Accessibility Advocates In Miami

Ensuring a destination as broad and diverse as Greater Miami and Miami Beach is accessible is a never-ending job. Disability advocates are not always visible, but for people with disabilities, their work is absolutely essential, opening doors and blazing trails for a more inclusive experience for everyone. Whether it’s physical or neurodivergent advocacy, these disability organizations are leading the way to make Miami more open and accessible for all.

Advocacy Network on Disabilities

Founded in 1970 as part of South Florida’s Health Planning Council, the Advocacy Network on Disabilities is for families, care providers, disability rights activists and individuals with disabilities. It is also the home of the All Children Together Resource Network (ACT).

The Miami-based ACT is a resource for children with disabilities and their families. The Children’s Trust is one of its disability organizations which partners with Miami-Dade County Public Schools to offer help to individuals with physical, sensory, intellectual and developmental disabilities. The collaboration also includes the Children’s Wheelchair Repair Fund.

Daniella Levine Cava

Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has spent 40 years advocating for South Florida families. In 1996, she founded the nonprofit Catalyst Miami to offer community-building and economic justice in Miami-Dade’s low-wealth neighborhoods.

Levine Cava, a lawyer, branched out her disability advocacy with the Enable Project to train nonprofit organizations to include people with disabilities and ensure they receive the benefits they’re entitled to.

Danielle Levine Cava was elected as the first woman mayor of Miami-Dade County in 2020 and re-elected in 2024.

Sabrina Cohen

An accident as a teenager left Sabrina Cohen paralyzed. She has used her injury as motivation to help others through the Sabrina Cohen Foundation (SCF), a nonprofit organization. Much like its namesake, SCF strives to increase quality of life for individuals with paralysis and other disabilities.

The SCF launched its Adaptive Beach Days in 2016 as a pop-up program. Today, it’s building a three-floor center on Collins Avenue to provide fitness, as well as beach access and water activities, to all individuals with mobility challenges.

Heidi Johnson-Wright

Heidi Johnson-Wright was once a poster child for the Arthritis Foundation. As an adult, she used her 40 years’ experience as a wheelchair user to fight for others. She continued to work with the organization as a public speaker and fundraiser while still in school.

Johnson-Wright became an attorney who was a disability advocate. Originally from Ohio, she’s now an American with Disabilities (ADA) Coordinator for Miami-Dade County, tasked with ensuring county programs and facilities are accessible to all.

KatGirl and Friends

Katherine Magnoli was born with a birth defect that affected her spine. She used her experience to create a collection of stories about a superhero in a wheelchair, “The Adventures of KatGirl.” After studying at Miami Dade College and the University of Miami, and a stint as Ms. Wheelchair Florida, she continued her advocacy.

Magnoli promoted beach access for the disabled, elderly and those with newborns. She has continued her work through Miami Date County Public School District’s Kindness Matters program, the “Behind the Chair" radio show and the advocate program Miami Inclusion Alliance.

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind

The Miami Lighthouse for the Blind offers help to all those visually impaired, regardless of age. Its Florida Heiken Program gives children free prescription glasses their families couldn’t normally afford. The organization also offers programs to build skillsets that help give independence through employment for those who are blind or have low vision.

Miami Lighthouse for the Blind is also the home of the Young Professionals of the Lighthouse (YPOL) group, for those ages 25 to 40 to network and fundraise on behalf of the center’s mission.

Shake-A-Leg-Miami

Coconut Grove-based Shake-A-Leg-Miami provides accessible water sports on Biscayne Bay for children and adults since 1990. The organization believes everyone should be able to enjoy the ocean. It’s also branched out to include the We Can Sail Program. This platform allows children with disabilities to experience boat rides, including sailing and kayaking, and a variety of land activities. Each child is matched with a high school-aged mentor, who aides in the learning and participates in the fun.

Find additional resources and information about accessible travel in Miami.