Judge David S. Tatel Named 2026 Edith Prentiss Award Honoree by Disability Rights Advocates
Source: Disability Rights Advocates
Disability Rights Advocates has announced that retired federal judge David S. Tatel will receive the 2026 Edith Prentiss Award, the organization's honor recognizing individuals who have advanced the rights of people with disabilities.
Voice of the Blind has learned that the award will be presented at DRA's annual gala, though the organization has not yet released the event date or additional details about the ceremony.
Who Is Judge David S. Tatel
Tatel spent three decades on the bench as a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, one of the most influential courts in the country. He was appointed in 1994 and retired from active service in 2024.
Tatel is blind. He lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa, the same degenerative eye condition that affects many in the low vision and blind community. His blindness never slowed his legal career. He built a reputation as a rigorous, widely respected jurist whose opinions shaped major decisions on civil rights, environmental law, and government regulation.
In 2024, Tatel published a memoir, Vision: A Memoir of Blindness and Justice, reflecting on how he navigated a demanding legal career while adapting to vision loss and pushing back against assumptions about what blind professionals can do.
About the Edith Prentiss Award
The award is named for Edith Prentiss, a longtime disability rights advocate known for her work pushing for accessible public transit and stronger enforcement of disability protections in New York City. Disability Rights Advocates presents the honor each year to someone whose work reflects that same commitment to expanding access and equity for disabled people.
About Disability Rights Advocates
Disability Rights Advocates, commonly known as DRA, is a nonprofit legal organization that litigates on behalf of people with disabilities across the country. The group has brought major cases addressing accessibility barriers in transportation, employment, education, and digital spaces.
Voice of the Blind will continue to follow this story and report additional details on the gala date and ceremony as DRA releases them.