American Association of People with Disabilities

08/28/2026

Registration is open for AAPD’s first-ever in-person Alumni Network Gathering!

Join us November 6 - 8 at the Washington Marriott Capitol Hill, 175 L Street NE, Washington, DC. The weekend will be a chance to reconnect with familiar faces, meet alumni from across the network, share resources, and experience disability joy together.

Registration deadlines:
- Requesting financial assistance? Submit your request and register by Sunday, September 13, at 3 AM ET
- Not requesting financial assistance? Register by Wednesday, September 30, at 3 AM ET

Registration may close sooner if we reach capacity, so register early!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NovemberAlumniGathering

ID: a teal graphic announces the first-ever AAPD Alumni Network Regional Gathering in Washington, DC, November 6 to 8, 2026, with the words “Register Now!” The design includes a large white oval, curved blue, purple, and light teal lines, an illustrated megaphone and arrow, and the AAPD logo.

08/27/2026

The 2027 Summer Internship Application Is Now Open! 🤩 Read below to learn more, and if you think you might want to apply, register to join our webinar for interested applicants on Thursday, September 10 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET on Zoom.

Are you a disabled student (high school diploma by 2027 - graduate student) or recent graduate who is looking to gain professional experience, grow your leadership skills, and connect with disabled community? Then being an could be a perfect opportunity for you!

AAPD places interns at paid internships within the nonprofit, government, and for-profit industries, in-person in Washington DC and remotely. Interns work at their placement site Monday – Thursday and attend weekly AAPD programming on Fridays. Interns also get to attend events and network on Capitol Hill, conferences, policy briefings and other community events, as well as be matched with a disabled mentor.

AAPD interns are paid a living stipend and transportation to and from Washington, D.C. In-person interns are provided fully accessible housing. Remote interns receive a technology, internet, and a housing stipend if applicable.

Applications for the Summer 2027 cohort will close on October 1, 2026 at 5PM ET! Apply: https://ow.ly/lMPb50ZGifF

ID: Apply for AAPD's 2027 Summer Internship Program with a deadline of October 1, 2026.

08/24/2026

Reminder: Join us this Wednesday for an informational webinar about the 2027 AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award application cycle!

Named in honor of AAPD co-founder and visionary disability advocate Paul G. Hearne, the award recognizes emerging leaders with disabilities who exemplify leadership, advocacy, and dedication to the broader cross-disability community.

Two individuals or groups will each receive $10,000 in recognition of their outstanding contributions and $15,000 to further a new or existing project or initiative that increases opportunities for people with disabilities.

Wednesday, August 26
4 PM ET/1 PM PT

The webinar will be recorded. ASL and CART will be provided. Please note any additional accommodation requests in the registration form. For other questions, email [email protected].

Learn more and register: https://www.aapd.com/paul-g-hearne-emerging-leaders-award/

ID: A turquoise graphic with navy and blue circular accents reads, “2027 Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award Informational Webinar. Reminder. Wednesday, August 26. 4 PM ET/1 PM PT. ASL and CART Provided.” The AAPD logo appears at the bottom.

08/19/2026

Big news: AAPD is creating a new program! In order to best serve the community, we want to learn from you. We’re specifically looking for people with an aging or changing body or mind.

If you’ve ever wondered if you count as disabled or are “disabled enough”, or feel like many disability spaces aren’t built with you in mind, we want to know about your experiences. We especially want to hear from people of color, people with trauma-related conditions, who are DeafBlind, who use communication devices, formerly incarcerated people, people with long-term health conditions, and/or people who are immigrants, migrants, or refugees.

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. The survey is available in English, Spanish, ASL with voiceover, and Easy-Read. Learn more and access all the versions here: https://www.aapd.com/community-input-survey-for-new-learning-program/

ID: 3 white graphics with teal, blue, and purple decorative elements, photos of groups/pairs of racially diverse groups of disabled people of varying ages.

08/19/2026

There's less than one day left to register for our webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19th, from 4 PM - 5:15 PM ET, "Understanding and Protecting Your Disability Rights Under Olmstead, the ADA, and Section 504"! Come learn from some of the top policy experts fighting for our rights about how to navigate this moment.

Already registered? Then take this as your reminder to submit any questions you have for the panelists, or send us your accommodation requests, by emailing [email protected].

If you haven't registered yet, make sure you register ASAP at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xHzUA2CBQAOLx8vh7H7c6Q?

Recent Justice Department actions have threatened to undermine disabled people’s rights under foundational disability civil rights laws. AAPD and our partners are hosting a webinar on Wednesday, August 19, to help you navigate these threats and protect your rights.

Speakers will address the importance of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision and the rights that disabled people have under the ADA and Section 504 to live in their own homes and communities, discuss how recent threats may affect these rights, and teach you what you can do to protect them.

The integration mandate of the ADA and Section 504 is one of the most fundamental rights that disabled people have, and it is critical that we take collective action to preserve it. Please join us on Wednesday, August 19th, from 4 PM - 5:15 PM ET to learn how.

You’ll receive updates and resources from policy leaders fighting for our rights – Maria Town, President and CEO of American Association of People with Disabilities, Jennifer Mathis, Deputy Director of The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Cathy Costanzo, Executive Director of the Center for Public Representation, and Alison Barkoff, Hirsh Health Law & Policy Associate Professor and Hirsh Program Director at GW Milken Institute School of Public Health

ASL and CART will be provided. Please contact [email protected] to request any other accommodations, and be sure to register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xHzUA2CBQAOLx8vh7H7c6Q

Image Description: A royal blue graphic has a black-and-white photo on the right of a protest sign that says “Our Homes NOT Nursing Homes” and text that conveys the same information as the caption. The logos for the co-presenting organizations are featured.

08/12/2026

In a new blog for AAPD, Summer Internship Program alum HuáHuī Samuel Vogel wrote a beautiful reflection about how his adoption story and medical journey inspired their passion for advocacy. HuáHuī described how the obstacles they faced are not a part of their past, or something that they overcame, but rather, an intrinsic part of his identity. Read it: https://ow.ly/uPFy50ZyZkY

ID: Portrait of HuaHui above a quote: "By rejecting the tropes of 'inspiration p**n' and superficial acceptance, I position the intersections of my medical trauma, cultural stigma, and profound familial love not as obstacles that I simply conquered, but as the foundational catalysts for my life's dedication to authentic representation and systemic advocacy."

08/11/2026

Recent Justice Department actions have threatened to undermine disabled people’s rights under foundational disability civil rights laws. AAPD and our partners are hosting a webinar on Wednesday, August 19, to help you navigate these threats and protect your rights.

Speakers will address the importance of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision and the rights that disabled people have under the ADA and Section 504 to live in their own homes and communities, discuss how recent threats may affect these rights, and teach you what you can do to protect them.

The integration mandate of the ADA and Section 504 is one of the most fundamental rights that disabled people have, and it is critical that we take collective action to preserve it. Please join us on Wednesday, August 19th, from 4 PM - 5:15 PM ET to learn how.

You’ll receive updates and resources from policy leaders fighting for our rights – Maria Town, President and CEO of American Association of People with Disabilities, Jennifer Mathis, Deputy Director of The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Cathy Costanzo, Executive Director of the Center for Public Representation, and Alison Barkoff, Hirsh Health Law & Policy Associate Professor and Hirsh Program Director at GW Milken Institute School of Public Health

ASL and CART will be provided. Please contact [email protected] to request any other accommodations, and be sure to register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xHzUA2CBQAOLx8vh7H7c6Q

Image Description: A royal blue graphic has a black-and-white photo on the right of a protest sign that says “Our Homes NOT Nursing Homes” and text that conveys the same information as the caption. The logos for the co-presenting organizations are featured.

08/06/2026

Calling disabled leaders with bold ideas: The 2027 AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award may be a perfect opportunity for you to get funding for your project, as well as support from AAPD in carrying it out!

Applications open today and are due by Wednesday, September 23rd at 5 PM ET/2 PM PT. Applicants may be an individual or a pair of individuals applying as a team, and all applicants must identify as disabled.

AAPD will hold a webinar for interested applicants on Wednesday, August 26th at 4 PM ET/1 PM PT. We have many other resources for applicants, including application tips, a sample application, FAQs, and more. Find our resources, learn about previous projects, register for the webinar, and more at: https://www.aapd.com/paul-g-hearne-emerging-leaders-award/

ID: Navy graphic with decorative elements and a black and white photo of Paul G. Hearne, a middle-aged white man, announces that applications are now open for the 2027 Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award.

08/05/2026

AAPD is hiring 2 Alumni Network Regional Gathering Co-Organizers to help plan and execute our upcoming Washington, DC Alumni Network Gathering on November 6-8, 2026! If you’re an AAPD alum based in the DMV area with a passion for building community, this paid, 100-hour hybrid role will help shape this year’s event!

Apply here by August 16, 5 PM PT: https://ats.rippling.com/aapd-jobs/jobs/9ac50c26-64b9-4d68-812b-9850e98a23c4

ID: Blue text on a navy background: "AAPD is hiring. Regional Gathering Co-Organizer. Temporary, Remote with in-person travel $25/hour, $2,500 total"

08/04/2026

We’re not gonna lie, we find this trend kinda chic, but there’s more where this one came from over on on Instagram.

ID: Audience seated at a formal event with a large screen displaying 'AAPD Celebration' in the background, with text in the foreground that says "kinda chic to be disabled".