During this meeting, we will introduce ourselves, learn from our national partners at REV UP/the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), and strategize on the coalition’s goals for the new year.
Note that January’s meeting will be slightly longer than other REV UP MA meetings (1.5 hours instead of 1 hour) as we will need more time for our busier agenda! February’s meeting will be the usual 1 hour (Thursday, February 26th 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM).
On Friday, December 26, 2025, our movement lost a powerful leader, and many of us lost a dear colleague and friend. Bob Kafka, a longtime organizer with the disability civil rights protest group, ADAPT, the founder of AAPD’s REV UP campaign, and a co-lead of REV UP Texas, passed away at his home in Austin, Texas.
Bob was driven by the conviction that disabled people deserve freedom, choice, dignity, and power. His ideals were not just dreams; they were a mandate, a directive that guided how he lived his life. He carried his conviction with a steady, patient, laid-back confidence. He believed there was always work to be done, but he also believed in making time for banter and jokes, time to educate and mentor people new to the movement.
Bob was a unique and dynamic leader in that he didn’t play just one role in the disability rights movement – he played them all. He understood the value of different tactics and the power of community.
He put his body on the line for justice – Bob was arrested over 30 times as part of his many fights to pass landmark pieces of legislation and to protect and establish critical programs. The legislative causes for which he put his body on the line were often eventually successful, resulting in lifts on buses and increased funding and incentives for home-and community-based services (HCBS).
Bob Kafka at 2015 Rev Up MA Conference
Bob’s unruly white curls (usually tucked beneath a hat) and wild beard can be spotted in the photos of the crowds at many pivotal disability protests that helped propel public awareness and progress on key issues. He could lead a chant and rally a crowd – “Our homes, not nursing homes!” – and then moments later lower his voice, lean back in his manual wheelchair and, with patience and tact, have a diplomatic debate with elected officials and political appointees over the nuances of federal funding, state-led programs, and managed care.
Bob attended his first ADAPT training in 1984 and remained a student of advocacy until the end of his life. He interviewed hundreds of disabled leaders on his KSFR 101.1 Santa Fe radio show, Barrier Free Futures. While many of his guests tried to turn the script and interview the movement giant on the other side of the mic, Bob was a curious and thoughtful host. He knew that listening was an important part of leading.
“Bob was brilliant. There was no disability policy issue I couldn’t ask him about. Part of that was that he read a lot, but part of it was he made it a point to get to know people, ask them questions, and listen to them,” said Lydia Nuñez Landry, a leader of REV UP Texas, who advocated alongside Bob.
No task was below Bob, and no win was too small. He recognized equal and necessary value in freeing one person from a nursing home and in working toward systemic change. He enjoyed meeting with legislators as much as he enjoyed organizing community parties all around Texas for Disability Voting Rights Week.
“Bob hardly ever talked about himself, in a lot of ways he was really selfless. The last action we went to together, his chair was falling apart, held together with tape and zip ties. The money he received was all going toward the cause. That’s something I really respected and admired,” Nuñez Landry shared.
Bob recognized the importance of honoring and growing disabled people’s civic power, and fostered this passion by founding REV UP Texas. Ten years ago, we were honored when Bob asked AAPD to take the movement he started to the national level by establishing and managing disability vote coalitions in many more states. REV UP is an acronym, of course, but also a call to action: Register, Educate, Vote, Use your Power! It is national in scope, recognizing that broad change is needed to move the needle, but it is driven by local, grassroots advocacy, with coalitions in over 20 states and engagement across 48 states.
Bob understood that voting is a singular, individual action that connects people to larger movements. For this reason, REV UP recognizes that every person has a role to play in creating change and that all disabled people have immense power. It asserts that we belong in political conversations and we deserve to be seen, heard, and respected. Most importantly, REV UP recognizes that the disability vote is formidable with the power to shape and change the course of our nation’s history with 40.2 million disabled voters in the U.S. and over 70 million when you count caregivers and family members.
Despite having witnessed both tremendous policy gains and heartbreaking setbacks over his lifetime in activism, Bob was relentless in his belief in a better future and putting in the work to get us there.
“To be an organizer, you have to believe that change is possible, but you also have to be pragmatic and realistic. You have to be specific about what policy changes you want, and Bob was great at that,” Nuñez Landry said. “I never saw him despair or give up. He always would tell me when I would get down, in his Brooklyn accent, ‘You can’t motivate people with despair and hopelessness, Lydia. You have to make them believe change is possible and can be done.'”
Bob was famous for ending every email and phone call with his relentless refrain for justice, “Don’t mourn, organize.” Every setback in the long arc to justice, every loss of a disability hero and community member, is part of our story.
In the spirit of Bob’s mantra, we will not dwell in our grief but use it to fuel our commitment to disability organizing, dignity, and power. You can stay engaged with REV UP by joining our listserv or attending state and national calls. If you’re interested in starting a coalition or getting further engaged, email revup@aapd.com.
Thank you, Bob. We won’t let you down.
NCIL Statement on the Passing of Bob Kafka
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) mourns the passing of Bob Kafka, a powerful advocate and movement leader whose life and work helped shape the fight for independent living, disability justice, and community inclusion.
Bob believed deeply that disabled people belong in their homes, their communities, and at decision-making tables. His advocacy was grounded in action, persistence, and a clear understanding that rights are never simply granted; they are demanded, defended, and protected over time. His work reflected the core values of the Independent Living movement: dignity, access, self-determination, and collective power.
Bob’s leadership was widely recognized, including his receipt of NCIL’s Max Starkloff Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the movement’s highest honors. He joins a distinguished group of recipients who have fundamentally shaped disability rights, including Lex Frieden, Stephanie Thomas, and the ADAPT community. This recognition was not symbolic, it reflected Bob’s real and lasting impact on policy, people, and the direction of our movement.
Beyond titles or awards, Bob was someone who showed up. He spoke plainly, pushed hard when it mattered, and stayed engaged even when the work was uncomfortable or exhausting. Our movement is stronger because of leaders like Bob who refused to settle for partial inclusion or temporary wins.
As NCIL Executive Director Theo W. Braddy shared:
“With the recent loss of other prominent disabled leaders and voices in our movement, Bob’s passing leaves another giant void, one felt deeply not only within the disability community, but across society as a whole. Leaders like Bob remind us how much progress has been driven by disabled leaders who refused to be silent and who demanded better, not just for themselves, but for generations to come. His absence will be felt, and his legacy will continue to guide us“.
We extend our deepest condolences to Bob’s family, friends, colleagues, and the many advocates who learned from him, worked beside him, and were inspired by his leadership. NCIL honors Bob Kafka’s legacy and recommits itself to carrying forward the work he believed in so fiercely. His voice will be missed. His impact will not be forgotten.
Registration is required. CART and ASL will be provided.
At this meeting, we will be reflecting on the last year of voting advocacy work, sharing some recent advocacy updates, and developing some goals for our year ahead. Check out the agenda (below) for more details.
REV UP MA End-of-Year Meeting Agenda
Thursday, December 4th 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM via Zoom
Getting started/Introductions: 5-10 minutes
Brief advocacy updates: 5-10 minutes
Reflecting on REV UP MA’s year: 5-10 minutes
Group discussion: Wish-List and Goals for the year ahead : 30-40 minutes
Brainstorm potential goals/areas to work on for 2026
Member involvement: How do you imagine you/your organization contributing to REV UP MA’s goals?
Wrapping up/Looking Ahead to 2026: Please share any ideas to make future meetings helpful/engaging! We will send information about future meetings to the REV UP MA email list.
Please reach out to Brianna Zimmerman at bzimmerman@dlc-ma.org or 617-315-4593 with any questions.
Rev Up MA hosted an insightful discussion about polling site accessibility. People from across the state joined the discussion. View the October Meeting Slides (pdf).
Of special interest was the 2024 report on the accessibility of polling sites across Massachusetts. The 2024 election had very high turnout. The results were quite interesting.
Wondering about preliminary elections? September has several preliminary elections across MA. DLC ED, Barbara I’talien and DLC Voting Advocate, Brianna Zimmerman released Voting Rights – 2025 Preliminary Elections, a podcast to demystify what a preliminary election is, how to register and vote, and your disability rights. If you would prefer to read the information, there a transcript available to download.
Several organizations have joined Voting Rights MA to endorse several bills that will help remove voting barriers for people with disabilities. Download the Voting Rights flyer (pdf).
Let your legislators know how important these bills are for everyone, and especially people with disabilities.
These efforts focus on 3 sets of bills (State House and State Senate):
Enforcing Accessibility For Voters With Disabilities: This bill would require the Secretary of Commonwealth to arrange inspection of all polling places and early voting sites at least once every four years, to ensure compliance with federal and state disability accessibility laws. Cities and town not in compliance must take immediate action to comply and file a compliance plan, and the Attorney General can enforce compliance in court.
Separating Voter Registration from Municipal Census: Not responding to the municipal census should no longer result in being dropped from the voting register. This change will maintain the municipal census for data collection and jury selection but no longer to change a voter’s status. Instead, voters’ names will go on the inactive list if information that they have moved from the city or town is received from the U.S. Postal Service’s national change of address program, from the multistate Electronic Registration Information Center, or from official notice by another jurisdiction. Voters’ names will then continue to be removed from the inactive list if they fail to vote (or take other voting-related action) after two federal general elections. Every year, thousands of Massachusetts voters go to vote in person, only to realize they’re classified as “inactive voters.” The primary reason is because they didn’t fill out and return their annual municipal census, an unnecessary punitive measure. Massachusetts is an outlier. All states are required under federal law to have a process for keeping voter rolls up to date. MA is one of few to connect the inactive voter list to those who fail to fill out the municipal census. Most states just use the USPS Change of Address form and ERIC States. This bill will keep the inactive voter list and the municipal census, both which have value. It simply decouples them ensuring better access to voters on election day and less work for local election officials.
Same Day Voter Registration: No eligible voter should be turned away at the polls due to an error in or out- of-date voter registration. Same Day Voter Registration allows all eligible voters to register or update their registration in-person on Election Day or early voting days, doing away with the longstanding and arbitrary voter registration cutoff period. SDR is now used in 22 states and D.C. Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire have used SDR for decades. SDR is mostly used by voters who need to update their registration, who would otherwise be excluded from participating on Election Day
RevUpMA members attended this webinar and found it very helpful. One of the most compelling features was its attention to young voters.
This webinar was presented by Nonprofit Vote, and is not affiliated with RevUp.
What the webinar is about
Now more than ever, our communities need to be seen and heard. As rapid changes happen across the country, engaging candidates is one way nonprofits can bring lived experiences to the table – and invite candidates to listen.
Topics covered:
Why and how to host a candidate forum
Ideas to engage candidates beyond forums like meet and greets
Common challenges – like low candidate response rates or coalition dynamics – and how to navigate them
How events can help voters feel more “in the know” and empowered
The Museum of Science and Perkins School for the Blind team up for this program highlighting how end-to-end accessibility is crucial for civic engagement.
In a true democracy, everyone can participate equally. Explore how end-to-end accessibility — of media, voting processes and more — is essential for full civic participation of people with disabilities.
How might — and should — systems enable::
People with blindness / low vision to engage with political information from maps/data visualizations?
People with auditory and / or language processing issues to participate in community forums, town halls, and meetings with policymakers, amid the lack of standardized, real-time, high-quality captioning?
People with neurocognitive disabilities to discern mis/disinformation, in order to make informed civic decisions?
“This EO proposes many changes to how our elections work, including voter eligibility, maintaining voter registration lists, vote-by-mail processes, which voting machines can be used, and who is responsible for managing elections. AAPD is highly concerned that if any aspects of this EO go into effect, voters with disabilities and other marginalized communities will be disproportionately harmed. Already, disabled voters face increased challenges in accessing their right to vote because of policies and practices that make voting difficult. The policies in this Executive Order are voter suppression tactics – policies that make it harder for many Americans to vote. “
What Does the Elections Executive Order Say?
Requires proof of citizenship to vote – Millions of American citizens do not have access to the documents required by this law, which means that millions of eligible voters would not be able to participate in our democracy. Disabled people, older adults, voters of color, and voters who may have changed their names, like people who take their spouses’ names when they get married, are less likely to have these documents or have up-to-date documents.
Changes vote-by-mail procedures proposes that mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, even if they are postmarked with an earlier date, cannot be counted.
Changes voting machine types and certification processes – The EO wants to limit the types of voting machines that polling locations are allowed to use and proposes that the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) re-certify all voting systems. The EO notes an exception for accommodating people with disabilities. The EO also requires that all voting methods have a “voter-verifiable paper record.” Paper ballots are not accessible to some voters with disabilities, particularly individuals who are blind, have low vision, have difficulty reading or understanding print, or cannot physically hold their ballots.
Attempts to direct an independent bipartisan entity – The EO directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to carry out and enforce the administration’s proposed policies.
Establishes federal voter rolls – The EO directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to review state voter registration lists, specifically to verify that no ineligible voters are on them. Under current federal law, state governments and Secretaries of State are responsible for maintaining voter lists.
AAPD Explains the SAVE ACT
The article goes on to describe the SAVE Act which Congress is considering.
“If passed, the SAVE Act would require people to provide documented proof of citizenship in person when registering to vote and updating their voter registration, such as after a move. The SAVE Act would also make it harder for women who changed their last name after marriage.
Millions of voters do not have access to documents that would sufficiently meet the requirements that qualify as “documentary proof of citizenship,” such as U.S. passports. People with disabilities, older adults, and people of color may be especially unlikely to have access to these documents. The requirement of needing to go in person would make voter registration difficult or impossible for many disabled voters who do not have access to accessible transportation, are living in congregate settings, are immuno-compromised and cannot go into many public spaces, or for whom the election office may not be accessible. Additionally, the in-person requirement would make it extremely difficult for individual organizers, coalitions, and organizations to host successful voter registration drives. This would lead to communities already excluded by get-out-the-vote efforts being further neglected.
This year’s webinar on October 22, 2024, included information about preparing for the upcoming election, legal rights of Massachusetts voters, Accessible Electronic Vote by Mail, and accessibility requirements of polling places across Massachusetts. Stay tuned for a link to the video!
Agenda
Introduction by Brianna Zimmerman, Voting Rights Advocate, Disability Law Center
Massachusetts Voters’ Rights by Brianna Zimmerman
Accessible Electronic Vote by Mail in Massachusetts by Tatum Pritchard, Director of Litigation, Disability Law Center
Overview of Accessible Polling Places by Tom Murphy, Supervising Attorney, Disability Law Center
Tips for Advocating for Accessible Polling Places by Rick Glassman, Director of Advocacy, Disability Law Center
