• To raise consciousness among people with or without disabilities concerning ableism, paternalism and derogatory attitudes, as well as laws and customs that oppress disabled individuals in American society.

• To enact and enforce effective legislation and budget initiatives promoting our ability to live independently by mandating equal access to:

  • Education
  • Employment
  • Entitlements
  • Health Care
  • Housing
  • Personal Assistance Services
  • Public Accommodations
  • Telecommunications
  • Transportation
  
   
  
• To provide the organizational basis for disabled activists to join in effective unified political action.

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• We educate government officials, community leaders, and administrators of established institutions and the general public. Among the methods employed are: obtaining radio, TV, and press coverage of our activities and issues; publishing our own newspaper, "The DIA Activist;" testifying at public hearings; participating in public forums, speakouts, conferences, and advisory committees to legislators, community groups, and governmental agencies.

• We work for the passage of laws that affirm and defend the rights of people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the greatest achievement of the disability rights movement, guarantees equal access to employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation, and systems of communication. Major legislation supported by DIA prior to ADA includes: the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (especially Section 504, the first Federal Civil Rights Law for disabled people); the Flynn Act that extended protection to disabled people under the NYS Human Rights Law; the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requiring that every disabled child receive a free, appropriate education in the least restrictive environment; the State Polling Access Law of 1980 mandating that all polling places in NYS be accessible by 1990; Local Law 58, the 1987 NYC Building Code Amendment, authorizing that all commercial and residential buildings include accessible features in common areas and dwelling units when newly constructed or renovated.

• We plan and participate in public demonstrations. To obtain passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, DIA joined other organizations from all over the US in Washington, DC. In 1974, DIA and other groups demonstrated in Albany for passage of the Flynn Act. DIA organized protests against the 1976 and 1977 United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) telethons and, later, the 1993 and 1994 Muscular Dystrophy Association "Jerry Lewis" telethons as demeaning and paternalistic "shows" celebrating and encouraging pity. In 1977, DIA participated in the nationwide sit-ins to obtain the signature of Health, Education and Welfare Secretary Califano on the Section 504 regulations. In the 80's, DIA organized a sit-in at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and blocked traffic to demand wheelchair accessible city buses. Through the years, DIA has organized countless demonstrations at inaccessible polling sites, post offices, government offices, and places of business. We have protested federal, state, and city budget cuts to programs that are vital to members of our community. We have joined American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT) in nationwide actions to fight for a national program of personal assistance services and to defend the ADA. And we have joined Not Dead Yet to fight the legalization of physician assisted suicide.

• We initiate and join lawsuits to enforce existing legislation. In 1976, DIA and twelve other disability organizations filed a federal class action lawsuit to force the federal government to develop Transbus, a ramp-bus design. DIA's Section 504 lawsuit for lift-equipped city buses, along with Eastern Paralyzed Veteran's Association (EPVA) NYS lawsuit for accessible subway stations, culminated in the NYS Governor's Accessible Transportation Act of 1984. DIA participated, as an amicus curiae, in the Davis case that rejected a severely hearing-impaired woman's admission to a registered nursing program (1978) and in the Baby Jane Doe lawsuit that denied equal access to health care to a disabled infant (1983). DIA's polling site access state lawsuit begun in 1984 was settled in 1994. DIA filed the first ever ADA Title III (Public Accommodations) case in 1992 against the Helmsley-owned Empire State Building, as well as ADA lawsuits against: NYC for a public Town Hall meeting at an inaccessible site (1994); the federal government for noncompliance with Title II (public services) at 15 federal courthouses in NYC (1995); the NYC Human Rights Commission for failure to provide written material in alternate formats (1998); and the MTA for not operating Access-A-Ride in compliance with Title II of the ADA (1999).

Membership in DIA is open to all who share our goals. Members are entitled to vote, run for office, receive our literature, and join committees.

DIA is governed by a President, Legislative Vice President, Public Relations Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and a Board of Directors. Officers and Board Members are elected by and accountable to the general membership. DIA Officers & Board Members.

A new DIA chapter can be formed by any group willing to abide by DIA's principles. Approval by DIA of Metropolitan New York is legally required.

Disabled in Action was organized in 1970 by Judy Heumann, a young militant disabled woman, and other disabled activists at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus. Ms. Heumann sued the New York City Board of Education when her application to obtain a teaching license was rejected because of her disability. Although the suit was settled out of court, the publicity it received served as the impetus for founding DIA.

Read what Judy Heumann has to say about growing up in Brooklyn, suing the Board of Ed and starting Disabled In Action.

** NEW ** Read the transcript of Judy Heumann's February 9, 2006 lecture at the University of Pittsburgh entitled "Including the Voices of Disabled People in the International Development Agenda" (content from http://www.law.pitt.edu/news/thornburghlecture06.php)

DIA believes that uniting the disability community in NYC, NYS and the entire nation is essential if we are to become a force for change. As a civil rights organization, DIA supports a society free, not only of ableism, but also of racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia and economic exploitation. DIA, therefore, joins with many organizations and coalitions in combating these injustices.

The One-Step-Campaign, a coalition initiated by DIA in 1991, promotes access to residences and public accommodations such as restaurants and stores by ramping the one-step barrier at entrances. If you live in New York City and want to participate in the program, you can use our ONE-STEP COMPLAINT FORM.

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This website was created and is maintained by Douglas Pucci