performers Jim Sinclair – Coordinator and founder of Autism Network International, advisor to Syracuse University's Disability Cultural Center Eunice Kennedy Shriver – lifelong advocate for people with intellectual disabilities who founded Special Olympics International in 1968 Satendra Singh – doctor with disability and founder of Enabling Unit Max Starkloff (1937–2010) – founded Paraquad, one of the first independent living centers in the United States; advocated for the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 John Franklin Stephens – actor, athlete, and activist with Down syndrome Simon Stevens – disability issues consultant known for his high-profile work around disability issues in the UK T Joni Ericson Tada – evangelical Christian author, radio host, and founder of Joni and Friends, an organization "accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community." Sunaura Taylor – artist, writer, and activist Jack Thorne – English screenwriter and playwright U Chris Underhill – a founder of Thrive and ADD International (Action on Disability and Development) V Susanna van Tonder – Luxembourgish disability-rights activist, patient advocate and blogger with multiple sclerosis Lizzie Velásquez – author and public speaker on themes of self-esteem and bullying of young people with disabilities Henry Viscardi Jr. – American disability-rights activist who was also advisor to eight US presidents on disability matters W Yuval Wagner – President of Access Israel Ron Whyte – playwright who was on the President's Committee for the Employment of the Handicapped Alice Wong – founded the Disability Visibility Project Grace Woodhead – care in the community in 1890 in the UK Patrisha Wright – known as "the General" for her work in coordinating the campaign to enact the Americans with Disabilities Act Y Benafsha Yaqoobi – commissioner at the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) until she fled Afghanistan with her husband in 2021 Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah – Ghanaian cyclist with one leg who rode across Ghana to raise awareness and works to increase the number of wheelchairs in his country Stella Young (1982–2014) – Australian journalist, comedian, and disability activist, used a wheelchair for most of her life, editor of the ABC online magazine Ramp Up Z Frieda Zames – mathematics professor, writer and advocate for access to all aspects of public life, especially transportation; as an official of Disabled in Action, campaigned for wheelchair access on New York City buses, ferries and taxis and buildings like the Empire State Building; with her sister, Zames, wrote the book, The