Building a world where everyone is Known, Valued, & Included

[Image description: A woman with curly hair wearing a white and black striped shirt stands at one of several voting booths, all which have a U.S. flags and the word "vote" on the side.]

Kicking off the Election Season with Disability Voting Rights Week: September 9-13, 2024

As we move into Fall, and the election season kicks into high gear, it’s a great reminder of the importance of exercising our constitutional right to vote. 

Disability Voting Rights week (DVRW) took place September 9-13, and served as a great reminder to register, educate, and vote!

Why DVRW Matters

Disability Voting Rights Week is a movement aimed at ensuring that every eligible voter with a disability can participate fully in our democracy. Despite more than 38 million people with disabilities being eligible to vote, many face access barriers that prevent them from casting their ballots. 

[ID: In front of a blue-gray background, a man with short-cropped hair wearing a dark gray shirt signs in American Sign Language.]

DVRW, formerly known as National Disability Voter Registration Week, is organized by the American Association of People with Disabilities’ REV UP Voting Campaign. Its mission is to eliminate these barriers and champion the rights of disabled voters.

What You Can Do

1.  Check Your Voter Registration Status Not sure if you’re registered to vote? Follow this link to check your voter registration status: https://www.coloradosos.gov/voter/pages/pub/olvr/findVoterReg.xhtml
2. Register to Vote Ready to make sure you’re all set? Follow this link to register to vote! https://www.coloradosos.gov/voter/pages/pub/olvr/verifyNewVoter.xhtml
3. Learn about the issues Understanding how issues impact you and your community! Follow this link to learn more about the issues on the 2024 ballot in Colorado: https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_elections,_2024
4. For general information about voting in Colorado: https://www.coloradosos.gov/voter/pages/pub/home.xhtml

What are key deadlines for the November 2024 election?

Registration deadlines

• In person during early voting: Oct. 21 – Nov. 5
• In-person at voting location on Election Day: Nov. 5
• Online: Nov. 5
• By mail: Nov. 5 (must be received by Nov. 5, postmark date is not considered)

Voting deadlines

• Early voting: varies by location
• Return ballot by mail (received by): Nov. 5 by 7:00 p.m. MST
• Return ballot in person: Nov. 5 by 7:00 p.m. MST

Be on the lookout for your ballot! Colorado sends ballots to actively registered voters from Oct. 11 – Oct. 18.

Your Power to Make a Difference

Disability Voting Rights Week is not just about one election; it’s about recognizing the significance of every election. From school boards to state representatives, every vote counts and has the potential to impact vital issues like accessible housing, economic justice, and democracy itself.

Join us in making a difference! Together, we can ensure our democracy is a more inclusive and accessible place for all - so everyone is Known, Valued, and Included.

Did You Know? You Can Vote at The IC!

Uncertainty about accessibility, and the availability of accommodations at polling places can discourage people from exercising their right to vote. In an effort to ensure everyone's access to the electoral process, The IC will again open our facility as a Voter Polling and Service Center (VPSC) for this year’s November elections.

Our building is fully accessible, meaning anyone can come in and utilize the space, regardless of disability. An accessible voting machine will be available, with certified election officials on-hand to answer questions. By voting at The IC, you can cast your vote independently and with privacy. If you’ve already filled out a ballot, there will also be a ballot drop box where your ballot can be officially and securely deposited.

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In the last general election, hundreds of people cast their votes at The IC! As the home of disability civil rights in the Pikes Peak Region, The IC is proud to do our part to make sure that our community is able to exercise their voting rights.

If you want to know more about accessible voting at The IC please call us at 719-471-8181 or email us at this link: info@the-ic.org

[Image description: A male child and a male adult, both Black, sit on a white couch. The man is making the sign for the letter F in American Sign Language, and the child is making the sign for help in ASL.]

September is Deaf Awareness Month

Every September we observe Deaf Awareness Month to celebrate the history and diversity of the d/Deaf community. This time is also an opportunity to draw attention to the importance of ensuring full access and participation for d/Deaf people.



This month encompasses the International Week of the Deaf, recognized by the World Federation of the Deaf. It will be celebrated from September 18 through 24.

This is a great opportunity to take some time to learn about d/Deaf culture! The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) has compiled answers to some frequently-asked questions and misconceptions about Deaf culture and community at this link:

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https://www.nad.org/resources/american-sign-language/community-and-culture-frequently-asked-questions/

A central part of the d/Deaf community is American Sign Language (ASL). Even if you aren't d/Deaf or hard of hearing, consider learning ASL! Here in Colorado Springs, the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind offers ASL classes at several levels for anyone in the community. Go to this link to learn more:

https://csdb.colorado.gov/outreach/asl-community-classes

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Last year, The IC worked with Visit Colorado Springs (Visit COS) to create an "Accessibility Task Force" which includes members of the disability community, local-area businesses, Colorado Springs legislators, and IC Team members.

One of our goals was to partner with Visit COS to build a list of lodging, dining and recreational recommendations for those visiting Colorado Springs, and share that list with potential visitors to our community.

Visit COS has partnered with Wheel the World: a travel and destination website which thoroughly researches—and then recommends—travel itineraries for members of the disability community.

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We are delighted to share the news Visit COS and Wheel the World have released a video focusing on accessible travel in Colorado Springs!

We are incredibly excited and grateful to be a part of this endeavor promoting Colorado Springs as a place for EVERYONE to visit - a place where everyone is Known, Valued, and Included!

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The excitement and spectacle of the 2024 Paralympic Summer Games in Paris, France drew to a close on Sunday, September 8, as competition ended and the closing ceremonies were held in the Stade de France - the national stadium of France.

This year’s event marked the first time France had hosted a Paralympic Games, and featured thousands of athletes from around the globe competing in a diverse range of sports. Since their inception in 1960, the Paralympic Games have celebrated athletic excellence among athletes with physical disabilities.

Eleven athletes on Team USA hail from Colorado, and six of them call Colorado Springs home! Notably, Hailey Danz, winner of the gold medal in the paratriathlon PTS2 (the category for athletes with disabilities affecting muscles, limbs, or the nervous system but are still ambulatory), is a Colorado Springs resident. All together, the Colorado-based Paralympians brought home five medals!

If you'd like to learn more about the Paralympic Games, plan a visit the United States Olympic and Paralympic museum! The museum features accessible media, audio descriptions, open caption and American Sign Language (ASL) on video content, and additional accessibility services!

https://usopm.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility-and-inclusive-design/

Peer Support Calendar

Classes and events at The IC provide opportunities to learn new skills, meet new people, and try new things in a supportive environment! An up-to-date listing of classes and events can always be found on our website's event calendar: https://www.theindependencecenter.org/