Press

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf proclaimed August 15 as Larry Paradis Day, in honor of DRA’s Cofounder and Executive Director who passed away on July 28, 2016. This proclamation is reproduced below: Office of the Mayor Proclamation Oakland, California In Recognition and Celebration of Disability Civil Rights Leader Larry Paradis Whereas, Larry Paradis spent his life […]

Disability civil rights law has taken center stage at the Democratic National Convention. It is time that New York City puts disability civil rights at the forefront of its agenda, according to leading disability rights organizations in New York City. As Mayor De Blasio and New York City prepare to celebrate the 26th Anniversary of […]

August 2, 2016 – San Francisco, California – Today, Disability Rights Advocates (“DRA”) and San Francisco Federal Credit Union (“Credit Union”) announce a precedent-setting agreement which is expected to bring change across the online banking industry. The Credit Union agreed to work together with DRA to ensure its website, online banking services and mobile apps are […]

  August 1, 2016—Berkeley, CA—Disability Rights Advocate’s (DRA) Co-Founder and Executive Director, Larry Paradis, passed away last week.  DRA’s Co-Founder and Supervising Attorney Sid Wolinsky will continue with Director of Litigation Mary-Lee Smith to direct the work of the nonprofit legal center, started in 1993 to advance equal rights and opportunity for people with all […]

July 28, 2016 – New York, NY – LinkNYC, touted as a “first-of-its-kind communication network,” has been rolled out on New York City’s sidewalks for use by all but the blind.  Each individual “Link” promises residents and visitors in New York City the ability to surf the internet on a touchscreen tablet, to make local […]

July 26, 2016 – Purchase, NY – A class action lawsuit filed today in federal court alleges that the State University of New York at Purchase College violates federal and state disability law by not providing students and visitors with mobility disabilities equal access to its educational and cultural programs.  Specifically, the suit says that […]

Seattle, WA – July 21, 2016 – Northwest Hospital & Medical Center has been called to task for its systemic failure to provide effective communication to patients who are Deaf and hard of hearing.  A class-action lawsuit was filed today in federal court by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) and the Good Law Clinic on behalf of Abused […]

July 19, 2016 – Monterey, CA – A lawsuit filed today challenges a nationwide, antiquated U.S. Army policy that prohibits staff in its Child, Youth and School Services (“CYSS”) programs from administering critical medications and providing vital support to children with diabetes in their care.  As long as the policy is in place, children with […]

New York, NY – June 28, 2016 – A class-action lawsuit filed today in federal court alleges the Metropolitan Transit Authority (“MTA”) and New York City Transit Authority (“NYCTA”) ignored the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act when they completed a $21.85 million rehabilitation to the Middletown Road station in the Bronx, but […]

June 9, 2016 — NEW YORK — Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today sued the New York State Board of Elections and Department of Motor Vehicles over online voter registration that is inaccessible to people with disabilities. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Center for the Independence […]