Press

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

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DRA General Information Brochure (PDF)


Court Certifies Class of People With Disabilities Excluded From NYC Subway System Due To Lack of Stair-Free Access In Violation of NYC Human Rights Law

February 23, 2021

  February 23, 2021—New York, NY—Yesterday the New York Supreme Court certified a class of all people with disabilities for whom the use of stairs is difficult or impossible and who are therefore unable to access over 75% of the New York City subway. Fewer than 25% of the New York City subway’s 472 stations … Continue reading “Court Certifies Class of People With Disabilities Excluded From NYC Subway System Due To Lack of Stair-Free Access In Violation of NYC Human Rights Law”

Lawsuit Challenges New York City’s Segregation of Staten Island Students with Disabilities

January 26, 2021

    January 26, 2021 – Staten Island, NY – Today attorneys filed a major class action lawsuit challenging New York City’s segregated school system for students with disabilities on Staten Island. The lawsuit alleges that New York City’s separate school district for children with disabilities, known as District 75, denies these students an equal … Continue reading “Lawsuit Challenges New York City’s Segregation of Staten Island Students with Disabilities”

Blind Hoosiers File Lawsuit Against the Indiana Election Commission and the Secretary of State

December 3, 2020

  December 3, 2020 – Indianapolis, IN – The ability to vote privately and independently is a fundamental right and an essential component of democracy in the United States. However, in Indiana, these rights are not guaranteed to all voters. In fact, Indiana has one of the most restrictive absentee voting systems in the country … Continue reading “Blind Hoosiers File Lawsuit Against the Indiana Election Commission and the Secretary of State”

Federal Court Rules that Lawsuit by Deaf Californians with Developmental Disabilities Can Move Forward

October 26, 2020

Click here to view press release in ASL San Francisco, CA – A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit challenging discrimination against deaf Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (“I/DD”) can go forward. The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) had asked the court to dismiss the case. Click here to read the court’s … Continue reading “Federal Court Rules that Lawsuit by Deaf Californians with Developmental Disabilities Can Move Forward”

Federal Court Rules NYC Discriminates Against Blind and Low Vision Pedestrians by Failing to Make Crosswalk Signals Accessible

October 20, 2020

  Court Decision will Dramatically Remake NYC’s Streetscape by Making Pedestrian Safety Accessible to People with Disabilities Read the decision here New York, NY – In a decision that will remake the streetscape of New York City and improve safety and accessibility for all New Yorkers, a federal court ruled today that New York City’s failure … Continue reading “Federal Court Rules NYC Discriminates Against Blind and Low Vision Pedestrians by Failing to Make Crosswalk Signals Accessible”

Accessibility Enhancements on the Horizon for HBO Max Customers Who are Blind

October 19, 2020

  In a landmark agreement, advocates for people who are blind have obtained WarnerMedia’s pledge to increase the accessibility of HBO Max—the much-anticipated online streaming platform that was launched earlier this year. Among other commitments, the agreement provides that WarnerMedia will provide audio description on at least 1,500 hours of new and existing programming on … Continue reading “Accessibility Enhancements on the Horizon for HBO Max Customers Who are Blind”

Disability Advocates and Westchester County Reach Landmark Settlement to Protect the Lives of People with Disabilities When Disasters Strike

October 15, 2020

  October 15, 2020 – Westchester County, NY – Westchester Disabled on the Move, Inc., Disability Rights Advocates, and Westchester County have reached a settlement agreement that will result in significant improvements to the County’s emergency preparedness and response programs for people with disabilities who live in, work in, or travel to the County.  The agreement was … Continue reading “Disability Advocates and Westchester County Reach Landmark Settlement to Protect the Lives of People with Disabilities When Disasters Strike”

Lawsuit Challenges Inaccessibility of New York State’s Emergency Mass Notification System on Behalf of Blind Individuals

October 14, 2020

  October 14, 2020 – White Plains, NY – Today, Disability Rights Advocates filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of blind New Yorkers and the American Council of the Blind of New York, Inc. against New York state entities, challenging the inaccessibility of “NY-Alert,” a Mass Notification System intended to warn New Yorkers and … Continue reading “Lawsuit Challenges Inaccessibility of New York State’s Emergency Mass Notification System on Behalf of Blind Individuals”

Updates in Implementation of North Carolina’s Absentee Voting Portal for Blind Voters

October 9, 2020

  October 9, 2020 – Raleigh, NC – Last month, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina granted a motion for preliminary injunction against the North Carolina State Board of Elections (“NCSBOE”), ordering them to make their Absentee Voting Program accessible to voters with disabilities by the November election. The accessible … Continue reading “Updates in Implementation of North Carolina’s Absentee Voting Portal for Blind Voters”

Federal Judge Rejects ICE’s ‘Weak’ Implementation of Court-Ordered Custody Determinations of High Risk Individuals and Other Safety Measures

October 8, 2020

  As COVID-19 cases continue to climb inside detention centers, Court finds ICE has fallen “far below” compliance with its previous injunction. October 08, 2020 – Riverside, CA – Last night in the U.S. District Court for the Central Division of California, U.S. District Judge Jesus Bernal granted civil rights organizations’ motion to enforce a … Continue reading “Federal Judge Rejects ICE’s ‘Weak’ Implementation of Court-Ordered Custody Determinations of High Risk Individuals and Other Safety Measures”