Featured Special Project Archives - Disabled Journalists Association

Featured Special Project

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is at a podium wearing a black suit and red tie. He has his right arm raised to wave or greet attendees.

Mitch McConnell’s Disability Isn’t the Story. His Fitness for Office Is.

It is an odd state of affairs when you’re not sure if one of the most prominent Republicans of...

By John Loeppky

July 9, 2026

Featured Special Project

A multi-coloured soccer ball sits on the green turf of a stadium with the grandstands in the background

Disability Stories You May Have Missed

It's FIFA time/ Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay This week’s roundup includes the Department of Education moving special...

By Ashley Castillo

July 2, 2026

Featured Special Project

Three women sit side by side at a conference table during what appears to be a meeting. The woman on the left, wearing a white jacket and colorful scarf, is Lois Curtis, one of the lead plaintiffs in the Olmstead case. She smiles broadly with her arms folded. The woman in the center, wearing a light-colored blazer and glasses, leans forward with her hands clasped, smiling as if speaking or listening. The woman on the right, wearing a blue patterned top, looking down at papers in front of her is Elaine Wilson. Sheets of paper are spread across the table, and office shelving is visible in the background.

‘Kicked in the teeth’: Olmstead stands despite Trump DOJ memo questioning longstanding protection for Disabled people, advocates urge

Despite a wave of media coverage suggesting that action from the Trump administration means the loss of a...

By R.L. Nave

June 30, 2026

Featured Special Project

A green highway-style sign reading “PRIVATE EQUITY” with a white arrow pointing right stands against a blue sky filled with scattered clouds.

How private equity is gobbling up disability services

Private equity companies have gobbled up group homes and other services for people with disabilities, attracting the attention of...

By Anna Claire Vollers, Stateline

June 15, 2026

National

A group of disaster relief experts, one who uses a wheelchair, sit planning how to tackle a climate disaster.

Disaster Preparedness (Still) Isn’t Accessible in Rural America

Photo Credit: Shaylin Sluzalis This reporting was supported by a grant from the nonprofit media organization Grist....

By Sonali Gupta

June 15, 2026

National

Spotlit boxing gloves hanging on a hanger above an empty wooden bench in a locker change room.

‘Makeshift Fight Club’: Arkansas Private School Founder Punished for Abuse of Disabled Student

An Arkansas private school founder has been sentenced to just 30 days in jail after leading what authorities call...

By John Loeppky

May 20, 2026

Featured Special Project

The weights of justice sit with a brief case and gable

Disability Stories You May Have Missed

Justice continues to bends towards the political winds/Succo via Pixabay In this week’s roundup we have an...

By Ashley Castillo

May 16, 2026

National

Image of the Louisiana State Capitol building, which is white with a tower in the middle.

Louisiana Sets Stage for Better Accessibility for Disabled Students

It’s no secret that the federal education system is in less-than-ideal shape when it comes to support for Disabled...

By John Loeppky

May 13, 2026

Featured Special Project

A bus in the 16th street mall in downtown Denver offering free mall ride. People are doing shopping or dining in the several shops and cafes.

Disability Stories You May Have Missed

This week, we have stories that focus on: schools segregating Disabled children, An IQ metric being set for death...

By John Loeppky, Ashley Castillo

May 9, 2026

Featured Special Project

A woman and a young woman wearing aprons cook together in a bright kitchen while filming with a smartphone. The girl holds a frying pan with sliced bell peppers as the woman guides her with a spatula.

Disabled Adults Living with Families Targeted by Trump Administration

Even a glance at Shy’tyra Burton’s life reveals her need for the sort of federal government assistance that helps...

By Eli Hager, ProPublica

May 6, 2026

Featured Special Project

A child drawing at a wooden table. Drawings and pens are seen all over the table.

Disability Stories You May Have Missed

What a child can accomplish when they're not being limited/Raw pixel via Pixabay This week, we have...

By John Loeppky, Ashley Castillo

April 30, 2026

Featured Special Project

Close-up of a kava plant (Piper methysticum) showing large, heart-shaped green leaves with prominent veins.

Disability Stories You May Have Missed

This week we have a Disability-related lawsuit supported by the U.S. government, a case of accessibility thwarted by the...

By John Loeppky

April 22, 2026