One hundred wheelchair users from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for United Spinal Association’s 11th Roll on Capitol Hill. We led over 160 office visits with legislators to discuss our three policy priorities: air travel protections, improved wheelchair coverage and accessible ground transportation. Hear more from our advocates firsthand about their experience creating change.
My voice matters
“I always say that this ‘isn’t my thing.’ I’m super uncomfortable when speaking about myself and expressing any needs I have (let alone legislation needs). However, it’s taught me just how important my voice can be. My voice matters. And when individual voices come together to express the same needs, the stories can be deafening, and that’s when the change happens,” says Meg Hammond, who represented Ohio.
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A look into the disabled experience
“It was a pleasure to work alongside KS as we represented our states as part of the Greater Kansas City Spinal Cord Association chapter in Washington, D.C. These people making these laws have no idea what it is like to be disabled, let alone disabled in a world that isn’t made for you. I always say it’s like a man trying to tell a woman how to give birth. They can’t. … So how can an abled bodied person tell what a disabled person needs or need?” says Tyra Randle, who represented Missouri.
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ROCH veteran returns to the hill
“We can be part of the employment world, and a part of the advocacy world, we can be parents, we can be friends. We can be anything we want to be as long as we have the right systems in place to allow us to do it and make it happen,” says Josh Basile who represented Maryland.
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Moving closer to accessibility for all
“Making our way through the halls where laws and acts that shape the way our country runs was moving in so many ways. I am proud to work with United Spinal and all of the incredible advocates who gather each year to let our (and your) voices be heard. And happy to work for Numotion, a premier sponsor of the event. We continue to be hopeful that this legislation will come to pass. And we as a nation can continue moving closer to total accessibility,” says Karen Roy, who represented Louisiana.
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Fighting to fix the broken system
“There are quite literally no words to describe the feeling of being with over 100 fellow wheelchair users advocating for systemic change. Systemic change is slow, and while we have to work within a broken system in the meantime, we have to keep fighting for one another and equity in our society,” says Ali Ingersoll, who represented North Carolina.
“On the North Carolina side, we had an excellent group and had the distinct pleasure to meet with a handful of legislators in person and even educate some new legislators in the hallway who were wondering why there were so many wheelchairs on Capitol Hill!”
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Many thanks to our sponsors!
Our Roll on Capitol Hill 2023 was a huge success, but the fight for disability rights continues! Get involved by joining our Grassroots Advocacy Network and take action on issues impacting our community. For more information on United Spinal Association’s extensive advocacy program to improve the quality of life of all wheelchair users, visit our advocacy page.
Top image by Dorrell White
