Ian Ruder

Ahmad Bilal had to use a ventilator full-time after a 2023 spinal cord injury, until a new surgery gave him the possibility to wean off of the vent. When Ahmad Bilal woke up using a ventilator after his spinal cord injury in January 2023, doctors told him to prepare to live the rest of his life that way.

Stephanie Thomas has spent nearly five decades organizing in the disability rights movement, from the street protests that helped force passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act to her current work preserving that history at the ADAPT Online Museum. Based in Austin, Texas, she co-founded Accessible Housing Austin and has spent years with ADAPT fighting for community-based alternatives to nursing homes and institutions.

If you’re looking to beat the heat and take a break from the stream of Hollywood blockbusters, there are a handful of promising films coming out that center disabled actors and creators. None of these are slated for wide release as of yet, but keep an eye out for local screenings and streaming options.