Mary Fashik, Author at NAMED Advocates

Apr 24

A Black woman with natural hair, round glasses, and a nose ring gazes pensively off-camera against a blurred green background, alongside the text "Autism Acceptance Month Is Not a Campaign — It's a Commitment"

Autism Acceptance Month Is Not a Campaign—It’s a Commitment

By Mary Fashik Intersectional Justice No Comments

Every April, we see the same shift. Brands update their logos. Organizations roll out campaigns. Social media fills with messaging about “awareness.” But awareness has never been the goal. Acceptance…

Mar 23

Illustrated poster featuring four disabled women of color — a Black woman using a wheelchair, a Native woman with a prosthetic leg, a Brown woman using a white cane and wearing sunglasses, and a Latina woman with a raised fist — with the text "Women's History Month Must Include Black, Brown & Indigenous Disabled Women"

Women’s History Month Must Include Black, Brown, and Indigenous Disabled Women

By Mary Fashik Intersectional Justice No Comments

Every March, Women’s History Month arrives with a familiar rhythm. Social media fills with the names of trailblazers, classrooms revisit historic milestones, and organizations celebrate women who shaped the world…

Mar 03

The Rare Disease Community: The Numbers and the Impact

By Mary Fashik Rethinking Language in Science No Comments

There are between 7,000 - 10,000 rare diseases affecting more than 400 million people world wide according to research at the National Institutes of Health. But what precisely classifies a…

Feb 27

Illustrated poster of a smiling older Black disabled woman seated confidently in the foreground, with protest silhouettes holding disability rights signs in the background, and the text "Black Disabled History is American History: Honoring Resistance, Resilience & Liberation"

Black Disabled History Is American History

By Mary Fashik Employment Justice, Economic Power & Injustice No Comments

February often centers a narrow version of Black history—one that highlights a few names, a few dates, and a few victories, while leaving out the fullness of Black life. Too…

Jan 26

Illustrated blog cover showing a diverse group of disabled people of color seated in a circle in discussion, with protest signs reading "Intersectional Justice," "Economic Justice," and "Access & Safety" in the background, and the title "Disability Justice in 2026: What's at Stake for Black & Brown Disabled Communities"

Disability Justice in 2026: What’s at Stake for Black & Brown Disabled Communities

By Mary Fashik Intersectional Justice No Comments

January is always a moment of reckoning. The new year brings fresh language about priorities, budgets, reforms, and “resetting.” For many people, that language feels abstract. For Black, brown, queer,…

Dec 17

Two disabled people laughing together outdoors; text overlay reads "Global inclusion"

Reimagining Disability Inclusion Through a Global Justice Framework

By Mary Fashik Intersectional Justice No Comments

Every year on December 3, the global community observes the International Day of Persons with Disabilities — a day created to honor the rights, dignity, and experiences of disabled people…

Nov 24

An image of a person handing another a can of food,

Hunger Is a Policy Choice: Food Insecurity and the Cost of SNAP Cuts on Disabled Communities

By Mary Fashik Intersectional Justice No Comments

Food insecurity isn’t just about an empty pantry. It’s about systemic inequities that limit access to nutrition, safety, and dignity. Across the United States, millions of people are facing growing…

Oct 30

National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Advancing Economic Justice

By Mary Fashik Employment Justice, Economic Power & Injustice No Comments

Every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) reminds us of the progress made—and the inequities that remain—for disabled people in the workforce. This year’s observance is not just…

Sep 26

A four-panel composite image showing a disabled person in a workplace, financial charts with cash, a "Job Opportunity" document under a magnifying glass, and a Black disabled person at a desk; center text reads "Economic Justice"

Economic Justice Is Disability Justice for Black and Brown Disabled Communities

By Mary Fashik Employment Justice, Economic Power & Injustice No Comments

Economic injustice and disability are deeply intertwined. Yet the way our society often talks about equity separates them into distinct issues. The reality is that systemic racism and ableism converge…

Aug 27

A four-panel Black and white composite showing Black activists speaking and raising fists at protests, a "Free the Soledad Brothers" poster, and a Black woman raising her fist at a rally; center text reads "Black August"

Black August: Honoring Our Freedom Fighters, Defending Our Future

By Mary Fashik Intersectional Justice No Comments

Black August began in the California prison system in the 1970s as a month of reflection, study, and action to honor the lives of Black freedom fighters—many of them incarcerated…

Mary Fashik

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