The article I wrote in January about a restaurant owner’s refusal to serve a veteran with a service dog raised questions about how businesses are to respond...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW Recently, President Obama signed an executive order to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour for federal contract workers. This...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW In Enid, Oklahoma, outrage has spurred over claims that a restaurant owner refuses to serve those with disabilities, African Americans, Latinos,...
Disability rulings are commonly issued by the Social Security Administration, although reaching a decision on what qualifies a person as disabled can be a long and...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW Last week, the Justice Department announced that it would promptly make funding available to provide free tracking devices for children with...
Regardless of who you are rooting for when it comes to the Super Bowl, there is no denying the empowering story of Derrick Coleman, Seattle Seahawks’...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW In Mooresville, North Carolina, a disabled veteran was denied service at a restaurant because of his service dog. Benjamin Wardrid, a veteran...
Do you avoid using your basement steps or attic steps because you fear you’ll trip or fall? Does the arthritic pain in your legs prevent you...
Let’s start the new year by educating and informing ourselves of the invaluable resources that are available to people with disabilities in the United States. Disability.gov,...
Most anyone who has gone through the Social Security or SSI disability system finds out how challenging it is, since most claims are denied the first...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW AbleRoad is a new technological tool that aims to inform people with disabilities about accessible places and spaces in their communities,...
Accessible taxis will now become a reality for those with disabilities in New York City as the city agreed to make 50% of its taxi fleet...
There has been many heated discussions throughout the country regarding the disparities of zero tolerance policies implemented in our nation’s public schools. Last week, the American...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW The U.S. Department of Transportation has fined U.S. Airways $1.2 million in its failure to provide appropriate assistance to passengers with...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW Is it possible for reverse discrimination to occur when housing those with disabilities? The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development...
For those who don’t know someone with a mental illness, it can be hard to imagine what people really go through. Many people have a black...
You love your children, and want to see them grow and learn. However, when your child has special needs or learning disabilities, it can seem like...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW Are police officers adequately trained to handle disturbances that involve individuals with mental illnesses? News networks and social media have recently...
On September 30, 2013, President Barack Obama issued a proclamation declaring October 2013 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In his proclamation, the President urged employers...
by Vilissa K. Thompson, LMSW Ramp Your Voice! is a new organization created to fill the gap in how disability advocacy currently exists in America. Ramp...