Monday, November 16, 2020
Monday, November 9, 2020
11/15 #CripTheVote Post-Election Hangout
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Graphic with an aqua background with a Black Twitter bird icon on the left and two speech bubbles on the right. Text: #CripTheVote Twitter Chat, Post-Election Hangout, Sunday, November 15, 2020, http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/ |
Whew … it’s been some week, some year, and some 4 years. The co-partners of #CripTheVote, Andrew Pulrang, Gregg Beratan, and Alice Wong, invite you to a Twitter chat on November 15, 2020, 7 pm Eastern to share your thoughts about the 2020 election. Please note this will be a 30-minute chat.
How to Participate
Follow @GreggBeratan @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility. When it’s time for the chat, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for the series of live tweets under the ‘Latest’ tab for the full conversation.
If you don’t use Twitter, you can follow along in real time here: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote
If you might be overwhelmed by the amount of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account. The questions will be Tweeted approximately 6-7 minutes apart.
Another way to participate in the chat is to use this app that allows you to pause the chat if the Tweets are coming at you too fast: http://www.tchat.io/
Here is a link for people who are new to Twitter on starting an account and how to use it: https://help.twitter.com/en/new-user-faq
Here’s an article about how to participate in a Twitter chat: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat/546805/
Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/
Introductory Tweets and Chat Questions
Welcome to the #CripTheVote post-election Twitter chat! Let’s hang and unpack a bit. Remember to use the #CripTheVote hashtag when you tweet. If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote”
Q1 We are glad to have you join us today! How are YOU doing? How are you processing the results and recovering from #Election2020? #CripTheVote
Q2 What are your hopes and concerns for the new Administration led by President Elect @JoeBiden and Vice-President Elect @KamalaHarris? #CripTheVote
Q3 What are some major policy issues and changes in the Administration that are needed to undo the damage to marginalized communities including the disability community? #CripTheVote
Q4 There’s a lot of work ahead. What kinds of advocacy is needed by the disability community to advance our issues both on the ground and in local, state, and federal government? #CripTheVote
Thank you for joining us today! This concludes our #CripTheVote post-election chat. Please keep the conversation going. A recap of this chat will be up shortly. For more: http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/
Sunday, November 1, 2020
Election Night - #CripTheVote
As we approach Election Day and whatever occurs in the days after, here are some helpful resources to help us all manage our worries, hopes, and reactions. Special thanks to Jack Rosen, Voter Engagement Specialist at the National Disability Rights Network for sharing some of these links.
American Association of People with Disabilities
Election Protection
When To Expect Election Results In Every State
Nathaniel Rakich and Elena Mejía - FiveThirtyEight.com
American Association of People with Disabilities
Election night marks the end of one phase of campaign 2020 – and the start of another
Drew Desilver - Pew Research Center
Social Media Toolkit: Managing Expectations for Election Results & Why We Must #CountEveryVote
How We Manage November 3rd And Beyond
Voting Rights Lab
Feel free to join us on Twitter anytime to discuss the results and ongoing developments as they happen. Just include the hashtag #CripTheVote to add your tweets and replies to the conversation. Whatever happens and whatever the outcome, lets continue to support each other and keep the disability community involved and engaged!
Sunday, October 25, 2020
#CripTheVote graphic by artist Micah Bazant
Many thanks to artist Micah Bazant for creating this image just for #CripTheVote! Feel free to share and be sure to check out and support Micah's artwork: https://www.micahbazant.com/
Q&A with Jack Rosen, Voter Engagement Specialist at the National Disability Rights Network
Tell us a little about yourself!
I have ADHD and other learning disabilities which made studying certain subjects a struggle. History, writing and government were always what interested me and what I seemed to excel at in school and what really captured my interest. I also always wanted to fight to ensure other students with learning disabilities would have the same support and opportunities I had growing up, so becoming politically active was kind of a natural fit.
What is your role at National Disability Rights Network and what are some things you are currently working on as Election Day approaches?
I am the National Disability Rights Network’s Voter Engagement Specialist. I create content to get people excited to vote, help expand our get out the vote efforts, and provide training and technical assistance to the P&A network. As Election Day approaches we are releasing several more videos for our series sharing that highlights the issues that matter to activists and everyday voters with disabilities.
For disabled people who encounter barriers accessing voter information or casting a ballot independently and privately, what can they do? What are some resources or places they can contact?
You can contact your local member of the Protection and Advocacy Network for any questions you have about casting your ballot independently or what accessible options you have to do so! You can find your at https://www.ndrn.org/about/ndrn-member-agencies/.
You can also call your local county election’s office, to ask in advance what accessible voting options are available. If for any reason they refuse to provide accessible options, you should contact your state’s P&A as well as the Election Protection Hotline at 866-Our-Vote (you can also text that number or use the chat function on their website 866ourvote.org)
Voting remains difficult for many disabled people across the country and during this pandemic in particular. What are some concerns you have that will impact voter turnout?
This election is a bit odd, in that turnout is likely to surge for certain segments of the disability, but not others. The proliferation of vote by mail, and especially accessible absentee ballots, combined with the spread of early voting, have the potential to make voting easier for a large number of people with disabilities. However this is not going to be the case across the board. Unfortunately not every jurisdiction has accessible absentee ballots available, and that is going to negatively impact turnout in those areas for voters who are blind or have certain disabilities that make it difficult for them to fill out a paper ballot or use a non-accessible machine.
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to turnout this year are folks in congregate settings, such as group or nursing homes. A lot of those individuals have had very little outside contact since the start of the pandemic, and in some areas we have seen resistance to bringing in people to assist with the voting process in those settings due to fear of spreading COVID. So there are folks in these settings who aren’t getting the support they need to cast their vote, and that is a big problem.
Finally we are concerned about the impact long lines could have. For voters with limited mobility, chronic pain, or other disabilities the length of these lines is a real concern. No one should have to wait hours to vote, and long lines could have a disproportionate impact on those voters.
Why are you passionate about voter engagement? What plans do you have on voter outreach and education in 2021 and beyond since people should care every year, not just during midterm and Presidential elections?
I’m passionate about voter engagement, because I think a lot of people don’t realize how much power we have as voters. I’m not here to say voting is a cure all for every problem facing society, but rather that you genuinely can improve things at a very real level by voting. The individuals we elect can have a tremendous impact on our everyday lives.
Which brings me to the second part of this question. Next year we want to do a series educating voters on the significant role that local elected officials have on setting policies that impact the lives of people with disabilities. Everything from how a local planning commission can impact how accessible the sidewalks are, to how an elected district attorney can impact if people with mental health disabilities get jail or treatment, to how the people you elect to your school board can have an impact when it comes to providing adequate resources for students with disabilities. We want to highlight the connection between deciding who your local elected officials are and the everyday issues that can affect both quality and quantity of life for people with disabilities.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with #CripTheVote?
Visit https://voterswithdisabilities.org We have a great collection of videos featuring a range of voters talking about all the issues that matter to them. And feel free to use the link to submit your story! We are always trying to get the stories of voters with disabilities out there to create the representation that is often lacking in mainstream get out the vote campaigns. We want to share your story, what issues matter to you, and what motivates you to be politically active.
ABOUT JACK ROSEN
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| Jack Rosen smiling faintly at the camera. He is a white man in his 20s, has brown hair and a short brown beard. He is wearing a blue blazer with a pink shirt and stands in front of a blurred background of grass, trees and an office building. |
Diagnosed with ADHD and other learning disabilities as a child, Jack’s parents had to fight his school district to ensure they honored his IEP. In high school he spent two years at Winston Prep in New York City, a school focused on enabling those with learning disabilities to succeed. While there he witnessed his friends and classmates, who were attending with government funding, have to go through annual tests to prove they still needed the services that Winston provided and could not be sent back to the schools that had failed them in the past. While Jack was fortunate enough not need to do these tests, watching the stress it caused his classmates had a profound impact on him as he was exposed to the inequity of the education system. After two years in New York City, he returned to upstate New York, where he graduated from Doane Stuart in 2012.
At Skidmore College, he earned a B.A. in Government. During his junior year, he was inadvertently elected to student government, and ended up serving for two years representing student club presidents. There he fought for reforms within the student government system, to give the student run clubs greater representation. In college he interned for a local newspaper, an affordable housing lender he would later work at, and Sen. Chuck Schumer. In 2016, during his senior year of college, Jack joined the state senate campaign for a local union organizer. As Communications and Regional Field Director, Jack helped implement voter contact strategies.
After the campaign Jack spent a year working in the affordable housing industry. In 2018 he moved to Washington DC to earn an M.A in American Government from Georgetown University. After completing his degree, Jack worked as a freelance strategic communications consultant before joining the National Disability Rights Network in 2020. At NDRN, Jack develops non-partisan messaging to engage and increase participation of voters with disabilities in the electoral process. He collaborates with civil and disability rights organizations to enhance voter engagement nationally.
In his spare time he enjoys skiing, playing video games and rooting for his beloved and beleaguered New York Jets.
Twitter: @JackRosen94 and @NDRNadvocates
Monday, October 12, 2020
Monday, September 28, 2020
Sunday, September 27, 2020
October 11, 2020 - Twitter Chat: SCOTUS Vacancy and Nominee
Supreme Court Vacancy and Nominee
Sunday, October 11, 2020
7-7:30 pm Eastern
The co-partners of #CripTheVote, Andrew Pulrang, Gregg Beratan, and Alice Wong, invite you to a Twitter chat about recent vacancy on the Supreme Court of the United States and the nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Please note this will be a short chat, only 30 minutes!
How to Participate
Follow @GreggBeratan @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility. When it’s time for the chat, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for the series of live tweets under the ‘Latest’ tab for the full conversation.
If you don’t use Twitter, you can follow along in real time here: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote
If you might be overwhelmed by the amount of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account. The questions will be Tweeted approximately 6-8 minutes apart.
Another way to participate in the chat is to use this app that allows you to pause the chat if the Tweets are coming at you too fast: http://www.tchat.io/
Here is a link for people who are new to Twitter on starting an account and how to use it: https://help.twitter.com/en/new-user-faq
Here’s an article about how to participate in a Twitter chat: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat/546805/
Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/
Introductory Tweets and Chat Questions
Welcome to the #CripTheVote Twitter chat on #SCOTUS vacancy and nominee, Judge Amy Coney Barrett. Remember today's chat will be 30 minutes. If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote”
Please note: SCOTUS stands for the Supreme Court of the United States. It is the highest court in the country and one of 3 branches of the Federal government. https://www.supremecourt.gov/ For more about #SCOTUS: https://www.scotusblog.com/ #CripTheVote
Q1 Because each Supreme Court justice has a lifetime appointment, vacancies are rare. How did you respond to the news of the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18th? https://www.npr.org/2020/09/18/100306972/justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg-champion-of-gender-equality-dies-at-87 #CripTheVote
With the Senate controlled by Republicans, the Senate Majority Leader pledged to have a vote on a #SCOTUS nominee this year. https://www.npr.org/sections/death-of-ruth-bader-ginsburg/2020/09/21/915383957/mcconnell-reiterates-pledge-to-vote-on-trumps-supreme-court-nominee-this-year.
Q2 Why does the timing of the vote to confirm a new member of the Supreme Court matter, especially during an election year? What concerns do you have about the plans to fast track the hearings and vote by Senator Mitch McConnell and the Republican majority? #CripTheVote
On Saturday, September 26th, the President announced the choice of Judge Amy Coney Barrett as nominee to #SCOTUS to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Q3 What do you know about Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s decisions and her positions on major political issues? What’s at stake if she is confirmed? #CripTheVote
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham announced the confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett will begin Oct. 12, 2020. https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/chairman-graham-announces-hearing-dates-for-judge-barretts-supreme-court-nomination #CripTheVote #SCOTUS
Q4 What kinds of structural changes would you like to see with #SCOTUS in the future? What groundwork has to happen and what actions can people take now? #CripTheVote
This concludes our short #CripTheVote chat on the #SCOTUS vacancy and nominee. Please keep the conversation going. A recap of this chat will be up shortly. For more: http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/
Monday, September 14, 2020
Saturday, September 5, 2020
September 13, 2020 #CripTheVote Chat on Voter Suppression
#CripTheVote Twitter Chat On Voter Suppression
September 13, 2020
7-8 pm Eastern
The co-partners of #CripTheVote, Andrew Pulrang, Gregg Beratan, and Alice Wong, invite you to a Twitter chat about voter suppression with Dom Kelly, Development Manager at Fair Fight Action, a national Georgia-based voting rights organization founded by Stacey Abrams with a mission to fight voter suppression.
For more about Dom:
Dom Kelly is a person with Cerebral Palsy, a lifelong disability justice advocate, and a passionate progressive. In addition to working in politics, Dom is a longtime musician, and as a member of his band A Fragile Tomorrow, he, alongside his two brothers, recorded and toured around the world with artists like Indigo Girls, Joan Baez, The Bangles, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and more. After the loss of his triplet brother Paul at the age of 6, Dom and his identical brother Sean helped start a program in their local school district that taught kids about disabilities. When he's not working to protect democracy and dreaming about helping progressives with disabilities run for office, Dom is at home in Atlanta with his wife Catie, their dog Vivi, and their cat Pippi Longstocking most likely having a dance party in their living room.
Twitter: @the_tattooedjew
How to Participate
Follow @GreggBeratan @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility and @the_tattooedjew. When it’s time for the chat, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for the series of live tweets under the ‘Latest’ tab for the full conversation.
If you don’t use Twitter, you can follow along in real time here: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote
If you might be overwhelmed by the amount of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account. The questions will be Tweeted approximately 6-7 minutes apart.
Another way to participate in the chat is to use this app that allows you to pause the chat if the Tweets are coming at you too fast: http://www.tchat.io/
Here is a link for people who are new to Twitter on starting an account and how to use it: https://help.twitter.com/en/new-user-faq
Here’s an article about how to participate in a Twitter chat: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat/546805/
Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/
Introductory Tweets and Chat Questions
Welcome to the #CripTheVote Twitter chat on voter suppression with @the_tattooedjew. Remember to use the #CripTheVote hashtag when you tweet. If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote”
“Voter suppression” is any effort to discourage voting by certain populations or in certain regions in order to benefit a particular party or candidate. Because it’s generally considered unacceptable to openly tell people not to vote, suppression efforts are usually disguised as something else, like “preventing voter fraud” — even though voter fraud is extremely rare. Alongside long-term barriers that make the voting process difficult for everyone, voter suppression makes it even harder for certain people to vote, which undermines our democracy.
Q1 Voter suppression is nothing new. What are some examples of voter suppression tactics you are concerned about in the lead up to the election in November? #CripTheVote
Q2 What is the role of the Census in voter suppression and inequality when communities are undercounted #CripTheVote
Q3 Various states have made it more difficult for people to register to vote. What kinds of improvements do you want to see on voter registration in your state & nationally? #CripTheVote
Q4 What kind of training should election officials and poll workers have to ensure that disabled people can vote independently and privately? #CripTheVote
This year there has been an explicit effort to undermine voting-by-mail with cuts in funding with the US Postal Service https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/13/donald-trump-usps-post-office-election-funding
Q5 If you plan to vote by mail this year what are your concerns and are you taking any steps to ensure your ballot will be received in time? #CripTheVote
Q6 Voting by mail is inaccessible for some disabled voters. Why is it important to have different ways for people to vote this November? What are some ways you will try to stay safe if you plan to vote in person during the pandemic? #CripTheVote
Some states, including Georgia, have weaponized the ADA for voter suppression. For example, the 2018 midterm elections in GA: https://www.ndrn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/NDRN_Blocking_the_Ballot_Box_2020.pdf #CripTheVote
Q7 How is the closure of polling sites both racist and ableist? How does it erase Black and brown disabled voters who are multiply disenfranchised by these voter suppression tactics? #CripTheVote
Q8 What are some of the voter protections in place that every voter should know about? What resources do you recommend for reporting voter suppression and other illegal actions? #CripTheVote
This concludes our short #CripTheVote chat on voter suppression with guest host @the_tattooedjew. Please keep the conversation going. A recap of this chat will be up shortly. For more: http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/
And be sure to join us on 9/27 for our next #CripTheVote chat on #COVID19 and the 2020 Election! http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/2020/05/may-31-2020-cripthevote-chat.html
Monday, August 17, 2020
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
August 16, 2020: #CripTheVote Chat on Democratic Vice-Presidential Nominee
7:00 - 7:30 PM Eastern, 4:00 - 4:30 PM Pacific
The co-partners of #CripTheVote, Andrew Pulrang, Gregg Beratan, and Alice Wong, invite you to a Twitter chat about the recent announcement that Senator Kamala Harris is presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s choice to be his Vice-Presidential running mate in the 2020 Election. Please note this will be a short chat, only 30 minutes!
How to Participate
Follow @GreggBeratan @AndrewPulrang @DisVisibility. When it’s time for the chat, search #CripTheVote on Twitter for the series of live tweets under the ‘Latest’ tab for the full conversation.
If you don’t use Twitter, you can follow along in real time here: http://twubs.com/CripTheVote
If you might be overwhelmed by the amount of tweets and only want to see the chat’s questions so you can respond to them, check @DisVisibility’s account. The questions will be Tweeted approximately 6-8 minutes apart.
Another way to participate in the chat is to use this app that allows you to pause the chat if the Tweets are coming at you too fast: http://www.tchat.io/
Here is a link for people who are new to Twitter on starting an account and how to use it: https://help.twitter.com/en/new-user-faq
Here’s an article about how to participate in a Twitter chat: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat/546805/
Check out this captioned ASL explanation of how to participate in a chat by @behearddc https://www.facebook.com/HEARDDC/videos/1181213075257528/
Introductory Tweets and Chat Questions
Welcome to the #CripTheVote Twitter chat on the Democratic candidate for Vice President, Senator Kamala Harris. Remember to use the #CripTheVote hashtag when you tweet. If you respond to a question such as Q1, your tweet should follow this format: “A1 [your message] #CripTheVote”
Q1 Before we start, it’s been a LONG time since we had a #CripTheVote chat! How are YOU doing lately? This has been some year. If you feel comfortable, share how you are holding up.
Q2 What was your response to the announcement on August 11, 2020 by @JoeBiden that @KamalaHarris is his pick for Vice President? https://joebiden.com/together-we-will-beat-donald-trump/ #CripTheVote
Q3 What kinds of questions, concerns, or thoughts do you have about a Biden/Harris ticket in contrast with Trump/Pence? #CripTheVote
Q4 What disability policies and issues would you like to see @KamalaHarris address during the upcoming debates and other events? #CripTheVote
This concludes our short #CripTheVote chat on the Democratic candidate for Vice President. Please keep the conversation going. A recap of this chat will be up shortly. For more: http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/
And be sure to join us on 8/30/20 for our next #CripTheVote chat on #COVID19 and the 2020 Election! http://cripthevote.blogspot.com/2020/05/may-31-2020-cripthevote-chat.html