vilissa.thompson

Netroots Nation: Speaker/Trainer Profile

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Vilissa Thompson

vilissa.thompson
Disability Rights Consultant, Writer, & Advocate
Ramp Your Voice!
Website


Vilissa Thompson is the founder and CEO of Ramp Your Voice!, an organization that promotes self-advocacy and empowerment among people with disabilities. Vilissa is a Licensed Master Social Worker from Winnsboro, SC. As a disability rights consultant, writer, and advocate, Vilissa is a prominent leader and expert in addressing and educating the public and political figures about the plight of people with disabilities, especially women of color with disabilities. She has been featured in the Huffington Post, NY Times, Buzzfeed, Bitch Media, Upworthy, Black Girl Nerds, and The Atlantic, among others. Vilissa created the #DisabilityTooWhite viral hashtag that addressed the lack of diversity within the disability community and how a lack of representation impacts disabled people of color and their ability to feel fully included and accepted within the community. She also established the Black Disabled Woman Syllabus, a resource that has garnered much attention and praise from those within academia and the disabled community for its focus on the experiences of a very underrepresented group.