Disabled in Action (DIA) is a civil rights organization that has been fighting for equality for people with disabilities since 1970. According to their website (www.disabledinaction.org), "We are committed to ending discrimination against people with disabilities, all disabilities. We fight to eliminate the barriers against people with disabilities. We want full equality in American society…The organization consists of primarily of and is directed by people with disabilities. We believe in the motto: "Nothing about us without us!"

Objectives of DIA

• 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, Entitlement, Health Care, Housing, Personal Assistance Services, Public Accommodations, Telecommunications, Transportation.

• Most importantly, to provide the organizational basis for disabled activists to join in effective unified political action.

How are these goals accomplished?

• "We educate government officials, community leaders, and administration of established institutions and 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."

• "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."

Structure of DIA
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 Board of Directors. Officers and Board Members are elected by and accountable to the general membership.

History of DIA
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. Heumann sued the New York City Board of Education when her application to obtain a teaching license was rejected because of her disability. The case would receive a good amount of publicity as Judy tells what happened and how she became an activist for the disabled. "When I was going through this lawsuit with the Board of Education there was a lot of publicity that was going on around the lawsuit. There was basically publicity that was going on for an entire year. In some cases, many pieces appearing in newspapers, radio, TV, but at least one thing a month for a year."  She added, "A bunch of us got together to set up an organization that was originally called Handicapped in Action. We really didn’t like that name and so we changed it to Disabled in Action."

Judy stated the importance of the organization, "DIA is a very important organization. Its aim is to create an agenda for change and to work collaboratively with other people and other organizations!"

July 30 Celebration
Last July, a rally was held at Columbus Circle in Washington, DC. DIA and other organizations representing the people with disabilities were present to celebrate the 16th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Carr Massi, president of DIA, was one of the keynote speakers at the event. Now a senior citizen, she is a proud advocate for the disabled, and not afraid to speak her mind when necessary. Massi stated, "We are not a social service agency. We are a civil rights organization so we go where we see the disabled have been discriminated against. One shouldn’t be afraid to speak their mind to make things better for one but all people. We serve everyone here. We are African-Americans, Native-Americans, Latin-Americans, Asian-Americans, Italian-Americans, Jewish-Americans and Irish-Americans: that’s diversity at work!"

Latino Leaders
Daniel Porro is proud Latin-American and a member of DIA. Last April he was awarded "Community Advocate for the Disabled," an honor given out by the Commission of the Public’s Health System in New York City. While at the event he distributed flyers explaining the work that DIA does, the services they provide, and details about the next public meeting. Porro stated, "People of color and people with disabilities are similar. We often times have to take our fight to the streets for our voices to be heard. We are not carrying any weapons we are using our brains to get things done. DIA shows us we have a friend whose door is always open to us when we are in need." The day of the rally Porro passed out a flyer that described the passage of the ADA.

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