts of things you can be. You can be anything. You can go anywhere. I’m honored to be the host of Reading Rainbow, and I hope that one day we can do our best to make sure that every single person, every single kid, is reflected on that beautiful show. And again, I dedicate this night to Alice Wong and every single one of you. I love you and I'm so proud of you. I’m so happy. Thank you for inviting me here tonight.

DRC's 4th Annual ART OF DISABILITY JUSTICE Gala has come and gone! It was truly a night of disability joy, and we are so grateful to all who were able to join us.   This year, DRC Board Chair Keris Jän Myrick presented Mychal Threets with the Disability Rights California National Leadership Award! Mychal Threets is a librarian, mental health advocate, and the library’s number one fan (according to himself, admittedly). He is the host of the newly relaunched Reading Rainbow, a PBS children's television series that teaches reading skills, habits, and attitudes. He is the author of I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy, published by Random House Children’s Books and illustrated by Lorraine Nam. He is proud to be Resident Librarian for PBS and PBS Kids. @PBS @PBSKIDS We were incredibly honored to have Mychal join us at this year's gala. Thank you for being here, Mychal, and reminding us of all the great joy libraries bring. #DisabilityRightsCA #DRCGala2026 #MychalThreets #MychalTheLibrarian #Advocacy

Poverty is disabling. That’s why Carolina Valle, a @DisabilityCA social worker, focuses on building power with people with disabilities to break down the root of barriers like poverty. We’re so grateful for social workers like Carolina! 💪 #SocialWorkMonth

For more than 40 years, Disability Rights California @DisabilityCA (DRC) has been at the forefront advancing the rights of Californians with disabilities in education, employment, independence, health, and safety.

Tech harvests our identity for profit and then disappears what should be our money into private equity.

Slogans are always coopted. Never trust anyone who uses them too much. This is your money. aol.com/articles/newly…

Remember this every time politicians suggest treatment via forced detention. This was obvious from day one, and just as cynical. cjcj.org/reports-public…

On April 1, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on birthright citizenship in Trump v. Barbara — a high-stakes case that could determine whether this fundamental constitutional right is protected. Join partners nationwide on March 26 for an informative and engaging digital rally, about what’s at stake and how civil rights advocates and community members can take action together. Co-hosted by: Asian Law Caucus, Move On, Vet Voice Foundation, and Popular Democracy We’ll share key legal and advocacy updates and ways to raise community voice ahead of oral arguments, in anticipation of the ruling, and beyond. 📆 March 26, 10AM PT/ 1PM ET ➡️ bit.ly/defendbirthrig… #DefendBirthright #AmericanPromise #BirthrightCitizenship

The Roadmap with ACE, a new webinar series, continues in March 2026! The series will feature monthly webinars covering a wide range of topics, from tools for supporting school-aged children with disabilities to resources for adults navigating employment and public benefits. In March, ACE is hosting webinars in both English and Spanish about student transition planning from school to adulthood and mental health services available in special education. Visit the link to learn more and register! Mental Health Services in Special Education When: Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 6:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M. Link: disabilityrightsca.org/events/ACE-men… . . ¡La serie de seminarios web, La Ruta con ACE, continúa en marzo de 2026! La serie incluirá seminarios web mensuales que abarcarán una amplia gama de temas, desde herramientas para apoyar a los niños en edad escolar con discapacidades hasta recursos para adultos que buscan empleo y prestaciones públicas. En marzo, ACE organizara seminarios web en inglés y español sobre la planificación de la transición del estudiante empezando en la escuela hasta la edad adulta y los servicios de salud mental disponibles en educación especial. Visite el enlace para obtener más información y registrarse. Servicios de salud mental en educación especial Cuándo: martes 17 de marzo de 2026, de 10:00 A.M. a 11:30 A.M. Link: disabilityrightsca.org/es/events/ACE-… #DisabilityRightsCA #RegionalCenter #SpecialEducation #Webinar #Virtual #Zoom #IDD #Education #NonProfit #Español

DRC and our colleagues at APHC recognize the lack of real solutions the California Governor and Legislature are offering in response to homelessness and the growing need for mental health resources. Both sides of the party aisle are sinking low income populations, the unhoused, and people with disabilities into deeper poverty by prioritizing institutionalization, incarceration, and funding cuts to essential life-saving services. This terrible death spiral of poor mental health policy has been difficult to navigate and we find as the new legislative session begins, lawmakers need to seriously change course toward better, more effective, cheaper, and less cruel alternative policies. People with lived-experience, community organizers, and folks on the ground know what works. Learn about another solution: voluntary, community-based mental health services. This menu of care can – and in many communities does – include outreach, community engagement activities, skill building, supportive employment, peer wellness centers, drop-in centers, full-service partnerships, assertive community treatment (ACT), youth and transitional aged youth (TAY) services. Learn more about our solutions at the link: …sabilityrightscalifornia.substack.com/p/california-m… #DisabilityRightsCA #APHC #AllPeopleHealthCollective #CrisisResponse #California #Community #Voluntary #Solution #MentalHealth @pplwillbefree

The Los Angeles Times recently reported on the deportation of the Gutierrez family, including a 6-year-old boy. The family's attorney, Nikolas De Bremaeker, was unable to locate the Gutierrez family ahead of their deportation and said they were given misleading information from federal officers about their whereabouts. Visit the full article at the link: latimes.com/california/sto… The 6-year-old attends the California School for the Deaf in Fremont. The child has now been taken away from his school and has been without his hearing medical devices since being detained. Language deprivation brings great harm to D/deaf people. Being deprived of hearing devices, sign language, and interpreters puts D/deaf people in danger, especially when they are being forced into unfamiliar, highly populated locations with law enforcement present. Law enforcement miscommunication with D/deaf people is often read as noncompliance and can result in brutality, injury, and death. The Department of Homeland Security claims to go "above and beyond" their medical policy, yet we have seen no evidence of these claims as detainees continue to voice unhygienic conditions in custody, poor access to essential medical devices and health care, and deaths due to delayed health care access. DHS has a responsibility to care for all in their custody and people with disabilities must have their health care and access needs met. #DisabilityRightsCA #LAtimes #Article #Deaf #ICE #DHS #California

Webinar TOMORROW! Have you had a repair or pest issue that a landlord just would not fix? This workshop will share red flags, best practices, and options for addressing an unsafe living environment while protecting your housing. We will discuss examples of habitability problems and what tenants can do to make sure the housing provider maintains the property and gives tenants a safe place to live. After the webinar, you will have the opportunity to get your questions answered in a one-on-one consultation. Register at the link: disabilityrightsca.org/events/habitab… ASL and Spanish interpretation will be offered. This event is only for tenants with disabilities, not landlords or home owners. When: March 17th, 2026 at 1:00pm #DisabilityRightsCA #Webinar #HousingResource . . . Image Description: Header: Webinar. Top Right, blue/green DRC logo. Title Text: Habitability and the Right to Safe Living Conditions. When: March 17th, 2026 at 1:00pm. Image of a black male-presenting wheelchair user wearing a plaid shirt, behind him stands a black male-presenting individual with a tan sweater. Kneeling by the wheelchair user’s wheel is a black individual. They’re all in a white and navy blue living room with a gray couch to the left and a black bookshelf behind them.

Less than a week left until DRC's 4th Annual Gala! Buy your tickets before they're sold out! Join us at the beautiful Tsakopoulos Library Galleria for a night together in community with powerful speakers, advocacy, and performances. This year, we have the pleasure of welcoming our two awardees, Mychal Threets and Nyle DiMarco! Also, a stellar performance from Antoine Hunter and the Urban Jazz Dance Company! Learn a bit more about these great folks, who they are, what they do, and the advocacy they're passionate about. Don't miss out on a spectacular night! Join us and purchase your tickets at the link: disabilityrightsca.org/gala-26-ticket… Disability Rights California 4th Annual Gala Tsakopoulos Library Galleria Sacramento, CA Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Doors open at 5:00 PM #DisabilityRightsCA #Gala #Sacramento #Event #MychalThreets #NyleDiMarco #DeafPresidentNow #Disability #Community #Advocacy #UrbanJazzDanceCompany #AntoineHunter

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), DRC, National Disability Rights Network, and The Named Advocates hosted a webinar honoring the history and power of the disability rights movement, especially the impact of Black people with disabilities. Black disabled communities know the price of democracy because we’ve been paying it for generations. From the labor of our ancestors who built this country while being denied its promises, to leaders like Brad Lomax and Fannie Lou Hamer who linked civil rights to economic justice, our history makes clear that the fight for democracy has always been a fight for fair work, dignity, and survival. This webinar is now available as a video resource with ASL! Check out the full video at the link: disabilityrightsca.org/events/ableism… Through unapologetic dialogue, we examined the intersections of race, disability, labor, and democracy — not as abstract issues, but as lived realities shaping whether our communities can thrive. Together, we did not just analyze the barriers — we imagined and claimed new possibilities for economic justice that honor our resilience and leadership. This was not a panel about despair; it was about strategy, power, and our collective refusal to be left behind. Thank you to Taryn Mackenzie Williams, Eric Harris, Keris Jän Myrick, Tameka Citchen-Spruce, Keri Gray, and Ms. Monica Wiley for joining us for this important discussion. #DisabilityRightsCA #NDEAM #Employment #Ableism #BlackDisabledCommunity

DRC and our colleagues at APHC recognize the lack of real solutions the California Governor and Legislature are offering in response to homelessness and the growing need for mental health resources. Both sides of the party aisle are sinking low income populations, the unhoused, and people with disabilities into deeper poverty by prioritizing institutionalization, incarceration, and funding cuts to essential life-saving services. This terrible death spiral of poor mental health policy has been difficult to navigate and we find as the new legislative session begins, lawmakers need to seriously change course toward better, more effective, cheaper, and less cruel alternative policies. People with lived-experience, community organizers, and folks on the ground know what works. Learn about another solution: Economic Justice and Basic Universal Benefits For All. We support economic justice and universal basic benefits because everyone deserves real income and stability, not poverty traps disguised as help. Learn more about our solutions at the link: …sabilityrightscalifornia.substack.com/p/california-m… We must ensure that no one is ever punished for working or striving to build a better life, even when a loved one has committed crimes that are painful and difficult to understand. All people deserve stability. #DisabilityRightsCA #APHC #AllPeoplesHealthCollective #EconomicJustice #Poverty #UniversalBasicBenefits @pplwillbefree

DRC has a resource intended to help you challenge denials, insufficient amount of hours, reductions in hours, and/or the termination of your In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) hours and prepare you for the state fair hearing. When you disagree with a county action, such as a reduction of hours, denial of an IHSS service, program or service termination, or if the County fails to take an action such as reviewing and processing an application you submitted, you can appeal your Notice of Action by requesting a fair hearing. Check out the full resource so you may learn how to request a hearing, notices you may encounter, possible outcomes, and more. Explore the full resource and learn your rights at the link: disabilityrightsca.org/publications/i… DRC has a library of resources available on our website covering over 20 categories and translated into several languages. Know your rights and become a well-informed self-advocate! #DisabilityRightsCA #IHSS #FairHearing #County #SSI #Assessment . . . Image Description: Header Text: In-Home Supportive Services Resource. Small magnifying glass to the right. Blue/green DRC logo. Title Text: IHSS Fair Hearings Guide: How to Prepare for IHSS Terminations or Reductions in Hours . Photo below of a person wearing a white blouse, holding a walker and being helped by a person next to them wearing nurse scrubs. In the background is a blurry court gavel.

Only one week left until DRC's 4th Annual Gala! Buy your tickets TODAY! Join us at the beautiful Tsakopoulos Library Galleria for a night together in community with powerful speakers, advocacy, and performances. This year, we have the pleasure of welcoming our two awardees, Mychal Threets and Nyle DiMarco! Also, a stellar performance from Antoine Hunter and the Urban Jazz Dance Company! Don't miss out on a spectacular night! Join us and purchase your tickets at the link: disabilityrightsca.org/gala-26-ticket… Disability Rights California 4th Annual Gala Tsakopoulos Library Galleria Sacramento, CA Wednesday, March 18, 2026 Doors open at 5:00 PM #DisabilityRightsCA #Gala #Sacramento #Event #MychalThreets #NyleDiMarco #DeafPresidentNow #Disability #Community #Advocacy #UrbanJazzDanceCompany #AntoineHunter . . . Image Description: Large blue/green DRC logo on the top. Title Text: 2026 Gala One Week Left to Buy Tickets! Below, small text: Featuring. Below are 3 cut out photos in circles with solid backgrounds. Left circle with text: Nyle DiMarco. Includes a photo of Nyle, a white man with dark hair, thick eyebrows, beard, and mustache, and blue eyes. Bottom center, a dancing photo of Antoine Hunter, a Black individual with long black locs tied back, a large beard, mustache, and wearing a blue tie dye tank top. Text under image: Antoine Hunter, Urban Jazz Dance Company. Right, cut out photo of a smiling Mychal Threets. He is a Black male presenting person with a dark afro and wearing a headband, he is holding up a thumbs up.