NextGen Advocacy Arkansas (NGAA) is a nonprofit, self-advocacy organization headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. We are committed to empowering individuals with disabilities to speak for themselves, shape public policy, and redefine what inclusion means in every corner of our state.
NGAA was built on a simple but powerful belief: people with disabilities are not defined by systems—they are leaders, innovators, and advocates who deserve a seat at the table. We exist to strengthen their voices, provide the tools for leadership, and ensure that those voices are heard in every policy discussion, boardroom, and community meeting where decisions about their lives are made.
Our mission is to position Arkansas as a model for disability self-advocacy across the nation. By empowering self-advocates, we are working to transform the state into a place where every person with a disability can live with dignity, independence, and purpose.
For too long, the narrative of disability has been written by those outside the community—service providers, policymakers, and systems administrators. While these institutions play an important role, the lived experience of disability has often been sidelined. NGAA was created to change that.
We are not a service provider, and we are not funded by Medicaid programs. That distinction matters deeply. Providers are focused on care delivery and compliance; NGAA is focused on empowerment and leadership. Where providers serve, we amplify. Where systems limit, we expand. We aim to create a culture where people with disabilities set their own goals, define their own success, and build their own communities of support.
NGAA bridges the gap between systems and the people they serve. We advocate for policies that reflect the real needs and aspirations of self-advocates while building pathways for leadership and representation. In doing so, we are helping shape Arkansas into a state where disability is not viewed as a limitation, but as a source of strength and innovation.
NextGen Advocacy Arkansas began as The Morris Youth Foundation, founded in February 2015 by William E. Morris. For nearly a decade, the Foundation worked to support young people with disabilities through education, mentorship, and leadership development. As the organization grew, so did its vision.
In 2025, The Morris Youth Foundation was rebranded to become NextGen Advocacy Arkansas—a new chapter built upon the same mission but with a broader focus: empowering advocates of all ages and abilities to lead the next generation of disability rights in Arkansas.
NGAA honors its history while embracing the future. The spirit of the Morris Youth Foundation lives on in every self-advocate we support, every partnership we form, and every policy we help shape.
Founder, President/CEO
William E. Morris is a lifelong advocate for disability rights and community empowerment. In 2015, he founded The Morris Youth Foundation to create leadership opportunities for young people with disabilities. Over the next decade, his vision evolved into NextGen Advocacy Arkansas—a statewide organization devoted to advancing self-advocacy, inclusion, and equality.
William believes that advocacy begins with self-belief and that when individuals with disabilities are given the tools and respect to lead, they can transform not only their lives but the systems around them. His leadership continues to guide NGAA as it shapes Arkansas into a model for disability advocacy nationwide.