According to the CDC, approximately one in four Americans has a disability, making disabled Americans the largest minority group in the country. However, there are very few groups or efforts dedicated to tracking candidates or elected officials or teaching disabled Americans how to run for office. The National Council for Independent Living (NCIL) states that they “envision a world in which people with disabilities are valued equally and participate fully,” and asserts that “people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs, that they have a crucial and valuable perspective to contribute to society, and are deserving of equal opportunity to decide how to live, work, and take part in their communities.”

At She Should Run we know that part of this societal contribution depends on representation in elected leadership and that equal representation does not happen without investment, information, and resources. That’s why we’re partnering with NCIL to talk about how members of the disabled community can use their skills of adaptability, resilience, creativity, and problem solving to lead in elected positions.

Why Attend?

After attending, you will be better able to:

• Share your personal story and experiences
• Navigate political spaces while advocating for disabled rights
• Build networks of support with others

About our Moderator and Speakers

About our Moderator

Sarah Blahovec is a disability rights advocate and activist. She currently works as the Voting Rights and Civic Engagement Organizer for the National Council on Independent Living, where she advocates for greater accessibility in elections; educates the disability community on voting rights and works to energize a disability voting bloc; and addresses barriers to running for office for people with disabilities. Sarah is the creator of Elevate: Campaign Training or People with Disabilities, the first national run for office training program for people with disabilities. As part of her work, she also created “Including People with Disabilities in Your Political Campaign: A Guide for Campaign Staff,” which has been used widely by campaigns and organizations to make their spaces more accessible to people with disabilities.

About Mary Zendejas

Councilwoman Mary Zendejas was elected to represent the 1st District of Long Beach in November of 2019 becoming the first Latina wheelchair user to be elected to public office in the nation. Her advocacy dates back nearly three decades starting in high school, where she organized citizenship fairs to help community members follow their American Dream of becoming US citizens. She is also the founder of the Professional Abilities Association of America, an organization created for working professionals with disabilities by working professionals with disabilities, focusing on inclusion in the workforce. Currently, Mary is also currently a board member of several local non-profits and advocacy organizations, including the Murphy Foundation Board and is the current President of the Disabled Resource Center.

About Amanda Folendorf

Amanda Folendorf has over a decade of combined experience in local, state, and federal government. Amanda represents a small rural county in California. Prior to being elected to the County Board of Supervisors representing District 4 in Calaveras County, she served as a City Council Member for the City of Angels Camp. During her time on the City Council, Amanda became the first Deaf Mayor in the United States. She works not only for advocating for her constituents but advocates in local government for inclusive environments to ensure local government is accessible to all.

About Harriet Hines

Harriet Hines is a third-generation Brooklynite who learned business from and real estate from her father and community activism from her mother. As a community activist, she has brought around $2 million to Brooklyn communities for food pantries, homeless housing, and after-school programs. She has a Master of Science in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Purdue University and is a licensed real estate agent as well as licensed notary public for the State of New York. She is a published author and poet and is a 25-year music industry veteran working for administrations and managing talent. She recently ran for New York City Council District 40. She ran to help ensure people with disabilities have the same access to housing, education, parks, schools, transportation, and the improvement of the quality of life for able-bodied people. Dismantling ableism in our neighborhood, in our city, and in our society will ultimately bring down the barriers of racism and classism.

Event Accessibility:

She Should Run is committed to hosting inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. As an accessibility accommodation, we provide live captioning, captioned recordings, and the ability for participants to submit questions for our speaker in writing in advance. We will also be providing an ASL translator.

To request further accommodation for this event, please email Kathleen Kiernan at kathleen@sheshouldrun.org or call (202) 796-8396. Accommodation requests must be submitted at least two (2) business days prior to the scheduled event in order to allow time to arrange for accessibility needs.

About Our Sponsor

This Breaking Barriers webinar is sponsored by Title Nine. Title Nine was founded in 1989 as a women’s outdoor performance wear company whose goal is to outfit and inspire women to take risks, lead in their communities, and seek their own adventures. Today, the women-owned company employs over 300 people and has 18 stores in 9 states, and online at titlenine.com. Selling a range of top brands curated for active women who are on-the-go, the brand has increasingly devoted much of its collections to its own brand creations ranging from swimwear to performance dresses. The company advocates forcefully for women’s issues, including creating their Pitchfest Programs, yearly events for women-owned brands and nonprofits that promote, mentor, and encourage entrepreneurs and activists.