Mia Ives-Rublee is a disabled transracial adoptee who has dedicated her life’s work to civil rights activism. She began her journey as an adapted athlete, competing internationally in track, road racing, fencing, and crossfit. She obtained her Master’s in Social Work at UNC Chapel Hill and began working with disabled people to help them find work and independence in their communities at the NC Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services.

Mia has worked with numerous organizations, such as the Ford Foundation, Women’s March, Families Belong Together, etc., on disability justice and inclusion. As a public speaker, Mia advocates on the national stage for the rights of disabled people, immigrants, and other marginalized communities. She currently works as the director for the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress and was appointed to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders.