BALTIMORE, September 5, 2024 – Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is honored to announce that U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth will receive the Judith Heumann Champion of Justice Award at DRM’s Breaking Barriers Awards Gala on September 26, 2024.
The Judith Heumann Champion of Justice Award recognizes individuals who are dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable society for people with disabilities, in honor of Judy Heumann, one of the most influential disability rights activists in history. Previous recipients include Wade Henderson, Congressman Jamie Raskin, and Rebecca Cokley.
Senator Duckworth has been a steadfast advocate for disability rights.
During the 115th Congress, she played a critical role in preserving the Americans with Disabilities Act, protecting the hard-won rights that leaders like Judy Heumann helped secure. Her legislative accomplishments also include expanding Medicare coverage for durable medical equipment, making public transit stations accessible, advocating for students with disabilities, ensuring fair rates for communication between incarcerated individuals and their families, addressing maternal mortality among veterans, and securing resources for State Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services.
Her work aligns with DRM’s mission to advance the legal rights of people with disabilities. Recently, DRM represented a woman whose wheelchair was lost for days by an airline, highlighting systemic issues that Senator Duckworth has addressed through her efforts to increase transparency and accountability in the airline industry.
“Senator Duckworth’s advocacy for disability rights and her commitment to social justice have made a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals across the country. She carries forward the values and spirit that Judy Heumann infused into the disability rights and disability justice movement,” said Meghan Marsh, Executive Director of DRM.
Senator Duckworth is not able to attend the gala in-person and will accept the award via recorded remarks.
To learn more about DRM’s Breaking Barriers Awards Gala and to purchase tickets, visit DisabilityRightsMD.org/Breaking-Barriers-Gala.
About Senator Tammy Duckworth
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran, Purple Heart recipient and former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs who was among the first handful of Army women to fly combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Duckworth served in the Reserve Forces for 23 years before retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2014. She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016 after representing Illinois’s Eighth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms.
Learn more about Senator Duckworth by visiting: Duckworth.Senate.gov/About-Tammy/Biography
About Disability Rights Maryland (DRM)
Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advances the rights of people with disabilities in Maryland. DRM provides free legal services to address issues like abuse, neglect, or discrimination that might occur in education, housing, transportation, healthcare, voting, and more. Ensuring that people with disabilities don’t have to live in institutions unnecessarily is a primary goal. DRM envisions a world where everyone has access to the services they need to fully participate in the workplace, neighborhoods, and all aspects of community life.
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