Great Plains ADA Center

06/03/2026

Q&A with U.S. Senate candidate, Josh Turek, from Iowa featured in New Mobility. For those not familiar, Turek is a current state representative, uses a wheelchair, and is a former Paralympian.

06/03/2026

Mark your calendars and get registered for the 2026 National American Indian Disability Symposium happening online July 16-17!

🌽🌱🫘 Join us for the 1st National American Indian Disability Symposium

"Cultivating Care: The Three Sisters Approach to Disability in Native Country" 🪶✨

📅 July 16-17, 2026
🕗 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM (AZ Time)
💻 FREE Two-Day Virtual Gathering

This meaningful gathering will focus on 🤝 community, 👨‍👩‍👧 kinship, and 💛 inclusion in Native Country.

🧏 ASL & CART provided!

The symposium is sponsored by the Native American Disability Law Center, the Inter-Tribal Disability Advocacy Council, and the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities-University of Arizona with Planning Committee Members:

✨ Banner Health Plans
✨ Northern Arizona University Institute for Native-serving Educators
✨ Association on American Indian Affairs
✨ The Arc-Arizona
✨ Navajo Nation Advisory Council on Disability
✨ Turtle Island Hand Talk

📝 Please register at:
[bit.ly/NativeSymposium26](https://bit.ly/NativeSymposium26?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

❓Questions? Please contact the coordinators:
📧 Kimberly Yellow Robe | [[email protected]]

📧 Agnes Attakai | [[email protected]]

06/03/2026

Check out the latest edition of the Access Countdown from our friends at the Great Lakes ADA Center and learn about accessible seating for baseball and softball events. Love seeing our buddy, Ray Petty's smiling face!

06/03/2026

New AI platform aims to remove disability bias and include disability inclusiveness into the creative process

"Creative company Thinkerbell and global leaders in inclusive production, Inclusively Made, has launched Inclusivelymade.ai, a groundbreaking AI platform that aims to remove disability bias and weave inclusivity into the foundation of extraor"Creative company Thinkerbell and global leaders in inclusive production, Inclusively Made, has launched Inclusivelymade.ai, a groundbreaking AI platform that aims to remove disability bias and weave inclusivity into the foundation of extraor storytelling."

"The Inclusivelymade.ai platform allows creators across advertising, production, and film to design out bias from the moment an idea is conceived and creatively elevate the end product. It’s open to everyone from creatives, storytellers, producers, and clients."

https://lbbonline.com/news/thinkerbell-inclusively-made-ai

Thinkerbell AI chat workspace

06/03/2026

Helpful clarification on the recent updates to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Housing Act (FHA) enforcement guidance regarding reasonable accommodation requests for emotional support animals in housing

"Applying the ADA standards to its enforcement activities, the FHEO has stated that it will no longer expect housing providers to grant accommodations for untrained emotional support animals and will only require reasonable accommodations for trained animals. Importantly, the memorandum states that it is intended only to provide guidance to FHEO employees regarding enforcement activities and practices. The memorandum is not intended to serve as authority or governance for the public."

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/client-alert-hud-changes-course-are-4287508/

On May 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) issued an enforcement memorandum permanently rescinding the 2020...

06/02/2026

An important reminder from Eitas - maintaining a clear path of travel along public sidewalks is an important component of accessibility!

Alt text: Side-by-side infographic titled "Accessibility Is More Than Ramps." The left side, labeled "Clear Path," shows a wide, unobstructed neighborhood sidewalk lined with trees and homes. The right side, labeled "Blocked Path," shows a sidewalk partially blocked by a parked vehicle, trash bin, landscaping, and yard waste, creating barriers for pedestrians. Text below reads, "Safe. Accessible. Connected." and "Forces people into the street." At the bottom, the infographic states: "What is a small obstacle for some can become a barrier for others" and "Please keep sidewalks clear for everyone." The design uses eitas brand colors of navy blue, teal, and orange on a white background.

A blocked sidewalk is more than an inconvenience.

For some people, it can mean taking a longer route.

For others, it can mean entering the street.

Accessibility is not only about ramps and parking spaces. It is also about the everyday paths people use to get where they need to go.

This National Accessibility Week, take a look around your neighborhood.

What may seem like a small obstacle can become a barrier for someone else.

Because accessibility is more than ramps.

06/02/2026

Iowa friends! Mark your calendars for this year's Outdoor Rec at the Lake event at Easter Lake! Join Adaptive Sports Iowa to learn more about adaptive cycling, kayaking, fishing, pontoon boating, rowing, yard games, and swimming! The event is June 20 and registration is required!

Our Outdoor Rec Day is right around the corner! Make sure your calendar is marked for June 20th at Easter Lake!

06/02/2026

Want to learn more about digital accessibility for people with disabilities - but you're not a web designer or coder up on all the tech lingo?

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is a global set of standards for making websites and digital content accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.

Check out this great share from our friends at the Great Lakes ADA Center - "WCAG in Plain English". It provides easy-to-understand guidance on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), where you can explore different aspects of digital accessibility requirements in plain language.
Learn more: bit.ly/wcag-pe

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is a global set of standards for making websites and digital content accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.

Today, we want to share a great resource from AAArdvark called “WCAG in Plain English.” It provides easy-to-understand guidance on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), where you can explore different aspects of digital accessibility requirements in plain language.

Learn more: bit.ly/wcag-pe.

06/01/2026

Excellent feature on Missouri-based cattle farmer, Carey Portnell, as she discusses her journey from a serious 2010 care accident to successful ranching with disability accommodations and mental health supports

https://youtu.be/IrC2k4LQ2O8?si=gwlFvj4_lvX24nHq

After a devastating car crash left Carey Portell with partial disabilities and constant pain, her future in agriculture was uncertain. Through Missouri AgrAb...

06/01/2026

June is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month! If you're living with PTSD and working, check out these helpful ideas for workplace accommodations for PTSD from Job Accommodation Network - https://askjan.org/disabilities/Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder-PTSD.cfm

June is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month.

PTSD affects many people's daily lives, including veterans, survivors of violence, first responders, and people who have experienced trauma in medical, institutional, or community settings.

Accessible mental health services, workplace modifications, and trauma-informed care all support equal access and participation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).