A Conversation With Staff Attorney Rebecca Rodgers

Staff Attorney Rebecca Rodgers was one of DRA’s first New York attorneys, joining the organization more than five years ago. She spoke with Administrative Assistant Chris Maccarone about her work and what makes DRA unique. 

Chris Maccarone: How long have you been a part of Disability Rights Advocates, and what drew you to the organization?

Rebecca Rodgers: I’ve been part of the DRA team in the New York office since September 2013.  I learned about the organization while doing a fellowship at a law firm that frequently co-counsels with DRA.  I wanted to work in the field of disability rights, and I learned that DRA was one of the premier litigation firms doing this type of work in the country, regularly taking on and winning precedent-setting cases such as those establishing the right to inclusion in emergency preparedness policies and procedures and the right of blind individuals to access the Internet.

CM: Why is DRA’s work so important and urgent?

RR: DRA’s work helps to secure the rights of people with disabilities to participate fully in the world. Too often in our history, people with disabilities have been left behind and hidden away from the world at large.  Our work helps to secure access to education, employment, health care, transportation, and more so that people with disabilities have the same opportunities to live and participate in the world that people without disabilities do.  And, at its most critical, DRA’s work in the field of emergency preparedness saves lives.    

CM: What aspect of DRA’s work are you most proud of?

RR: DRA is fearless.  We regularly take on the most entrenched problems, such as the pervasive inaccessibility of the New York City subway system, where fewer than one-fourth of stations have elevators.  I am proud to be part of a group of coworkers that never gives up on advocating for clients, no matter what setbacks we may face.