FISA Foundation

08/31/2026

Every eligible voter deserves access to the information and resources they need to participate in the voting process. Join this upcoming event focused on voter rights, accessibility, and empowering people with disabilities to make their voices heard.

EVENT UPDATE: Due to the feedback we have received, we will be limiting this event to 11:00am - 1:00pm. This will be a hybrid event to support access.

Your vote is your voice. Join Rev Up and the Bender Leadership Academy to discuss your voter rights, accessibility, and the resources available to help you participate in the democratic process with confidence.

Register today: https://mobilize.us/s/LfpWvc

08/27/2026

What does authentic leadership look like for employees with disabilities?
Join FISA Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and The Pittsburgh Foundation for the "Cultivating Authentic Leadership of Employees with Disabilities" webinar, part of our Race + Disability Initiative. This session will explore how organizations can better recognize, support, and learn from leaders with disabilities. Our expert moderator and panelists will discuss key topics such as personal identity in the workplace, accessibility, disclosure, career advancement, and what it takes to create truly inclusive organizations. Centering the perspectives of leaders with lived experience, this discussion will demonstrate how disability can enhance leadership and highlight the valuable insights disabled professionals bring to their work.
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EST
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cultivating-authentic-leadership-of-employees-with-disabilities-tickets-1998556580532?aff=oddtdtcreator

08/26/2026

Ready to grow your leadership and connect with a powerful network of changemakers?
Disability Lead is a national network of leaders with disabilities working to build a more equitable and inclusive society. Through advocacy, civic engagement, and community leadership, members are driving change in their communities and beyond.
Applications are now open for the 2027 Disability Lead Institute, a year-long fellowship that supports leaders with disabilities in strengthening their skills, expanding their networks, and creating lasting impact.
Learn more and apply: www.disabilitylead.org/apply

[Image Description: Graphic with light background and geometric line pattern featuring bold purple text reading “ARE YOU READY TO LEAD?” Top right shows “Disability Lead Southwestern Pennsylvania.” Bottom text invites viewers to apply for a fellowship at [www.disabilitylead.org/apply](http://www.disabilitylead.org/apply) with purple and orange accents.]

08/17/2026

Disability stories belong on the big screen.
We're thrilled to see the return of Film Pittsburgh's ReelAbilities Pittsburgh film festival, highlighting the lives, stories, and artistic expression of people with disabilities through award-winning films.
Check out the lineup and learn more at https://filmpittsburgh.org/pages/reelabilities

Celebrating new independent cinema by and about people with disabilities. 🧡

The ReelAbilities Pittsburgh lineup is now LIVE at FilmPittsburgh.org/ReelAbilities. 📰 See what's on and get your tickets!

The festival opens on September 3 with an in-person screening, award ceremony, and artist market at Point Park University's Pittsburgh Playhouse.

Then on September 4, the virtual festival begins! 3 feature documentaries, 3 feature narratives and 7 additional short films will be available to stream on-demand in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

08/14/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Kathi Elliott on this well-deserved recognition in the Leadership Issue of Pitt Nurse Magazine! As CEO of Gwen's Girls, Dr. Elliot has been a powerful advocate for Black girls and young women in Pittsburgh, helping create opportunities for them to thrive. We're grateful for her leadership and proud to support such an impactful organization.

Kathi Elliott (MSN ’08) never expected to lead Gwen's Girls—the organization her mother founded to empower girls and young women across Pittsburgh—but her education proved to be the perfect training.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a dual master’s degree in nursing and social work from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as a doctorate in nursing from Chatham University.

“My nursing education is the foundation of everything I do. I was taught not only about compassion and care but to be a critical thinker and a problem solver—to work independently but also to be a team player,” Elliott said.

“Nursing is a profession where you’re the glue that brings all the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary people together, and that has definitely aided me in the work I do at Gwen’s Girls.”

As CEO, Elliott has expanded the nonprofit’s scope and resources. She rolled out science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming, as well as the Black Girls Equity Alliance, an initiative aimed at addressing structural inequities that affect child welfare, juvenile justice, and the education, health and wellness of Black girls.

She is one of the inspiring nurse leaders featured in our summer issue of Pitt Nurse magazine. Learn more about her story and what's next for Gwen's Girls here: https://ow.ly/fFjW50Zz4mU

University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work

08/11/2026

We're excited to share this opportunity from New Voices for Reproductive Justice!
Imagining New Worlds is a leadership development cohort for Black women, femmes, and gender-expansive people who are interested in deepening their leadership and advocacy skills.
Applications are due August 14!

Applications are now open for Imagining New Worlds! ✨

Your voice belongs where decisions are made.

Imagining New Worlds is a 7-week leadership development cohort for Black women, femmes, and gender-expansive people who are ready to grow their leadership, better understand public policy, and advocate for meaningful change in their communities.

Together, cohort members will explore the connection between reproductive justice and public policy while building the knowledge, skills, and confidence to advocate for life-affirming legislation.

Participants will receive:

✨ A $500 stipend
✨ Policy and advocacy training
✨ Opportunities to engage directly with legislators
✨ Connections with reproductive justice leaders
✨ Cohort apparel and a certificate of completion

Applicants must be 18 or older and live in the Greater Pittsburgh, Greater Cleveland, or Greater Philadelphia area.

The cohort runs from September 9 through October 21 and concludes with a mandatory in-person advocacy day at the statehouse in Pennsylvania and Ohio. More details will be shared with selected participants.

Ready to strengthen your voice and put your advocacy into action?

Apply HERE by August 14th: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfv6k-BUpw7MACHB36YNf6n_y8w3yA2m4j_V0lzxKPfkqbdzg/viewform

08/07/2026

In Case You Missed It: Yesterday was Moms' Equal Pay Day, a reminder that many mothers continue to face significant economic disparities in the workplace. Pay inequities affect financial security, career advancement, and long-term well-being, particularly for mothers of color.

Learn more in this post from the YWCA Greater Pittsburgh:

08/05/2026

People with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in prisons and jails—from accessing healthcare and accommodations to receiving essential support services.

This powerful piece from FISA’s grantee partner, Pennsylvania Prison Society, explores these challenges and highlights practical solutions to create more inclusive and equitable systems: https://www.prisonsociety.org/updates/inclusion-rights-and-respect

[Image Description: white text on dark blue background with yellow accents, "Prisons are designed “to be one size fits all, and one size doesn’t fit all when you have a disability. Disabilities require accommodation. Cell doors may need to be widened for wheelchairs. People with vision or hearing loss may need special sensors and light fixtures in their cells. Jails just aren’t built that way.” Kirstin Cornnell, Pennsylvania Prison Society, Family and Community Support Director]

07/30/2026

When women and girls are given opportunities to lead and influence decisions that affect their lives, everyone in the community benefits. Yet, many women and girls, especially in historically underserved communities, still face barriers to civic participation and leadership roles.

FISA is proud to highlight our June 2026 grants that support civic engagement and leadership for women and girls through Sisters Saving Ourselves Now/Pittsburgh-Western PA Black Women's Roundtable, Professional Women's Network (PWN), and The Women and Girls Foundation. These programs are creating pathways for women and girls to build leadership skills, engage with their communities, and drive meaningful change.

Read more about these grants and our full June 2026 grants announcement: https://fisafoundation.org/fisa-awards-june-2026-grants-to-improve-the-lives-of-women-girls-and-people-with-disabilities/

[Image Description: Collage of girls and young women, highlighting FISA’s June 2026 grants supporting civic engagement and leadership opportunities for girls and women.]

07/29/2026

Safe housing is essential — yet transgender women, especially Black transgender women and transgender women with disabilities, continue to face significant barriers to securing stable, affirming housing.

FISA Foundation is proud to highlight its June 2026 grants supporting trans and q***r women experiencing housing instability, including Proud Haven’s Step Into Stability Program and SisTers PGH ’s Project T Program.

Read more about these grants and the full June 2026 grants announcement here: https://fisafoundation.org/fisa-awards-june-2026-grants-to-improve-the-lives-of-women-girls-and-people-with-disabilities/

[Image Description: Collage featuring a trans rights mural and TLGBQ+ community members, highlighting FISA’s June 2026 grants supporting trans and q***r women experiencing housing instability.]