2025 Impact Report

Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Supporters and Allies,

As I reflect on the past year, I am struck by how much our small but dedicated organization has accomplished, and how deeply your support has shaped our progress. Each step forward in 2025 has been rooted in the belief that preserving disability history and amplifying the voices of people with disabilities in Western Pennsylvania is not only valuable, but essential.

Much of our work this year focused on strengthening the foundation of the Consortium so that our mission can grow sustainably in the years ahead. Key milestones included:

• Significant progress on the upgrade of our online archive, funded by the Mellon Foundation, which will result in a fully searchable, accessible system designed to preserve disability history with professional standards and improved long-term sustainability.

• Completion of a comprehensive communications plan, supported by FISA Foundation, which is helping us communicate more effectively with our community.

• Advancements in our Empowered History project, funded by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, through which we reconnected with interviewees from our Intersection of Race & Disability project and secured new materials that will enrich our archive.

One of the most exciting highlights of the year was the successful launch of our inaugural Beyond History fundraising event, which brought our community together in new ways and established a strong foundation for what will become an annual tradition.

Thank you for believing in this mission, for supporting our team, and for helping build a more inclusive record of Western Pennsylvania’s history. We could not do this work without you, and I am profoundly grateful.

With deep appreciation,

Cindy Leonard
Executive Director

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Programs and Impact: By the Numbers

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Bulk Email

• 37 bulk emails sent
• 26,406 total recipients

Website

• 8,700 users
• 13,508 page views

Facebook

• 1,000 followers
• 19,600 total views

YouTube

• 39 subscribers
• 5,123 total views

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Projects

Upgrading Our Online Archive

One of our most transformative projects is the upgrade of our online archive, which will soon become a fully searchable, accessible resource for the public. We have been moving materials into a new professional collections system, improving descriptions and metadata, and designing a user-friendly interface built on best practices for accessibility and long-term sustainability. When complete, this upgraded archive will make it easier than ever for community members, researchers, and advocates to discover and learn from Western Pennsylvania’s disability history.

Strengthening Our Collections

This year, we made significant progress in strengthening the foundation of our archive – the heart of the Consortium’s mission. We continued developing clear and modernized collections policies to guide what we gather, how we preserve it, and how we keep it safe for future generations. This work ensures that the stories and materials in our care are documented to professional standards and remain organized, protected, and accessible for years to come.

Advancing the Empowered History Project

Through support from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, we deepened our work on the Empowered History project by reconnecting with the original participants in our Intersection of Race & Disability oral history series. Several individuals shared additional materials and stories, which will be added to the upgraded archive upon its launch. These contributions expand and enrich the historical record, ensuring that the voices of people at the intersections of marginalized identities are preserved with care.

Enhancing Communications & Outreach

With support from the FISA Foundation, we completed a comprehensive communications plan to strengthen how we engage with our community. This project also enabled us to create new promotional materials – including tabletop banners and logo items – that help us represent our mission more effectively at events, outreach activities, and public programs.

Sharing New Stories

In partnership with the Heinz History Center, we continued to highlight the lived experiences of disability advocates across our region. This year, we gathered and wrote new histories, including Kathleen Kleinmann, Shirley Abriola, and Bill Chrisner, which are or will be disseminated through our website and social media channels. This work brings personal histories to a wider audience and helps our community better understand the ongoing impact of disability advocacy in Western Pennsylvania.

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Events

In October, we celebrated a major milestone – the Consortium’s 10th anniversary – with the inaugural Beyond History: Framing the Past, Shaping the Future event at the Heinz History Center. More than 110 community members joined us for an evening of connection, reflection, and storytelling, guided by emcee Chaz Kellem. The program featured a heartfelt tribute to longtime disability rights advocate Ginny Thornburgh, offered by Steering Committee member Nancy Murray, honoring her decades of leadership and impact in our region.

Guests also experienced a powerful conversation between disability advocate Mark Steidl and actress and writer Ann Talman, including a screening and live reenactment from her acclaimed work Woody’s Order!. The evening concluded with a look back at the Consortium’s first decade and a celebration of the community support that makes our work possible.

read the full event recap

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2025 Partners, Funders, Supporters, Donors, and Sponsors

Partners

The following lists reflect support received as of 11/24/25.

We strive for accuracy in recognizing every donor who makes our work possible. If you notice anything missing or incorrect, please reach out to us at info@wpdhac.org so we may update our records. Your generosity truly sustains this work.

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