Dom Kelly is the Co-Founder, President & CEO of New Disabled South, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and New Disabled South Rising, its 501(c)(4) arm. He has been organizing in the South since 2009, committed to building a progressive future for disabled people in his region. His previous roles as a senior advisor and founding staff of Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign, and as a lead fundraiser and advisor for her voting rights organization Fair Fight Action, both led him to make his vision for New Disabled South a reality. Dom is one of a set of triplets born with Cerebral Palsy and has been a disability advocate since he was four years old. Starting when he was a young teenager, Dom and his brothers played around the world with their rock band A Fragile Tomorrow, touring and collaborating with artists like Indigo Girls, Joan Baez, Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Bangles and more and releasing 6 records over 15+ years. He received a Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice where he also received the Excellence in Social Impact award. Additionally, he holds a bachelor’s degree in music production, a master’s degree in journalism, an executive certificate in social impact strategy, and a graduate certificate in interdisciplinary disability studies. Dom is a part of the 2025 global cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, was chosen as a 2024 Rockwood National Leading From the Inside Out Yearlong Fellow, and was one of ten winners of The J.M. Kaplan Fund’s 2023 Innovation Prize. He was a 2021 New Leaders Council fellow and currently serves as Chair for the board of The Kelsey. Dom lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Catie, their daughter Mahalia, and their dog Vivi.
Download the article (pdf) Table of Contents Twenty-five years ago, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Olmstead v. L.C.1 was seen as a victory for disability rights. Led by Georgia disabled advocates Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, the decision affirmed that disabled people belong in their communities, not in institutions. It was a powerful declaration: institutionalizing […]