Press

“The ACA’s expansion of Medicaid was a lifeline to people with disabilities, said Cori Frazer of Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy. The Republican alternative would have cut Medicaid. “For the disabled community, the ACA has not only been life-saving, but life-enabling,” Frazer said.”

“When we plan a sensory-friendly event, we want to make the environment comfortable for people, like myself, who are sensitive to light, smell or sound. We alter light levels, lower volume and ask people to avoid perfume,” writes Jess Benham via email. Benham is an autistic doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh and director of public policy with the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy.”

“I want people to know that our lives aren’t tragedies and that we are worthy of human rights and community living whether or not we graduate high school or use our mouth to speak,” Frazer said. “Whether or not we have an intellectual disability, we are all worthy human beings.”

“Benham, the director of public policy at the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy, opened by identifying herself as a person with disabilities including anxiety, depression and mobility impairment. She then spoke about the evil of putting disabled people into institutions, and encouraged the audience to practice their own disability advocacy.”

“At the meeting, we heard from the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy, which both advocates for policy changes (so, encouraging you to call your representatives about relevant laws) as well as putting on events like movie screenings that are accessible and enjoyable by people with autism.”

“Our community has been fighting to end our segregation and exploitation since the beginning of the deinstitutionalization and right-to-education movements in the 1960s and ’70s and continuing today as we work to make sure our people have access to the things that nondisabled people take for granted. The phaseout of sheltered workshops is a success of decades of tireless advocacy by disabled activists.

“Having Perdziola as an advisor, as well as Jessica Benham—who is autistic, a doctoral student at Pitt, and heavily involved in Pittsburgh disability advocacy as director of public policy at the Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy—is important, says Roger Ideishi…Where The Warhol is ahead of the curve…is with young adults and adult programming. Benham, who is often asked to advise on programs within Pittsburgh, says The Warhol is a needed leader in this respect.

“Jess Hughes, Media Coordinator, Autistic Self Advocacy Network Pittsburgh, joins us for a conversation on the organization’s activities, to include the Annual Disability Day of Mourning held each March. Disability Day of Mourning brings awareness to the overwhelming number of murders of people with disabilities by parents and caretakers in recent years.”