About Us
We Are Disability Lead
Our Members and Fellows lead with their disability identity to create better, equitable and more inclusive communities. Learn more about our work and network of positive disruptors in our video.
Disability Lead is a network of people with disabilities who use our power to create an equitable and inclusive society.
We accomplish this by Uplifting Disability Power, Influencing and Activating Change, and Making Our Vision Real.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NETWORK
Our Values
Our Vision
People with disabilities will lead with power and influence for full participation and equal opportunity as a vital part of the civic fabric in the Chicago region.
Our Mission
To increase civic engagement and diverse leadership in the Chicago region by developing and building a network of leaders with disabilities — consistent with the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Our Approach
We pursue our vision with a voracious belief that creating a more equitable and inclusive society matters and is an obligation of everyone. Disability is a natural part of the human experience. Disability exists in every facet of society including in immigrant communities, in Black and Brown communities, in LGBTQIA+ communities, in Indigenous Communities and every community in between.
While the Americans with Disabilities Act affirmed the rights of people with disabilities, we work with the understanding that we will only be an equitable and inclusive society when we achieve true disability justice. Disability justice is a cross-disability and cross-social justice movement that centers intersectional identities led by those who have been most impacted by systemic oppression. It insists that our worth is inherent and tied to the liberation of all people.
Our Beliefs
- We believe our disabilities are an asset.
- We believe our perspective is valuable and our stories are universal.
- We believe in the power of nurturing a strong disability community.
- We believe we are most powerful when we are represented and championed by an intersectional disability voice.
- We believe that our leaders can and will create solutions for our most intractable social problems because they are inherently disability issues.
- We believe that our leaders will deliver disability justice.
- We believe our leaders will change the world.
Our History
In 2015, over 200 Chicagoland groups convened by The Chicago Community Trust celebrated and leveraged the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADA 25 Chicago identified the pressing need to address the lack of disability representation at the region’s tables of power and influence. A Leadership Institute was created to build a deeper bench of leaders with disabilities to serve on task forces, boards, commissions, and other roles. After a successful pilot, the initiative evolved into ADA 25 Advancing Leadership initially incubated at The Chicago Community Trust. In 2019, ADA 25 Advancing Leadership was established as an independent 501(c)3 and in 2021 rebranded to Disability Lead.
In 2023, Disability Lead announced that the organization is expanding by introducing its award-winning model to the Southwestern Pennsylvania region. The expansion is years in the making with local disabled professionals and stakeholders. Disability Lead was recognized by Chicago Innovation with the "Social Innovation Award" at the 23rd annual Chicago Innovation Awards in 2024.
Our Logo
The Disability Lead logo is a one lined typeface made up of text that reads “Disability Lead” and the “t” in Disability is a plus sign made up of three distinct colors (orange, pink, and purple) coming together. The plus sign symbolizes the positive impact that people with disabilities have in leadership roles and the importance of intersectional perspectives coming together as one. In some instances, the logo is accompanied by the tagline, “Power. Influence. Change.”, which we uphold as pillars of our organization.
Our Programs
Institute
Emerging leaders with disabilities explore leadership skills, disability identity, and professional and civic leadership goals in our year-long program. Upon successful completion of the Institute, Fellows become lifetime Members of the Network.
Network
Fellows and Members have access to networking events, mentors, exclusive professional development opportunities, and more. Our network of 170 positive disruptors leading with their disability identities participate in our Connections.
Connections
Increase the disability perspective by connecting our Network to professional and civic opportunities, ensuring that the tables of power commit to shape a more inclusive, just, and equitable society.
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Board of Directors
Ann Manikas*+ (Chair), American Medical Association
Kenton Klaus+ (Vice Chair), Deloitte and DePaul University
Natae Eaves (Secretary), J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Chad Turner*+ (Treasurer), Bank of America
Azeema Akram*, Illinois Human Rights Commission
Mary Anderson, Penchina Partners
Adam Burke, Microsoft
Kim Holmes, Kim B. Holmes Consulting
Lora Laverty, CDW Corporation
Anna Lee, Polk Bros Foundation
Karen Tamley*, Access Living
Rebecca Williford*, Disability Rights Advocates
* Denotes Disability Lead Member
+ Denotes Officer
Selection Committee
Ann Manikas*+, American Medical Association Chicago
Akeseiah (Keys) Felton*, CDW
C.Richard Costes*, Communication Service for the Deaf, Inc.
Joanie Friedman, University of Chicago - Office of Civic Engagement
Timotheus Gordon, Jr.*, University Of Illinois Chicago - The Institute On Disability and Human Development
Brian Heyburn*, Ph.D. Student in Disability Studies
Whitney Hill*, SPORK!
Frank Lally*, Access Living
* Denotes Disability Lead member
+ Denotes Co-Chair
Impact Report
Impact Report
Disability Lead pursues an ambitious vision that the Chicago region will lead the nation in inclusion. In this report, we reflect on recent achievements, highlight the important contributions of our partners, and look ahead to our future. Your belief in our positive disruptors — who are leading with their disability identities to help create equitable and inclusive communities — is what drives our organization.
