To our valued friends and allies,
It is with profound sadness that Disability Rights Maine announces the sudden and unexpected loss of a treasured member of the DRM staff, Staci Converse.
As a result, we have decided to cancel Disability Pride 2026. Our team is grieving deeply and not positioned to hold the event as planned.
Staci was a true leader in advancing the rights of people with developmental disabilities. She didn’t simply advocate for inclusion, self-determination, and autonomy—she lived those values every day. She believed deeply that every person deserves the opportunity to make their own choices, direct their own lives, and be fully included in their communities. Those of us who had the privilege of working with Staci knew her as someone who was kind, generous, thoughtful, endlessly funny, always ready to laugh and fiercely passionate about the rights of others.
There are no words that can fully express the magnitude of this loss. Staci leaves behind a legacy that will continue through the countless people whose lives she changed, the systems she helped improve, and the values she instilled in all of us.
Sincerely,
Disability Rights Maine