Disability justice movements are social justice movements that seek to challenge and dismantle ableism. Ableism is the discrimination and oppression of people with disabilities. Disability justice advocates argue that ableism perpetuates harmful stereotypes and barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in society.

Disability justice movements often work towards a wide range of goals, including increasing accessibility and inclusion, challenging stigma against disabilities, and promoting the rights and autonomy of people with disabilities. This can involve advocating for policies that support the independence of people with disabilities, such as accessible housing, public transportation, and employment options. For example, The Americans with Disabilities Act fights for prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in all public and private spaces.

There are many organizations and initiatives that work towards disability justice, including disability rights groups, disability justice collectives, and disability-led organizations. These groups often participate in and organize community activities, including advocacy and educating the general public. Another big group is the Disability Justice Initiative who fight for rights of disabled people of color so that they can participate in America’s economy and democracy.

However, sometimes people find it hard to join in activism activities because it requires a lot of time, energy and resources, or some people just aren’t outgoing enough, or because they experience public humiliation when others misinterpret the cause, and many more reasons. There are many other ways to support the disability activism without actively going to organized events though. You could share and boost articles about advocating for disabilities on social media. You could be more open to discuss disability activism in casual conversations, (of course at an appropriate time). You could vote for laws and policies that support accessibility and inclusion. This particular action is very impactful because it emphasizes it as a national issue.

Whether it is just liking a post about disability justice movements or actively joining a community activists’ event, any amount of recognition for intersections of disability work towards creating a more equitable and just world.