Markia Carter is no stranger to advocacy. She has long been an active part of the ADAPT community, participating in everything from the annual Radical Joy Ball to DJ Whutever’s “Whutever It Takes” class. When Community Outreach Director Peter Cobb reached out to her to participate in a Medicaid Day of Action panel, Markia was enthusiastic about the chance to protect a resource that has such a significant impact on the lives of herself and her peers.
The panel, which was organized by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in response to President Trump’s proposed Medicaid cuts, was part of an organized push to protect a resource that much of the I/DD community uses to live their daily lives. He met with Markia and other advocates to get a first-hand perspective on how the cuts would affect his constituents.
“This is a life or death matter for many of the people that I represent and folks all across the country,” Jeffries said in a CNN interview.
Markia believes strongly in the importance of sharing her story as a person in the I/DD community. When she was called to speak on the panel, she described how Medicaid made it possible for her to pursue her passions, receive medical care, and be a part of the ADAPT community. Other panelists followed suit, speaking about how they and their family members, who had varying disabilities such as autism and seizure disorders, relied on Medicaid to cover their care.
Markia is not done advocating for herself and her community, especially at a time when they need the most support.
“I’m inspired to speak up for myself and for those individuals that can’t speak up for themselves,” she said. “I’m in a position where I can help myself and I can also help my friends when they need assistance.”
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Another strong self-advocate at ADAPT is Iffat Mahmud-Khan, who has been championing the disability community from a very young age. Her connection to ADAPT began when she was just in preschool and attended what is now known as the Bronx Children’s Program.
When Iffat was only in high school, she began advocating for accommodations for disabled students. This turned into attending protests and letter-writing, which turned into regular publishing in The Riverdale Press. Among other issues, Iffat has campaigned for accessible subways, disability-friendly businesses, pay raises for Personal Care Assistants, Medicaid expansion, and more. She even played a critical role in the installation of accessible doors at a local dance studio.
Now a college graduate and a mother of two, Iffat still feels the impact of the people who supported her advocacy, including her former gym teacher Bernie Ruhlig and ADAPT Bronx Preschool Director Beverly Ellman. She also remains in the orbit of the ADAPT community, as our self-advocates fight for many of the same causes as her.
Recently, the threats to Medicaid worried Iffat, leading her to write to The Riverdale Press again in an impassioned letter. She stressed that disability activism should not be “about [people with disabilities], without us” and, like Markia, believes that personal perspectives of the disability community are invaluable.
“We are individuals who need to be seen, heard, and valued,” she wrote in the paper. “Policies but reflect and protect our humanity.”
Iffat stressed that anyone can fight for the rights of people with disabilities as she does, whether they consider themselves an activist or not.
“Everyone has a voice,” Iffat said. “Call, write, get organizations to support your needs.”
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No matter who you are, you can have an impact on the care of Americans with disabilities in New York State and beyond. We urge you to contact your representatives and ask them to reject Medicaid cuts using this link. Thank you to Markia, Iffat, and everyone who advocates for the rights and care of the disability community.
