This week, July 17-July 21, is the second annual National Disability Voter Registration Week (NDVRW). The REV UP Campaign orchestrates this observance to increase the political power of individuals with disabilities, educate voters with disabilities about their rights, and raise awareness of the broader population including candidates and the media. Voting is a right of every American and it's vital that people do not feel disenfranchised when they go to the polls. 

There are many barriers that prevent people with disabilities from voting in-person or at all. Often times, the polling precincts aren’t compliant with accessibility standards in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and have physical restrictions preventing access to the buildings or lack accommodations for people with visual or hearing impairments. In many cases, poll workers have turned away people with intellectual and developmental disabilities because they incorrectly believe the person doesn’t have the mental capacity to vote.

This year, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) partnered with EveryLibrary to host programming, outreach, public education, and on-site voter registration in libraries in over 40 states across the country. Librarians across the country will be uniting to promote and expand voter registration.

If you're interested in getting involved or engaging with your community to participat in NDVRW there are many different options! 

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Last night I attended a talk by Mohammed Saad, an accomplished app creator, photographer, and social activist from Saudi Arabi who is blind. The turning point in Saad’s life was when he got fed up with people, especially family members, limiting him because of his disability. Saad created an Arabic app for the iPhone, MANHAL, that offers audio lessons on a range of topics for the blind. He also created Sightful Fingertips, an audio station where he manages sound engineering and music audio mixing. Among his other talents, Saad teaches courses to other blind individuals on cooking, photography, sound editing, and mastering accessible technology through the iPad and iPhone. Saad commands a large global following on Twitter which he uses to dispel negative stereotypes about people with disabilities, connect with people throughout the world, and even teach some of his courses.

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I ran across an article by PC World, about a nonprofit charity, AbleGamers that helps gamers with disabilities get access to assistive technology to help them play. Gaming can drastically improve quality of life for those who are passionate about it because it breaks down barriers to social isolation and provides an outlet for recreation and rehabilitation.

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Each March the country observes National Developmental Disabilities Awareness month. This is an opportunity to celebrate individuals with developmental disabilities, to share their stories, and to show the value that inclusion brings to our communities. This is also a chance to shed light on the obstacles that many people still face and how we can all work together to be more inclusive and accepting.

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