Partners for Youth with Disabilities

💫 We're seeking applications for the Dinah F. B. Cohen Fellowship Program, which aims to provide college students and recent graduates with disabilities with professional skills and leadership opportunities!

The Fall 2026 cohort of the Dinah F.B. Cohen Fellowship Program supports Fellows from September through December of 2026.

The selected Fellow(s) will work closely with the PYD team in this paid, part-time Fellowship position, create a customized project with supported planning and identified outcomes, and participate in national disability mentoring events!

📍 Learn more and apply by July 31st: bit.ly/fellow-fall26

Image description: Text on a colorful background consisting of paper shapes - "PYD Apply Now! Dinah F.B. Cohen Fellowship; Fall 2026. Apply by July 31st, 9PM EST."

It's season here at PYD! 🙌

This we're taking a look back at our mock interviews at Brookline High School that we held a few weeks ago 💫

Thank you to our volunteers who helped us with the interviews! Our students had fun with this interactive exercise where they learned how to answer common interview questions, how to make a good first impression, and how to ask their own questions during an interview 💼

Image descriptions:
ID 1 - A volunteer shakes hands with a student during the mock interview.
ID 2 - A student looks up, smiling while sitting at his desk, holding a practice sheet with interview questions.
ID 3 - A student is sitting at a desk, answering questions during the interview.
ID 4 - A volunteer and student sit at desks, shaking hands.

We appreciate all of our supporters and funders! Thank you to the latest funders for their generous grants that support PYD's initiatives, participant programs, and so much more 🥰

Want to support PYD's mission? Consider giving today 💫

Any amount impacts our mission in unlocking potential for youth with disabilities and for employers to create accessible work spaces.

📍 Donate today: pyd.org/donate

Image descriptions:
ID 1 - Text on a purple background: "Thank you to our latest generous funders for their grants supporting PYD’s initiatives, participants, and mission! Betty Doyle Kukol Charitable Fund, The Gibney Family Foundation, The Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation, and Tufts University Government & Community Relations" A photo of PYD participants and workshop leaders smile in a group photo at the bottom of the image.

ID 2 - Text on a pink square: "Thank you Betty Doyle Kukol Charitable Fund for your generous grant supporting PYD’s Leadership and Mentoring initiatives, and support for youth with paraplegia" A photo of PYD staff member and a participant are smiling at each other.

ID 3 - Text on a blue square: "Thank you The Gibney Family Foundation for your generous grant supporting PYD’s Mentoring Program!" A photo of a mentor and mentee holding a bouquet of roses stand next to each other, smiling.

ID 4 - Text on a teal square: "Thank you The Hamilton Company Charitable Foundation for your generous grant supporting PYD’s Career Readiness program!" A photo of Career Readiness student smiling, while a PYD staff member points towards her, during a class.

ID 5 - Text on an orange square: " Thank you Tufts University Government & Community Relations for your generous grant supporting PYD’s Mentoring program!" A photo of a mentor and mentee pair, sitting in office chairs, smiling during a mentor event.

Happy ! For the next few weeks, we're looking back on last year's inductees 💛

Johileny Merán, a disability advocate and non-profit professional, is a disabled Afro-Dominican immigrant raised in New York City. She is deeply committed to advocacy, education, and empowering young people to reach their full potential 🌟

📍 Catch this year's Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame ceremony! Register: bit.ly/2026-hof

Image description: White text on a gradient purple background - "PYD Mentor Monday." Quote from Johileny Merán, disability advocate and non-profit professional, and 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, “Mentoring means uplifting the brilliance of others and supporting growth.” A photo of Johileny smiling, wearing glasses, in a wheelchair, wearing a blue dress, is on the bottom right of the image.

We're thrilled to introduce our Spring 2026 Fellows! You can learn all about them at our latest blog post 💫

Blog Post: pyd.org/stories/2026/05/29/fellowship-spring-2026/

Image description: Text on a blue background with yellow accents - "PYD Dinah F.B. Cohen Fellowship, Spring 2026. New Blog Post!" Photos of the ten fellows are on either side of the image.

to this past Tuesday when PYD participants from our mentoring and after school programs enjoyed a Red Sox game, as a part of celebration at Fenway Park! ⚾

Image descriptions:
ID 1 - PYD after school participants stand in front of the view of Fenway Park, during the Red Sox game,
ID 2 - A PYD mentee and his parent sit next to each other, smiling.
ID 3 - A view of Fenway Park during the Red Sox game.

Join Us in Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders!
Be a Partners for Youth with Disabilities Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) Partner!
Interested? Learn how your organization can get involved by attending one of these virtual informational meetings:
• Tue, June 2, 10:00–11:00 AM EST
• Thurs, June 4, 1:00–2:00 PM EST
Register today: https://umassmed.zoom.us/meeting/register/_5BSDP--RQWZk-WkjrrVSQ #/registration
Learn more about YLF: https://pyd.org/youth-leadership-forum/

A HUGE congratulations to Alina, who recently completed her internship with Watertown Cable Access Corp 👏

To recap what she learned, Alina shared her collage of her experience with us, including being in the news broadcasting room, helping with the sound board, and filming a lacrosse game! 🎥

Image description: A collage that reads "Alina's shots" at the top.

5 images with descriptions are in the collage (starting from left, clockwise):

A photo of a news desk with a chair behind it. Caption: "News Broadcasting room. This is the room where we do the local Watertown news reports".

A photo of a sound board with various levels adjusted on a small screen. Caption: Sound board (for broadcasting room/news). I got to help out with mute/unmuting the speakers mics! Took a bit to learn, but when I got the hand of it, I had a good time!"

A photo of a news camera standing near a field. Caption: "Watertown Lacrosse game. I filmed a lacrosse game! Very fun to watch!!"

A photo of a whiteboard with doodles of cats under bubble letters that read "W CATV". Caption: "I saw this in the broadcasting room and wanted to add for fun!! :)"

A photo of an "on air" sign that is turned off. Caption: "ON AIR sign. When the news channel or if something is being broadcasted, the ON AIR sign will light up red to let people know!"

Happy to one of last year's Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame inductees, Edumund Essel Asiedu! PYD is incredibly grateful to Edmund's words on mentoring and for the work he does with us! 🙌

Image description: Text on a gradient blue and purple background - "PYD Mentor Monday" Quote from Edmund Essel Asiedu, "'Inclusive mentoring goes beyond support – it is a commitment to dismantling barriers, fostering disability pride, and nurturing confidence in mentees to advocate for themselves and others.' PYD National Advisor, Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame Inductee, 2025" A photo of Edmund is on the bottom right of the image.