Nadina LaSpina
Nadina LaSpina (1948–) is a disability activist, educator, and writer. She has been a leader in the disability rights movement for forty years, and has worked with ADAPT, Disabled in Action, and The Disability Caucus of Occupy Wall Street.
LaSpina has been arrested countless times for civil disobedience while advocating for disability rights. She fought for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and was instrumental in the struggle to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Her recent work includes speaking at the 2018 Women’s March in New York City and serving as Grand Marshal of the 2019 Disability Pride Parade. She is the author of Such a Pretty Girl: A Story of Struggle, Empowerment, and Disability Pride (New Village Press, 2019).
LaSpina taught Italian for many years at NYU and Fordham, and she also created and taught courses in Disability Studies at the New School. She lives between New York City and Florida.