Community Engagement

Bender Leadership Academy encourages students and alumni to become disability advocates and thoughtful citizens through civic leadership.

Bender Lead On Team

The Bender Lead On Team provides a positive social media environment for participants to engage with other students, Bender Leadership Academy alumni, and disability community and business leaders. The Bender Lead On Team spreads news of competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities, opportunities to engage in community advocacy initiatives, and anti-bullying messages. The Bender Lead On Team encourages young people with disabilities to set goals that align with competitive career opportunities, develop pride in being a member of the disability community, and develop a network of peers and mentors. The Bender Lead On Team honors Justin Dart, one of the most respected and significant leaders of the disability civil rights movement who famously encouraged the disability community to, “Lead On! Lead On!”

Join the Bender Lead On Team

Join the Bender Lead On Team
Justin Dart
We Will Slaughter Stigma

Join Joyce Bender, host of Disability Matters, and Karin Slaughter, New York Times Best-Selling author, in a campaign to end stigma. This campaign is focused on educating the public about the effects stigma and stereotypes have on the disability community what actions can be taken to break down these attitudinal barriers.

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We Will Slaughter Stigma
REV UP

REV UP stands for “Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!” The REV UP Voting Campaign’s mission is to foster civic engagement and protect the voting rights of Americans with disabilities. REV UP focuses on building the power of the disability vote across the country.

The REV UP network is made of both grassroots and national organizers that work to advance the Disability Vote. REV UP is a nonpartisan campaign, meaning that we do not support specific candidates or political parties.

The REV UP Voting Campaign started in 2016 as an initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), a cross-disability civil rights organization building the political and economic power of people with disabilities across the country.

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