City of Boston Hosts Annual Disability Community Forum

Mayor Michelle Wu and the Commission for Persons with Disabilities recently held the annual The Disability Community Forum, an event hosted by the City offering an opportunity for the public to provide input on disability access and inclusion to City of Boston officials. Prior to the event, Mayor Wu met with members of the Boston Disability Commission Advisory Board to welcome new appointees and learn about their priorities.

"Boston's annual Disability Community Forum provides a critical opportunity for us to listen to residents with disabilities. Their input and insight helps to shape the City's upcoming work in how we build community," saidMayor Michelle Wu. "I'm grateful for the Disability Commission Advisory Board's incredible work to advance accessibility and inclusion and look forward to working with community members across neighborhoods to ensure Boston is a home for everyone."

The Disability Community Forum event provided an opportunity for Boston's disability community to give feedback on initiatives across neighborhoods and ask questions to various City departments. The forum also provided City officials an opportunity to learn from Boston residents with disabilities who live in various neighborhoods. The public was encouraged to submit questions and comments in advance of the forum.

"Centering the voices of people with disabilities is essential to building a more equitable, accessible, and innovative city for all," said Zary Amirhosseini, Chair of the City of Boston Disability Advisory Board. "The annual Disability Community Forum is a key opportunity to engage community, elevate lived experience, and help shape policies that benefit all residents."

The Boston Disability Commission Advisory Board is made up of 13 Boston residents with strong connections to the local disability community. Today, Mayor Wu listened to Board members discuss disability access and inclusion in the city.

"Our annual Disability Community Forum provides an incredible opportunity for people with disabilities to speak directly with City officials," said Boston Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh. "I was glad to see so many people from our local disability community attend. We learned a lot about their priorities, and we will share their feedback with our colleagues in other City departments.

Input from the Boston Disability Commission Advisory Board has made the city more accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities. One of their early accomplishments was the creation of an "access path" on City Hall Plaza in 2012. Their input during that project was essential to informing the more recent renovations on the Plaza. Board members also advocated for a City Ordinance to require closed captions be turned on all public facing TVs, and they have written numerous letters of support for local and state legislation they feel significantly impacts Boston's disability community.

Members of the public are invited to attend the monthly meetings of the Boston Disability Commission Advisory Board. The schedule of meeting dates is available at this link. Folks can participate on Zoom or watch the livestream on boston.gov.. Every meeting includes a public comment section so that those in the disability community can ask questions, share ideas, and express concerns about disability access and inclusion in the city. You can watch Boston Disability Advisory Board meetings at your convenience on the City of Boston Youtube channel. If you have any questions or concerns about the City of Boston Disability Advisory Board please email [email protected].

• Last updated: May 14, 2026