News
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Louisville Free Public Library becomes Autism Informed Employer
There are a lot of good reasons Bev Harp loves libraries. They’re places where someone can spend time without being expected to spend any money, they encourage a peaceful and […]
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HDI commemorates the 35th Anniversary of the ADA
It’s been 35 years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This landmark civil rights legislation enshrined protections and rights for Americans with disabilities into law, and as […]
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Metatheater and Madness: Ozzy Wagner’s Surreal Approach as a Playwright
Ozzy Wagner is no stranger to surrealist theatre, but a recent experience with the psychiatric system made for fertile ground to explore. That experience resulted in GROUP, one of four […]
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Borden and Rader receive 2025 Burberry Award
It’s unusual for two people to win HDI’s prestigious Burberry Award, but this year, two people deserved the honor. The 2025 recipients are Allison Borden and Caleb Rader. The award […]
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Play It by Ear: Allison Fradkin’s ‘Heard Mentality’ Tunes into Disability with Wordplay and Wit
Allison Fradkin wants people to laugh when they see her play Heard Mentality, but she also wants people to understand her experiences a bit better. Fradkin favors fast-paced dialogue full […]
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Rooted & Rising: Supporting Mental Health in Rural Kentucky
Mental wellness is an important part of living a healthy, meaningful life. Experiencing good mental health helps people handle stress, build healthy relationships, and care for themselves and others. An […]
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Speaking Through Felt: Katie Peña-Van Zile’s Autistic Voice on Stage
Katie Peña-Van Zile remembers the job that inspired her play, Felt, well. “I was diagnosed with autism in 2021, much closer to my thirties than not, while working at an […]
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How an Autistic Advocate Turned Personal Loss into Lifesaving Work
Caleb Rader was 13 when his cousin died by suicide. He remembers the funeral vividly—and the decision it sparked in him. “There was wailing, people were fainting,” he said. “That […]
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Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2025
On Nov. 27, 2011, Joe Devon, a web developer out of Los Angeles, wrote an article about the need for accessibility in web design. “Much effort is going into the semantics […]
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HDI and OVR collaborate to host Summer Leadership Experience
For almost 10 years, the Human Development Institute has operated a summer camp to help high school students with disabilities figure out next steps post high school that lead to […]