YOU MUST BE A LEGAL MICHIGAN VOTER TO SIGN THIS PETITION!

Thank you for taking your time to read this. I am now 21 years old, and my life experience is what guided me to disability rights advocacy. I hope that you will also find the strength to speak up for what you believe in.  In hopes of increasing your understanding of this matter, I wish to begin with personal anecdotes.

While receiving mental health treatment, I was told by a staff member that if I were to need a wheelchair during my stay, I wouldn’t be allowed to stay.  This was because of the possibility of a wheelchair being a fire hazard. It is equally as hazardous if a disabled person is going through a mental health crisis and is denied care due to their disability. In Canada, following the COVID-19 pandemic, it hasn’t been recognized that people with disabilities are more at risk of medical complications affecting the immune system. If this is seen the same way in the United States, how can we be assured that disabled people will get access to the medical care they need if a medical issue arises? Medical rationing is how the necessity of treating a patient is determined. If this gets passed, then medical rationing will recognize that those with disabilities might need extra care.

When I was in elementary school, I was attending a charter school for the first quarter of sixth grade. I enjoyed almost every day of school, especially because the math/science teacher always encouraged me to keep wearing my medical alert bracelet. However, the school wouldn’t allow me to self-carry epinephrine. Ultimately, my mother decided that it was best for me to switch to a school that follows my IEP plan. IEP plans relate to the Rehabilitation Act and IDEA. IDEA adds accommodations for those who need it the most, and Section 504 prevents discrimination in schools. If this is passed, more students will have more protections under these acts in the state of Michigan.

Thank you for reading my story, Now, I will educate you about the Convention of Rights for People with Disabilities, which was formulated in 2006. It was proposed to the United Nations by Mexico, which wasn't particularly known for accessibility efforts at the time. Now, in 2026, the United States is still to ratify the Convention. The primary reason why it wasn't ratified is because the US Government believes that their disability rights laws suffice. 

Countries that have ratified the CRPD are obligated to increase appreciation of disabled people and reduce negative stereotypes through educational programs in schools and communities. Schools are also to provide accommodations to students who need them. Disabled children, just like other children, are given the right to voice their opinions in school.

Other rights provided by the CRPD are the protection of the right of life, equal legal representation, accessible healthcare, and mobility (the freedom to move). Disabled people can also live independently and contribute to their communities, being appreciated for their abilities.

If this petition is successful and passes, legislature might be motivated to ratify the CRPD.

To succeed, we must get 446,198 signatures before July 6th.

"History has its eyes on you." Alexander Hamilton in the musical Hamilton.