Who We Are
Vermont Advocates for Individuals with Limitations (VAIL) is a small, growing advocacy effort based in Vermont.
We focus on dignity, accessibility, and real inclusion for disabled people. VAIL is community-centered. We listen to lived experience and work alongside disabled adults, families, and allies.
We are early in our journey. Our goal is to build steady, honest advocacy that respects the full human experience.
Why We Exist
Many disabled people still face barriers every day. Some are not listened to when decisions are made about their lives. Some cannot access the tools, spaces, or support they need. Some feel isolated, unseen, or treated as less than fully human. VAIL exists to help change this.
- Support dignity and autonomy in everyday life.
- Challenge practices and systems that leave people out.
- Raise awareness about disability, rights, and human connection.
- Build spaces where disabled people can be heard and included.
We believe that no one should have to fight alone just to be respected, included, and connected.
What We Believe
Dignity for every individual
Every person deserves to be treated as a full human being, with rights, desires, and dreams.
Equal voice and inclusion
Disabled people should be at the center of decisions, policies, and conversations that affect their lives.
Accessibility as a foundation
Access to spaces, information, and support should be built in from the start, not added later.
Human connection and belonging
Relationships and community matter. No one should be left out of love, friendship, or shared life.
Community-centered change
Real change grows from communities listening and acting together, not from top-down decisions alone.
Our Approach
VAIL is growing step by step. We are not trying to become big fast. We are trying to become steady, thoughtful, and grounded. We move carefully and with care, checking our work against our values as we grow.
Voice
Advocacy
Speaking up with and alongside disabled people about rights, access, intimacy, and inclusion.
Vision
Awareness
Sharing stories, information, and tools that help others see disability through a lens of dignity and respect.
Unity
Collaboration
Working with individuals, families, service providers, and organizations who want to create more inclusive practices.
Reality
Listening to lived experience
Centering the voices of disabled people and learning from their realities, not just from systems or policies.
The Future
Looking Forward
VAIL is still at the beginning. There is a lot we do not know yet, and a lot we hope to build over time. In the future, we aim to:
- Strengthen and deepen our advocacy initiatives.
- Build more partnerships with community groups, advocates, and organizations.
- Create clearer paths for disabled people to share their stories and shape our work.
- Grow our ability to respond to real needs around access, intimacy, and inclusion.
We do not promise quick fixes. We promise to keep learning, listening, and working toward meaningful change, with dignity and human connection at the center.
If these values speak to you, we invite you to stay connected, share your experience, and help us grow this work together.
VAIL is community-centered. We listen to lived experience and work alongside disabled adults, families, and allies to build steady, honest advocacy that respects the full human experience.