FISA Foundation

Pittsburgh Center for Disability Justice is hosting a virtual skill share on Sep 29, 2026, at 06:30 PM, focused on tenant rights and Pittsburgh-specific protections, including how local laws can help fill gaps.
The session will feature Rachel Shepherd, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations, Pittsburgh’s civil rights law enforcement agency. Rachel is committed to empowering Pittsburghers to understand their rights, challenge discrimination, and help build a more inclusive and equitable city.

Come learn about housing protections within the city with us! Share widely! https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/3R3FsVE9S-K6e-cYHWR1og

Registration required, ASL and CC provided. This event will NOT be recorded or streamed!

[IMAGE : A flyer for an event. Dark gray text on a light blue background reads :

Housing protections in Pittsburgh : A virtual skill share. 9/29/26 6:30pm.

Join PCDJ & Rachel Shepherd to learn about your rights as a Pittsburgh tenant. This 90 minute zoom will include a Q&A! ASL and CC are provided. For other access needs email [email protected]. Registration is REQUIRED!

Pictured are a QU code for registration, Rachel Shepherd, the PCDJ logo, the PCHR logo, and a brownstone building. All are on a sky blue background with clouds.]

Celebrate Disability Pride this Saturday!

Our partners at Disability Pride Pennsylvania are hosting Disability Pride Pittsburgh on Saturday, September 26, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Schenley Plaza.

This FREE community event will feature Mayor Corey O'Connor and Dr. Josie Badger, Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities! There will be resource tables and vendors, family-friendly activities, and accessibility supports, including ASL interpretation, sensory spaces, and a visual guide.

Disability Pride Pittsburgh is THIS SATURDAY!!

Saturday, September 26
12 PM - 4 PM (please note that this year's event start time is different than prior years)
Meet us at Schenley Plaza, 4100 Forbes Avenue - we'll be set up on the opposite corner of the plaza.

We have speakers from 12 - 12:30 includes Kick off speaker Mayor Corey O'Conner and Key Note speaker Dr Josie Badger

There will be 55+ resource tables and vendors

Make sure to check out the oversized games, face painter, caricature artist, and airbrush tattoo artist

Two options for sensory spaces: inside of Carnegie Library in the Director's Room (masks required) or outside talk a walk across the street to the Mary Schenley Fountain (quieter space with benches)

ASL provided during speeches and then they will be available to assist participants one on one. A visual guide is available for participants who are blind or have low vision. Please come to the Disability Pride table to access these services.

There are two dedicated tented areas with tables and seating: one near the stage area and one near Dippy the Dinosaur.

More information at DisabilityPridePA.org/pittsburgh

What would your workplace look like if employees with disabilities were fully supported to lead, innovate, and shape organizational culture?
Join FISA Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and The Pittsburgh Foundation for Cultivating Authentic Leadership of Employees with Disabilities, a conversation about fostering workplace cultures where disabled professionals can thrive and lead authentically. Learn from leaders with disabilities as they share insights on accessibility, career growth, disclosure, and building more inclusive organizations.
September 23, 2026 | 1:00 to 2:30 PM ET
Register today:

Cultivating Authentic Leadership of Employees with Disabilities Part of the Race + Disability Initiative, a partnership of FISA Foundation, The Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is hosting an upcoming webinar, Serving Survivors in Challenging Times, on September 30th, featuring experts from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The session will offer housing professionals and advocates valuable insights on how to better support domestic violence survivors by deepening their understanding of economic justice and the importance of stable housing.

🔔Join us for our September Fair Housing Empower Hour - Serving Survivors in Challenging Times.

🗓 September 30
⏰12-1:00 p.m.
📍Microsoft Teams
This session will focus on how housing professionals and advocates can better support survivors of domestic violence in their housing. This session will introduce Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence's updated team structure and outline supports that they have offered over the last 50 years. Speakers will connect these efforts to the broader framework of Economic Justice, highlighting how stabilizing housing is a critical component of supporting survivor safety. Participants will also hear key findings from PCADV's recent needs assessment.

Featuring:
◾Debbie Fox, Housing & EJ Policy Manager, PCADV
◾Kenoa Askerneese, Housing & EJ Policy Specialist, PCADV
◾Nikki Kerchevale, Housing & EJ Specialist, PCADV

Register here to join the discussion: 97791748-749e-46a9-a15a-4798bb901927@418e2841-0128-4dd5-9b6c-47fc5a9a1bde" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/97791748-749e-46a9-a15a-4798bb901927@418e2841-0128-4dd5-9b6c-47fc5a9a1bde

We're excited to share this upcoming event from our partners at Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium
We Count: Disability Voting Rights in Western Pennsylvania is a free webinar examining the history, challenges, and future of voting access for people with disabilities. The discussion will highlight disability advocacy, voter rights, and ways to support more accessible and inclusive civic participation.
September 15 | 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET
Learn more and register: https://www.wpdhac.org/we-count-disability-voting-rights-in-western-pennsylvania-webinar/

FREE WEBINAR! We Count: Disability Voting Rights in Western Pennsylvania

Join us for a free online webinar exploring the history, current challenges, and future of disability voting rights.

📅 Tuesday, September 15, 2026
🕙 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time
💻 Online via Zoom Webinar
🎟️ Free to attend

Our program will feature:

🔵 Keynote Speaker: Tracy C. Baton, LCSW, Director, Indivisible Pittsburgh
🔵 Panel Moderator: Jennifer Garman, CEO, Disability Rights Pennsylvania
🔵 Panelist: Dr. Josie Badger, Executive Director, Governor’s Advisory Commission on People with Disabilities
🔵 Panelist: Mallory Hudson, Disability Program Director, Keystone Progress Education Fund
🔵 Panelist: Emma Shoucair, Deputy Policy Director, Pennsylvania Department of State
🔵 Emcee & Opening History Presentation: Cindy Leonard, Executive Director, Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium

Together, we’ll explore voting access, disability rights advocacy, polling place and transportation barriers, mail-in voting and ballot curing, voter assistance, institutional voting, enforcement challenges, and practical ways to strengthen voting access.

Learn more and register: https://www.wpdhac.org/we-count-disability-voting-rights-in-western-pennsylvania-webinar/



cc: , Three Rivers Community Foundation, Tracy Baton

Thank you, Pittsburgh's PublicSource, for sharing this impactful article by Zarin Hamid, a disability advocate and cybersecurity professional.
Zarin emphasizes the challenges of disability discrimination, ADA accommodations, and the barriers many disabled professionals still face in the workplace. As she writes, "I knew my exit from the field was not because I was bad at my job. I knew how good I was. I also knew that people had struggled to understand how someone with my disabilities could be multifaceted and succeed in a demanding industry."
Her essay also highlights how leaders and managers can shape an inclusive workplace, emphasizing that, "if you are in a position of power, doing the right thing for someone can change the course of their life."

My disability wasn’t the problem. The assumptions about it were. I lost a cybersecurity job after asking for an ADA accommodation. Months later, a casino nearly rejected me. A few brave people have been my aces.

Every eligible voter deserves access to the information and resources they need to participate in the voting process. Join this upcoming event focused on voter rights, accessibility, and empowering people with disabilities to make their voices heard.

EVENT UPDATE: Due to the feedback we have received, we will be limiting this event to 11:00am - 1:00pm. This will be a hybrid event to support access.

Your vote is your voice. Join Rev Up and the Bender Leadership Academy to discuss your voter rights, accessibility, and the resources available to help you participate in the democratic process with confidence.

Register today: https://mobilize.us/s/LfpWvc

What does authentic leadership look like for employees with disabilities?
Join FISA Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and The Pittsburgh Foundation for the "Cultivating Authentic Leadership of Employees with Disabilities" webinar, part of our Race + Disability Initiative. This session will explore how organizations can better recognize, support, and learn from leaders with disabilities. Our expert moderator and panelists will discuss key topics such as personal identity in the workplace, accessibility, disclosure, career advancement, and what it takes to create truly inclusive organizations. Centering the perspectives of leaders with lived experience, this discussion will demonstrate how disability can enhance leadership and highlight the valuable insights disabled professionals bring to their work.
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EST
Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cultivating-authentic-leadership-of-employees-with-disabilities-tickets-1998556580532?aff=oddtdtcreator

Ready to grow your leadership and connect with a powerful network of changemakers?
Disability Lead is a national network of leaders with disabilities working to build a more equitable and inclusive society. Through advocacy, civic engagement, and community leadership, members are driving change in their communities and beyond.
Applications are now open for the 2027 Disability Lead Institute, a year-long fellowship that supports leaders with disabilities in strengthening their skills, expanding their networks, and creating lasting impact.
Learn more and apply: www.disabilitylead.org/apply

[Image Description: Graphic with light background and geometric line pattern featuring bold purple text reading “ARE YOU READY TO LEAD?” Top right shows “Disability Lead Southwestern Pennsylvania.” Bottom text invites viewers to apply for a fellowship at [www.disabilitylead.org/apply](http://www.disabilitylead.org/apply) with purple and orange accents.]

Disability stories belong on the big screen.
We're thrilled to see the return of Film Pittsburgh's ReelAbilities Pittsburgh film festival, highlighting the lives, stories, and artistic expression of people with disabilities through award-winning films.
Check out the lineup and learn more at https://filmpittsburgh.org/pages/reelabilities

Celebrating new independent cinema by and about people with disabilities. 🧡

The ReelAbilities Pittsburgh lineup is now LIVE at FilmPittsburgh.org/ReelAbilities. 📰 See what's on and get your tickets!

The festival opens on September 3 with an in-person screening, award ceremony, and artist market at Point Park University's Pittsburgh Playhouse.

Then on September 4, the virtual festival begins! 3 feature documentaries, 3 feature narratives and 7 additional short films will be available to stream on-demand in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.