February 12, 2026 

Dear Friends of The Coelho Center, 

I am writing to you today with a deep sense of pride in what we are building together. While the national landscape remains complex, the work happening within The Coelho Center is a beacon of what is possible.

As a former congressman, the founder of The Coelho Center, and a co-author of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I have learned something important: progress does not sustain itself. It requires people who are willing to stay engaged, especially when the path forward feels uncertain. We must continue to support one another and work together, even when it feels hard.

We continue to celebrate our work at The Coelho Center:

We are working on policy, holding convenings and conferences, and investing in the Coelho Law Fellowship. Last year alone, we hosted and co-hosted conferences on Disability Studies and on Disability and Immigration and held a virtual convening on Disability and Religion. 

The Coelho Center is part of the California Disability Leadership Alliance, a coalition that brings together key disability rights groups and leaders to elevate disability justice issues to policymakers across the state. We will be heading back to the state Capitol in May to continue this important advocacy.

Our flagship program, the Coelho Law Fellowship, continues to build a pipeline for people with disabilities into law and public service. Through the fellowship, we can see the personal impact in the actions of our members.

In our group of 230 fellows, together they are building pathways to leadership:

This demonstrates the impact of mentorship, access, and opportunity—empowering our fellows and helping ensure disability rights are represented across the legal and policy landscape.

We still have work to do: we hope to see our first judge emerge from this group, and soon we will have fellows joining law school faculty and pursuing local and national office—bringing their intersectional lived experiences to advance disability rights wherever they go. The program is still young, but it continues to grow, and we are proud to support our fellows on their journey.

These successes prove that when we invest in representation, we change the future of the law. However, as we celebrate these accomplishments, we must also stay vigilant. We are barely one year into the current administration, and we have already seen sweeping and unprecedented changes at all levels of government—a moment when many people are feeling unsettled—and for good reasons. The speed and scale of these shifts are affecting real lives.

However, bipartisan solutions are still possible. I have seen them happen, and when they do, they improve lives across this country. I have shared the ways in which The Coelho Center is doing our part, but I also hear from many of you who ask: What can I do right now?  

Here are a few ways you can have an impact: 

Choose one action and begin there. Momentum starts with participation. Let that be your contribution toward the change you want to see. 

This urgency is especially clear when it comes to disability rights. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act remains under direct threat. 

Texas v. Kennedy (previously Texas v. Becerra), a lawsuit brought by 17 states in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, challenges key Section 504 protections. These include the right to receive services in community settings rather than institutions; protections against disability discrimination in medical treatment decision; access to accessible medical equipment, websites, and kiosks; and the obligation of federally funded entities to provide reasonable accommodations. 

While eight states have since withdrawn, Texas, Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota remain in the case. If you live or work in these states, I urge you to contact your governor and attorney general. 

Please view the joint statement and visit https://dredf.org/protect-504/ for additional information, contact details, and letter templates. 

We must also invest in the future. Applications are open for The Coelho Law Fellowship, and increasing disability representation across all sectors—especially in the legal field—has never been more important. Recommend a candidate or support the program as you are able.

Lastly, I hope you will also join us on March 28th at Loyola Marymount University for the second annual Disability Studies and Advocacy in Los Angeles (DSALA) conference. RSVP here, and join us in community, where we will explore AI, ethics, and social justice for people with disabilities. 

Do not lose hope. We are still capable of change—but each of us must find a way to do our part. 

In Community, 

 
Hon. Tony Coelho 

Interested in learning about the history of Section 504?

View this 18-minute video to learn more about how the disability community used First Amendment rights to hold the government accountable for enforcement of

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

The work of The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy, and Innovation is made possible through the generosity of donors. Your donation allows the Coelho Center to continue to engage in local and national work advancing disability rights and justice.

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