Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities / RI College

Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Access for All Abilities Mini Grants!

Five Rhode Island organizations will use grant funding to improve accessibility so people with disabilities can learn, create, connect and participate alongside others in their communities. They are:

• Anyhow Studio
• Bethel AME Providence
• The Chorus of Westerly
• Coggeshall Farm Museum
• RI Riddle Room

Projects range from accessible arts equipment and signs to mobility access improvements, assistive listening devices and accessibility reviews.

Read more about this year’s recipients and their projects: https://sherlockcenter.ric.edu/news-stories/mini-grants-26

Are you looking to secure the future for your loved one with special needs? Join our June Self-Directed Supports Network meeting to learn how.

Elizabeth S. Phillips, managing partner at Hackman & Phillips Elder Law RI LLC and Amanda E. Tarzwell, attorney at Tarzwell & Trubiano Law LLC, will break down the essential steps for long-term planning and succession.

Whether you are navigating special needs trusts, guardianship or building a support network for the next generation, this session covers the critical information you need to plan with confidence.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, on Zoom. Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/4dN6GfY

Are you looking to secure the future for your loved one with special needs? Join our June Self-Directed Supports Network meeting!

Elizabeth S. Phillips, managing partner at Hackman & Phillips Elder Law RI LLC and Amanda E. Tarzwell, attorney at Tarzwell & Trubiano Law LLC, will break down the essential steps for long-term planning and succession.

Whether you are navigating special needs trusts, guardianship or building a support network for the next generation, this session covers the critical information you need to plan with confidence.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 17, on Zoom. Learn more and register:

Self-Directed Supports Network June Meeting Topics will include:

This event at Lippitt House Museum on June 2 features ASL interpreters, a virtual ASL history tour and the contemporary exhibit “On Being American.”

Did you know the museum’s ASL video tour was created with support from a Sherlock Center Access for All Abilities Mini Grant? Read more about it here: https://bit.ly/4dtd5hm

Deaf Night at Lippitt House Museum!
Come see the site-specific art exhibition "On Being American | Contemporary Artworks, Echoes of the Past" on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 5:00 - 7:00 PM. Join Dolores Sverdigliozzi, Art Teacher, RI School for the Deaf; Steve Roth, Local Deaf Artist; and ASL Interpreters.
What to Expect:
• View the historic Lippitt House Museum
• View the new site-specific, contemporary art exhibit “On Being American”
• Interact with artists Dolores Sverdigliozzi and Steve Roth
• ASL Interpreters
• Virtual ASL history tour option
• Appropriate for high-school students and adults

Questions? Email: [email protected]

Accessibility:
Lippitt House Museum’s main entrance has stairs. An electronic lift is available at a separate entrance—lift operation and Museum access requires staff assistance. Please email [email protected] if you will need this service and to receive parking/drop-off instructions.

Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), a great time to reflect on how we can make our digital spaces more inclusive for everyone.

Accessibility often starts with fixing the most common hurdles that keep people from accessing content. WebAIM says these are some of the most frequent accessibility barriers:

• Low contrast text: Ensuring text is easy to read against its background.
• Missing image alt text: Providing descriptive text for screen readers so everyone understands your visuals.
• Empty links and buttons: Giving these elements clear, descriptive labels so users know what will happen when they click.
• Missing form input labels: Making sure every field in a form is clearly identified.
• Missing document language: Defining the language, such as English or Spanish, so screen readers can process the text correctly.

Interested in learning more? Check out https://accessibility.day to see how you can help create a more accessible digital world. 🌐

The Autism Project's free screening of “Kindness and Grace in the Life of Jovanny Green,” on May 29 explores identity and inclusion through the eyes of a Providence resident. Learn more and register below.

Join us on May 29 for a special screening of Kindness & Grace in the Life of Jovanny Green, a powerful short film sharing the story of Jovanny Green, a Black autistic man living in Providence, RI. 💙

This film offers an intimate look at identity, community, inclusion, and what autism awareness and safety truly mean in real life. It also opens the door to an important conversation about how first responders and community members can better support autistic individuals through empathy, communication, and understanding.

We invite families, professionals, educators, and community members to come together for an evening of reflection and connection as we continue working toward more inclusive and supportive communities.

📍 Generations Adult Day Health Center
267 Jenckes Hill Rd, Smithfield, RI

📅 May 29, 2026
⏰ 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM

🎟️ Free to attend

Register here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/u5qxymp/lp/a5a6c6a2-bd62-4981-9991-4c07b4895eab

We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful evening of storytelling and community learning.

Join our next Self-Directed Supports Network meeting on Wednesday, May 13, for a live Q&A with Rhode Island’s three support broker agencies.

Bring your questions and learn more about how each agency supports individuals using self-directed services. The meeting will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Learn more and register:

Self-Directed Supports Network May Meeting Reasonable accommodation / language request:If you need a reasonable accommodation (e.g., ASL interpreter) or materials in an alternate format (e.g. large print) to fully participate in this event, please indicate your request on the registration form.

Join us for an engaging Community of Practice in Autism exploring intersectionality and disproportionality from 4 to 6 p.m. on May 12 at Rhode Island College.

Assistant Professor of Special Education Kelly Acosta will discuss what these terms mean and how they affect individuals with autism and their families, particularly across different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Click below for more information and to register.

Community of Practice in Autism: Intersectionality and Disproportionality of Race, Ethnicity and Disability Participants will have an opportunity to engage in discourse on the topics of intersectionality and disproportionality to further their understanding of the concepts.

For many, navigating the rules around Social Security benefits and working can feel complicated. Brooke Coelho knows this firsthand – she has been a beneficiary herself. Thanks to a partnership between the Sherlock Center and the Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitation Services - ORS, she is turning that personal perspective into her profession.

Through our immersive Work Incentive Benefits Counseling internship program, Brooke has gained the hands-on training and credentials needed to help other Rhode Islanders with disabilities navigate their own paths to employment without fear of losing their safety net.

“I love learning, and I want to help others understand the possibilities they have,” she said. “I hate when people limit themselves because of their disabilities. I learned from a very young age that you are capable of doing anything in spite of your condition. It is all a matter of perspective, and I love giving others my positive perspective, too. It becomes contagious, I think.”

Read more about Brooke: https://bit.ly/4ecX4Nm

The Sherlock Center is reaching out to selected older adults and adults with disabilities across Rhode Island to learn how services and supports can better meet their needs.

If you are chosen to participate in one of our two NCI surveys, we will contact you first by mail and then by phone. Participation is voluntary and confidential.

Your feedback helps improve services locally and nationally, and your voice makes a difference.

Learn more: https://sherlockcenter.ric.edu/surveys