About us
Featured From a Shared Vision to a Widespread Movement for Equity.ojects
We understand that seeing is believing, and we offer dedicated opportunities to Explore Our Programs and witness the direct impact of our work. Whether you are interested in our community outreach efforts, our legislative advocacy campaigns, or our specialized inclusion seminars, we welcome you to connect with our team. By scheduling a personalized visit or meeting with our program coordinators, you can gain deeper insight into the foundational principles that guide our initiatives and learn precisely how your involvement can amplify our collective voice. This is more than just a place to find resources; it is a collaborative ecosystem where diverse perspectives converge to drive meaningful, sustainable progress. We firmly believe that the collective strength of an inclusive community far surpasses the limited potential of an exclusive one, and we are dedicated to making that vision a reality right here in our community and beyond.
Our Story: The Foundation of Empowerment
The Disability Inclusion Initiative began not as a large organization, but as a small, passionate collective responding to the visible gaps in accessibility and opportunity within our local community. Our founders, a diverse group of advocates, educators, and family members of individuals with disabilities, recognized that while policies existed on paper, the everyday reality for many was one of persistent exclusion and unfulfilled potential. This shared recognition fueled our origin; we were determined to move past symbolic gestures and create a truly functional framework for change. Our initial focus was on grassroots advocacy, holding community forums and providing one-on-one support to families struggling to navigate complex educational and healthcare systems, quickly establishing ourselves as a trusted, knowledgeable resource dedicated to empowering individual voices. This period was crucial, as it allowed us to build our mission upon real-world experiences and the urgent needs identified by those we serve, ensuring that our strategy would always remain grounded in authentic human connection and necessity.
What We Do: Our Core Pillars
The true measure of the Disability Inclusion Initiative’s success lies in our community impact, which is seen not only in legislative victories but in the daily lives of individuals and families. We are profoundly moved by the stories of individuals who, after engaging with our programs, secured meaningful employment, accessed higher education, or simply felt, for the first time, a true sense of belonging in their neighborhood. Our influence extends deeply into the fabric of the community, fostering partnerships with local businesses that now champion inclusive hiring practices and collaborating with arts organizations to create truly accessible cultural experiences. We see our role as catalytic, igniting conversations and actions that break down historical prejudices and replace them with understanding and active welcome. This impact is the living manifestation of our mission, a testament to what is possible when we collectively commit to removing barriers and nurturing an environment where the unique contributions of every single person are recognized, valued, and wholly embraced as essential to our shared social richness.
FAQ’s
Comprehensive Answers to Your Questions About DII.
Q1: What is the primary difference between DII and other disability support organizations, and how do you ensure the sustainability of your policy work?
Our key differentiator lies in our commitment to systemic, upstream change rather than focusing solely on individual service provision; while we offer support resources, our primary focus is on legislative advocacy and professional training aimed at forcing institutions to become inherently inclusive, thereby reducing the need for continuous individual intervention. We ensure the sustainability of our policy work through strategic, multi-year campaigns, developing bipartisan relationships with local lawmakers, and building a robust data repository from our community needs assessments, which provides irrefutable evidence for legislative reform. We rely heavily on our rigorous Inclusion Best Practices Certification programs and corporate partnerships for a diversified funding base, which insulates our advocacy from the volatility of single-source grants and allows us to maintain a consistent, powerful presence in policy discussions year after year, guaranteeing long-term impact.
Q2: What are the eligibility requirements for individuals or families seeking personalized advocacy support, and what is the scope of your legal aid services?
We offer personalized advocacy support to any individual with a disability or their immediate family member residing in the greater Puget Sound region who is facing an immediate barrier related to access, employment, housing, or education. There are no income restrictions for our initial consultation and resource referral services, as we believe access to rights knowledge is universal. While DII does not employ on-staff legal counsel to represent clients in court, we maintain a vast, vetted network of pro bono and low-cost legal partners specializing in disability law, whom we connect our clients with based on the specific needs of their case. Our staff’s role is to provide expert case preparation, documentation assistance, and coaching for self-advocacy, acting as an informed liaison between the client and the legal professional to ensure all necessary documentation is gathered and the legal strategy is sound.
Q3: How does DII work with businesses to improve workplace inclusion, and what is the typical commitment required for your corporate training?
We engage with businesses through our customized corporate training programs, which begin with a comprehensive, confidential Accessibility and Inclusion Audit of their physical space, digital platforms, and human resources policies. Our training then moves into interactive workshops designed for all levels of staff, covering topics from accessible communication and neurodiversity awareness to developing a truly inclusive hiring and retention strategy. The typical commitment for a full organizational certification program ranges from three to six months, depending on the size of the company and the complexity of the systemic changes required, and includes on-site workshops, virtual follow-up sessions, and access to our expert consultants for one year post-certification. This commitment is an investment in human capital and ethical business practices, designed to reduce legal liability while expanding the talent pool and boosting team morale and innovation.
Q4: What is the procedure for reporting an accessibility barrier or an instance of discrimination within the community to DII?
We have established a clear and confidential procedure for community members to report instances of accessibility barriers or discrimination through our Community Incident Report Form, available on our website and at our office location. Upon receiving a detailed report, our Advocacy Team reviews the incident within two business days to determine the appropriate response, which can range from an initial mediation attempt with the responsible entity to providing the individual with documentation support for a formal legal complaint. We prioritize gathering concrete evidence and always treat the identity of the reporter with the highest degree of confidentiality, only moving forward with the individual’s express permission. We often use aggregated, anonymized data from these reports to identify systemic weak points, which then inform our legislative advocacy priorities, turning individual instances of injustice into catalysts for broad, positive change.
Q5: What is DII’s position on inclusive education, and what resources do you offer to local schools and educators?
DII firmly advocates for fully inclusive education, asserting that students with disabilities should be educated alongside their peers in the general education setting with all necessary supports provided, promoting socialization and academic equity. We offer a robust suite of resources to local schools and educators, including professional development workshops focused on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), personalized consultation on drafting and implementing legally compliant and effective Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), and guidance on creating a positive, bullying-free school culture. We help districts transition away from outdated, segregated models by providing strategic planning support for resource integration and co-teaching models. Our goal is to ensure that every educator is equipped with the pedagogical tools and philosophical mindset required to treat all students as capable learners whose unique needs are assets, not obstacles, to the learning environment.
Support & Connect: Final Steps for Partnership and Employment
Essential Information for Partnership, Employment, and Contact.
Join Us / Work With Us
Exceptional Opportunities to Build a Career of Meaningful Impact.
We are constantly seeking passionate, skilled, and mission-driven individuals to join our professional team, offering career opportunities that promise not just employment but a genuine chance to contribute to profound social change. Our team culture is built on deep respect, open communication, and fierce collaboration, creating an environment where every employee’s expertise is valued, and personal growth is actively encouraged, particularly in the ever-evolving fields of disability law, policy analysis, and accessible technology.
Career opportunities at DII frequently arise in specialized areas such as Policy Analysis and Legislative Relations, where expertise in drafting and lobbying for critical inclusion bills is essential, and in Program Management, where we need leaders skilled in developing and deploying our professional certification curricula.
We believe in internal advancement and provide ample opportunities for professional development, ensuring our team remains at the forefront of the inclusion movement. To apply, please visit our careers page to view current openings and submit a detailed cover letter—which should explicitly address your personal commitment to disability rights and inclusion—along with your comprehensive resume, as we are dedicated to building a team whose professional skills are matched by their genuine dedication to our mission.
Contact Us
Connect with Our Team to Start Your Journey to Inclusion.
We encourage individuals, families, organizations, and potential partners to reach out to the Disability Inclusion Initiative team; connecting with us is the first step toward accessing resources or engaging in meaningful collaborative change.
Visit Information and Physical Location While much of our work is conducted digitally and within the community, our physical office serves as the central hub for our administrative and policy teams, as well as a location for scheduled one-on-one consultations and small-group training sessions. Our office is located at 3512 204TH ST SW APT H201, LYNNWOOD, WA 98036-6888 US. We request that all visits be scheduled in advance to ensure that the appropriate expert is available to meet with you and that we can confirm the accessibility of the meeting space for your specific needs, maintaining our commitment to universal design and respectful accommodation.
Online Connection Options For continuous engagement and to stay updated on our latest advocacy victories, community events, and policy developments, we invite you to connect with us through our active social media channels. Following us online is a great way to join the conversation, share our message of inclusion, and become a part of our dynamic digital advocacy community. We regularly post updates on upcoming training sessions, calls to action for legislative support, and inspiring stories of community impact, transforming our online presence into a vibrant extension of our real-world mission and providing another layer of seamless, accessible connection.
Full Contact Details
Address | 3512 204TH ST SW APT H201, LYNNWOOD, WA 98036-6888 US
Email :info@dii.lat