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Author Talk with Dara Baldwin

In Recognition of Disability Pride Month

The MLK Library is excited to host author and disability rights activist, Dara Baldwin to discuss her book To Be A Problem: A Black Woman’s Survival in the Racist Disability Rights Movement.

Join us for a special event with debut author Dara Baldwin, discussing her upcoming book, To Be A Problem: A Black Woman’s Survival in the Racist Disability Rights Movement. Born in Torrejon, Spain, Dara has made a career in public policy and social justice, holding senior positions at multiple organizations and leading numerous advocacy campaigns.

This is a unique opportunity to hear from an activist, scholar, and author who's dedicated her life to ending racism and systems of oppression. Dara will be sharing her insights on intersectionality policy agendas, with an emphasis on disability justice. Don't miss this chance to learn from her extensive experience and unique perspective.

An ASL interpreter will be in attendance.

For addtional reasonable accommodations, please contact the Center for Accessibility at 202-727-2142 or DCPLaccess@dc.gov. 

Thank you to the DC Public Library Foundation and their contribution of donating 25 copies of To Be A Problem: A Black Woman’s Survival in the Racist Disability Rights Movement for attendees in need. Additional copies of the book will be available to purchase from Solid State Books. 

Dara Baldwin is a debut author with the book To Be A Problem: A Black Woman’s Survival in the Racist Disability Rights Movement published by Beacon Press and will be released July 2024 in coordination with the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

Born in Torrejon, Spain to parents involved in serving their country, the desire to serve has continued through her education and current career journey. She is an activist, scholar and author. She started her first career in Healthcare Administration in executive positions. In 2004 she changed her career to public policy in the social justice/equity realm of work. Currently Ms. Baldwin the founder and Principal of DMadrina, LLC. A consultant company working with organizations around the world to incorporate Intersectionality policy agendas with an emphasis on disability justice.

She has held senior level positions in federal policy at multiple organizations. She was the Director of National Policy for the Center for Disability Rights, Inc. (CDR), Senior Policy Analyst at National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). She works within the Disability Justice movement and with an intentional strategy to end racism and systems of oppression.

She is a fellow in the Women Transcending Collective Leadership at Center for Justice at Columbia University (Cohort 6 2024-2025). She is an Ambassador for Health Equity Fellow and a member of several advisory committees working on ending criminalization in this country. She advises Urban Institute Prison Research and Innovative Initiative (PRII) and The Justice Lab of Columbia’s Square One Project. She serves on the Board of Directors for SPAN Parent Advocacy Network and the Laura Flanders Show She recently completed three terms (9yrs) on the National Low Income Housing Coalition Board of Directors.

She has led multiple national and international advocacy campaigns. In December 2022 she spoke on the lack of inclusion of disability issues and accessibility, at the United Nations first meeting of the Permanent Forum of People of African Descent. Ms. Baldwin has been working with Congress to pass federal laws since 2004; and worked on over 25 federal bills that have gone to five different President’s desk - Clinton to Biden - even bills passed and signed by #45.

L. Dara Baldwin has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rutgers University, Newark, NJ and was a Pi Alpha Alpha honors Graduate with a Masters of Public Administration from Rutgers University the School of Public Affairs and Administration, Newark, NJ. She is an adjunct professor teaching Disability Justice, Equity and Policy at McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.

In conversation with Justice Shorter

Justice Shorter is a skilled organizer/facilitator, Disability Justice amplifier and senior advisor on issues at the intersection of race, disability, gender, health, climate, and crises. She is a national expert on disability inclusive disaster protections, emergency management and humanitarian crises/conflicts.  As a curator and composer, she has orchestrated immersive training experiences for thousands of participants worldwide. As a strategist and dreamscaper, she has worked with countless organizations to meaningfully and measurably enhance their equity efforts. In 2023, Justice formed SeededGround, an agency devoted to content creation that centers people of color with disabilities. Determined to sow justice and harvest dreams, SeededGround projects are intentionally designed in ways that are imaginative and intersectional. Her work is lovingly wedded to worldbuilding our collective liberation into fruition.

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