Advocacy Day for Access & Independence
Annual Statehouse Rally Day to Unlock Barriers for People with Disabilities in South Carolina
Brought to you by the SC Access & Independence Network
SAVE THE DATE: Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Make your plans now to join us at the South Carolina State House as we call on the state to Unlock Barriers, advocate for disability rights, and share our mission for a Barrier-Free SC!
Advocacy Day for Access & Independence was first created as an initiative in the State Plan for Independent Living in 2014, its inaugural gathering attracted over 300 South Carolina residents in May 2014. Since then, support has grown to over 50 organizations statewide all unified in an effort to ensure people with disabilities have equal access and opportunity.
People with disabilities face unnecessary and discriminatory barriers to full and integrated community participation. Advocacy Day for Access and Independence will shine a light on the barriers in hopes of improving the lives of all South Carolinians.
Event Details
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
10 am - 12 pm
South Carolina Statehouse North Steps
1100 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC
Accessible Shuttle to and from Parking Available:
We have 60 parking spaces reserved for the event. These spaces are reserved using orange bags over the city meter.
The orange bags have No Parking written on them. The orange bagged meters are our free parking for the event. You do not need a parking pass to use these spaces if you are attending Advocacy Day for Access and Independence. Follow the link below to get details on parking and our free shuttle.
Advocacy Day for Access & Independence is the ONLY event in South Carolina that's breaking down barriers for ALL South Carolinians with disabilities. Since its inaugural gathering in May 2014, support has grown to 50 organizations statewide all unified in an effort to ensure people with disabilities have equal access and opportunity.
At Advocacy Day for Access & Independence, we're focusing on the issues that South Carolinian's with disabilities care most about. Inclusive Community Living is key to our independence! Employment, Transportation, Housing, and Healthcare all affect our ability to be fully included in the community. Our lawmakers have a role to play in how we access our communities. We can imagine a future where these barriers are unlocked, and our lawmakers hold the keys!
2026 Resources and Media Links:
Press Releases:
2026 Advocacy Day for Access & Independence Press Release
Flyers and Posters:
2026 Advocacy Day Save the Date Flyer
Postcards to send to your lawmakers:
Advocacy Day Branded Printable Postcard
2026 Advocacy Day Digital Postcard Form: submit your responses digitally
Year-Round Guides:
Advocacy Day Lesson Planning Guide for Teachers
2026 Issue Areas: Read the Advocacy Guide
- The issue areas in the guide come directly from people with disabilities living in South Carolina.
- These priorities present barriers.
- Our lawmakers hold the keys to unlocking each of these barriers. Read the full booklet to learn about how our lawmakers can unlock these barriers.
What do we do with the guide?
- We present the guide to our lawmakers before Advocacy Day.
- Each guide has a small padlock attached.
- After Advocacy Day, we provide lawmakers with postcards written by people with disabilities.
- These postcards have keys attached to them. Those keys unlock the padlocks on their guides.
- Lawmakers can then use the words written by people with disabilities on the postcards to symbolically unlock the barriers presented in the guide.
- This powerful symbol shows our lawmakers that people with disabilities' self-advocacy is a powerful tool. As we say, “nothing about us, without us!”
Learn more about our official 2026 speakers!
Countdown to Advocacy Day for Access & Independence!
