CommunicationFIRST

@communicationfirst.bsky.social

1121 Followers 140 Following

Disability-led 501(c)(3) protecting the civil rights of humans who cannot rely on speech alone to be heard and understood.

[Image: A disabled genderfluid person types on a laptop while wearing compression gloves. The hands and keyboard are the focal point.]
[Video: Ren Koloni rocks slightly while a revoicer reads their words: “A lack of awareness from people who have unconditional access to speech is a huge part of what makes it difficult or impossible to use AAC in public life. I am dismissed and ignored, and I may end up forcing speech when doing so is painful or exhausting, or otherwise suffering humiliation, discrimination, or harm in silence. And that’s what it’s like for me with the privilege of having some access to speech.”]
[Image: A small group of people use a laptop outdoors. A closeup shot focuses on their hands.]
[Image: “We must not turn back time,” attributed to Bob Williams, is written in bold white letters against a black background. The CommunicationFIRST logo is centered below Bob’s name.]
[Image: Sitting in front of a microphone, Governor Abigail Spanberger proudly holds up a signed copy of the Virginia Acts of Assembly. Next to her is a young girl wearing a shirt that says: Speech does not make someone more human. Behind them, people are clapping.]
[Video: Alice Wong with a tracheostomy at her neck connected to a ventilator. Using a speech generating device, she says, "I share this story as an example of the new reality of being a nonspeaking person in a world that privileges speaking & hearing as primary ways of communicating. I'm now in a world where time is slowed down. Conversations I used to have for five minutes, fast, speaking excitedly over each other, laughing, interjecting, snorting would take 30 minutes to type.”]
[Image: Mr. C, The Autistic Teacher, wears a green sweatshirt that says, "Speech does not make someone more human." He holds hands with his kid, who wears a purple sweatshirt and noise cancelling headphones. They both smile.]
[Image: Co-directors Samuel & Dan Habib & co-producer Erica Lupinacci smile while Dan holds up an Emmy statue.]
[Image 1: Sam Crane, Michelle A. Meade & discussion moderator Andrew Jager sit on a stage below a screen that says, “American Hospital Association Healthier Together Conference. Stronger Communities. Better Health Outcomes. May 12 - 14, 2026. Dallas.” An audience sits in front of them, & a sign language interpreter stands to the side of the stage.]
[Image: Wearing a dark cap and light brown jacket, Hari Srinivasan stands inside stone castle ruins along the coast of Northern Ireland.]
[Image: A person sits in a powerchair with an AAC device in front of them, looking up at a teenager who looks back at them.]
[Image: Shubha Balabaer wears big, fashionable sunglasses and a Disability Culture Lab T-shirt that says, “cure ableism” five times, each in a different color to make a rainbow.]
[Video: First wearing a sweatshirt that says, “Cal,” and then wearing a suit, Lateef McLeod types. He uses his speech generating device (SGD) to say, “I want people to know that how I communicate is not strange, weird, or outlandish, but it is very straightforward. I communicate typing into an AAC app that is on my laptop, iPad, and iPhone, and then the app speaks for me.”]
[Image: Graphic with a quote attributed to Ren Koloni: “It’s not a feature that makes a program more or less accessible. It’s an attitude.” The CommunicationFIRST logo appears under Ren’s name.]
[Image: At the tenBroek Disability Law Symposium, Sam Crane, Ayesha Elaine Lewis, and Britt Belwine stand by fellow presenter Otto Lana who is seated at a conference table with his AAC device in front of him.]
[Image: Headshot of Ren Koloni accompanied by a quote. It says, “We are bursting with curiosity, opinions, thoughts, ideas, and wisdom. We enrich the exchange of knowledge. Without us, the conversation will always be missing something crucial.” Ren’s name and the CommunicationFIRST logo are below their quote.]
[Image: A woman holds a baby, both smiling broadly. The baby, who is in the midst of clapping his hands, wears a shirt that says, "LISTEN #ListenToNonspeakers" with the CommunicationFIRST logo. The woman wears a pin with the CommunicationFIRST logo.]
[Video: Montage of photos and video clips featuring nonspeaking autistics and a voice-over. LISTEN narrator Bobby Shabangu says, “People have a lot to say about us. They write stories and biographies. They produce plays and make movies about us. But they are not listening to us.” Rhema Russell adds: “Just because I cannot speak does not mean I don’t hear. I hear everything people say to me or about me. I may not show understanding in my face, but I know and understand. Not a word said escapes my so strong ears.”]
CommunicationFIRST has endorsed the 25th anniversary of the dedication of the once-controversial statue of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his wheelchair at the #FDR Memorial. Our co-founder Bob Williams attended 2001’s statue dedication with fellow #disability leaders. Image Credit: FDR Memorial Legacy Committee [Image: Top panel: Bob Williams sits between Henry Claypool and Alan Reich in a crowded event tent at the 2001 dedication of the President Franklin D. Roosevelt Prologue Room Statue. Bottom panel: A statue of Franklin D. Roosevelt sitting proudly in his wheelchair.]
[Image: Bold black and white text is centered against a green and black background: “Join our team. Seeking a treasurer. Access. Opportunity. Justice.” The CommunicationFIRST logo is below these words.]
[Image: A 2020 pencil sketch by Riva Lehrer called “Zoom Portraits: Alice Wong (Study)” in The Struggle for Justice exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. In the portrait, Alice wears a ventilator with her hair pulled back and has a neutral expression on her face.]
[Image: Central white text reads, "Keynote Session: Improving Care Experience for Individuals with Disabilities." Layered on a blue textured background are also three headshots of smiling people with their names: Henry Claypool, Administration for Community Living; Sam Crane, CommunicationFIRST; Michelle Meade, University of Michigan Center for Disability Health and Wellness. Below this is the American Hospital Association logo and blue text on a white background that reads: "American Hospital Association Healthier Together Conference, May 12-14, 2026, Dallas. Stronger Communities, Better Health Outcomes."]
[Image: A closeup of a tablet held by a person in a white lab coat with a stethoscope hanging from their neck. A second person, wearing scrubs, stands behind the tablet.]
[Image 1: Closeup of the Judith E. Heumann Memorial Bridge and CommunicationFIRST Policy Manager Lauren Proby smiling as she poses in front of it.]
[Image: Jordyn Zimmerman stands on the steps of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with the West Wing of the White House behind her.]
[Bob Williams sits at the head of the Roosevelt Room conference table in the White House with his AAC device mounted on his power chair. He is laughing along with President Obama, Attorney General Holder, & other disability leaders.]
[Image: Glenda Watson Hyatt raises her hands in triumph, while seated in a mobility scooter in front of a stone building. She wears a black graduation robe.]
[Video: Montage of photos and video clips featuring nonspeaking autistics and a voice-over. LISTEN narrator Bobby Shabangu says, “How do we get it right? Consult nonspeaking autists from the start and at key points throughout your project. Read our blogs and books. Watch our movies and videos. Learn about our lives.” Hari Srinivasan says, “If you have a voice, you can use it to help bring dignity back for the members of the more marginalized autistics. Let’s change the plotlines and the narratives around nonspeaking autistics so more and more are allowed to be visible in society and avail of opportunities in all kinds of areas.”]
[Image: Young children sit at a circular school table and paint. A teacher sits with them, smiling at one of the paintings.]
[Image: A generative AI illustration of Pancho Ramirez smiling. He sits in a wheelchair with a robotic arm and a phone attached at each side, and wears a CommunicationFIRST shirt.]
[Image: Marisa Conners wears a sparkling pink formal dress & poses in front of a background filled with golden lights, stars, & orbs.]
[Image: Policy Advocacy 101 for AAC Users and Allies is written in bold lettering. Above the title is a screenshot of Angelica Vega smiling with the CommunicationFIRST logo behind her. Below the title are a screenshot of Samuel Habib smiling and a circle that contains the words, “Webinar with: Angelica Vega, Samuel Habib, Jordyn Zimmerman, Toby Latham, Dean Strauss, Bob Williams.”]
[Image: A Barbie in a purple and white striped dress wears pink headphones and holds a pink AAC device. She holds a pink fidget in the other hand.]
[Video: Devva Kasnitz and Jen Schonger appear in side by side Zoom boxes. Devva speaks, and Jen revoices. Devva says, “Anything that helps cut down on the effort that I have to put in to communicate and the effort that people have to put in, will give me more time and less anxiety, and I will have more of a social life, and I will work faster. I want an opportunity to fully participate.”]
[Image: A person with short, thick hair and prescription glasses sits at an organized workstation, using a magnification app to navigate a webpage. Their posture is proper and relaxed. On the desk: a computer, a mouse, a large desk lamp, and a small notebook.]
[Video: Ricardo Thornton, a disability advocate appearing in a recent CommunicationFIRST webinar, states, “You should be living in a community where you are free, & you’re learning new skills, & you’re developing each & every day something new.” A sign language interpreter signs his words.]
[Text reads, “CommunicationFIRST is critical to the progress we need to continue to make. Sarah Blackstone.” The CommunicationFIRST logo in black and white appears at the bottom of the graphic.]
[Image: A person stands with their back to the camera, looking at a large body of water. They are wearing a CommunicationFIRST t-shirt with the tagline, “Because communication is a human right.”] (2/2)
[Video: Angelica Vega speaks while an American Sign Language interpreter translates. Angelica says, “We have more power than you realize, and the Congressional office do listen if the volumes are big enough. And believe me, because at one point I was a Congressional intern.”]
[Video: A montage including photos with CommunicationFIRST co-founder Bob Williams and Judy Heumann (z”l), dancing and outdoors. Bob’s narration states, “This video is a series of snapshots of not just my life, but the lives of others with significant disabilities and the times we have found ourselves in, as well as how we have helped shape them for the better.”]
[Image: A drawing of five disabled BIPOC sitting in a planetarium, looking up at stars. Each has a different disability, including an AAC user at the left.]
[Image: A selfie of Toby Latham, his wife Lindsay, and their young son who is an AAC user. With the U.S. Capitol and clear blue skies in the background, the three of them smile widely.]
[Image: Jacob Bradley stands in the middle of a crowd, holding a US flag & a sign featuring an AAC device screenshot & a photo of himself, with the words Medicaid Saves Lives. Above this scene is the CommunicationFIRST logo, & below it is the text: Because communication is a human right.]
[Image: In a classroom, a woman and a young girl sit at a table with two tablets on it. They are focused on the tablet closest to them, which the girl is using.]
[Image: Jordyn Zimmerman sits smiling on a rooftop bench, wearing a shirt that says “Speech does not make someone more human.” She holds an AAC device and a jacket. Behind her, partly cloudy skies and a tree-lined cityscape stretch into the distance.]
[Video Clip: Alice Wong in her wheelchair with a tracheostomy at her neck connected to a ventilator. Wearing an orange top and bright red lipstick, Alice shares her remarks, “How Ableism Impacts People Who Need and Use AAC,” which she prepared for The Future of AAC Research Summit.]
[Image: A fair-skinned person with light brown, shoulder-length hair, and dark brown eyes sits looking at the camera with a slight smile. She is wearing glasses and a knitted shawl fastened by a clasp.]
[Image: Bob Williams sits at the head of the Roosevelt Room conference table in the White House with his AAC device mounted on his power chair. He is laughing along with President Obama, Attorney General Holder, & other disability leaders. Above this photo is the CommunicationFIRST logo, & below it is the text: Because communication is a human right.]
[Image: Collage containing both photos of Bob & photos of Bob enjoying the company of others whose paths are intertwined with his. The collage is set on green.]
[Image: Collage containing both photos of Bob & photos of Bob enjoying the company of others whose paths are intertwined with his. The collage is set on white.]
[Video: Webinar panelists and interpreter. Bob Williams says: “History is never neutral. We can leverage it for knowledge and greater justice, or we can let its worst consequences linger and metastasize.”]
[Image: A smiling Jordyn Zimmerman takes her place at a conference table. On the table in front of Jordyn is her AAC device, an iPad.]
[Image: A swirl of different colors against a dark background, representing a neural network.]
[Image: Blue graphic titled, AI 101 for AAC Users. Text reads: Webinar Featuring Rua Mae Williams, Author of “Disabling Intelligences.” The graphic displays a webinar date of 1:30 - 3:00 PM ET October 22, 2025, the CommunicationFIRST logo, and a headshot of Dr. Williams. Next to their headshot is this quote: “Whether you are an AI optimist, skeptic, or pessimist, none of us can afford to be fatalists. When we resign ourselves to the inevitability of oppressive systems, we give in to a desperate world.”]
[Image: A navy, yellow, and orange promotional graphic for two "Our Ride Ahead" webinars. Text reads "Part 1: Disability & Dating. October 24, 7pm ET. Ages 16+" with headshots of Bianca I Laureano and Evan Sweeney. Below text reads "Part 2: Disability, Romance, & Sexual Health. November 6, 6:30pm ET. 18+" with headshots of Bethany Stevens, Cherry Kaufman, Rise, and Bianca I Laureano. Below text reads "RSVP for free at rideaheadfilm.com/webinars"]
[Image: Black graphic titled, AI 101 for AAC Users: Rua Mae Williams, Godfrey Nazareth, & Jordyn Zimmerman in Conversation. The graphic displays headshots of the three discussants, the CommunicationFIRST logo, and a webinar date of 1:30 - 3:00 PM ET October 22, 2025. A description reads: Dr. Williams (“Disabling Intelligences: Legacies of Eugenics and How We Are Wrong About Al”) will lead a discussion on the potential impacts of artificial intelligence for our community.]
[Image: Alice Wong in her wheelchair with a tracheostomy at her neck connected to a ventilator. A smiling Alice wears a pink plaid shirt and pink pants, and her AAC device is mounted in front of her.]
[Image: CommunicationFIRST logo and tagline: “Because communication is a human right.” The logo is surrounded by colorful party hats, balloons, confetti, candles, noisemakers, and curly ribbons.]
[Video: Bob Williams shares the following statement through his speech generating device and a sign language interpreter: The services and supports many of us need to live are being cut and eliminated. Public officials openly mock and question our humanity. So, now more than ever, we must show up, be seen, be proud, be counted, and be heard. We must show up and advocate. We must do all we individually and collectively can, as if our lives, and those of our parents, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters depend on it, because… they do.]