In recognition of the International Day of People with Disabilities, NDI is highlighting the essential work of partners who are at the forefront of fighting for greater levels of equality and organizing to shift social norms and perceptions and reduce barriers to political participation for persons with disabilities.

NDI interviewed Yo También, a partner advocating for the rights and equal opportunities for people with disabilities in all aspects of civic and political life in Mexico. Yo También creates media on disability and accessibility, and advocates for legislative and policy reforms to promote the inclusion of people with diverse disabilities. Yo También explained how they are working to facilitate inclusive political participation and amplify the leadership of persons with disabilities in Mexico.

What does disability leadership mean to you/your organization?

For our organization, disability leadership means being a reference point in Mexico on issues of disability rights and inclusion. We aspire to be recognized as the primary resource for news and analysis on disability, a trusted source of consulting for organizations, companies, and institutions seeking to become more inclusive. Also, we strive to continue to be a key player in political advocacy to drive legislative and policy changes. We want people and institutions in Mexico to identify and recognize us as leaders in promoting a more equitable and inclusive society.

How is your organization working to amplify the leadership of persons with disabilities in your country or region to achieve a more equitable and inclusive future?

At Yo También, we work in three main areas to amplify the leadership of people with disabilities and move toward a more inclusive society: Journalism and Information, Corporate Services, and Political and Legislative Advocacy.

This year, we launched the "Yo También Voto" (I Vote Too) project, which combined our work in journalism and information with our political and legislative advocacy efforts. This program positioned the disability agenda at the national level by interviewing candidates and documenting their proposals on inclusion, rights, and accessibility in an accessible way, too.  The coverage raised public awareness and established a direct dialogue between political leaders and people with disabilities, promoting inclusive leadership in decision-making processes. Through this project, Yo También demonstrated that the disability agenda is very close to home and essential to building a more equitable and inclusive future.

How can the disability movement diversify its leadership to ensure equal representation of women and girls with disabilities, persons with albinism, persons who are Deaf, and persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities?

We need to encourage people with disabilities to be everywhere, representation. In Yo También, our collaborators and staff are people with disabilities or individuals connected to disability in different ways. Additionally, we always strive to collaborate with organizations that specialize in specific areas, such as visual, physical, auditory, psychosocial, and intellectual disabilities.

In the past year, can you briefly share a success from your organization's contribution to strengthening the disability movement?

One of our greatest achievements was the implementation of the "Yo También Voto" (I Vote Too) program, which amplified the voice of the disability agenda at the local, state, and national levels. This project, which occupied a large part of our year, involved a coordinated effort to engage and collaborate with over 50 civil society organizations, universities, and disability experts. We organized meetings and developed questionnaires to identify the main concerns of people with disabilities, which we then used as a basis to interview candidates for various positions. Additionally, we secured partnerships with media outlets to ensure these interviews reached a broad audience, highlighting the disability agenda within the electoral context and in accessible formats. This project was an enormous collaborative effort that demonstrated the power of joint action and strengthened the disability movement across Mexico.

What impact has NDI's partnership had on your organization?

The collaboration with NDI has been a great support for our organization. Thanks to their backing, we were able to carry out “Yo También Voto,” the largest project we have undertaken at the national level, which allowed us to bring visibility to the disability agenda and bring it closer to candidates and society as a whole. Additionally, the second phase of coaching is helping us strengthen ourselves as a more structured and sustainable organization, with clear goals and a long-term focus. This partnership has been key to consolidating our mission and advancing strategically and efficiently toward our objectives.

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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.