Asim Dietrich
Featured on our cover is Ability360 Board member, Asim Dietrich. Dietrich is an attorney with the Arizona Center for Disability Law focusing on abuse and neglect investigations, administrative appeals regarding health care and mental health care services, and assisting individuals who have experienced discrimination because of their disability. He is part of the advocacy team demanding that Arizona enact a system that accepts text messaging on 911 services to ensure that the Deaf and hard of hearing can communicate in the case of an emergency. “My passion is to make sure everyone is fully protected under the law. That’s why I do this.”
Dietrich holds an undergraduate degree in political science and earned his law degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in 2009. He was motivated to become an attorney based upon his own experience. “There were services I needed and I needed
an attorney to help me. She inspired me to want to help others in the way
that she helped me.”
When asked about the obstacles that he saw preventing people with
disabilities from achieving employment, he cited employers’ fear of the cost of reasonable accommodation.“This stigma can be cured with information. There
are many incentives to employers to offset these costs.”
Dietrich lives with muscular dystrophy and requires a fulltime caregiver.“If I’m
able to get out, go to school and get my law degree living with a significant disability, I hope others dare to set big goals and try to achieve them.”
When he’s not fighting for justice, equity and inclusion, Dietrich enjoys an active social life of movies, good food and concerts from indie rock to Broadway shows with his friends.