Diane Coleman: A Disability Rights Visionary Who Opposed Assisted Suicide

United Spinal Association is devastated to hear about the passing of veteran disability rights leader Diane Coleman. Her work in the independent living movement and influential advocacy against assisted suicide have helped define what living with dignity means for people with disabilities.

"Diane Coleman was a titan of the disability rights movement. Her fierce advocacy for disabled lives was unmatched. She was a great partner in the fight against discriminatory physician-assisted suicide laws across the United States. We will miss her energy, tenacity, and indomitable spirit," said Steve Lieberman, United Spinal Association's Director of Advocacy.

In her earlier years, Diane was the Director of the Progress Center for Independent Living, and a fearless activist with ADAPT. A UCLA-trained lawyer who had worked for the State of California, she backed her convictions and direct action with legal wisdom and authority. She was a complete advocate.

As the leader of Not Dead Yet, Diane spent the past three decades waging a fight against legislation that facilitates physician-assisted suicide for people with disabilities. She was a central theoretician and spokesperson for an effort that involved numerous leading disability rights organizations, including United Spinal Association. Her work educated our community about the dangers inherent in promulgating "the right to die"-and about alternatives.

Recently, United Spinal Association General Counsel James Weisman, a long-time collaborator of Diane's, helped spearhead this work in a bold class-action lawsuit against the State of California. "Diane Coleman was a fierce advocate for the quality of the lives of people with disabilities. Our work to oppose physician-assisted suicide has also been an effort to solve the social problems that cause people with severe disabilities to despair," said Weisman.

Her expansive knowledge of our community, gleaned from a life well-lived, fighting for disability rights around the country through every means available to her, undoubtedly suggested that the alternatives to suicide for people with disabilities were countless. However, obtaining the correct support and enforcing equal rights legislation is key. We, in turn, need countless voices-and minds-like Diane's to help carry on the fight.