WHAT WE DO

Equitable Access to Public Accommodations

Increasing Access in Your Community

Everyone, regardless of race, gender, disability or language should be free to participate in civic activities, the economy, and the social life of their community. People of color with disabilities face overlapping discrimination and stereotyping that permeates through access to education, employment, housing, public benefits, and more. The Committee’s ceaseless fight against discrimination in access to the economy and public services works to ensure that everyone, regardless of race, disability or language can truly participate in society.

We bring cases that seek to change the policies, procedures, and practices that create and sustain injustice can be an effective tool to create equity.

Case Study
Fair Access to the Ballot

In 2020, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee filed suit on behalf of a coalition of disability organizations and individual voters against the Commonwealth of Virginia for excluding Virginians with disabilities from absentee voting.

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Case Study
Emergency Relief for Patients at DC’s Psychiatric Hospital

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee, on behalf of three patients, successfully sought emergency relief to ensure that the District conformed its practices to best available guidance, significantly improving patient care and lowering infection and death rates dramatically.

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Case Study
Winning the Right to Communication for Deaf Prisoners

In a recent landmark decision, the Fourth Circuit held that the failure to provide a videophone to a prisoner who is deaf so that he can communicate with people outside of prison may violate his First Amendment rights.

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Case Study
Ending Discrimination at “America’s Diner”

In the early 1990s, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee exposed rampant discrimination against African American patrons at Denny’s restaurants. Black patrons were denied seating, required to pay first, or made to sit in the back of the restaurant.

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