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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

Good news! Disability Rights Arkansas will resume accepting new cases on Monday, April 13, 2026. Thank you for your patience and support.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

DRA is proud to be exhibiting at the 13th Annual Family Bistro Conference & Disability Resource Expo in Monticello. The event runs from 8 am to 1 pm at the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative. Stop by and say hi!

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

💙 April is Autism Awareness Month. Disability Rights Arkansas is proud to advocate for and support people on the autism spectrum every day. Join us in promoting acceptance and inclusion. Donate: disability-rights-arkansas-inc.monkeypod.io/give/support...

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

We're hiring! DRA is looking for passionate individuals to join our team as an Office Coordinator and a Communications/Marketing Coordinator. If you believe in dignity, respect, and advocacy for people with disabilities, we want to hear from you! Apply today at: disabilityrightsar.org/careers/

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Job position openings.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

DRA Investigation Reveals Systemic Failures at Conway Human Development Center These are not isolated mistakes—they represent a breakdown in care. To read the report visit www.disabilityrightsar.org/publications-and-reports/ #DisabilityRights #Arkansas #Accountability #ProtectOurCommunity

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

Due to the ongoing federal shutdown and lack of FY 2026 appropriations, DRA is facing severe funding challenges. We are pausing new case intake and implementing staff furloughs to preserve essential advocacy work. Our commitment to Arkansas’s disability community remains steadfast.

Graphic displaying Disability Rights Arkansas with text announcing that DRA is affected by the federal government shutdown. The image notes that, due to the lack of Fiscal Year 2026 funding, the organization has paused new case intake and furloughed staff in several programs. Message emphasizes DRA’s continued commitment to advocating for the rights of Arkansans with disabilities.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

This move matters because representation counts: showing children that different ways of communicating are valid, visible, and celebrated. It helps create a more inclusive world where everyone belongs. #AAC #InclusiveMedia #Neurodiversity #AutismRepresentation #DifferentNotLess

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Advocates and education experts note that these cuts could significantly affect oversight, technical assistance to states, and support for families navigating special education services. Read More Here: 🔗 www.npr.org/2025/10/13/n... #DisabilityRights #AccessibilityMatters

Graphic showing a shout out update. Text overlay reads: “Major Changes At The U.S. Department Of Education: Recent reports say hundreds of employees have been laid off across the agency, including nearly all staff from OSERS, the division that oversees federal special education programs and compliance with the individuals with IDEA."

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Join the PAIMI Advisory Council! If you’re ready to help advance mental health advocacy and inclusion in Arkansas, we’d love to hear from you! 👉 Learn more or apply here: k4q.c18.myftpupload.com/about-dra/pa...

Text calling volunteers to join the PAIMI Advisory Council for protection and advocacy of individuals with mental illness, over a background of a person lying down.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

At DRA, we believe inclusion isn’t optional, it’s essential. Want to stay connected and learn how you can support disability rights year-round? 👉 Join our mailing list here: disabilityrightsar.org/subscribe/ #NDEAM #DisabilityEmployment #InclusionAtWork #ValueAndTalent #DisabilityRights

Graphic explaining National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, emphasizing celebrating value and talent of workers with disabilities.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

Small changes make a big impact. Every student deserves to feel valued, supported, and included. #InclusiveEducation #DisabilityInclusion #EveryChildBelongs

Teacher in a classroom guiding three students using laptops, with a chalkboard listing tips for building an inclusive classroom environment.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

How do you challenge that inner voice? Share one small way you’re learning to unlearn these messages. #InternalizedAbleism #DisabilityJustice #SelfWorth #InclusionMatters

Text explaining internalized ableism as self-criticism shaped by others' low expectations and offering a three-step practice to challenge it: notice, question, and replace negative thoughts.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

The path forward? Listening to disabled people, embracing diversity, and building systems that foster acceptance, support, and joy. #DisabilityRights #InclusionMatters #DisabilityJustice #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs

Red background with graphic of table and chairs at the bottom left corner of the post. Text emphasizing that true inclusion values disabled individuals as integral members, not just allowing presence in a room.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Stop framing disability as something to apologize for. Start recognizing people with disabilities as peers, leaders, and equals. #DisabilityRights #DisabilityJustice #InclusionMatters #EndAbleism #EquityForAll #HumanRights

Illustration of diverse people with disabilities including a person with a prosthetic arm, a person using a white cane, a person in a wheelchair, and a person with a prosthetic leg, emphasizing equality and respect.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

It’s time to ask: Who gets shut out by this model of work? Why are they excluded? And what would it look like if we measured success by equity and inclusion — not exhaustion? #DisabilityRights #WorkplaceEquity #InclusionMatters #DisabilityJustice

Text graphic with the message: “Disability is not inability. The problem isn’t workers — it’s workplaces built on unrealistic ideas of productivity. True success means equity, accessibility, and inclusion.” Background is simple and high-contrast for readability. Graphic of people of varying disabilities at the bottom.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

At DRA, we believe disability rights are human rights, for all people with disabilities, visible or not. 💙 #DisabilityRights #InclusionMatters #AccessibilityForAll #EndAbleism

Light pink background titled: Disability doesn't have a "look". Body reads: Disabilities aren't always visible. Some people use wheelchairs, service animals, or communication devices. Others live with disabilities you can't see at all. Assuming someone is not disabled just because they don't "look" disabled can lead to harmful barriers and discrimination.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Every student deserves the tools and supports they need to learn in an inclusive environment. DRA is here to make sure that happens. 💙 #DisabilityRights #AutismAcceptance #InclusionMatters #EducationForAll #CommunicationAccess

Text highlighting a success story about a student with autism gaining reliable access to a communication device after advocacy and investigation. Light teal background with symbols on the left-hand side of a brain, infinity sign, eye, and stars.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Whether it’s by bus, train, plane, or rideshare, accessibility and safety are not optional extras. They’re rights. #DisabilityRights #AccessibleTravel #InclusionMatters #TravelForAll

Illustration promoting safe travel for all, featuring a pink airplane, luggage, passport, headphones, sunscreen, and travel photos with a signpost and sunset postcard. Text reads: Everyone deserves to travel safely, including people with disabilities.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 02/09/2025

Every journey has value, even when it looks different from what others expect. #DisabilityRights #Inclusion #Growth #Journey

Illustration of two children with disabilities, one with a white cane and the other with crutches, surrounded by a motivational quote about growth and belonging. Text reads: Life isn't linear. It's not symmetrical. And it's not supposed to be. Disability reminds us there's no single way to grow, succeed, or belong. Different doesn't mean less, it means possible in new ways.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

Join the Listening Sessions to share your experiences, challenges, and ideas. 📅 August 29 📍 The Restore Hub @ Arkansas State University ⏰ 3:00–4:30 PM or 6:00–7:30 PM 👉 Register by scanning the QR code or calling (870) 680-8062 #DisabilityInclusion #CommunityVoices #Arkansas

Listening sessions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families on August 29 at Arkansas State University's Restore Hub. 3 - 4:30 p.m. and 6 - 7:30 p.m. at 2301 E. Johnson Ave. The Restore Hub @ Arkansas State University. Supported by the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities Arkansas and Restore.

Blue background with four reflective questions about life needs, access to services, quality of life, and worries, plus a QR code and phone number to register. Questions: 1. What needs to live your best life that aren't currently met? 2. What keeps you from accessing the services you need? 3. In what way could we help improve your quality of life and happiness? 4. What do you worry about? / What keeps you up at night? QR Code below: "scan the QR code or call 1(870)680-8062 to register."

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 25/08/2025

💡 Mark off the ones you’ve used or advocated for; see if you can get BINGO! 📢 And remember: knowing your rights is the first step to protecting them. #DisabilityRights #KnowYourRights #AccessibilityForAll #InclusionMatters

Bingo card with a pink to orange gradient background titled Disability Rights Bingo listing rights like access to public spaces, equal employment opportunities, reasonable accommodations at work or school, the right to have a service animal with you, access to accessible voting, communication aids in medical settings, accessible transportation, and freedom from discrimination. Subheading: How many rights do you know you already have? Bottom: How many are you still learning about?

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

These tropes may seem harmless, but they strip away humanity and reduce people to one-dimensional stories. We’re not here to fit a narrative. We’re here to live fully, with dignity and equality. #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #DisabilityRights #DRA

Pastel gradient background. Titled: Challenging harmful disability tropes. Text reads: Disability is part of human diversity, but too often, it's portrayed through damaging stereotypes. Here's what we're pushing back against. Arrows in bottom right corner "swipe now".

Dusty pink background. Titled: We're not just here to inspire. Text reads: (x for not) The idea that people with disabilities are only valuable when they inspire others through extraordinary acts by "overcoming" their disability. (check mark for yes) We're living, not performing. Our worth isn't measured by how much we motivate you. Arrows in bottom right corner, "swipe now".

Pastel yellow background. Titled: We're not broken, pitiable, or superhuman. Text reads: (x for no) Portraying disabled people as objects of pity, as if we're "less than" or "broken." (x for no) Treating us as perpetual heroes simply for existing. (check mark for yes) We don't need your sympathy; we need your respect, equality, and to be seen as whole people. Arrows in bottom right corner, "swipe now."

Blue pastel background. Titled: We don't need fixing. We need access. Text reads: (x for no) The narrative that disability must be "cured" or "fixed", sidelining the real issue: accessibility. (x for no) Assuming we're "better" or "more resilient" simply because we've faced challenges, as if that's all we are. (check mark for yes) We're complex human beings with strengths and struggles. Accessibility, support, and understanding matter more than stereotypes.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

As voucher dollars drive tuition higher, families of children with disabilities face an impossible choice: pay more for schools that may not even provide the supports their child needs or stay in public schools that are losing critical funding. #DisabilityRights #EducationForAll #LearnsAct #Arkansas

Infographic explaining rising private school tuition under the LEARNS voucher program and its impact on students with disabilities in Arkansas. Tan background with school supplies scattered throughout the graphic including push pins, rulers, calculator, stack of books, paperclips, and paper.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

💬 Stand with us. Speak up. Take action. 🔗 disabilityrightsar.org/subscribe/ #DisabilityRights #AdvocacyInAction #DRA

Graphic with a dark pink background. Titled: What we stand for- and what we don't. Body: At Disability Rights Arkansas, our mission is clear: protect rights, challenge injustice, and build a culture of respect and equity. Here's how that plays out in our work (arrow pointing to the right) The graphic below is of five fists symbolizing the fight for justice and equity in disability rights and equality.

Dark pink background. Titled: What We WON'T Do, with a large red "prohibited" circle symbolizing "NO". Body reads: Let "good intentions" excuse harmful behavior. Ignore poor behavior in the workplace to "keep the peace" or "keep the majority happy". Support toxic positivity that dismisses real struggles. Excuse inaction- ignorance is NOT bliss.

Dark pink background. Titled: What We WILL Do, with a large green check mark circled symbolizing "YES". Body reads: Support growth with compassion. Hold space to teach and guide toward understanding. Speak up for those threatened into silence. Challenge systems that deny equality and dignity.

Dark pink background. Text reads: We believe accountability is a form of care. We believe advocacy means action. We believe everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and respected. Below is a graph of fists showing support and togetherness inside of a heart shape.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

💡 All of these tools, and more, are part of our mission at Disability Rights Arkansas. Know your rights. Use your tools. You are never alone in this. #DIYDisabilityEmpowerment #KnowYourRights #DisabilityAdvocacy #DisabilityRightsAR

Text listing key components of a DIY Disability Empowerment Kit, including a 504 Plan, communication tips, accessible transportation, workplace accommodations, advocacy, and ADA rights. Pink background with yarn, knitting needles, and scissors in the bottom left corner.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Self-advocacy isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about knowing you have the right to speak up for yourself. #SelfAdvocacy #DisabilityRights #Empowerment #YouMatter #SpeakUp #KnowYourRights #DisabilityAwareness

A blue and green graphic with squiggles and circles. Titled: How do I Advocate for Myself? "I remind myself it's okay to ask questions. I ask for what I need, even if it feels awkward. I bring someone with me for support. I take notes before appointments. I set boundaries and speak up when I'm uncomfortable." Self-advocacy looks different for everyone, and every way is valid. Two circular photos. One of a man smiling on a bench and another of a man smiling in a wheelchair.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

You can’t be inclusive without being accessible. Whether you're a business, nonprofit, event planner, or community leader, now's the time to check in. Access is more than physical. It's about communication, design, and respect. #AccessibilityMatters #AccessIsEssential #DisabilityRights

Yellow background with a wheel chart. Title: Is Your Space Accessible? Wheel chart: (1st section) Can wheelchair users enter and move around easily? Next to a wheelchair sign. (2nd section) Are restrooms accessible? Next to a restroom sign. (3rd section) Do you use captions, plain language, and large text? Next to a closed caption sign. (4th section) Are instructions available in different formats? Next to a hand reading braille. Inside wheel reads: Accessibility isn't optional, it's essential.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Arkansas parents: If your child has a disability but doesn’t qualify for an IEP, they may still be eligible for a 504 Plan. You have rights. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or request support! #504Plan #DisabilityRights #BackToSchool #ParentAdvocate #InclusionMatters

Pink and white background with scattered school-themed illustrations like notebooks, scissors, and backpacks. Bold text reads: "School starts soon! Don’t Overlook 504 Plans:" Smaller text says, "If your child has a disability but doesn’t qualify for an IEP, they may still be eligible for a 504 Plan, and Arkansas just released new statewide guidance schools must follow."

Light gray background with colorful school supplies like pencils, rulers, and books around the border. Title says: "What’s in a 504 Plan?" Below, bullet points explain that a 504 Plan provides equal access in general education with accommodations such as extra time on tests, modified classwork, breaks or seating changes, help with attention, mobility, or health needs, or other accommodations.

Notebook paper-style background with colorful school supplies around the edges. Title reads: "What Parents Should Expect:" Bullet points list: A step-by-step process (referral → eval → plan), consistent forms and timelines, parent involvement at every stage, and clear protections if things go wrong.

Chalkboard style green background with drawings in chalk of clocks, pencils, rulers, and music notes. Title Reads: What Parents Can Do. Body Text Reads: review your child's 504 plan now, request a meeting if anything has changed, ask how your school is following the new manual, and learn your rights + dispute options.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

You have the right to reasonable accommodations at work if you have a disability under the ADA. It could mean: • Using noise-canceling headphones • Getting written instructions instead of verbal ones • A chair at a standing workstation #DisabilityRights #WorkplaceAccessibility #DisabilityInclusion

Infographic explaining the right to reasonable accommodations at work, highlighting modified work schedules, assistive technology, and physical workplace adjustments for disabilities. Title: Right to Reasonable Accommodations at Work. Subheading: If you have a disability, you have the right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace. Bottom reads: You don't have to "earn" accessibility. You already have the right.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Our free Parent’s Guide to Special Education walks you through it all! Download it here (available in English and Spanish): ow.ly/zgSv50WtnVH #IEP #BackToSchool #DisabilityRights #ParentAdvocacy #TransitionPlanning

Colorful pencils, markers, and crayons arranged at the bottom with a message about reviewing your child's IEP before school starts. Text reads: Before school starts, take time to review your child's IEP. Is it current? Are their supports still appropriate? You can request a meeting any time, not just during the annual review.

Colorful school supplies including pencils, markers, paper clips, and watercolor paints surround a message about transition planning for 16-year-olds' IEP goals. Text reads: At age 16 (or younger in Arkansas), your child's IEP must include transition goals. These should reflect their strengths, preferences, and future plans like jobs, college, or independent living.

$Flat lay of educational tools including a calculator, rulers, fraction circles, and dice surrounding a checklist titled 'What Should You Look For?'. Text reads: Are services being delivered as written?; Are goals still relevant and measurable?; Does your child need more support this year?; and Has anything changed the needs to be addressed?$ Flat lay of colorful school supplies including scissors, crayons, pencils, and paint on a blue background with text about a free special education guide for parents. Text reads: Our guide breaks it down step by step: How to prepare for IEP meetings, what schools must do under the law, and what to do if services fall short.

Flat lay of colorful school supplies including scissors, crayons, pencils, and paint on a blue background with text about a free special education guide for parents. Text reads: Our guide breaks it down step by step: How to prepare for IEP meetings, what schools must do under the law, and what to do if services fall short.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

When we train for inclusion, we’re not just opening doors, we’re building communities where every person belongs. #InclusionMatters #DisabilityInclusion #AllMeansAll #AccessForAll #TrainForInclusion

Illustration showing inclusion training benefits: welcoming people with disabilities, improving program quality, and enhancing social attitudes through staff education. Title: Inclusion Training Changes Everything: 1. Programs should include people of all abilities. Disability inclusion training is the strongest predictor of whether programs welcome people with disabilities. When staff are equipped, inclusion becomes the norm, not the exception. 2. Quality goes up. Research shows programs that include people with disabilities are just as good, or even better, than those that don't. Inclusion raises the bar for everyone. 3. Attitudes improve. Social attitudes are one of the biggest barriers to full participation for people with disabilities. But with the right training, staff gain the tools and confidence to break down those barriers. Background is a mix of yellow. Two graphics. First is of two people entering an elevator, one in a wheelchair. Second is of a group of people working at desks and a board. Two stands, while one sits in a wheelchair.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Things You’d Never Know Were Barriers Unless You’ve Lived It. From doorways to playgrounds, inaccessibility shows up in ways most people don’t even notice. But for many, it changes everything. #Inaccessible #MakeRoom #InclusionIsNecessary #DisabilityJustice

Person in wheelchair facing a flight of stairs with no ramp access, a little boy unable to access a playground, a man unable to open a door, no disabled parking, no beach access, and only touchscreen kiosks. This post is highlighting a barrier to entry.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 28/07/2025

Disability often means carrying more than people realize. The emotional load is heavy, and the silence can be loud. Let’s check in on each other, offer space, and remind people they aren’t alone. #MentalHealthMatters #DisabilityAwareness #CheckOnYourFriends

Text graphic titled 'What You Don't See About Disability' listing contrasts between visible traits like strength, mobility aids, smiles, seeming fine, adapting, and hidden struggles like exhaustion, stares, isolation, anxiety, and grief. Top left cloud: you see: someone strong, you don't see: how tired they are of being "strong". Top right: You see: mobility aids, you don't see: the stares, the comments, the inaccessibility. Middle: You see: someone smiling, You don't see: the isolation they feel when no one checks in. Bottom left: You see: someone who "seems fine", you don't see: the anxiety before every outing, appointment, or ask. Bottom right: You see: someone adapting, you don't see: the grief of what they've had to let go of.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

Just because someone says the right things doesn’t mean they’re doing the right things. 🌟Don’t just look like an ally. Be one🌟 #DisabilityAlly #AuthenticAdvocacy #DoTheWork #DisabilityJustice

Venn diagram comparing allyship and performative activism with traits like amplifying disabled voices versus showing up when trendy, and shared actions like attending events and using hashtags.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Living with a disability can take a toll on your mental health — not just because of the condition itself, but because of how the world responds to it. It can be isolating, exhausting, and deeply lonely. Check on your friends 💜 #DisabilityAndMentalHealth #DRA #YouAreNotAlone

List highlighting mental health challenges linked to disability, including social isolation, discrimination, and constant medical uncertainty.

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

Self-advocacy is a powerful skill—one that helps people with disabilities communicate their needs, rights, and boundaries in everyday life. #DisabilityRights #SelfAdvocacy #Accessibility #InclusionMatters

an graphic with the title "Speak up, be heard: disability self-advocacy tools". Text gives examples of ways to advocate for oneself in different scenarios, such as "I need this in writing to ensure clear communication. Can you email it to me?", "I'm asking for this accommodation under the ADA", "Please speak directly to me, not the person I'm with", "I'm not comfortable with that. Here's what I need instead...", and "Can you give me a moment? I process information a bit differently".

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Disability Rights Arkansas @disabilityrightsar.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

Inclusion isn’t just policy, it’s everyday practice. Here are 5 easy ways to make your workplace more welcoming for everyone. #InclusiveWorkplace #DisabilityInclusion #AccessibilityMatters

Checklist titled 'No One Left Out: Inclusion Starts at Your Desk' with five steps promoting accessibility, respect, inclusive language, diverse representation, and belonging culture.

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