Michael Schweinsburg’s path to serving as the longtime President of the 504 Democratic Club has been anything but linear. Born in San Francisco, he has lived in multiple states, cities and continents, and has had a multitude of careers. He has been a comedy writer for TV and nightclubs; Program Director for two Los Angeles radio stations; brokered real estate; managed a super-stretch limousine company; managed a wholesale foods company; worked as an executive with an international shipping firm based in London; and managed an import/export business in Africa.
Having repeatedly bounced in and out of New York City, in 1990 he landed here to stay. A confirmed political cynic, in the late 1990s, Schweinsburg was amazed when he came into contact with political figures whose genuine commitment to principles could not be denied. They fueled a desire to create positive change, and Schweinsburg soon settled into a new career as a fundraiser and political operative.
This work brought him into contact with Marvin Wasserman and disability activism, and in short order he realized that this was his true calling. In 2000, Schweinsburg joined the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Center for People with Disabilities, and then the 504 Democratic Club, where he first served as the fundraising chair. In 2005, he became Vice President of 504 Dems, and in 2017, he succeeded Edith Prentiss as President.
504 Dems—the nation’s first and largest political club advocating for people with disabilities—has grown significantly under Schweinsburg’s leadership. Its role as the hinge between the disability community and electoral politics has achieved Statewide and even national note. 504 Dems interviews and endorses candidates, educates them on disability issues, and develops lasting relationships that serve the community. It has coordinated legislation important for the disability community, working with Mayors, the Public Advocate, and legislators in Washington D.C., Albany, and City Hall.
Schweinsburg was Executive Director for the first Disability Pride Parade in 2015, and successfully lobbied Mayor Bill DeBlasio to make New York City the first place in the nation to declare a Disability Pride Month. In what was surely a first for a disability rights advocate, Schweinsburg was appointed to the transition team of the current Mayor. He was also the first disability activist to give an address at the induction of a Civil Court judge, and is currently working with the Office of Court Administration to construct new, fully accessible courtrooms at the New York County courthouse at 60 Centre Street.
In 2024, Schweinsburg was presented with Proclamations from the US House of Representatives, the New York State Assembly and the New York City Council in recognition of his 25 years as a leader of the New York City Disability Rights Movement.
Read all 35 stories of the New York-based leaders profiled in our ADA 35 edition.