Our district has an incredible history of leading the state and country on disabilities rights. Yet today, we still see glaring inequalities, inaccessibility, and under-representation for the 22% of Californians –about 3.8 million people– with some type of intellectual, emotional, or physical disability. It’s time for our district and our state to do more to lead again on ensuring that people with disabilities can live their daily lives fully and access the public rights and services that we promise to all Californians. And we all know moving the needle on disabilities rights doesn’t just help people with disabilities– a more accessible society helps us all. We must consider disability needs and priorities in every policy area we discuss and in every equity issue we tackle, from housing and homelessness to workforce training and wage equity. I would fight to bring disability rights leaders to the table on all issues, ensure quality education for our students with special education needs, improve our developmental disabilities services funding structure, and reform our mental health services and funding approach.