Disability Justice

08/28/2026

We had a wonderful time connecting with our client Empress last week.

We are grateful for the opportunity to hear more about her story, and we look forward to sharing it with you soon.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more updates!

08/21/2026

We’re delighted to be part of this upcoming event with the Colorado Disability Bar Association! It promises to be a great conversation, and we hope you’ll join us on September 15 to hear from our Executive Director, Andrew Romanoff.

🌟 Join Us September 15! 🌟

We’re honored to welcome Andrew Romanoff, Executive Director of Disability Justice, as our guest speaker at our September 15 meeting, and we’d love to have you join us!

Andrew brings a wealth of experience in public service, advocacy, and disability rights, and we’re looking forward to hearing his perspective on the issues affecting the disability community and the work being done to advance disability justice. We’re grateful to Andrew for taking the time to join us, and to Disability Justice for the work they do every day to advance the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.

Whether you’re a longtime member or just getting acquainted with our organization, this will be a great opportunity to listen, learn, and connect with others committed to disability rights.

📅 September 15, 2026

Interested in attending or want more information? Contact us here or at the link in the comments and we’d be happy to tell you more!

08/17/2026

🎙️ Disability Justice is featured on Colorado Matters from Colorado Public Radio.

Tune in to hear Disability Justice Public Policy Liaison Jack Johnson, who is featured starting at 28:45, discussing disability rights, accessibility, and the ongoing work to make Colorado a better place for people with disabilities to live and thrive.

Listen here:
https://play.prx.org/listen?ge=prx_8706_8169a4f0-dc18-4383-b7a9-e487771b0dce&uf=https%3A%2F%2Fpod.cpr.org%2Fcm

08/13/2026

Katie Boraz, one of our Disability Rights Attorneys, teamed up with Phamaly Theatre Company to talk about the historic 504 Sit-in and why its legacy still matters today. Great job, Katie! 👏 And thanks to Phamaly Theatre Company for having us be part of this! 🧡

08/12/2026

The Colorado Office of Employment First is sharing Personal Networks for a Good Life, a no-cost learning series designed for young adults with disabilities who are thinking about the future and the life they want to build.

The series may also be useful for families, caregivers, job coaches, direct support professionals, and family navigators. It includes short videos, self-paced activities, and optional weekly Zoom sessions to support connection, reflection, and practical application.

Learn more here:
https://learn.peakparent.org/personal-networks/

08/11/2026

Disability Justice had the opportunity to attend 504: The Musical, and we are so grateful to Phamaly Theatre Company for inviting us to the show.

This production tells an important story about the Section 504 protests and the disability rights advocates who pushed our country closer to accessibility, inclusion, and equal rights.

Thank you to Phamaly Theatre Company for creating and sharing such a meaningful, moving, and powerful show. We encourage our community to support this fantastic production.

Get your tickets today at phamaly.org

08/11/2026

Many thanks to Senator Amabile for sharing this timely piece.

Outstanding reporting by Ben Markus Public Radio on Colorado's broken competency system and its consequences (story link in the comments). His reporting is accurate and deeply sobering. It highlights the scale of the challenge and some reasons for hope.

We have to acknowledge that some people living with serious and persistent mental illness need lifelong treatment in settings that meet their needs. We also have to confront the systemic failures that have failed us all.

This year, we passed SB26-149, a bipartisan law to reform Colorado's competency system, expand access to treatment, and improve public safety. It is an important step forward. I am serving on Colorado's Competency Task Force to build on that work. We have a long way to go, and so much is at stake.

Disability Justice
Governor Jared Polis

08/08/2026

Disability Scoop recently shared a Denver Post story about 504: The Musical, a new Phamaly Theatre Company production that revisits the historic 1977 Section 504 sit-in and the activists who helped move the disability rights movement forward.

The article also features Disability Justice Executive Director Andrew Romanoff, who discussed why this history remains deeply relevant today as disability rights advocates respond to recent federal shifts in civil rights enforcement.

The Section 504 sit-in is a powerful reminder that access, inclusion, and civil rights have never been handed over freely — they have been fought for by disabled people and their allies.

Read the full story here:
https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2026/07/31/504-the-musical-revisits-protest-that-advanced-disability-rights-movement/32116/

08/07/2026

Disability Justice Executive Director Andrew Romanoff was recently published in both The Daily Sentinel and the Greeley Tribune on the importance of defending Olmstead and the right of people with disabilities to live in their communities.

The Supreme Court’s landmark Olmstead v. L.C. decision affirmed a fundamental civil rights principle: people with disabilities should not be unnecessarily segregated in institutions when they can live, work, learn, and thrive in the community.

As federal enforcement shifts, Colorado must continue standing up for community integration, independent living, and disability rights.

Read the columns here:

https://www.gjsentinel.com/opinion/columns/colorado-must-defend-olmstead-even-if-washington-wont/article_8eb3f6f1-e73e-4675-bce5-ac85c1daa6d0.html

https://www.greeleytribune.com/2026/08/05/andrew-romanoff-dont-make-america-segregate-again-guest-opinion/

08/06/2026

Content note: This story includes discussion of mental illness, su***de, and self-harm.

CPR News published a detailed investigation into the death of Michael Mott at Denver International Airport and what his story reveals about Colorado’s ongoing struggle to provide timely, appropriate mental health treatment for people involved in the criminal legal system.

Disability Justice Senior Disability Rights Attorney Meghan Baker is quoted in the article, offering important insight into Colorado’s behavioral health crisis, competency restoration system, and the limits of relying on fragmented contractor-based care.

This story is heartbreaking, complicated, and important. It underscores why people with mental health disabilities need access to meaningful treatment, supervision, community-based supports, and systems that do not wait until tragedy occurs to respond.

Read the full story here:
https://www.cpr.org/2026/08/06/denver-airport-runway-su***de/