NAMED Advocates

The National Alliance of Melanin Disabled Advocates (NAMED Advocates) creates spaces for disabled leaders of color and BIPOC allies to gather, learn, connect, and grow around racial and disability justice. Through use of knowledge and empowerment tools, we work to destigmatize the existing outward narrative that currently surrounds the disabled community. We equip community members with the vocabulary to express their authentic selves with confidence and certainty. Our community events are celebrations of solidarity, providing opportunities for collaboration and relationship building.

Our Partners

NAMED Blog

A photo of a individual with glasses on the right and text on the left.NAMED AdvocatesAutism Acceptance Month Is Not a Campaign—It’s a Commitment
April 24, 2026

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

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…
Mary Fashik 0
Love1
An illustration of different disabled women.NAMED AdvocatesWomen’s History Month Must Include Black, Brown, and Indigenous Disabled Women
March 23, 2026

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

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…
Mary Fashik 0
Love1
An illustration of a doctor and patients.NAMED AdvocatesThe Rare Disease Community: The Numbers and the Impact
March 3, 2026

The Rare Disease Community: The Numbers and the Impact

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…
NAMED Advocates 0
Love1
An illustration of a Black disabled wheelchair user who is wearing glassesNAMED AdvocatesBlack Disabled History Is American History
February 27, 2026

Black Disabled History Is American History

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…
Mary Fashik 0
Love1
An image of disabled people protestingNAMED AdvocatesDisability Justice in 2026: What’s at Stake for Black & Brown Disabled Communities
January 26, 2026

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

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,…
Mary Fashik 0
Love1
A photo of disabled folks laughingNAMED AdvocatesReimagining Disability Inclusion Through a Global Justice Framework
December 17, 2025

Reimagining Disability Inclusion Through a Global Justice Framework

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…
Mary Fashik 0
Love1
A person typing on a laptop with the words press release.NAMED AdvocatesNAMED Advocates Announces Official 501(c)(3) Status, Marking a Major Milestone for Black and Brown Disabled Leadership
December 10, 2025

NAMED Advocates Announces Official 501(c)(3) Status, Marking a Major Milestone for Black and Brown Disabled Leadership

NAMED Advocates is proud to announce that the organization has officially been recognized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit. This milestone affirms what the community has long known to be true:…
NAMED Advocates 0
Love0
An image pf scientific things and lettersNAMED AdvocatesRethinking Language in Science
December 8, 2025

Rethinking Language in Science

In 2024, The NAMED Advocates received a grant to launch Rethinking Language in Science, a multi-year project designed to critically examine how scientific and biomedical language shapes the lives of…
NAMED Advocates 0
Love0