Blog Posts

Illustration in bold orange, red, and black shows a man resembling Donald Trump seated at a desk. Above him is a glowing lightbulb encasing a dark government building, emitting lightning bolts. Two individuals on either side are depicted holding oversized microphones shaped like gas pumps, seemingly fueling or recording him. Hanging lightbulbs and sharp lightning motifs intensify the dramatic, high-stakes. The scene conveys themes of political power, media influence, and manipulation.

Manufactured Confusion: Gaslighting as a Tool of Power in the Trump Administration

From his earliest days on the campaign trail to his 2025 return to executive power, Trump and his administration have engaged in a relentless campaign to manipulate public perception, distort reality, and sow division.

Center for Racial and Disability Justice

Published on April 4, 2025

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This image features a circular graphic with the bold text “AUSTERITY IS VIOLENCE” at the top and “CENTER FOR RACIAL & DISABILITY JUSTICE” at the bottom. The center depicts an American flag tangled in barbed wire, symbolizing restriction and entrapment. Several hands, depicted in blue tones, reach out from behind the wire, representing marginalized communities struggling to break free. The imagery conveys themes of oppression, economic violence, and social injustice.

Austerity is Violence: The Human Cost of Slashing Social Safety Nets

Exposing the deadly consequences of gutting essential programs for disabled, poor, and BIPOC people.

Center for Racial and Disability Justice

Published on March 19, 2025

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CRDJ Executive Director Jordyn Jensen speaks into a microphone while addressing the Global Criminalization of Disability workshop crowd at the Harkin Summit 2024. On either side of her sit Director of Research & Policy Kate Caldwell and Civic Planning & Design Manager Dimitri Nesbitt - fellow workshop facilitators. They are seated on a stage branded with a Harkin backdrop. To the left of them is an American Sign Language interpreter who is facing the crowd, and in front of a projected presentation on disability criminalization in the United States.

Harkin Summit 2024 Workshop Explores the Global Criminalization of Disability

The workshop examined global insights on disability criminalization and explored potential paths to justice.

Dimitri Nesbitt and Jordyn Jensen

Published on March 17, 2025

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A stylized illustration of a wrestling match features an older woman with curly white hair, glasses, and a blue tracksuit labeled “AMERICAN EDUCATION” on the back. She is pinning down a muscular blonde wrestler dressed in a patriotic outfit with stars and stripes. The wrestler is lying face-down on the mat, seemingly defeated. The background shows a cheering crowd in a wrestling arena, with warm hues of a sunset sky. The image conveys a metaphorical struggle.

Dismantling Education

How the Trump Administration’s policies are stripping protections, deepening inequities, and endangering the future of public education.

Center for Racial and Disability Justice

Published on March 3, 2025

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The image depicts a large, institutional-style building with a symmetrical, fortress-like design, surrounded by lush greenery and neatly arranged trees. The structure features long, uniform rows of windows and central towers, evoking historical asylums and state-run facilities. Silhouetted figures, appearing small in scale, walk towards the entrance, casting long shadows in the sunlight, reinforcing a sense of control, confinement, and surveillance. This visual echoes themes of institutionalization, historical abuses, and the potential dangers of reinstituting such spaces under the guise of wellness and rehabilitation.

The Long Shadow of Institutionalization: How History Warns Against Trump and RFK Jr.’s ‘Wellness Farms’

How the resurgence of institutionalization threatens marginalized communities under the guise of public health and wellness.

Center for Racial and Disability Justice

Published on February 27, 2025

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A digital illustration of a person wearing a red cap and a dark hoodie sitting at a desk, facing multiple computer monitors displaying cybersecurity-related graphics. The central monitor features a futuristic circular interface with blue and red glowing elements. Other screens show security icons, such as padlocks, government seals, and an American flag. The person appears to be engaged in hacking or cybersecurity activities in a high-tech environment with a dark, cyberpunk aesthetic.

Beyond the Breach: The Blueprint for Rolling Back Rights in America

Leaked federal data isn’t just about security— it’s a tool for dismantling civil rights, eroding protections, and deepening systemic inequities.

Kate Caldwell

Published on February 21, 2025

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The image features a stained glass portrait of two Black women, wearing gold and white flowing dresses. The woman wearing white is holding a toddler. Each person has their eyes closed, as if in a reflective state. Around the subjects, the stained glass creates a beautiful green and blue landscape, featuring a growing plant, a sun, and blue and tan arc that frames the scene. The imagery attempts to elevate the experiences of Black disabled mothers through systems of oppression, while acknowledging the powerful journey that maternal health is.

Breaking the Silence: Maternal Health and Black Disabled Women

A call to address systemic inequities in maternal care for Black disabled women and amplify their voices in the fight for justice.

Kyanda Bailey

Published on January 10, 2025

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The image features a central figure — a young Black woman in a hospital gown, looking introspective. Surrounding her are colorful silhouettes of people in varying poses. The background displays an urban setting overlaid with icons representing medical tools and symbols of healthcare. The imagery conveys themes of systemic barriers, healthcare disparities, and intersectional experiences.

Dynamics of Race and Disability in Healthcare Disparities

Exploring how the intersection of race and disability shapes inequities in healthcare and impacts the quality of life for marginalized communities.

Kyanda Bailey

Published on January 9, 2025

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A dynamic graphic collage featuring key elements: the United States Capitol building, individuals engaged in everyday activities and work, symbols of money and lights, and a figure wearing a hat with the acronym “DEI” prominently displayed. At the top, bold text reads “Equity Undone,” reflecting both the theme of the image and the focus of the blog post.

Equity Undone: How the Dismantle DEI Act Threatens Marginalized Communities

The far-reaching impact of the Dismantle DEI Act and how it threatens the rights and opportunities of marginalized people.

Center for Racial and Disability Justice

Published on December 13, 2024

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Goodwill comic that includes a conversation between two people. The first person states "Can any handicapped person find help with Goodwill Industries?" and the other responds "Yes, Bill. Handicaps aren't limited to class, color, or religion. Neither are there racial nor religious bars to employment in any of our 101 enterprises.

Subminimum Wage: A Tale of Policy Failure and... Social Entrepreneurship?

Section 14(c) of the FLSA, which established subminimum wage, is a policy that ensures people with disabilities remain in poverty.

Kate Caldwell

Published on November 21, 2023

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Photo of Dan Fisher, a White man wearing a blue plaid shirt and standing in front of a fall background with leaves.

Giving Voice to People with Lived Experience of Mental Health Conditions

Dr. Daniel Fisher talks about the crucial need to allow people with mental health conditions to speak for themselves.

Maddie Walsh

Published on September 11, 2023

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A photo of Kathy Flaherty, who is taking a selfie in front of the U.S. Capitol building.

People with Psychiatric Disabilities Must Have Significant Input on Their Own Lives

Kathy Flaherty discusses the importance of centering the voices of people with lived experience of the mental health system.

Maddie Walsh

Published on September 11, 2023

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Greyscale photo of a person holding up a sign at the Black Lives Matter protest in Washington, DC on June 6, 2020. The sign is a drawing of George Floyd and reads “Justice for Floyd” and includes statements Floyd said before he was killed by police.

Police Violence Remains One of the Biggest Threats to the Lives of Disabled People

Disabled people of color are disproportionately impacted by police violence and police killings despite existence of the ADA.

Jamelia Morgan

Published on August 9, 2023

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“The Women of Olmstead” by Lois Curtis. Photo: Tracy Coffin

33 Years and Still So Much Work Must be Done: A Reflection on the ADA at 33

On July 26, 2023, the Americans with Disabilities Act turned 33, but disabled people still face exclusion and discrimination.

Jordyn Jensen, Jamelia Morgan, and Nicholas Lawson

Published on July 27, 2023

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