September 2026 Edition - Access Press

Volume 37, Number 9

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IN THIS ISSUE

Minnesota Olmstead goals fall short By Mai Thor The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says people with disabilities should have the same rights as everyone else. They should be able to live, work, learn, and be part of their communities instead of being placed in institutions. The Olmstead court decision says people should get services in regular community settings whenever possible. Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan is supposed to make sure this happens. The newest draft of the Olmstead Plan, released in April 2026, does not do a good job. The goals in many areas—like crisis services, education, jobs, housing, safety, transportation, and moving people out of institutions— are too small. Many goals aim to improve things by only 1–2% over five years. That means only a very small number of people will see any change. This does not match the serious problems Minnesotans with disabilities face. Employment Mai Thor, lifelong is a major issue, advocate and the but the plan only Chief Program aims to help 335 Officer of The Arc more people get jobs over five years. 85 of those would be people on Medicaid waivers receiving Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) and State Services for the Blind (SSB). Some goals don’t aim to make things better at all. For example, the number of housing units won’t meet the high need. One program may only help seven more households in four years. For abuse, neglect, and restrictive procedures, the goals focus on reducing the number of reports—not the amount of actual harm people experience. Many goals are unclear. For crisis services, it’s not clear whether the targets apply to a few dozen people or a few hundred. Transportation goals allow services to stay the same or get worse. In Greater Minnesota, agencies don’t have to improve their performance at all. Some goals measure steps or paperwork instead of real results for people. For example, training staff or following laws—without showing how people’s lives will actually improve. A major purpose of Olmstead is to help people move from institutions into the community. But many transition goals are too small. They help only a tiny number of people, even though thousands still live in institutions. Some goals don’t include certain types of settings. Overall, the plan’s goals are too small, unclear, and not focused on real change. They do not reflect the promise of the ADA or the Olmstead decision.

SEPTEMBER 2026

Join us for a community forum Page 2 Jake B. reflects on disability Page 4 Who is DJ Mike? Page 5 Olmstead threats Pages 1 and 9 Helping the next generation Page 10

Child uses assistive technology to interact with a room filled with toys and stuffed animals.

Technology makes back-to-school more accessible By John Kuziej For many, opening a textbook, taking notes, and asking questions are part of everyday classroom life. Those everyday tasks can be complicated for students with disabilities, but assistive technology is making learning more accessible. “It’s really hard for schools to stay up to date with things, and I think in general, schools are doing a really good job, but there’s always going to be gaps just because technology changes so quickly,” Paul Sanft, director of the PACER Simon Technology Center, said. Assistive technology includes devices, software, and other tools that help people communicate, read, write, hear, see, and move so they can participate more independently in the classroom. “We have technology in all those different areas that help people in different ways,” Jamis Wehrenberg, the assistive technology professional with the Minnesota STAR program, said. Sometimes the technology can be as simple as ear protectors or an alternative way to open a locker. “Assistive technology can be as small as a pencil grip. Right? So I think sometimes people hear that term and they think it has to be a massive piece of machinery, and that’s just not true,” Jamie O’Conner, the assistant executive director at Family Voices of Minnesota, said. Some of these devices can be simple; others can be expensive. The Minnesota STAR Program wants to make sure that, before you invest, the device works for you. “A young man came in who had had a stroke at a very early age and was looking

for ways to communicate. His biggest thing was just, as a young kid, being able to read texts from friends. That was just a huge struggle for him. I showed him some simple, built-in accessibility features in his iPhone. He could type out a text and have it spoken to him to make sure that it’s correct before he sent it. That simple little thing just changed his whole life,” Wehrenberg said.

How assistive technology can help students

The technology being used in schools helps open doors for students with disabilities, allowing them to get on an even playing field with their peers. “What could be frustrating to them in the past could now be doable in the present, and they have a lot of encouragement to be able to push through and finish school and learn more,” Wehrenberg said. Much of the focus is on helping kids take notes, communicate, and be more independent in the classroom, but there’s

one major part of school that families and teachers often overlook. School can be a stressful place for some students, and that anxiety can affect their ability to learn and enjoy school. Assistive technology can also help students manage stress and anxiety through tools designed to keep students calm. “Families and school teams really can expand their thinking about what assistive technology can provide to the student. It’s not all about reading and writing or using a calculator, for example. Those are important, but if kids are stressed out at school, having calming TECHNOLOGY To page 8

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Assistive technology can help people with tasks like reading and writing.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 Volume 37, Number 9

ACCESS PRESS

COMMENTARY

Community forum to help shape the future of Access Press

By Joey Carlson

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Access Press August happy hour at Surly Brewing. It was great to connect with so many fantastic people and hear your stories. The food and drinks were great, and the live music set the perfect mood. Next month, we are trying something a little different. We are hosting our first virtual Access Press Community Forum on Google Meet. I would love for you to join and share your ideas. What stories do you want to see covered in Access Press? You can pitch a new topic, share your thoughts, or help vote on future story ideas. Feel free to keep your camera on or off—whatever is most comfortable for you. We are also planning another in-person get-together soon. We want to bring even more of the community together for good food and entertainment from musicians, artists, and comedians with disabilities. If you can’t make the virtual forum, you can still send your thoughts anytime. Email editor@ accesspress.org with your ideas for articles, columns, videos, meetups, or ways we can keep Minnesota’s disability community better connected. I look forward to hearing from you!

Join the Community Forum on September 10 Mark your calendar for September 10, 4-5 p.m. When the event is about to start, visit the following link using your smartphone, tablet, or computer (meet.google. com/gfa-ohvv-fnn). You can also scan the QR code to join the community forum.

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TO JOIN THE SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY FORUM

EDITORIAL: Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/ publisher of Access Press.

website: accesspress.org email: access@accesspress.org phone: 651-644-2133

Executive Director..................................................................................................................................................................... Heidi Holste Managing Editor........................................................................................................................................................................ Joey Carlson Assistant Editor............................................................................................................................................................................ John Kuziej Contributing Writers......................................Jake Beckstrom, Shelby Doyle, Jane McClure, Frank Murphy, Mai Thor Board of Directors...................................................................................................Tim S. Benjamin, Catherine Hunter, Brandon Miller, ......................................................................................................................................................Lynda Milne (President), John Tschida Business and Advertising Operations Manager.........................................................................................................Mary Graba Advertising Sales Representative........................................................................................................................ Randall Oldenburg Production........................................................................................................................................................................................ In-Fin Tuan REMEMBERING Co-Founder/Publisher Wm. A. Smith, Jr. (1990-96) Co-Founder/Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief Charles F. Smith (1990-2001) Editor-in-Chief/Executive Director Tim Benjamin (2001-2020)

DEADLINE: 15th of each month. CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION: Distributed the 1st of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 1,400 copies are mailed to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders. SUBSCRIPTION: Free and accessible to anyone in Minnesota, visit www.accesspress.org/subscribe ABOUT ACCESS PRESS: A monthly newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Access Press, PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 551048006. INQUIRIES AND ADDRESS CHANGES should be directed to: Access Press, PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-8006; 651-644-2133; email: access@accesspress.org Website: accesspress.org

ACCESS PRESS SEPTEMBER 2026

Volume 37, Number 9 Pg 3

NEWS

After summer heat delay, Minnesota Disability Pride Festival set for Sept. 17

By Access Press Staff

The fourth annual Disability Pride Festival gets underway at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on Sept. 17, following a July postponement due to extreme heat warnings and wildfire smoke. Hosted by Advocating Change Together (ACT), the festival honors the history, culture, and contributions of people with disabilities. Disability Pride Month is traditionally recognized in July to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990. While the landmark civil rights law protects people with disabilities in employment, education, transportation, and public accommodations, advocates emphasize that significant work remains to achieve true inclusion. Jennifer Walton, executive director of ACT, said the decision to delay the event was difficult but necessary. “Every partner, every vendor, and our community supported the decision to postpone,” Walton said. “Our priority is keeping people safe. In July, we were dealing with back-to-back days over 90 degrees, and as Minnesotans, we simply

4th Annual Disability Pride Festival

Thursday, September 17 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Minnesota State Capitol Grounds, St. Paul More information: selfadvocacy.org/ disability-pride-festival

Explore resource tables, connect with others and celebrate at the Disability Pride tent. aren’t acclimated to that kind of heat.” Walton is eager for the September gathering and highlighted the deeper meaning behind the celebration. “The disability community has spent

generations being told we are broken,” Walton said. “The disability pride movement is about proclaiming, ‘I’m a whole, complete person. I am disabled, and I do not need to be fixed or cured. I’m proud

of who I am, and that includes my disability.’ We can all join together and celebrate.” Attendance at the festival has steadily grown each year, with organizers expecting roughly 1,000 attendees for this year’s event. The festival will feature around 50 vendors, self-advocate speakers, artists, live music, food trucks, face painters, and family-friendly activities. Walton emphasized that community connection is vital, particularly as disabled individuals navigate reductions in essential services and programs. “We’re existing in a space that is incredibly uncertain, and we need to uplift the voices of disabled leaders and self-advocates,” she said.

COMMENTARY

Left at the curb: The accessibility cost of the rideshare revolution Accessibility is not a special favor to be arranged three days in advance. It is the test of whether this celebrated transportation revolution serves the public, or only the portion of the public that can climb into the car.

By John Tschida Call an Uber. Call a Lyft. That is now the answer to nearly every transportation question. At the airport, just tap the screen and watch a little car move toward you on a map. It is a marvelous system, unless you use a wheelchair that can’t be folded into a trunk. Then the car on the screen becomes a taunt. Transportation is everywhere. On-demand transportation for me is nowhere. This is the accessibility bargain of the rideshare era. Transportation network companies, or TNCs, gave millions of travelers more convenience while helping to hollow out companies serving people who can’t use a sedan. A national airport survey found taxi trips dropped five to 30 percent and shared-ride customers fell 18 to 30 percent as TNC use grew. Taxis are highly regulated by local jurisdictions, and while far from perfect, they do have strict accessible vehicle quotas. TNCs don’t. At Los Angeles International Airport, shared-van trips fell by about two-thirds between the first halves of 2016 and 2019, while Uber and Lyft trips more than doubled. TNCs didn’t cause every failure. But they took the high-volume trips that helped pay for dispatchers, trained drivers, backup vehicles, and vans with lifts. An accessible van is not an ordinary car with good intentions. It requires a ramp or lift, tie downs, a trained driver, and an informed dispatcher. That is a transportation system. The TNC model, built on personal vehicles and rapid turnover, avoids those costs. The market calls that efficiency. Wheelchair users may choose another word. The numbers are bleak. Tests summarized by the National Council on Disability in 2025 found an available Uber or Lyft wheelchair-accessible vehicle in only 26 percent of attempts. Standard vehicles appeared every time. At two major airports, 17 attempts produced no accessible vehicle. Even an accessible option shown in an app may exist only in part of a region or during certain hours. When it disappears, the traveler may be told to reserve well ahead and pay several times the ordinary fare. In the Baltimore area, an airport trip costing about $17 to $20 by app was quoted at approximately $135 to $175 in an accessible vehicle. Equality, apparently, comes with a surcharge. At an airport, this lack of options can mean a missed flight, an unplanned hotel bill, or an unaffordable emergency ride (often from a medical transportation provider). The nondisabled traveler gets

John Tschida, Access Press Board Member and Vice President spontaneity. The disabled traveler gets contingency planning. The courts have repeatedly been asked to clean up what the market leaves behind. SuperShuttle is a repeat offender. In 2002, the Department of Justice settled with SuperShuttle after a passenger waited about six hours at Dallas/Fort Worth while inaccessible vans arrived every 15 minutes. Investigators found that SuperShuttle had purchased roughly 880 nonaccessible vans and about 17 accessible vans since 1990. Several airports had no accessible vehicle. The agreement required accessible capacity, training, and comparable response time, fare, geography, hours, reservations, and availability. In other words, it required the company to treat its disabled passengers the same way it treats its nondisabled customers. Now, more than 20 years later, they are still failing. Garrett v. WHC Worldwide alleged that SuperShuttle’s operators advertised accessible service, then repeatedly reported that no wheelchairaccessible vehicle was available. The nationwide settlement approved in June 2026 is designed to fix it. It requires accessible booking throughout service areas and operating hours, at the same price as comparable service, training, maintenance policies, and court-backed enforcement. Yet service may still require as much as 72 hours of advance notice. That is better than no ride. It is still not the freedom enjoyed by the passenger who lands, collects a bag, and decides what to do next. The cases against Uber and Lyft offer a sharper lesson. In Crawford/Namisnak v.

Uber and Lowell v. Lyft, wheelchair users proposed changes to create accessible service where meaningful service did not exist. Uber and Lyft prevailed after trial because the plaintiffs had not proved that financial incentives, rental, dispatch, or fleet proposals would reliably produce service. The rulings didn’t establish that TNCs can never be required to provide wheelchair-accessible vehicles. But they did place the burden of proving exclusion and designing and validating the company’s solution squarely on the shoulders of the disabled. One might have thought that designing the transportation company was the transportation company’s job. Other disputes have filled in pieces of our broken system without repairing the whole. O’Hanlon v. Uber, the Equal Rights Center’s agreement with Uber, and federal settlements involving Lyft have addressed problems like wait times, driver refusals, unequal hours, and failed backup service. Each remedy has value. Together they expose the problem. The inaccessible market is national and structural; the remedies are local, fragmented, and painfully specific. These cases arise mainly under disability law, but older adults needing the same vehicles, assistance, and dependable service face the same consequences.

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I do not mourn the loss of shared van service at the airport because it was familiar. I mourn the loss of a basic public expectation: a transportation system should transport the public. Airports and regulators gave TNCs curb access, staging areas, and enormous reach. They can demand something in return: measurable equivalent service, perhaps a surcharge on every TNC trip to support accessible rides, pooled regional dispatch, enforceable backup service, and public reporting of completed rides rather than screenshots showing an accessible button and its phantom ride promise. Lawsuits will remain necessary when companies promise access and deliver excuses. But civil rights cannot depend on a stranded traveler finding a lawyer, becoming a plaintiff, waiting years, and then explaining to a multinational platform how to run an accessible business. Wheelchair users, older adults, and their families deserve more than an app icon and an apology. They deserve a ride. Accessibility is not a special favor to be arranged three days in advance. It is the test of whether this celebrated transportation revolution serves the public, or only the portion of the public that can climb into the car.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 Volume 37, Number 9

ACCESS PRESS

COMMENTARY

My disability, anniversaries, and too much paperwork By Jake Beckstrom My wheelchair birthday

For millions of people living with severe injuries or chronic conditions—and the families who support them—the calendar holds a date that stands out from all the rest. It isn’t a traditional holiday or a standard birthday, but the anniversary of the day life fundamentally changed: the day of the injury or diagnosis. My anniversary happened on August 11. I call it my “Wheelchair Birthday.” On that day 21 years ago, I was a 16-yearold kid hanging out with my high school buddies at our friend’s backyard pool, and I made the silly decision to dive headfirst into the shallow end. Now I am paralyzed below the chest and have limited use of my hands and arms. And although this year’s anniversary was somewhat of a big milestone (my injury can now officially drink!), it wasn’t as dreadful or so full of melancholy and pensiveness as other anniversaries have been. My first wheelchair birthday hit me really hard. And my 16th, the halfway point in my life, was also a sledgehammer blow. But throughout these 21 years and even working through all the thoughts and emotions that come along with those big anniversaries, I feel like I have been able to settle into a fairly comfortable, manageable, and reliable life.

Learning how to become independent

I moved out of my parents’ place a few years ago and now live in an apartment with a roommate in Minneapolis. I have a job as Advocacy Manager at Unite 2 Fight Paralysis, which allows me to work from home. And I have a fairly consistent and trustworthy cadre of personal care attendants who help me, every morning and evening, do all the things I need to do as a C4-6 quadriplegic. But even after 21 years of getting into and maintaining a routine, there are still some things that can come out of the blue and hit you like a bus, and impact you just as forcefully as a half-life ablebodied/half-life paralyzed anniversary. In Minnesota, in-home caregiving services like mine are often funded through a specialized Medicaid waiver called the Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) program. To qualify for this care waiver, you must maintain enrollment in the state’s baseline Medicaid program, known locally as Medical Assistance (MA). If that Medicaid foundation cracks, the entire structure of independent living collapses with it.

Navigating bureaucracy

Even after 21 years of navigating disability services, unexpected

Jake and his service dog administrative hurdles can hit without warning. During my routine annual Medicaid recertification, I received a notice warning that my coverage was slated to terminate at the end of the month due to missing documentation—paperwork I had already submitted online weeks earlier. Navigating the county system meant spending days cycling through phone trees and waiting on hold for hours just to speak with a caseworker. When I finally reached someone, an entirely new issue was raised: the reviewer claimed my modest bank account balance exceeded the state’s strict asset limits. Medicaid programs frequently enforce low asset caps (often capping savings at just a few thousand dollars). However, this exact issue had been resolved during my review the previous year. At that time, county officials verified that my specific Social Security status made my case formally exempt from asset limits, and they even provided a signed letter on official county letterhead documenting that exemption for future reference. Yet this year, none of that mattered. The new reviewer flagged the account anyway, disregarding the prior county documentation. To prevent an immediate lapse in vital caregiving services, I had to scramble to reduce my liquid savings below the arbitrary cap by prepaying several months of rent in advance. I was left waiting in administrative limbo while the county processed the updated paperwork.

Working with a disability

If an administrative error permanently disqualifies someone from traditional Medicaid, the standard alternative is a state “buy-in” program—in Minnesota, known as MA-EPD (Medical Assistance for Employed People with Disabilities). These programs are designed to let disabled individuals work without losing

Jake speaks at a Unite to Fight Paralysis event. essential healthcare coverage by paying a monthly premium. In practice, however, the financial calculations can create an impossible trap: • The Immediate Cost: Under MAEPD, my required monthly premium was calculated at $230 per month. On a tight, balanced budget covering rent, utilities, and basic necessities, an unexpected $230 recurring expense pushes finances underwater. • The Income Trap: To comfortably afford that premium, I would need a significant raise. However, earning more income poses an even greater risk: crossing the federal Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold. Exceeding that limit results in losing Social Security disability benefits entirely—long before entry-level or mid-level earnings could ever cover the tens of thousands of dollars required for out-of-pocket medical care and daily attendants. Programs intended to encourage independence and employment often rely on rigid income caps and asset rules that have failed to keep pace with modern living costs, leaving individuals caught between the desire to work and the risk

of losing survival-level care.

My story continues as I fight for healthcare

There isn’t quite a happy ending to this story yet. I am still waiting to hear back from the County Economic Assistance Department to find their determination on my recertification with the updated documentation. And it’s quite frustrating that you can’t seem to get two people from the county health hold line to agree. But as I have found myself going through this rather large wrestling match of a financial situation, I learned that I need to keep on top of my own things in life, and not rely so much on the findings of previous annual recertifications when moving forward on a new annual certification. And the biggest reminder that periodically comes into my life, even after 21 years of living with this condition, is the lesson that: There will always be some situation in your future that will severely upset your applecart. In times of comfort and simple routine, be grateful for where you are at, but be prepared for things to change!

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ACCESS PRESS SEPTEMBER 2026

Volume 37, Number 9 Pg 5

PEOPLE + PLACES

Who is DJ Mike? By Mike Cohn Hello, music lovers! My name is Mike Cohn. If you have gone to a Minnesota Vikings home game, you have seen me rocking out and working security. My coworkers at U.S. Bank Stadium gave me the name DJ Mike since I play music before and after events. While working at one of the Minneapolis Convention Center car shows, I met Caleb from Mobile Essence. Caleb is a great guy located in Savage, MN. He pimped my mobility scooter with speakers, lights, under-glow lights, and a bright yellow field goal on the back of it, just like they have at U.S. Bank Stadium, making my scooter a mobile dance party on wheels. People see it and smile, but it is not a chick magnet. Wherever I go, the music goes on, and so does the party. Where does the love for music come from? From the time I was born until the day I die, I will always love music. Whenever I hear the song “Cecilia,” it makes me want to get up and dance. I am not shy. I create opportunities to meet people. This has allowed me to meet many big-name celebrities such as Jon Bon Jovi, Jimi Jamison, Alex Ligertwood, Freddy Curci, and comedian Jo Koy. They treat me as an equal who

loves music and the art of performing. Dance and movement are great forms of physical activity. Prior to doing security, I spent ten years dancing, choreographing, and teaching dance with the all-abilities dance community in St. Paul. I am a rockstar with my mobility scooter! For any individual like me, I know that this is rare. I am a rare bird. At age 8, I experienced the onset of symptoms where walking and balance became harder, as did my speech. My disability diagnosis is called MEPAN syndrome. I am one of only about twenty people who have this disease. People often ask if I live in a group home because of my disability. I live independently in my own home, I have PCAs, and I work. I have a busy and active life. DJ Mike is ready to release his first album, called Red Rocket. Knowing that positivity is a great tool, I have embraced the idea of AI to help create music focused on disability positivity. I currently have about eight songs finished. The program is called Forever Songs Studio. You answer a couple of questions, and in a few hours, you get a preview and a complete song that you can listen to. I have purchased eight tracks so far. Keep it positive, be strong, laugh, and live life to the fullest. Live life DJ Mike style!

Mike Cohn has a sound system hooked up to his mobility scooter and decorative field goal posts on the back. So wherever DJ Mike goes, the party follows.

HISTORY NOTE

Special education in Minnesota saw gains 50 years ago By Jane McClure

Store shelves full of notebooks, crayons, lined paper, pens and pencils remind us that school starts in September for many children. That includes children and youth in an array of special education settings. Fifty years ago, Minnesota school children started the 1976-77 academic year with a significant increase in funding for special education and related services. The November 1975 newsletter for the Governor’s Planning and Advisory Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Developmental Disabilities Office of the State Planning Agency described the gains made. This followed the federal passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975 and other federal and state actions. But looking back, the increased attention to special education could also be credited to the advocacy of parents and guardians who wanted the best for their children. Minnesota by this time had developed an especially strong parent advocacy movement and a growing network of advocacy groups. Starting with the 1976-77 school year, a system was established to pay school districts directly for the services they provided to children with disabilities. Newspaper articles from around Minnesota describe how special education and its financial support became such a priority. It was even a focus in school board races around the state. That hadn’t always been the case. The 1975 Minnesota Legislature had

Minnesota has a history of leading in special education. passed several bills the council newsletter described as being “of benefit to DD (developmentally disabled) persons.” The adopted budget adopted for special education provided $38.6 million for 1976 and $46.750 million for 1977, representing a major increase for the biennium. The funding gains, while sounding modest in the context of today’s budgets, were seen as a huge windfall. But what many educators and parents paid particular attention to was the Omnibus School Aid Bill. It included several important provisions. One was payment by the state of 65 percent of the salary of essential personnel in special education, not to exceed $10,000, for the normal school year for a full-time employee. That relieved pressure on smaller, rural districts that struggled to

hire and pay special education staff. Another aspect of this bill covered permissive summer programs for disabled children, whether residents or those temporarily placed in the district. It also covered permissive instruction and services through the school year during which the pupil reaches age 25 for students called “trainable” developmentally disabled pupils, who had attended public school fewer than nine years prior to September, 1975. These programs, while not mandatory and in some ways more open-ended, provided more options for school districts. Yet another gain was transportation, which had operated in different ways in different school districts. Adjustments to what the state paid for transportation

greatly benefitted school districts that had struggled with costs in the past. A second key transportation change centered on pupil safety. The state’s Board of Education published rules “assuring the safe and efficient transportation of handicapped pupils, with particular attention to standards for vehicles used in transporting handicapped pupils, equipment to assure the safety of the pupils and the qualifications of the drivers and aids providing transportation services.” History Note is a monthly column sponsored by the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, http://mn.gov/mnddc or www. partnersinpolicymaking.com

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ACCESS PRESS

SEPTEMBER 2026 Volume 37, Number 9

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Ask the candidates: Disability issues matter in 2026 By Heidi Holste

As a person who spent 20 years working in politics, there are a few things I picked up along the way: First, candidates for office want to get elected and spend a lot of time on the campaign trail meeting people who they hope will vote for them. Second, when they hear your stories and concerns, they will remember many of them. Third, once elected, lawmakers make policy based on anecdotes they hear. Fourth, they can only hear you when you speak up! In May, Access Press published questions that Minnesotans with disabilities can ask candidates running for office in 2026. Now, we want to encourage you to use them. Candidates will be knocking on doors, attending community events, sending mailers and asking for your vote. This is your opportunity to ask where they stand on issues that affect you, your family and your community.

The candidates are asking for your vote. Ask them where they stand. Elections matter! Your voice matters!

Access Press Executive Director Heidi Holste

Ask candidates: • How will you ensure people with disabilities have a meaningful voice in policymaking? • How will you protect, strengthen and preserve access to Medicaid and homeand community-based services? • What will you do to address the direct care workforce shortage? • How will you expand access to affordable, accessible housing? • What will you do to improve accessible transportation? • How will you increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities without putting essential benefits at risk? • What will you do to improve special education and transition services?

•

How will you support family caregivers? • How will you protect and improve voting access for people with disabilities? Do not be afraid to ask for specifics. Ask candidates what they would actually do, what they would support and what they would prioritize if elected. You do not have to wait for a candidate forum. Ask when a candidate comes to your door. Ask at a town hall. Send the question by email or social media. And if you belong to an organization or advocacy group, ask candidates to address these issues with your members. The candidates are asking for your vote. Ask them where they stand. Elections matter! Your voice matters!

COVID-19 COVERAGE

Researchers investigate the role of autoantibodies and COVID-19 By Access Press Staff

For some people, COVID-19 symptoms might not go away after the infection; this is known as Long COVID. It’s generally defined as a condition in which symptoms last three months or more and can improve, get worse, or continue over time. People might experience neurologic symptoms with Long COVID, and symptoms can include headaches, fatigue, and difficulty thinking or concentrating. But research is showing that symptoms of Long COVID can vary from person to person based on many different factors. Scientists believe that one element affecting people with Long COVID could be an autoimmune reaction.

New research is finding a link between Long COVID and neurologic symptoms

Autoantibodies are antibodies that fight a person’s own tissue instead of the disease, are often found in individuals with autoimmune diseases. They’re now being found in some people with Long COVID. A team of scientists recently looked into the role these autoantibodies play in the neurologic symptoms people experience with Long COVID. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently reported that researchers examined the antibodies from 147 people and found that antibodies from people with Long COVID and people who had recovered from COVID reacted more frequently with human nervous-system tissue than the antibodies from healthy people.

The team of scientists put the antibodies from Long COVID patients into mice to see what would happen. Mice that received antibodies from Long COVID patients with chronic pain were more sensitive to pain and showed signs of nerve damage. Most of the mice that developed balance problems had received antibodies from patients with dizziness and became fatigued more quickly on a treadmill. This research found that some autoantibodies were associated with specific symptoms. For example, people whose antibodies targeted a region of the

brain called the locus coeruleus (located in the brainstem) were more likely to experience a loss of taste and smell, nausea and joint pain.

Study could help researchers understand Long COVID

The findings suggest that autoantibodies may play a role in some of the neurologic symptoms associated with Long COVID. More research is needed to determine whether the autoantibodies directly cause the symptoms, but the findings could eventually help researchers

develop new treatments for some people with Long COVID. More information about this study can be found at: https://www.nih.gov/newsevents/nih-research-matters/immunesystem-may-attack-nervous-system-somelong-covid-patients Access Press provides coverage of COVID issues with support from the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL). This activity is made possible by a grant from the Long COVID Program of the Minnesota Department of Health.

Individualized Service Options We are now expanding our unit-based services, including Individualized Home Supports (IHS) and 24-Hour Emergency Assistance (EA).

Work requirements are coming to Medicaid.

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ACCESS PRESS SEPTEMBER 2026

Volume 37, Number 9 Pg 7

FEATURES

In Minnesota, back-to-school season deserves an orientation for parents, too By Shelby Doyle

The success of school choice doesn’t depend only on families having options. It depends on families understanding how those options can meet their children’s individual needs and using them to create better futures. More than 54 million students will head back to school this fall, filling classrooms, buses, cafeterias, and playgrounds across the country. Among them are millions of students with disabilities. The latest federal data show that 7.5 million students receive special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), representing about 15% of public school students nationwide. In Minnesota, families are preparing the way they always have, buying school supplies, meeting teachers, organizing schedules, and settling into new routines. But today’s back-to-school season is about more than preparing children for the first day. It’s also about helping parents navigate more education options than ever before. From finding the right learning environment to figuring out transportation, academic support, and after-school activities, many of the decisions that shape a successful school year happen before the first day of class. A recent National School Choice Awareness Foundation survey found that nearly six in ten parents say a child in their household will attend a new or different school for the first time this fall. Whether that’s a child’s first day of kindergarten, the move to middle or high school, or the beginning of a different learning environment, millions of families are facing an important transition. Those transitions come with a long list of practical decisions. Parents are thinking about transportation, academic support, school safety, after-school activities, technology, and helping their children adjust to a new school year. For families of students with disabilities, those decisions can also include evaluating specialized services, accommodations, accessibility, therapies, and whether a school can effectively support their child’s individual needs. Today’s parents are also choosing from an education landscape that offers more pathways than ever before. Across the country, 49 states have some form of public school open enrollment policies, while 30 states have expanded school choice programs during the past five years. Depending on where they live, families may have access to public schools beyond their district, public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online schools, microschools, homeschooling, and other learning opportunities. In Minnesota, families can choose from traditional public, charter, magnet, private, online, homeschooling, and other flexible learning options. That flexibility can be particularly meaningful for families of students with disabilities, whose definition of the “right fit” may include not only academics and school culture, but also specialized services, accessibility, therapies, or individualized support. More options can open doors for families, but only when parents have the information they need to understand what each option can offer their child. For today’s parents, preparing for the school year isn’t just about checking items off a supply list. It’s about making informed decisions before classes begin, and continuing to make them as their child’s needs evolve throughout the year. That’s why having access to clear, trustworthy information matters just as much as having access to educational opportunities. Parents are approaching those decisions with both optimism and worries. The same survey found that 88%

Families don’t need someone else making these decisions for them. They need reliable information that helps them make those decisions with confidence, from transportation and academic progress to tutoring, last-minute changes, and parent-teacher conferences.

Shelby Doyle of parents are excited about the upcoming school year, even as about two-thirds also say they’re feeling stressed. Families don’t need someone else

making these decisions for them. They need reliable information that helps them make those decisions with confidence, from transportation and academic progress to tutoring, last-minute changes, and parent-teacher conferences. For families of students with disabilities, that also means understanding their child’s rights, the services and supports available across different learning environments, and what questions to ask when considering a school change. Also, parents can find free back-toschool guides, practical advice, and yearround resources at myschoolchoice.com/ back-to-school. Getting students ready for a successful school year has always been the goal of

the back-to-school season. Today, getting parents ready matters just as much. Expanding educational opportunities is only half the job. Helping families navigate those opportunities is the other half. Because opportunities only matter when families understand how to use them. Shelby Doyle is the senior vice president of policy and national partnerships at the National School Choice Awareness Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that maintains the nation’s largest online portfolio of English- and Spanishlanguage school navigation resources, available through Navigate School Choice and Conoce tus Opciones Escolares

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SEPTEMBER 2026 Volume 37, Number 9

ACCESS PRESS

PEOPLE + PLACES

Meet The Disableds, Minnesota’s groundbreaking comedy ensemble By Joey Carlson

For decades, standard media portrayals of disability have tended to swing between two tired extremes: tragic inspiration or object of pity. But on comedy club stages across Minnesota, a local troupe is shattering those tropes with self-deprecating humor and zero interest in being anyone’s inspiration. They call themselves The Disableds, and their mission is simple: deliver highcaliber stand-up comedy that reflects their unfiltered lived realities. “We’re not a group of disabled people trying to do comedy,” says founder and veteran comic Brian Bretzman. “We’re a bunch of comedians who just happen to be disabled.”

The spark behind the mic

Bretzman’s journey in comedy began in 1998. After starting out in radio broadcasting in greater Minnesota, a promotional fax announcing a comedy contest at the Mall of America caught his eye. The grand prize was a trip to the prestigious Aspen Comedy Festival. Bretzman took his shot and won the competition. Soon he discovered he had a natural rhythm on stage and relocated to Boston, a booming hub for stand-up. Bretzman has faced significant health challenges. He has had roughly a dozen surgeries, fought cancer during the pandemic, and still lives life with severe agoraphobia, autophobia, and panic disorder. Leaving the house for daily errands can feel like an insurmountable mountain for Bretzman, but comedy offers an unexpected sanctuary. “My brain works in the complete opposite way of most people,” Bretzman explains. “I can barely go to the grocery store by myself, but the one place where my anxiety completely switches off is when I step on stage. It’s an outlet.” While performing at open mics around the Twin Cities, Bretzman noticed a lot of talented comedians with disabilities in the Twin Cities. Seeing an opportunity to build community and showcase diverse comedic styles, he started a Facebook group chat in late 2025 with an invitation to join forces. The response was an immediate, unanimous yes.

A powerhouse ensemble

The Disableds don’t have a traditional headliner, instead they showcase their troupe as an ensemble of equals. Bretzman serves as the host and emcee, keeping the energy brisk and bantering between sets. Each performer takes the stage for an equal share of the spotlight. The core roster brings a wide spectrum of experiences and comedic styles: • Matt “Eagle Eyes” Higgins, who lost his vision at age 30 due to a hereditary condition, disarms audiences immediately with dry, observational self-awareness (“My name is Matt: two T’s, no eyes”). • Dakota Forness, a wheelchair user living with cerebral palsy, brings razorsharp delivery and crowd-pleasing punchlines, opening sets by declaring himself an aspiring model who took his headshots by the blue accessibility signs in parking lots. • Sam Bondhus, a deaf comic, uses physical comedy, expressive timing, and visual humor—including a spot-on deaf Donald Trump impression—to bridge the hearing and non-hearing worlds. • Raymond Joseph, who has Apert syndrome (a rare genetic condition affecting cranial and limb development), uses storytelling to normalize physical differences with charm and self-awareness. • Whitney Haverstock, whose sets delve into navigating bipolar II disorder, PTSD, and growing up as a ward of the state, brings an honest, darkly comedic edge. • Brian Bretzman, who weaves his struggles with mental illness, medical procedures, and agoraphobia into punchy crowd work and hosting.

Redefining accessibility in comedy

One of the group’s most notable impacts has been transforming who feels welcome in the comedy audience. Comedy venues have historically posed steep accessibility hurdles, but shows by The Disableds have become a rallying point for the disability community. Audiences regularly include wheelchair users, individuals with guide dogs, and large contingents from the local deaf community.

The Disableds pose after a show. From back row left to right: Matt Eagle Eyes Higgins, Raymond Joseph, Brian Bretzman and Sam Bondhus. Front left to right: Dakota Forness and Whitney Haverstock. To ensure true inclusion, the troop regularly hires American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters for their larger shows—a rarity in traditional stand-up spaces. “Deaf people often don’t go to comedy shows because they can’t access what’s happening,” Bretzman notes. “When we bring in an interpreter and have 15 or 20 deaf audience members laughing along with us, it’s an incredible feeling.” The humor also serves as a bridge for non-disabled attendees. Audiences unfamiliar with disability humor often start out hesitant, unsure of whether it is socially acceptable to laugh. But the troupe’s unapologetic candor quickly puts crowds at ease. “We make fun of ourselves and each other,” Bretzman says. “Once people realize we’re all in on the joke together, the room opens up.”

Taking the act on the road

The group’s momentum is building

quickly. Members Raymond Joseph and Sam Bondhus recently took second and third place, respectively, at a local House of Comedy competition, affirming the troupe’s comedic chops. Though Bretzman currently selffunds operations through ticket revenue and merchandise sales—featuring a logo depicting a wheelchair holding a microphone on fire—the troupe is setting its sights beyond the Twin Cities metro. Following recent stops in Mankato, the team has booked shows in Greater Minnesota, including renting accessible transport to perform in Rochester with their sign language interpreter in tow. For The Disableds, the stage is more than a platform for laughs; it is a space of visibility, mutual support, and undeniable craft. As Bretzman puts it: “We’re out here doing what we love, filling rooms, and showing people what disabled artists are capable of.”

TECHNOLOGY

From page 1 music on their iPad or comfort-type devices or fidgets,” O’Conner said. When it comes to finding the right technology, it’s important that the student has a say in the process, something as simple as the color of a device can make a difference. “We want that student involved. We want them involved in the decisionmaking. We don’t want guardians or teachers making that decision for them. So if they’re involved in the process, they’re more likely to adopt that technology versus abandon it,” Wehrenberg said.

Children have fun exploring new educational technology.

Where you can find resources for the school year

As your child returns to the classroom, you have many options to try, learn, and get support from organizations around Minnesota. “Coming up in September, we’re doing a three-part series on general technology to help with reading, then another one to help with writing, and then another one specifically for math. And that’s for all ages. So we’ll demonstrate different technologies that are specific to that and also talk about how people can learn more info,” Sanft said One place you can get information is the PACER Center’s new AI assistant, PACER PAL, which is available 24/7. “It will direct them to the resources at our Simon Technology Center. The tool is able to give generalized examples of different types of assistive technology that may be useful,” Gretchen Godfrey, associate director at the PACER Center, said. Once you figure out technology that might be useful, you can test it through the

Finding new ways to play video games can help children feel empowered. Simon Technology Center’s lending library. “We have an assistive technology lending library that’s free to anyone in Minnesota, where people can check out and borrow technology to try it out in their home or work or school to see if it is something that would solve their needs,” Sanft said Family Voices of Minnesota can also connect you with other families and school professionals to learn more about the technologies helping families like yours. And if you feel your child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) isn’t being followed, Family Voices of Minnesota can help connect you with organizations that can provide support.

“We can really help them with skills that would enhance their collaboration with school professionals. We can give them input on the process for disagreeing with the school and connect them with other organizations that can help with that process,” O’Conner said.

The future of assistive technology in school

As technology improves and everything becomes more digital, some schools may have safety concerns. “You have to protect other students. So, those are some of the biggest barriers that I see in adopting technology because

it doesn’t meet a secure environment,” Wehrenberg said. Wehrenberg sees wearable technology as the future of assistive technology. The main purpose is to blend in rather than stand out, helping the student not only in the classroom but also socially. “They’re coming out with rings that you can wear that help people do things, whether it’s turn on a light or record notes. … It looks like a regular piece of accessory on your body, doesn’t stand out. So I think you’ll see a lot more technology that’s wearable,” Wehrenberg said. The main goal of all the new technologies is to make sure kids with disabilities get the same chance to learn, socialize, and develop as kids without a disability. “Trying to figure out what needs to be in place for our kiddos to be out in the community, including school, as much as possible is really important to their development and their lifetime safety,” O’Conner said.

ACCESS PRESS SEPTEMBER 2026

Volume 37, Number 9 Pg 9

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Federal Olmstead retreat shifts pressure across the disability service system By Frank Murphy

decisions may be expensive and slow. We’ve already seen the dramatic impact on the disability provider community that the combination of federal Medicaid cuts and withheld state payments from CMS have had (based on provider fraud and abuse). Dismantling HCBS capacity could leave states with high rebuilding costs and renewed legal exposure if courts or a future administration reject the current federal interpretation.

The federal government’s retreat from longstanding Olmstead enforcement is beginning to shift more responsibility onto the systems that people with disabilities rely on every day — state Medicaid programs, home- and community-based service providers, families and disability-rights organizations. The legal rights themselves have not disappeared. But the federal government’s willingness to enforce them has radically changed.

A growing geographic divide in federal courts

A shift in federal enforcement, not the law itself

On June 18, the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel concluded that neither Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act nor Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act creates a general requirement that states provide services in the most integrated setting appropriate. The opinion also said DOJ and the Department of Health and Human Services exceeded their authority in adopting regulations imposing a broader integration mandate. Then, on July 20, 2026 DOJ announced that it would no longer rely on its longstanding Olmstead guidance when enforcing Title II. For years, that guidance helped states, advocates and courts apply Olmstead to real-world problems like waiting lists, budget cuts, service reductions, and people at serious risk of entering institutions. As Access Press reported previously, neither action overturns Olmstead v. L.C. and the 1999 Supreme Court decision remains in effect. Federal integration regulations remain on the books, and existing court orders, consent decrees and settlements remain binding unless they are changed through the courts or other formal legal processes.

The burden of proof shifts to individuals and advocates

The difference is what happens when those protections have to be enforced. A person whose personal-care hours are reduced, whose home-care provider cannot staff authorized shifts or whose Medicaid waiver slot is delayed may still have legal protections. But with no federal investigation and enforcement, that person may have to do more of the work to prove that the loss of services could force them into a nursing home, hospital or another institutional setting. For many, that’s a heavy lift to collect records, appeal service decisions and find legal help before a crisis becomes irreversible. Protection and Advocacy organizations, legal-aid groups and private attorneys become much more important when federal enforcement disappears.

Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson were plaintiffs in the Olmstead Decision The domino effect: Families as the unpaid safety net The problem rarely begins at the door of an institution. Community living often depends on a complex web of housing, transportation, personal assistance, behavioral-health, and employment supports all working together. A failure in one area can destabilize the rest. When formal services break down, families often become the backup system. The current strain on family members is well-documented. It could get much worse. Parents, spouses and other unpaid caregivers may have to reduce work hours or leave jobs entirely to provide care that had previously been delivered through HCBS.

Workforce strain and the illusion of “choice”

Providers are part of that same chain reaction. Even without a formal repeal of federal regulations, providers may have to make workforce, contracting and capital decisions in an environment where federal enforcement policy, existing regulations and court precedent point in very different directions. That matters because a legal right to community services has limited practical value when the workers and organizations needed to provide those services are unavailable. Provider exits and staffing shortages can make individual “choice” largely fictitious, particularly where networks are already fragile.

State policymakers face mounting Medicaid pressures While the Minnesota Legislature

won’t reconvene until next year, state policymakers across the country are now making decisions in the middle of that uncertainty. The OLC opinion is an Executive Branch interpretation, not a court ruling. States may still be bound by federal regulations, Medicaid requirements, waiver agreements, state laws, contracts and existing court orders. That makes decisions about Medicaid changes like provider rates, waiver slots, eligibility rules, and servicehour limits more consequential, not less. A budget change that looks like a line item in a state appropriation can determine whether someone receives enough support to stay at home or not. Remember that last November Congress passed more than $900 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years. It’s worth noting that according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the last time Congress cut Medicaid rates, 40 states reduced home-care spending by serving fewer people and 47 states cut benefits or long-term-care provider payment rates. Many states have already done so, including Minnesota. The legislature that adjourned in May cut $250 million from future Medicaid spending over the next two years. More cuts are expected next year.

The irreversible cost of losing community infrastructure

There is also a practical problem that cannot be solved simply by changing policy later. Community-based infrastructure takes time to build. If providers close, workers leave the field or states invest heavily in institutional facilities, reversing those

Federal courts are also divided over whether a person has to enter an institution before challenging a policy that places them at serious risk of institutionalization. The Fifth Circuit has rejected claims based only on serious risk. The 11th Circuit ruled this year that serious risk can be actionable, and Ninth Circuit precedent also recognizes preventive claims. That creates a troubling geographic divide. A disabled person facing the loss of home-care services may have a stronger ability to stop institutionalization in one state than in another. As federal enforcement recedes, state budgets, provider capacity and local legal resources may play an even greater role in determining whether someone can remain in the community.

Local advocacy must fill the federal void

The disability-rights infrastructure is still there. Strong disability organizations remain on guard for enforcement and advocacy. The Disability Law Center, Centers for Independent Living, ombuds programs and state civil-rights offices remain avenues for enforcement and advocacy. We’ll be watching to see how the state Minnesota Olmstead Implementation Office and its new executive director respond to these new changes. All those systems may now be asked to do more with less federal involvement. The danger is not that Olmstead disappeared overnight. It is that the structures that made the decision useful before institutionalization occurred may become weaker or more uneven from state to state. For disabled people, families and providers, that is not an abstract legal distinction. Once the disability support system thins even further, and someone enters an institution, rebuilding the supports that made community living possible can take much longer than changing a federal policy. The question is whether the system will respond before that happens.

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SEPTEMBER 2026 Volume 37, Number 9

ACCESS PRESS

PEOPLE + PLACES

How Ryan Haack is helping the next generation embrace their ‘awesome’

By Joey Carlson

said. “Seeing Jack’s confidence grow and watching him feel like a star in his own school community is really, really cool.” Their story reached an even broader audience when a short documentary chronicling their relationship won a People’s Choice Telly Award. While the recognition was gratifying, the true highlight came when Jack received his own award trophy.

When he was young, Ryan Haack never thought of himself as limited or a person with a disability. Born missing his left arm just below the elbow, he navigated childhood surrounded by a support system featuring a big loving family, encouraging teachers, and a ton of friends. The fact that he only had one hand was obvious, but to young Ryan, it ranked low on his list of daily worries. “I knew that I only had one hand, but it was kind of down the list of things that I was concerned with,” Haack recalled. “I was very athletic, I wanted to play a lot of sports, and I was a pretty funny kid who liked being the center of attention.” That self-assured attitude showed up early. After the first day of fourth grade, Haack’s mother received a phone call from his teacher thanking her for having Ryan introduce his limb difference to the class. His mother was surprised, she had instructed no such thing. Haack had simply taken the floor on his own initiative: “Hey, my name’s Ryan, I was born with one hand, it’s not that big of a deal. Does anybody have any questions?” Haack laughed remembering the story. “I just took it upon myself to get it out of the way so we could move on.”

Normalizing differences in the classroom

During Haack’s school visits, he tackles kids’ curiosity directly, inviting them to ask whatever is on their minds. “Kids’ brains work overtime trying to figure out how this affects me,” Haack explained. “My all-time favorite question was when a kid asked me, ‘How many bones do you have?’ I was blown away because I’d never thought about it, but with half an arm missing, I really do have significantly fewer bones!” Haack also uses engaging challenges to build empathy among students without disabilities. He often challenges students to go home and try putting on their socks or pulling on a shirt using only their right hand. “They get so excited to try it, and it gives them a firsthand appreciation for how we adapt.”

Mastering the daily life through trial and error Growing up without adaptive equipment, Haack approached everyday tasks and athletics through pure trial and error. While strangers often assumed he played soccer because hands weren’t allowed, Haack gravitated toward baseball, basketball, football, track, and golf, not to mention playing multiple instruments across concert and jazz bands in middle and high school. On the baseball diamond, Haack pitched and played all across the field, mastering a lightning-fast glove transfer that continues to stun audiences: catching the ball, pinning the glove against his chest, sliding the mitt under his left arm, and letting the ball roll down into his throwing hand in a single, fluid motion. “When I talk at school assemblies, showing that ball transfer is my favorite part at the end,” Haack said. “It’s like a magic trick… the kids kind of lose their minds when they see it.” Haack learned early on that opponents often underestimated him at first, only to realize quickly that he was a fierce competitor and surprisingly athletic. Today, when anxious parents ask him how their children with limb differences will ever participate in sports or daily

Advocacy in the community and beyond Children always have lots of questions after Ryan Haack speaks. routines, Haack offers simple, reassuring advice, “If your kid wants to do something, they’ll figure it out. There’s usually a way to get it done.”

presentations where Haack shared a core message: differences are not flaws to be pitied, but the very qualities that make each person unique and capable.

Finding community and paying it forward

A full-circle bond: Mentoring Jack

Despite Haack’s confidence, one glaring reality marked his youth: he grew up on an island without ever seeing or meeting another person with a limb difference. It wasn’t until he reached his thirties that Haack discovered the broader limb-difference community online. Seeing how isolated many children and families still felt sparked a calling. Haack launched Living One-Handed, an outreach platform and blog dedicated to offering practical life hacks, humor, and encouragement. In 2015, Haack published the acclaimed children’s book Different Is Awesome!, inspired by a childhood memory of his younger brother, Joey, bringing Ryan to school for show-and-tell. The book quickly resonated nationwide, leading to school visits and keynote

Nowhere has that mission been more evident than in Haack’s bond with a young boy named Jack. Their connection began with a serendipitous social media post. When Different Is Awesome! entered its sixth printing, Haack realized he didn’t own a copy from an earlier run. He posted a callout on Facebook offering to trade a signed copy for an earlier edition. Jack’s family had one, and the exchange ignited a lasting mentorship. Over the years, Haack visited Jack’s school, spent time with his family, and hosted community meetups for families navigating limb differences. For Jack, having Haack in his corner meant having a role model who had walked the path before him. “Seeing them have the ability to connect with so many other kids in so many ways has been amazing,” Haack

Haack’s passion for inclusion extends well beyond youth advocacy. For over two decades, he has worked with Medica, serving as a dedicated Medicaid advocate. Working directly with lowerincome individuals and families on the margins of the healthcare system has deepened his commitment to equity. “Working with populations who are in the margins or need more assistance gives me a leg up in recognizing barriers and fighting for them,” Haack said. “Medica has been incredibly supportive of my school visits, literacy nights, and outreach.” Looking to the future, Haack plans to expand his speaking engagements into corporate and organizational settings. “Kids need to hear this message, but adults need to hear it just as much,” Haack noted. “When I speak to adults, it surprises them how much they needed that reminder that we are all valuable just the way we are.” From figuring out how to tie his shoes alone to inspiring rooms of schoolchildren and mentoring kids like Jack, Ryan Haack continues to prove that differences aren’t always limitations. Differences can also be awesome.

Minnesota strengthens accommodation rights under Human Rights Act By Access Press Staff

On August 1, Minnesotans with disabilities gained vital legal ground. Long-awaited amendments to the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) officially took effect, explicitly establishing that failing to engage in an interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations is an unfair discriminatory practice. The update closes a persistent barrier, fundamentally shifting how accommodation requests must be handled across the state.

The road to reform

When the Minnesota Legislature first added disability protections to the MHRA in 1973, it marked a progressive step toward equality. Over the ensuing decades, however, advocates observed a recurring systemic issue: while state and federal laws required “reasonable accommodations,” entities frequently avoided accountability simply by ignoring requests or issuing flat denials without discussion. Building on recent legislative modernization—which expanded disability definitions to include episodic

conditions in remission and introduced caregiver protections—lawmakers passed legislation this spring to mandate direct dialogue. Championed by disability advocates and community leaders, the updated statute makes clear that the interactive process is no longer merely an informal recommendation; it is an enforceable civil right under Minnesota Statutes § 363A.02.

Key implications

The August 1 changes carry broad implications for daily life across Minnesota: • Mandatory good-faith dialogue: Employers, housing providers, educational institutions, businesses, and government agencies can no longer dismiss an accommodation request out of hand. They are legally expected to participate in a collaborative dialogue to explore potential solutions. • Broad scope beyond the workplace: While the interactive process is traditionally associated with employment, Minnesota’s statute embeds this requirement across housing, education, public accommodations, and public services. • Direct grounds for enforcement: If

an entity ignores a request or refuses to discuss alternatives, an individual now has clear statutory grounds to file a discrimination complaint with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) or pursue civil remedies—even before proving whether a specific final accommodation was viable.

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ACCESS PRESS SEPTEMBER 2026

Volume 37, Number 9 Pg 11

PEOPLE + PLACES

Finding a voice and building connections through artwork

Diana Dede Decker stands smiling in front of latch hook rug. By John Kuziej

From a dip of a paint pen to a stroke of a paintbrush, artists across the Twin Cities use a variety of tools and mediums to turn their ideas into art. “Artists come in, and they might have a clear idea of what they want to work on, or they might be exploring different mediums and techniques, and we kind of help them find their voice,” Lauren Hughes, the director of arts development at Fresh Eye Arts & Gallery, said. Fresh Eye Arts & Gallery has three studio locations, in Eagan, Brooklyn Park and St. Paul. It serves more than 60 artists with disabilities, helping them submit their work to exhibitions and find opportunities to sell it locally and nationally.

Helping artists through the barriers

For many artists, there are a lot of barriers when trying to get their work into shows. They not only give artists opportunities to showcase their work in exhibitions, but also help with online form submissions, putting together a resume, and documenting their work. “We kind of view it from, you know, an equity standpoint of helping them submit to shows and other things outside of our gallery,” Hughes said.

Building community connections

And while they serve artists with disabilities, they also aim to build connections through an inclusive space. “The arts are a great way to, you know, bring communities together,” Hughes said. Now in its 12th year, Eye to Eye pairs artists from Fresh Eye Arts & Gallery

Enriching Lives Since 1988

with artists from the wider community to create collaborative work. Artists are paired based on their interests and working style, rather than their disability status. Sometimes both artists have disabilities; other times one artist has a disability while the other does not, or both artists have no disability at all. The most important thing is to make that connection. “We pair artists together based on what mediums they’re working in, what they want to get out of the project, the type of atmosphere they like to work in, if they like loud social spaces or if they want to do something more quietly. So really, every artist pair kind of works in their own way. So there’s no wrong way to do it,” Hughes said. The exhibition offers an opportunity for artists across different art disciplines, communities, and abilities. “The biggest takeaway that we’ve seen from the gallery is just those community connections and helping the artists build relationships with people that form organically, you know, help them expand their network and connect with other artists who are excited about what they’re doing and vice versa,” Hughes said. These relationships built between artists have gone beyond the exhibition. “We’ve definitely had artists from our Eye to Eye project who were paired together to make work, and then they continued working together, independent of us coordinating anything. They just kind of build a friendship,” Hughes said. As the organization continues to grow, Hughes says the hope is to create even more opportunities for artists to connect with the broader community and support the artists any way they can. “There’s always more to be discovered,”

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Diana Dede Decker holds a rug displaying latch hook artwork.

Latch hook rug displays bright colors and animals. Hughes said. “We’re hoping to invite people into our studios more and just looking for more collaborations and finding ways to increase opportunities for the artists that we support.”

Current Exhibition

Artist Diana “Dede” Decker will showcase her latch hook work in a solo exhibition through September 27. “It’s all latch hook work. So that’s like a mesh canvas that the artist pulls the yarn through individually, strand by

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strand using a hook,” Hughes said. Decker began latch hooking in the 1990s, and her work is inspired by all the things she loves. “She fills these wall hangings with just everything that brings her joy. So it’s cats and dogs and puppies and kittens, nature elements like flowers and trees. She likes to use a lot of bright colors,” Hughes said.

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