"I Belong Here": The UCLA Leadership Academy for Emerging Disability Rights Leaders

Authors

• Blake E. Warner, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
• Jasper A. Estabillo, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
• Elisabeth Cincione, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
• Julianna Martinez, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
• Yasamin Bolourian, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
• Kashia A. Rosenau, University of California, Los AngelesFollow
• Elizabeth A. Laugeson, University of California, Los AngelesFollow

Abstract

The UCLA Leadership Academy for Emerging Disability Rights Leaders was developed to address the gap between advocacy training and systems-level leadership opportunities for disabled people. Rooted in the principles of co-production, accessibility, and relevance, the Leadership Academy equips participants with advocacy, storytelling, and testimony skills through a structured, interactive curriculum supported by coaches and program graduates with lived experience. This paper presents findings from two phases of evaluation: (1) a pilot study with the first cohort, examining the program's feasibility and acceptability through retention, attendance, and participant satisfaction data; and (2) interviews with program graduates who returned in a mentorship role as “Senior Fellows” for the second cohort. Results from the pilot study indicated that the Leadership Academy is both feasible and highly acceptable to participants, who reported growth in leadership capacity, confidence, and professional development. Senior Fellows emphasized the value of mentorship, peer support, and belonging, highlighting the importance of centering lived experience in leadership training. This pilot study offers a scalable model that can be used by University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network partners, and other organizations seeking to build inclusive leadership pipelines. The findings affirm the critical role of disability-led programs in advancing equity, belonging, and self-determination.

Plain Language Summary

The UCLA Leadership Academy for Emerging Disability Rights Leaders is a program made to help disabled people become strong leaders and advocates. The program teaches useful skills like how to tell your story, speak with government representatives, and lead others. This paper shares what we learned from the first group of participants, called “Fellows.” Most Fellows finished the program, came to most classes, and said they gained skills and felt more confident. We also interviewed people who finished the program and who came back the next year to help coach new participants. These participants are called “Senior Fellows.” They said that the classes helped them feel more confident, gave them new job goals, and helped them feel like they belong to the disability rights community. These results show that the program is helpful and could be used by other places to help more disabled people in becoming leaders.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Warner, Blake E.; Estabillo, Jasper A.; Cincione, Elisabeth; Martinez, Julianna; Bolourian, Yasamin; Rosenau, Kashia A.; and Laugeson, Elizabeth A. (2026) ""I Belong Here": The UCLA Leadership Academy for Emerging Disability Rights Leaders," Developmental Disabilities Network Journal: Vol. 5: Iss. 2, Article 21.
DOI: 10.59620/2694-1104.1163
Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/ddnj/vol5/iss2/21