Edison Mayor Holds Ceremony to Commemorate ADA Anniversary

On July 26th, ACI staff, volunteers and friends gathered at the Edison Township Mayor's office to commemorate the 28th Anniversary of the American's with Disability Act. Mayor Thomas Lankey read a proclamation, which recognizes the significance of the law and to "proclaim, Thursday, July 26, 2018, to be a day of celebration and renewed commitment to the Americans with Disabilities Act." The event also included a ceremonial raising of the disability flag in front of the Edison Municipal Complex and featured speeches by CJ Dodge, Nybil Ghanem and Luke Koppisch. We would like to thank Mayor Lankey and Edison Town Council President, Ajay Patil, who also attended the event.

To watch the full ceremony, please visit: http://108.58.128.218/CablecastPublicSite/show/1110?channel=1

Washington DC Road Trip to Oppose Graham-Cassidy Health Care Bill

UPDATE (9/26/17): THERE WILL NOT BE A VOTE! thehill.com/policy/healthcare/352503-senate-wont-vote-on-obamacare-repeal-bill

Thank you to the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities for sponsoring a van trip to Washington DC on September 25th to participate in the hearing opposing the Graham-Cassidy health care bill.

During the trip, the group discussed the implications of the bill and how it could effect the disabled and elderly. We made signs in the van, and once in Washington went inside the Dirksen Senate Office Building and joined ADAPT and other disability organizations in chanting "No cuts to Medicaid! Save our liberty!"
 
We had the opportunity to speak with other advocates from around the country and catch up with some old friends. The hearing room, hallway and overflow room were packed with people and media from all over. It was an incredible effort by all.

When the hearing ended, we visited Senator Booker's office to express our gratitude for his support of Medicaid. The Senator was not available, but we were able to talk with his staff and write thank you's in his sign in book.

On our way home from Washington, we received word that Senator Collins was voting no! The advocacy in Washington and those who submitted testimony, called their Senators and participated in rallies and events is having an effect. Please keep calling and using social media. The advocacy and fight is not over yet!

CALL TO ACTION: Vote NO on the Proposed Federal Budget!

On March 15th 2017, President Trump submitted his first Federal budget to the 115th Congress. It features cuts of $54 billion to federal agencies, an increase of $52 billion in military spending, and tax cuts.

The budget will have a negative impact on people with disabilities, low income individuals, seniors and children. Members of the US Senate and Congress need to know that this is unacceptable!

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the 2018 budget proposal:

• Cuts SNAP (food stamps) by more than $193 billion over the next ten years.

• Cuts $72 billion over ten years from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income - which provide income benefits to individuals with disabilities.

• Cuts, by $22 billion over ten years, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant and Contingency Fund, which provide funds to states for short-term income assistance, work programs, and other crucial supports for poor families with children.

• Eliminates the Social Services Block Grant, a $1.7 billion program that provides states with flexible funding for services such as adult day programs for seniors and people with disabilities, child care, and help for children who are at risk of abuse and neglect, among others. 

• Large cuts in rental assistance that would eliminate housing vouchers for more than 250,000 lower-income households, costing these households aid that helps them pay the rent and avoid homelessness.

In addition, the budget would cut health assistance to low and moderate income people by $1.85 trillion over ten years. $1.25 trillion of which will come from the proposal to from the House bill to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and $610 billion of additional Medicaid cuts. New Jersey stands to lose $31 billion in Federal funding of Medicaid over 10 years, as a result.

What can you do to prevent this budget from passing?

Call your US Senators!
Senator Menendez (973-645-3030) and Senator Booker (973- 639-8700).

Call your US Representative!
You can be connected to your representative by contacting the House switchboard at (202) 224-3121.  If you wish to speak specifically about Medicaid or other healthcare issues in the budget, ask to speak with the Representative's Heathcare Staffer.

Tell them to vote "NO" on the President Trump's proposed budget. Indicate that the budget proposal will put the lives of people with disabilities at risk!

For more information:

• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: cbpp.org 

• Council on Human Needs: chn.org 

• Budget Blueprint: whitehouse.gov

Responses to ACI and REV UP NJ's Gubernatorial Candidates Questionnaire

According to the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS), approximately 845,000 individuals, or 9.7 percent of NJ residents, have reported having at least one type of disability. People with disabilities accounted for 7.3 percent of the state’s 18-64 year-olds, and 3.5 percent of the state’s children under age 18.

ACI and REV UP NJ have requested that the NJ gubernatorial candidates participate in completing a questionnaire to better inform NJ voters with disabilities on where they stand with important issues. Click the buttons below to read the responses that we've received so far.

UPDATE 5/22/17: Responses from Democratic candidate, Raymond Lesniak, have been added.

UPDATE 5/31/17: Responses from Democratic candidate, Phil Murphy, have been added.

UPDATE 6/1/17: Responses from Democratic candidates, John Wisniewski and Jim Johnson, have been added.

UPDATE 6/1/17: Responses from Green Party candidate, Seth Kaper-Dale, have been added.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month Events

This April, ACI collaborated with the Middlesex County Center for Empowerment in hosting two events in observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. On April 12th, ACI hosted the Clothesline Project during which ACI staff, volunteers and community members came together to decorate sexual violence awareness shirts to be hung in the conference room throughout the month of April. On April 26th, ACI hosted Denim Day to create denim crafts and encourage community members to wear denim in support of sexual violence survivors.

Kean University and ACI Partner for Sins Invalid Viewing Party

On the evening of April 27th, Kean University and ACI joined together to present a screening of Sins Invalid’s performance of Birthing, Dying, Becoming Crip Wisdom. The artistic performance included dance, spoken word, poetry, storytelling, and music. Each part of the performance touched on the stages of life of an individual with a disability from birth to death. It explored topics like body acceptance, sexuality, race, gender identity, ableism, discrimination, community activism, and peer support, among others. The audience consisted of both individuals with and without disabilities including many different demographics. After the screening, the audience had a spirited conversation about the topics of the film and how they had experienced or viewed them in their own lives. They also spoke about the importance of marginalized groups working together to create a unified community.

ACI Remembers Disabled Victims Murdered by Family Memebers or Caretakers

On March 1st 2017, the disability community and our allies gathered around the world for annual Day of Mourning. For the past 3 years ACI organized and hosted a vigil to mourn and to express our outrage. This year more than 100 people were added to the already too long list of victims murdered by a family member or care giver. We decry these incidents as unacceptable. We demand justice. And we speak for those who are no longer alive to speak for themselves. We will host this vigil every year until it is no longer needed. Thank you to all who attended this poignant evening.