Senator Vince Polistina, Assemblyman Don Guardian, and Assemblywoman Claire Swift of Atlantic County are seeking honest and personal responses about the quality of service provided by Access Link since 2021. These responses will help inform concrete policy changes that enhance the accessibility and functioning of Access Link.
Your responses will be kept confidential and are for informational purposes only.
Take the survey at the link below.
A message from Carole Tonks and Nybil Ghanem about the ADA
The Americans with Disabilities Act is a ground-breaking civil rights law that protects the rights of those with disabilities and enables 61 million Americans to be fully included in society.
Today marks the 34th Anniversary of the signing of the ADA by President George H. W. Bush.
The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in many areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and many public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
Join ACI in celebrating the ADA and recognizing the hard work of 100s of advocates throughout the country to make this law possible. ACI also calls upon the disability community to keep the spirit of the ADA alive by advocating for greater enforcement, pointing out discrimination, complaining when faced with barriers, both attitudinal and physical, as well as spreading the word about the importance of this law, our civil rights law.
ACI is committed to ensuring that the promise of the ADA is realized and advocating against those who wish to weaken it.
For more information about the ADA, visit adata.org/learn-about-ada
ACI joined dozens of organizations throughout the county for the 12th annual Day of Mourning, sponsored by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN). This vigil remembers individuals with disabilities who have been murdered by a family member or caretaker. Participants held candles as they read names of the victims. Personal reflections were also shared.
On September 14th, individuals with disabilities from across New Jersey gathered at the Statehouse in Trenton to showcase the power of the disability vote!
The event was sponsored by REV UP NJ and the Alliance Center for Independence and took place during Disability Voting Rights Week, a national effort by REV UP to get those running for elected office to listen to the concerns and issues of their disabled constituents. The event also featured many great speakers including NJ Assembly Speaker, Craig Coughlin and a live performance by musician, Cory Singer.
REV UP NJ is a chapter of REV UP, a national effort of the American Association of Persons with Disabilities (AAPD).
For additional information, please contact Luke Koppisch at lkoppisch@adacil.org or visit adacil.org/voting
On the night of March 1st, ACI joined disability advocates across the nation in a Day of Mourning Vigil in Edison. The vigil remembered and honored disabled victims murdered by their parents or caretakers. The emotional ceremony included speeches, poems and reading the names and ages of the 550 victims who were murdered between 2021 and 2023. This adds to a growing list of 1600+ names.
The national Day of Mourning is a time for the disability community to commemorate the many lives cut short. By honoring disabled victims and celebrating the lives they lived, the vigil sends a message that disability is not a justification for violence and disabled lives are valued.
ACI would like to thank Eugene Meyers of NorthJersey.com and USA Today Network and Della Crews of News12 for their recent reporting on this important issue.
Written by Nybil Ghanem, Disability Advocate and I&R Specialist for ACI…and VOTER!
Throughout the history of the ADA, disability advocates all across the country continue to fight tirelessly for our civil rights, as well as including accessibility into the mix, at every level at every turn! This will be 32 years since the passing of The Americans with Disabilities Act, more commonly known as The ADA!
It doesn't just begin and end, with every broken sidewalk, no, but with every broken wheelchair, with every broken job turn down, or with every broken healthcare restriction, to every broken piece of assistive technology, that is constantly needing enforcement for change! The ADA helped 'pave the way' for a more inclusive America and with the goal of fighting for endless inclusivity in our homes, in every door entrance, and beyond! These are a few prime examples of how disabled individuals' lives are affected and how far we need to go.
From advocating for NJ Workability on a state level, to increasing funding for all the NJ Centers for Independent Living on a state level, to updating ABLE Laws on the Federal Level, the ADA proclamation was truly just the beginning, but certainly not the end! All people with disabilities and our supporters must continue to let not just our voices be heard, but our rights must be heard even louder!
Disabled and Proud is this disability advocates war cry as I 'wheel on' and march onward to freedom! Onward to strengthening our rights under the ADA!
The Alliance Center for Independence would like to recognize and congratulate the tireless efforts of advocates who worked on getting the Americans with Disabilities Act passed and signed into law 32 years ago on July 26th. This landmark civil rights law has had a profound impact on the lives of people with disabilities in the area of employment, local and state services, areas of public accommodations, and telecommunications.
However, our fight continues. While the ADA has been the law of land for over three decades, the struggle for compliance rests on the shoulders of the present generation of advocates. Employment among people with disabilities remains low, nursing homes and institutions are still warehousing people with disabilities, the fight for simply curb cuts on streets and accessible parking spots still go on.
ACI supports and salutes those who never give up!
