Beyond Resistance: Forging a New North Star for Disability Liberation in America
As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, the nation stands at a precarious crossroads. While the Declaration of Independence promised "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," these ideals have historically remained elusive for the disability community. Today, as the Disability Community (DisCo) navigates a period of heightened political volatility and systemic retrenchment, activists and cultural workers are moving beyond mere survival. They are engaged in a monumental project to define a "North Star"—a collective, visionary framework for a future where disabled people are not just accommodated, but fully liberated.
The Disability Culture Lab (DCL) is spearheading this effort, bringing together a diverse coalition of advocates to counter what they characterize as a modern-day resurgence of eugenics and institutionalization.
The Chronology of Systemic Disinvestment
The current climate of antagonism toward disabled people did not emerge in a vacuum; it has been accelerated by deliberate policy choices at the highest levels of government. Since the start of the current administration, the legislative and executive assault on disability rights has been relentless and multifaceted.
January 2025: The Opening Salvo
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting "wasteful" diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. While framed as a bureaucratic streamlining effort, the move functioned as a de facto reduction in federal support for disabled children’s education, signaling a shift away from the principles of universal access.
Mid-2025 – Early 2026: Financial and Structural Erosion
The administration oversaw the largest cut to Medicaid in U.S. history, directly impacting the 4.5 million disabled individuals who rely on the program for home and community-based services (HCBS). By stripping away the financial scaffolding that allows people to live independently, the policy forced many back into precarious living situations.
Simultaneously, the administration initiated a controversial effort to reduce or eliminate Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for approximately 400,000 disabled adults living with low-income parents. This was coupled with a push to expand the government’s authority to forcibly institutionalize unhoused individuals with mental health or substance use disabilities.
Summer 2026: The Institutional Shift
A defining moment occurred when the federal government transferred the responsibility for educating disabled children from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services. Advocates warn this move essentially recategorizes disabled children as "patients" in need of a cure rather than students entitled to an education, effectively paving the way for the re-segregation of classrooms.
This sequence of events has been compounded by a Department of Justice memo that challenges the established Olmstead mandate, questioning the right of disabled people to reside in their own communities rather than in state-run institutions.
Supporting Data: The Cost of Policy Violence
The impact of these policies is not merely anecdotal; it is structural. The DisCo identifies these actions as "disabling violence"—a term that encompasses the direct harm caused by stripping away resources that are essential for survival.
- Humanitarian Crisis: Reports from human rights organizations have linked current immigration detention policies to a surge in preventable disability and death among non-citizens, highlighting how state violence disproportionately impacts multi-marginalized populations.
- Economic Vulnerability: The proposed cuts to SSI represent a significant reduction in the safety net for disabled adults who are already marginalized by the intersection of poverty and systemic ableism.
- Narrative Control: The administration has frequently utilized rhetoric that aligns with historical eugenics, framing disability as an economic burden. By reframing "inclusion" as "wasteful spending," policymakers have successfully shifted the public discourse, making it easier to justify the withdrawal of civil rights protections.
The "US Political Model of Disability"
In response to these systemic threats, the Disability Culture Lab and their partners have developed a new framework: The US Political Model of Disability. This model departs from the traditional ways society has conceptualized the disability experience:
- The Medical Model: Traditionally viewed disability as a "broken" body to be fixed.
- The Social Model: Argued that society, not the individual, is the source of the "disabling" experience.
- The Political Model (The New Framework): This approach posits that all forms of oppression are inherently disabling. It asserts that disability is a neutral identity, but that the act of "disabling" someone—through policy, lack of access, or state-sanctioned violence—is a deliberate act of political harm. It holds that billionaire-backed policies and government systems actively manufacture disability to maintain power structures.
By adopting this model, the disability justice movement is shifting its focus from seeking "charity" or "accommodation" to identifying and dismantling the political engines that create inequality.
Building the North Star: A Collective Vision
Recognizing that they cannot fight a 250-year-old system of exclusion alone, the DCL convened nearly 50 disabled leaders, artists, academics, and organizers—including the late, iconic activist Alice Wong—to co-design a "Movement North Star."
The process, supported by the Ford Foundation’s Creativity and Freedom of Expression grant, was as radical as the goal itself. It involved:
- Inclusivity by Design: All sessions utilized Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) and American Sign Language (ASL).
- Radical Compensation: Recognizing that disability labor is often exploited, every participant was paid a $500 stipend, with an additional $1,000 for community editors who synthesized the discussions.
- Consensus-Building: The project resulted in a formal "North Star Memo," signed by 24 organizations and over 30 leaders. This document now serves as a blueprint for narrative interventions, protest art, and policy advocacy.
Implications for the Next 250 Years
The implications of this shift are profound. The disability justice movement is no longer solely focused on reactive defense. Instead, they are building a "Community of Practice" that prioritizes interdependence over rugged individualism.
The Power of Interdependence
As outlined in the principles of Sins Invalid, the movement rejects the state’s attempt to pit neighbors against one another. By fostering cultures of radical inclusion, the DisCo aims to build a parallel power structure that can withstand political cycles. Whether through the creation of "streetwear" that carries political messaging, the painting of murals, or the drafting of rigorous policy briefings, the movement is creating a cohesive cultural identity that transcends the isolation typical of the disabled experience.
Resistance as Strategy
The movement acknowledges that resistance is a baseline requirement. With the current administration’s reliance on tear gas, violent arrests, and the systematic erosion of civil rights, the need for immediate, localized defense of disabled lives is urgent. However, the "North Star" provides the secondary, long-term necessity: a vision of a world that is not just survivable, but flourishing.
Future Outlook
Over the coming year, the Disability Culture Lab intends to roll out a series of briefings and creative initiatives designed to socialize this new political model. The goal is to move the public away from the "Tragedy" or "Charity" models of the past and toward a recognition of disability as a vibrant, essential part of the human experience that is currently being suppressed by state-sponsored greed.
The message from the DisCo is clear: The first 250 years of the American experiment failed to include disabled people as equals. The next 250 years will not be built on the same foundations. By defining their own liberation through the lens of political agency and collective interdependence, the disability community is not merely asking for a seat at the table—they are designing a new table entirely.
About the Authors
Kenrya Rankin is the Managing Director for the Disability Culture Lab. A Black, disabled, queer woman and award-winning author, she has spent over 25 years in editorial and narrative strategy, specializing in Black resistance and disability justice.
Meier Galblum Haigh is the founding Executive Director of the Disability Culture Lab. A nonbinary, disabled strategist with over 15 years of experience in movement building, they have previously supported major social justice movements including #BlackLivesMatter and the Women’s March.
