The Importance of Disability Advocacy

Schuyler Kropp, Staff Writer

Disability Advocacy is an imperative part of acceptance, understanding, and equality. In recognizing those who live with disabilities, more communication can be made, and better connections can be sustained. This leads to a more compassionate and balanced world. In order to make this progress, it’s important to acknowledge the current discrepancies those with disabilities face.  

Job Experiences

Statistically, the most recent unemployment rate of people with disabilities is 8.8%. The unemployment rate of those without a disability is 4.6%. According to the US Department of Labor, females with a disability have an unemployment rate of 40.8% and males with a disability have an unemployment rate of 43.0%.

As a person with a disability, my personal experiences with employment have been poor. Nearly every summer, I suffer the pain of not getting job opportunities. I remember on one particular occasion when I tried to get a job as a lifeguard. I was dismissed from the position even though I proved that I am an extraordinary swimmer. I wondered as to why I was dismissed because I outswam everyone  at the trials. This led me to wonder if my disability was what my potential employers used to rule me out of consideration. 

Current programs are in place to help those with disabilities in finding a job. However, there should be more programs that focus and are hyperactive on helping people with disabilities, starting with assistance in getting the experience for the career paths they have in mind. In addition, whilst doing the interviews for those jobs, they should have accommodations to ensure that employees with disabilities have those resources they need to ensure success in the interview process.

I interviewed my friend, Andrew, who has a really positive experience with job search and aspirations. Andrew said, “Right now I work for the RMAC for Colorado Springs. However, my dream is to be a commissioner there. I feel like I can achieve a lot of things and face no challenges”. I am very happy for my friend Andrew who is working towards his job goal, but such is not the case for all people with disabilities.

Health

People with disabilities also risk developing more health issues in their life. According to World Health Organization, “Some persons with disabilities die up to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities”. Everyone who has a disability struggles with their life and luckily, there are services to help people with disabilities overcome those health barriers. For example,  Colorado has programs to help those in need. People who are blind or deaf can receive services to help them hear or see where they are or what they are doing. Colorado’s Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind Communities goal is to help those with disabilities thrive. The program entitles access from technology programs to mentorship and legal support. A solution to this issue is to have more fitness centric and personal training programs for those with disabilities so every person will be able to be healthy and prevent future health issues.

Power Struggles

Law enforcement is helpful in many ways, but sometimes they can abuse their “power”. This is  due to the prejudices they might hold towards those with disabilities. The actions taken by the government and police officers in the following articles raised more problems than solutions due to their false claims and profiling of innocent people. In an article published by ProPublica on November 13th 2024, it stated that, “A thirteen year old boy being mistaken for bringing a bomb into school, then later finding out it was a toy bunny”.

In another article seen on CourtHouse News Service posted on March 11th 2026, talks about how Special Olympics athlete Shawn Nicholas, who has an intellectual disability, was arrested and unlawfully thrown to the ground as, using excessive amounts of force. To solve this problem, law enforcement should learn about people with disabilities, and their needs. This education can be done through required research and government funded classes.

Societal Views

My personal experience with ableism from society is very widespread. I would say what impacts or hurts me the most is how much society has propagated the belief that there are only certain jobs that those with intellectual disabilities can do like working at a grocery store, retail and janitorial work. The society I’ve experienced and grown up with has always made me feel like an alien and unnatural. Right now, there is a high society of ableism. 

Abelism is spreading the acts and practices of discrimination towards those with dyslexia, language disorders, tourette syndrome, autism, and other disabilities. Abelist people believe their actions are fair and are eager to spread it worldwide and be unwelcoming to those who have a disability. 

Recently, I was scrolling on social media and found this social media personality with supportive content that focuses on people with disabilities. In a video, she dissected a negative written post from a woman online. In the post she stated, “If you rely on someone for care constantly (referring to people with disabilities), you are a burden on them, get used to it, and learn to be more thankful". The social media personality and I both reacted in shock as her comments were very discriminatory to people with disabilities. An interviewee said, “Discrimination against people with disabilities is wrong and not good, it makes us feel very upset”. Overall, ableism in today’s society is harming people in all parts of the world. It is crucial that society changes.