Our Response to President Trump's Baseless Claims on Disability Employment

Our deepest condolences to all who are mourning the lives lost too soon from the plane crash this week in Washington. In this heart-breaking moment, blaming disability for a tragedy, and doing so from the halls of power, exacerbates the pain. At Massachusetts Advocates for Children, we stand with the disability community in asking for a future for children where disability means inclusion, where supports are accessible, and where stigma, lies, and misinformation are not central to the experience of a child’s identity. 

From our founding, to our Young Adult Leaders Fellow program, to our Autism Center’s groundbreaking work, to our work with Black and Brown families with disabled children, to our daily special education advocacy—at MAC we center disability every day. We are better for it. MAC is where we are today because members of our staff, board, leadership, and Executive Director are proudly members of the disability community. For every disabled child who needs to hear it today, we will say it again: you are valued, you are seen, you are the future.   

In the words of our Young Adult Leaders Fellow, Ewidji Vincent: 

“All of us are human. All of us have the same feelings that you guys have. All of us deserve to be heard,” he said. “If we have [the] tools or accommodation that we need, we will succeed. At this moment, let’s come together, not hurt each other. Let’s stop the hate.”