Our Mission
With offices in California and New York, Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) is one of the leading nonprofit disability rights legal centers in the nation. Its mission is to advance equal rights and opportunity for people with all types of disabilities nationwide.
Contact for Press Inquiries
Email: communications@dralegal.org
Phone: (510) 665-8644
Links
DRA General Information Brochure (PDF)
Lawsuit Filed Today in Federal Court July 27, 2020 – Raleigh, NC – Today, disability organizations filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections (“NCSBOE”) for excluding North Carolinians with disabilities from their Absentee Voting program. The lawsuit charges the state agency with discrimination against voters who are unable to independently … Continue reading “Disability Groups Demand Access to North Carolina’s Inaccessible Absentee Voting”
NEW YORK, NY – July 13, 2020 – Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), Kasowitz Benson Torres and the Law Offices of James E. Bahamonde are pleased to announce that, on behalf of three plaintiff passengers with disabilities and advocacy organization Self-Initiated Living Options (SILO), the federal court has approved an agreement on July 10 with the MTA and … Continue reading “MTA and LIRR Agree to Install Elevators and Make Other Station Improvements to Resolve Lawsuit Brought by Passengers with Disabilities”
Attorneys from national civil rights organizations seek to enforce earlier order to ensure the safety of thousands of people in detention June 25, 2020 – RIVERSIDE, CA – Last night, civil rights advocates filed a motion to enforce a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Central Division of California, seeking to … Continue reading “Advocates Decry ICE Heel Dragging and Noncompliance with Court-Ordered Custody Redeterminations”
Disability Rights Groups Reach Class Action Settlement with Kern County Juvenile Facilities (Bakersfield, CA) – On June 5, 2020, a federal court approved the final settlement reached between the Parties on behalf of youth with disabilities detained at Kern County Juvenile Facilities, who were represented by Disability Rights California (DRC) and Disability Rights Advocates … Continue reading “Incarcerated Youth with Disabilities Gain Equal Access to Rehabilitation and Education”
Disability Rights Advocates challenges the State’s irrational, blanket disqualification of workers based on disability, seeks to bring hiring standards into compliance with the law June 10, 2020 – New York, NY – Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a national non-profit legal center, filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the … Continue reading “New York State Maintains Discriminatory Bar to Employment for Those with Less Than 20/40 Vision”
June 8, 2020—New York, NY—A unanimous panel of four Judges from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court affirmed a ruling by the lower Court, decided almost exactly a year ago on June 5, 2019, holding that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA”) and the City of New York (“the City”) can be held accountable … Continue reading “Unanimous Appellate Court Upholds Ruling That MTA is Subject to NYC Human Rights Law and Can be Held Liable for Discriminating Against Subway Riders with Disabilities”
Agreement Made for June Accessible Absentee Voting Program June 3, 2020 – New York, NY – A federal court has approved an agreement between the NYS Board of Elections (NYS BOE) and disability groups that provides voters a more accessible absentee ballot for the upcoming June 23 Primary Election. Following a lawsuit … Continue reading “Agreement Made for June Accessible Absentee Voting Program”
Coalition of Disability Groups Demand Access to New York’s Inaccessible Absentee Voting Lawsuit Filed Today in Federal Court – Full Complaint May 22, 2020 – New York, NY – Today, a coalition of disability organizations filed a lawsuit against the New York State Board of Elections (“NYS BOE”) for excluding New Yorkers with … Continue reading “Coalition of Disability Groups Demand Access to New York’s Inaccessible Absentee Voting”
Disability Rights Advocates exposes blatant disregard for individuals with mobility disabilities, seeks to force Department of Education to fix lack of accessibility to restrooms and evacuation points May 12, 2020 – New York, NY – Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a national non-profit legal center, filed a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity … Continue reading “New York City’s Department of Education Fails to Provide Accessible Restrooms in Public School Buildings”
May 7,2020 – Los Angeles, CA – On April 30, 2020, the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of students with disabilities seeking access to West Los Angeles College (WLAC), part of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD), the largest District in the country. The Ninth Circuit found that requiring students with disabilities to … Continue reading “Ninth Circuit Win for Students with Disabilities Seeking Equal Access to West Los Angeles College”