Impact Feature Issue on Stories of Advocacy, Stories of Change from People with Disabilities, Their Families, and Allies (1988-2013)

This Impact issue reflects on some of the changes that have taken place during the past 25 years in the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families, and in our society in relation to people with disabilities. The 60-plus issues of Impact that have been published since 1988 have explored the daily realities that many people with disabilities and their families have lived. Impact has also offered continually-changing snapshots of the ongoing efforts by those families and individuals, as well as a host of professionals and other allies, to improve services, supports, policies, and attitudes. And it has documented the progress toward full citizenship and community inclusion for people with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities in the U.S., as well as those instances where progress has been far too slow.

In recent decades, millions of resources have been created around the world that have offered inspiration, vision, guidance, and tools for the hard work of advocacy and self-advocacy, policymaking and service delivery, research and professional training. Among those millions has been Impact, and we hope that it has contributed in a positive way to the movement toward community inclusion. It is to individuals with disabilities and their families, as well as their allies, that this issue is dedicated in recognition of their tenacity, courage, and vision in bringing about and sustaining that movement toward change.