Marilyn Golden (March 22, 1954 – September 21, 2021) was an American

disability rights The disability rights movement is a global social movement that seeks to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for all people with disabilities. It is made up of organizations of disability activists, also known as disability advocat ...

activist, most notably in the area of transportation. For many years she was a Policy Analyst at the

Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), located in Berkeley, California, and Washington, DC, USA is a national cross-disability civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have chi ...

(DREDF). She served on the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board from 1996 until 2005. She had previously worked as the Director of Access California, which was a "resource center on architectural accessibility run by the City of Oakland". She also worked as Co-Coordinator of the Disabled International Support Effort, which aided disability organizations in developing nations. She opposed

assisted suicide Assisted suicide is suicide undertaken with the aid of another person. The term usually refers to physician-assisted suicide (PAS), which is suicide that is assisted by a physician or other healthcare provider. Once it is determined that the p ...

and fought against assisted suicide legislation in California, Hawaii, and Vermont. She also lobbied for the

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 19 ...

. Golden was the daughter of Aaron and Clarice (Lerner) Golden. She grew up in

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, and was Jewish. While a student at

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , pro ...

, she had a fall that severely injured her back, and following a long rehabilitation she used a wheelchair. She graduated from Brandeis University in 1977. Her companion was Rabbi David J. Cooper, and she had two stepchildren Talia Cooper and Lev Hirschhorn. In 2015 she was honored by the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

as a transportation "Champion of Change."

Selected publications

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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Golden, Marilyn 1954 births 2021 deaths Brandeis University alumni American disability rights activists Jewish American activists People from San Antonio