City of Portland Oregon Disability Connection

04/08/2026

Hi friends!

I know those are you who travel know how awesome PDX airport is! I don't know if you know that I have been volunteering with the airport since 2008!

If you've been through the airport in the last two years, you know they've been doing a lot! And there's still more to come… If you interested in aerospace or are a big fan of the airport or travel a lot or a little, you might want to check out these opportunities to engage with them on all the things that are happening and going to be happening in the new master plan!

In-Person Open House: Vancouver
When: Sat., April 11, 2026, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Presentations at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m.
Where: West Park Community Room, 610 Esther St, Vancouver, WA 98660
This event takes place during the Vancouver Farmers Market—visit the market’s website for directions and parking information. The event room is fully accessible to people using mobility devices. Signs and balloons will guide you to the space.

In-Person Open House: Portland
When: Sun., April 12, 2026, 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Presentations at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Where: Multnomah County Library – Albina, Room 1A, 205 NE Russell St, Portland, OR 97212
The event room is fully accessible to people using mobility devices. Signs and balloons will guide you to the space. Visit the library’s webpage for directions.

Zoom Webinar
When: Mon., April 20, 2026, 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Where: Register on Zoom. This webinar will include a presentation on the PDX 2045 Recommended Development Strategy with an opportunity to ask questions of the project team

Online Open House throughout April
Can’t make it to the open houses or webinar? Visit our online open house now through Friday, May 1 to learn about the PDX 2045 Recommended Development Strategy and share your questions, comments, and any concerns to help guide how the plan is communicated and implemented.

We connect people and passengers with the world, drive economic growth, and improve our region's quality of life.

07/31/2025

Folks this is not our event but we are sharing it as it sounds like a great opportunity for everyone who has a service animal!



I’m reaching out because, as of this morning, we only have 31 folks registered to participate in this upcoming event at PDX. As a friendly, the Port of Portland, in close partnership with our TSA colleagues and PDX Accessibility Advisory Committee, are hosting a special event at PDX on Saturday, September 20, 2025 to celebrate National Service Dog Day. Our PDX Service Animal Familiarization Day event is designed to help service dogs and their handlers build comfort and confidence in navigating the airport environment.



Participants will have the opportunity to:



Move autonomously through the TSA security checkpoint
Explore post-security areas of the airport
Visit and acclimate to our service animal relief areas
Experience common airport stimuli such as elevators, escalators, and busy public spaces


Please note that this event will not include boarding an aircraft, but is intended to help service animals and handlers become more familiar with the airport experience overall.



Event Details:

Date: Saturday, September 20
Time: 10am-2pm – 1 hour time slots with 25 participants per time slot (NOTE: the 10am timeslot only has space for 7 more individuals)
Parking: Two hours of complimentary parking provided for all participants
Check-In: Registration desk will be located in the pre-security garden area between the ticket counters and TSA checkpoint


We’d love your help spreading the word! You’re welcome and encouraged to forward this message to other organizations you partner and/or work with. As an FYI, we’ve a separate invite to organizations that support service animals (and organizations dedicated to raising and training assistance dogs) including but not limited to Guide Dogs for the Blind and Joys of Living Assistance Dogs.



Space is limited, so we encourage early registration. The registration link can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pdx-service-dog-day-event-tickets-1411229468329?aff=oddtdtcreator



Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.



We hope to see you at PDX!

Join us at PDX on Friday, September 20, for a special event designed to support service dogs and their handlers

07/22/2025

07/17/2025

The 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is around the corner! If you’re celebrating online, don’t forget to include alt-text for your images!

06/07/2025

The Audio Description Project (ADP) and the Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) have expanded our essay contest into the BADIE Blog, with multiple opportunities to be published and win great prizes. The Benefits of Audio Description in Education (BADIE) Blog and essay contest is an exciting chance for students on the blindness spectrum to share their thoughts about AD.

The BADIE Blog will accept entries until June 30. Prize winners will be chosen from the published essays and announced at the start of the next school year.

Go to https://dcmp.org/learn/595-badie-contest-blog for complete details and to submit your entry!

06/06/2025

Need a ride to a job interview, training, or a new job?

Lyft is teaming up with Indeed, Goodwill, and United Way to help people access the transportation they need to gain employment. If you're facing transportation barriers or are someone who is blind or has low vision, you may be eligible for free or discounted rides in select U.S. cities.

Check if this opportunity is available near you: https://www.lyft.com/lyftup/jobs-access/get-help

05/22/2025

05/22/2025

Think Medicaid is just for doctor visits? Think again.

- The wheelchair that helps someone get to work
- The personal aide that allows someone to live within their own home
- The therapy that helps a child speak their first words

Cut Medicaid? You're cutting services that support Americans in living with health and dignitity.

Tell Congress NO CUTS today: https://ow.ly/rMYr50VV2v9

05/09/2025

Earlier this year, a PBS production team visited NLS to collect information for a short video documenting how the creation of “talking books” for blind readers in the mid-1930s led to the audiobook revolution in the publishing industry. Tamara Rorie, head of the NLS Patron Engagement Section, was interviewed on camera about the first audiobooks, which were developed by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) in partnership with the Library of Congress. Rorie also talked about the evolution of NLS audiobook formats, from long-playing records to today’s digital downloads, and her own experiences as a lifelong NLS patron. The 6½-minute video, now available on the American Experience | PBS YouTube page, also includes interviews with AFB’s Tony Stephens and Audible’s Diana Dapito. It’s one of short four videos in “The Curb Cut Effect,” an American Experience series that explores how adaptations originally made to improve accessibility for people with disabilities—such as audiobooks, closed captioning and the addition of easy-grip handles to kitchen tools—now are used by, and benefit, everyone.
Links to multiple versions of the video, which include one with extended audio description and one with on-screen ASL interpretation, are in the first comment below.
[Image: The PBS production team with Tamara Rorie at NLS on February 10.]

05/07/2025

It’s Speech-Language-Hearing Month! Effective communication is an essential part of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA requires public entities (state and local governments) and private entities (businesses and nonprofit organizations that serve the public) to provide auxiliary aids and services to make sure that individuals with speech, hearing and vision disabilities can understand what is said or written and can communicate effectively.

Read our fact sheet on effective communication to learn more: https://adata.org/factsheet/communication