Feel Good Friday - American Association of People with Disabilities

July is Disability Pride Month, which traces its roots to the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, making this a fitting moment to spotlight American Association of People with Disabilities.

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the mission of American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is "to increase the political and economic power of people with disabilities." AAPD was founded by a coalition of disability rights leaders, including Justin Dart, often called the father of the ADA. The organization remains disability-led today and advocates for the civil rights of more than 70 million Americans with disabilities. AAPD has been especially vocal this year about federal funding cuts threatening Medicaid and other disability protections, a reminder that the full inclusion the ADA promised is still very much a work in progress.

AAPD's Summer Internship Program is one of its most compelling initiatives. Since 2002, the program has placed college students, graduate students, and recent graduates with disabilities in paid ten-week internships with Congressional offices, federal agencies, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations in Washington, D.C. Interns receive a stipend of at least $20 an hour, transportation, and fully accessible housing, removing many of the financial barriers that keep disabled students out of competitive internships, while a career mentor helps guide their next steps. 

The REV UP Voting Campaign builds the power of the disability vote by increasing civic engagement and election accessibility through coalitions in twenty states. AAPD also invests in the next generation of disabled leaders alongside their ongoing policy advocacy on healthcare, housing, education, and employment.

If you're in the D.C. area, AAPD is hosting its 2026 ADA Anniversary Celebration on July 22, marking the 36th anniversary of the ADA. This year's event will recognize the progress made since 1990 and honor the leaders whose advocacy made the ADA possible. 

No matter where you live, you can support AAPD's work by making a donation that helps fund their advocacy directly, and amplify their message on social media. Follow them on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and help build the political and economic power of the disability community.

Happy Disability Pride Month!

Feel Good Friday - Rising Sun Center for Opportunity

Today's Feel Good Friday is personal. I got a Green House Call from Rising Sun Center for Opportunity last week, and I still can't get over the fact that the whole thing was free!

Founded in 1994 as Rising Sun Energy Center in Santa Cruz and now headquartered in Oakland, California, the mission of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity is "building career pathways for economic equity and climate resilience."

Rising Sun's Climate Careers program hires and trains Bay Area youth ages 15 to 24 as paid Energy Specialists, sending them out to deliver free in-home Green House Calls while they build real-world experience for green careers.

Here's what that looked like at my house. Two Energy Specialists came at the appointed time and evaluated my appliances, replaced some old lightbulbs with LEDs, and measured the water flow from every faucet. After walking me through their recommendations and answering all my questions, they left me with a bag of gifts, including a smart power strip, a phone-controlled lightbulb, a portable induction burner with a compatible pan, and a few other energy-saving extras. All free!

Rising Sun's other core program, Opportunity Build, is a pre-apprenticeship that prepares adults for union careers in the building trades. This includes Women Building the Bay, one of the few all-women cohorts in the country. 

Rising Sun has had a big impact on the region. Since they began, they've delivered no-cost Green House Calls to more than 66,000 households and trained over 3,450 youth and adults for careers in the green economy.

This summer's Green House Call season is happening right now across the Bay Area and Central California, so if my experience has you curious, there's no better time to sign up.

If you'd like to support the work of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, you can make a donation or amplify their message on social media. Follow them on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube, and help spread the word about the program that's quietly saving Bay Area households money and energy, one house call at a time.

 

Feel Good Friday - Brennan Center for Justice

Tomorrow, America turns 250, and it felt like the right week to spotlight an organization working to make sure that milestone still stands for something: the Brennan Center for Justice.

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in New York City, the mission of the Brennan Center for Justice is "to hold our political institutions and laws accountable to the twin American ideals of democracy and equal justice for all." The nonpartisan law and policy institute marked its own 30th anniversary in 2025, and in its latest annual report, it ties that milestone direction to this year's 250th anniversary, writing that America still has it in its power to begin the world over again.

The Brennan Center's Democracy Program fights for free and fair elections through research, litigation, and advocacy that reaches every level of government. Earlier this year, their attorneys represented the League of Women Voters and other allies in a lawsuit challenging an executive order that would have required documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote, something research shows millions of eligible Americans don't have on hand. A federal judge agreed, ruling that the Constitution puts states and Congress, not the president, in charge of election rules. They've also worked with allies across the political spectrum on dozens of friend-of-the-court briefs that helped lead to a landmark ruling blocking the administration's worldwide tariffs. That's the kind of quiet, unglamorous work that keeps a 250 year old system of self government functioning.

Beyond elections, the Justice Program pushes for a fairer, more effective criminal justice system, and the Government Power Program works to balance safety with constitutional rights. 

If you'd like to celebrate Independence Day by supporting an organization fighting for  the democracy and equal justice this country was founded on, there are many ways to do so. A monetary donation to the Brennan Center helps fund the litigation and research that keeps these fights moving, and you can also explore their Take Action page to weigh in on live legislation. As always, you can amplify their message on social media too. Follow the Brennan Center on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube, and help carry their case for democracy forward.

Here's to the next 250 years.