Thursday, June 26, 2025

Family Connection of South Carolina, Connection Corner

 

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We will present the LOOK! 2025 exhibit for the first time at a private reception for participating families, photographers, and sponsors on Sunday, July 13.

The exhibit will be on display for the public from July 15 – August 8 at the Belk Court at Columbiana Centre in Columbia. Visit our web page or check our social media pages for updates on additional venue locations throughout 2025!

Save the Date for other Family Connection events:

Buddy Walk: Sunday, November 2, 2025
Saluda Shoals Park Athletic Fields

Hopes & Dreams Conference: Wednesday, March 25, 2026
R2i2 Conference Center

Opportunities from our Community Partners:

Charleston Area Families: Event for Autistic Adults
Navigating Life on the Spectrum
                                  Saturday, July 26, 2025   9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
                                            Seacoast Church - Mt Pleasant
Sharing this event from our friends at Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)
This event is open to all and FREE to attend! Reserve your spot
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Upstate Area Families:
Learn about Adaptive Pickleball!

Adaptive Pickleball isn’t just about pickleball — it’s about setting an example. They’re making a powerful statement that inclusion can and should extend to all sports and activities, inspiring communities.

Wednesday, July 2nd  6:00-7:30 PM
Gower Park 24 Evelyn Ave. Greenville

Learn more about upcoming events and locations!

Back to School Bash for Children and Adults with Hearing Loss

Saturday, July 26th at Seven Oaks Park from 9am-11:30am
Seven Oaks Park 200 Leisure Lane Columbia

Brought to you by South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind, Beginnings-SC, SC Charter of Hands & Voices, South Carolina Department of Public Health, and the SC Association of the deaf. Register today! 
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Connect with community of parents who understand the challenges and joys of raising a child with autism. The USC Autism and Family Lab is hosting support groups (virtual and in-person) from July 2025 - July 2026. 

Each 8-week session is led by a parent-peer facilitator. Expect practical tips and ideas, encouragement, and judgement-free support. Learn more and register.

Do you have a child with autism or intellectual disability?

Families of children or young adults ages 6 to 21 with autism, intellectual disability, or developmental delay who are not currently receiving ABA or behavior support services and live within 45 minutes of Columbia, SC are eligible to participate in a family training and support services survey. 

Participating families can earn up to $150, and the program helps address challenging behaviors and teach new skills.

For more information, e-mail: FTSS@sc.edu / text: 803-470-4018. Offered by
South Carolina Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

ABLE SC, Newsletter

 

Reads, 'Disability in SC Newsletter,' with Able SC logo. Features a rosy image of a group of disabled people dancing together- they are wearing colorful makeup and flowy clothes.

Able SC June 2025 News

June has been another busy month for Able SC. We kicked off our summer youth programming with successful Equip Summer Series events in Greenville and Columbia. Youth from the Upstate and the Midlands gathered at unique locations to build community, foster disability pride, and acquire the skills necessary for success as community members. Thank you again to our sponsor, Abacus Planning Group, and funder, the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council, for making this free program possible. We also appreciate those of you who have donated or purchased items from our Youth Team's wishlist. Youth left with positive memories, exchanged phone numbers, and excitement to return to future Equip hangouts! Our team is now gearing up for the annual July Youth Leadership Forum, just in time for the 35th Anniversary of the ADA and Disability Pride Month!

In addition to reaching youth in impactful ways this summer, our advocacy efforts remain strong as we continue to find more opportunities for our community to speak out about issues that impact us. Recently, we were alerted to an attempt by the federal government to undo decades of progress by weakening requirements for federal agencies to comply with disability rights laws and accessibility standards. You jumped in alongside us, submitted your comments, and contacted your lawmakers! Together, our voice is powerful. Now we wait to see the results of your collective action. 

This month also marks important cultural celebrations for members of our LGBTQ+ community and the African American communities. LGBTQ+ Pride Month and Juneteenth are deeply connected to disability community. In this newsletter, we highlight ways our community is connected; however, beyond this information, Able SC continues to advocate for these communities that are part of the disability community. We continue to fight to protect Medicaid, accessibility, Section 504, and more. But we can only do this because of you. Disability affects every race, class, party, and community, with 1 in 3 South Carolinians being disabled. Exclusion of any community isn't neutral; it's a message that "we don't matter." At Able SC, we are not going back. We will always be in this fight, alongside you, to do what's needed to defend our disability community.

Graphic with text reading, 'LGBTQ+ Pride Month: Celebrating disabled leaders and their contributions,' featuring headshots of each individual named in the post; Lucas, a white woman with long brown hair and blue glasses in a wheelchair with a trach device, Jones-Hennin, a Black man with gray hair and mustache in a suit and tie, Luczak, a white man with gray hair and beard, and Wall, a Black man with glasses, smiling widely. Includes photo of pride pins on a denim jacket and Able SC logo in rainbow colors.

LGBTQ+ Pride Month: Celebrating disabled leaders and their contributions

This Pride Month, we’re celebrating powerful individuals who have advanced both disability rights and LGBTQ+ justice. These advocates have made their mark on history and opened doors for future generations.

Carrie Ann Lucas (1971–2019) was a disabled attorney with muscular dystrophy and fierce advocate. She fought for the rights of people disabilities to be parents (including adoptive and fostering) and was openly lesbian. She challenged systemic discrimination in the courts, public spaces, and in health care, and her legal work laid a foundation for others to follow.

Raymond Luczak is a Deaf writer, editor, and filmmaker. As an openly gay man he has been a leading voice in bringing visibility to Deaf and disabled LGBTQ+ lives. His creative work explores themes of identity, language, and belonging.

ABilly S. Jones-Hennin (1942–2023) was a pioneering activist who played significant roles in the civil rights, LGBTQ+, and interracial acceptance movements. As a bisexual man, he was instrumental in organizing pride marches and health activism during the US national AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s. Later in life, he became an advocate for disability justice, following his own diagnosis with spinal stenosis.

Sean Saifa Wall is a Black intersex activist, writer, and speaker who advocates for bodily autonomy and disability rights. As a former director of InterACT (Advocates for Intersex Youth), he’s been a leading voice challenging non-consensual surgeries on intersex children, including his involvement in a lawsuit based in South Carolina over medically unnecessary infant surgeries.

These advocates remind us that LGBTQ+ pride and disability justice are deeply connected. This month, we honor their work and continue the fight for a world where everyone can thrive.

Graphic with 3 photos; a Deaf, Black man smiling, a group of Black femme and non-binary disabled friends taking a selfie, and a Black non-binary woman smiling while standing with her rollator. Each image has vibrant color and smiles! Text reads, 'Juneteenth Freedom Day, Joy in Freedom,' followed by Able SC logo and illustration of breaking chains.

Juneteenth: Joy in Freedom

In addition to LGBTQ+ Pride month, June marks the annual celebration of the Juneteenth holiday.

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) commemorates the delayed freedom of enslaved Black people in Texas, a reminder that justice is often slow and uneven, something the disability community also knows well.

How is Juneteenth Connected to Disability, Then and Now?

Many formerly enslaved people were left with physical and psychological disabilities, yet received no support or recognition. This reality mirrors the issues Black disabled people face today.

Today, Black disabled individuals are impacted by poverty, incarceration (being sent to prison), and lack of quality healthcare, making the fight for equality and justice ongoing, even after emancipation.

The disability rights movement owes a great deal to Black activists who have long fought for justice, weaving the legacies of Juneteenth into today’s advocacy.

How can we celebrate the Joy in Freedom?

This holiday, the words of Keah Brown inspire us, "My Joy Is My Freedom." A brown, Black, and disabled woman describes the revolutionary idea, born from her ancestral past, that hope and joy are a sacred journey. With joy, we celebrate freedom on this Freedom Day. Read more of her essay, originally published in "Disability Visibility," a collection of stories edited by disabled activist Alice Wong.

Text over a scrapbook-style dark blue background reads, 'I am Medicaid, Meet Nelly, young girl, Has Down syndrome, Wants to be a part of the group! With Medicaid as a secondary insurer, she has access to therapies to learn to walk, talk, and build skills. She knows one day she can be independent and a part of her community, with the right support.' Arrows point to text from a centered print frame photo of a young Black girl with Down syndrome. Able SC logo at base.

The latest on Medicaid: There's still time to take action!

🛑 Medicaid Is Under Threat — South Carolina Must Speak Out Now

You have already done so much to speak up for people with disabilities and our need to live healthy, independent lives. Thank you to the dozens and dozens of individuals who shared your personal stories with us about why Medicaid matters to you and your family. In case you missed it, you can see and read the "I am Medicaid" stories in our Look Book as well as on our Facebook and Instagram pages during the month of May through June 12.

You Have the Power to Make a Difference

Medicaid is a lifeline for people with disabilities, making it possible to live healthy, independent lives. But federal lawmakers are considering devastating cuts — and South Carolina would be hit especially hard. Our state already covers just 24.6% of Medicaid costs, and over 40,000 people are waiting for disability services. Any cuts would make an already dire situation worse.

Despite our efforts, the U.S. House passed a bill with deep Medicaid cuts that could limit access to home services and push people into institutions. But the fight isn’t over—now we focus on the U.S. Senate and our SC Senators, Graham and Scott. We know these issues can feel overwhelming, but remember: we are in charge of our movement. Together, we’re building a better future.

🎯 The message is clear: Senators Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott need to hear from you. Tell them:

  • No more cuts.

  • No more waitlists.

  • No more risking lives.

📢 Take Action Now
Use the [?]AAPD’s action hub to contact your lawmakers.

Every phone call and message matters. Senators tally the calls and messages they receive, and those tallies influence their decision-making. Harness your power, and be a part of this movement!

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Upcoming Events

Able SC offers a diverse range of educational events, social gatherings, and more. Be sure to save these dates:

NEXT MONTH: July is Disability Pride Month!

More to come on planned Able SC events and opportunities

Youth Events: Events for Disabled Youth ages 13-28

Consumer Events: Events for People with Disabilities

July: Disability Pride Month Save the Dates

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Able South Carolina
720 Gracern Road Suite 106 | Columbia, South Carolina 29210
803.779.5121 | advocacy@able-sc.org

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