In the past five years, over 570 people with disabilities have been murdered by their parents, relatives or caregivers.
On Friday, March 1st, the disability community will gather across the nation to remember these disabled victims of filicide – disabled people murdered by their family members or caregivers.
In the year since our last vigil, our community has lost over 50 more people to filicide. These are just the cases that we are aware of – since we began monitoring this issue, we learn about more murders every week. We read the victims’ names, see their photographs, and gather what information we can about their lives. The criminal justice system has continued to give lighter sentences to parents and caregivers who murder disabled children. And we have seen the news media continue to portray these murders in a sympathetic light. We hold the Day of Mourning vigils to draw attention to these injustices, to commemorate the lives of victims, and demand justice and equal protection under the law for all people with disabilities.
Since 2012, ASAN and other disability rights organizations have come together to send a clear message that disability is not a justification for violence. To learn more or sign up to lead a vigil, view the Anti-Filicide toolkit.
We will be hosting our Virtual Vigil on Friday, March 1st – and we hope to see you there if you cannot find or attend a vigil in your area.
COVID-19
Some Day of Mourning vigils are virtual, while others are in-person. We recommend that each person consider the potential risks, and make sure to wear a mask and social distance if you attend an in-person vigil. If you are concerned about attending a vigil in-person, please consider attending ours or another virtual vigil in your area.
All vigils below are virtual unless otherwise noted.
2024 Vigil Sites
USA
ASAN Virtual Vigil
Online
US Gender and Disability Justice Alliance Virtual Vigil
Online
US Gender and Disability Justice Alliance.
j.mejias@womenenabled.org
CALIFORNIA
Claremont, CA—In Person
The Claremont Colleges.
CIDSA, DISCOVR, 7C On the Spectrum: discovr.pomona@gmail.com
INDIANA
Muncie, IN—In Person (Virtual option available, please email.)
Hoosier Alliance for Neurodiversity.
Samuel Johnson: contact@HoosierNeurodiversity.org
MARYLAND
College Park, MD
University of Maryland.
lsander@umd.edu
MASSACHUSETTS
Bridgewater, MA
Student Accessibility Services at Bridgewater State University.
Aliza Bridge: alizabridge@gmail.com
Boston, MA
Berklee College.
(with Disability Culture at the University of Michigan
and Disability Alliance and Caucus at Virginia Tech).
shew@vt.edu
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor, MI
Disability Culture at the University of Michigan.
(with Disability Alliance and Caucus at Virginia Tech
and Berklee College).
shew@vt.edu
MINNESOTA
Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota Autistic Alliance.
Casey Velcko: ddomtwincities@gmail.com
NEW JERSEY
Edison, NJ—In Person
Luke Koppisch: lkoppisch@adacil.org
NEW YORK
Albany, NY
NY Assn. on Independent Living, Not Dead Yet.
Blaise Bryant: independentlivingcom@gmail.com
Rochester, NY
Disability Moving Assistance, Inc.
Ericka Glick: vtdisabilitymovingassistance@gmail.com
OREGON
Portland, OR
Nuerodivergent Solutions.
Lanie: iamloislaneprojects@gmail.com
PENNSYLVANIA
Collegeville, PA—In Person (Virtual option available, please email.)
Ursinus College
Jennifer Frymiare: jfrymiare@ursinus.edu
Erie, PA—In Person
Supportive Living Services.
Michelle Wolf: michellewolf71@gmail.com
Gettysburg, PA—In Person
Phoenix Rising (ASAN Affiliate) at Gettysburg College.
theodoreszpakowski@gmail.com
Pittsburgh, PA
Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy.
Cori Fraser: info@autisticpgh.org
TENNESSEE
Clarkesville, TN—In Person
Inclusify Me!
inclusifyme@gmail.com
Johnson City, TN
Courtney Johnson: courtney@justkeepstimming.com
TEXAS
Houston, TX
Tuskegee University.
Nichorian MardIs Jr.: roderickj@avondalehouse.org
Arlington, TX—In Person
Self Determination Group at The Arc of DFW.
thesdg@thearcofdfw.org
WASHINGTON
Ellensburg, WA
Central Washington University Accessibility Studies Club.
CM Wright: Christina-Marie.Wright@cwu.edu
WISCONSIN
Madison, WI
Disability Cultural Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Helen Rottier: helen.rottier@wisc.edu
VIRGINIA
Arlington, VA
ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV).
Suraksha Attila Surio: surakshas@ecnv.org
Blacksburg, VA
Disability Alliance and Caucus at Virginia Tech
(with Berklee College
and Disability Culture at the University of Michigan).
shew@vt.edu
Williamsburg, VA—In Person
College of William and Mary.
Neurodiversity Student Group: neurodiversitysg@wm.edu
BRAZIL
MARANHÃO
São Luís—In Person
Instituto Tassio Rocha.
institutotassiorocha@hotmail.com
CANADA
ONTARIO
Toronto
Autistics for Autistics.
a4aontario@gmail.com
ONTARIO
Toronto—In Person
Disability Action Now (DAN) Toronto.
disabilityactionnowTO@proton.me