JFActivist

New York City Cabs Must be Accessible to All

By Alexandria Braboy, AAPD intern

The Justice Department recently backed a lawsuit filed by disability rights advocates that charges New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission (TLC) with non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Of the more than 13,000 taxis in NYC, only 232 are accessible to wheelchair users. The lawsuit makes it clear that this disproportionate statistic isn’t good enough. The lawsuit argues that New York is required to make all taxis wheelchair accessible or guarantee an equivalent alternative.

New York City Mayor Bloomberg took issue with a completely accessible taxicab system. A few days ago, he publically dismissed making taxis accessible to all New Yorkers and visitors. He argued that accessible cabs sell for more money, “use a lot more gas,” and that the “average person” would be uncomfortable in an accessible cab, among other things.  

But arguments like his miss the point of the lawsuit. Keeping the majority of cabs—an “essential [service] […] for the public”—inaccessible excludes people with disabilities from an essential mode of transportation. All New Yorkers regardless of whether they have disabilities need taxis; they should be accessible to all.

AAPD is a strong advocate for accessible transportation. We believe that our nation needs to invest in modes of transportation that promote opportunities for everyone.  Fully accessible taxis are an important part of that. 

To weigh in with Mayor Bloomberg, call 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC) or email http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html 

 

Increasing Diversity in the Workplace

by Helena Berger, AAPD Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office

Last week I traveled to Philadelphia to be a panelist on Comcast’s Diversity & Inclusion Enrichment Series.  Each month the Enrichment Series celebrates the diversity of their employees, the work they do, and how diversity strengthens the communities they serve, and in the process, their business.  This month Comcast was celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Joining me on the panel was Comcast’s Director of Recruitment, AAPD’s board member Fred Maahs who is Comcast's Sr. Director of Community Investment, Vice Chair of NBCUniversal Pictures & EVP of NBCUniversal Studios, and Comcast’s Senior Counsel. The theme of the panel was profit by investing in workers with disabilities – people with disabilities represent a highly skilled talent pool that can help employers compete in today’s economy. 

The one-hour panel discussed a wide array of topics, from eradicating attitudinal barriers to employment, to best practices for indentifying qualified candidates with disabilities, to improving disability employee awareness, and creating a culture where all employees feel comfortable seeking the things they need to perform their jobs effectively.  Most of the panel and audience were surprised, if not shocked, when I revealed the current disability employment statistic.  As of September 2011, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities -- those individuals working, actively looking for work, and available to work -- was 21.1%; for people without disabilities it was 69.7%.  So, 21 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities continue to face pervasive unemployment.  While our society has become far more accessible to people with disabilities, the promise of equal employment opportunities remains largely unfulfilled.

To strengthen the path toward equality and full access for people with disabilities, the public and private sectors will need to work together to increase employment opportunities and address disincentives to employment.  People with disabilities should not have to fear losing their health care and other public benefits in the quest for a job.  Access to transportation, personal care assistance, education, and training must be improved for people with disabilities to participate fully in the 21st century workforce.  And, like Comcast, more private sector companies need to commit to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities as part of their diversity efforts by devoting human and financial resources to creating inclusive workplaces.  With an enhanced focus from the business community and support from the government, we may finally begin to see an increase in the employment of people with disabilities.    

 

An Opportunity to Transform the Disability Rights Movement

by Jessica Lehman, 2011 Hearne Awardee

In September, thousands of people came out to say: My Medicaid Matters! In front of the U.S. Capitol, a diverse crowd of people came together from all over the country. People with HIV, deaf people, and people with non-apparent and apparent disabilities all shared the importance of our community uniting to stand up for what is right. And people who could not get to Washington DC took action in their own communities, holding local rallies, posting messages about health care, and sending postcards to legislators. The thousands of people who showed up were not just people with disabilities. Allies from women’s organizations and health organizations joined the crowd. Union members and domestic workers were there. Friends came out to show solidarity.

Our movement continues to grow. Incredible sparks are flying today through the Occupy Wall Street movement. People from varied backgrounds and communities are talking about inequality and justice. Thousands are taking to the streets. People with disabilities are camping out in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. This movement has created a buzz among disability rights organizers and activists across the country. Last week, more than 60 people with disabilities participated in an Organizer’s Forum call to explore the role of the disability community in the Occupy movement. The phone lines carried incredible energy, with excitement about seeing people with disabilities take to the streets, attention to what it means to see people with disabilities claiming solidarity with other oppressed communities, and the possibility of reinvigorating the disability rights movement.

This reinvigoration is what I hope to contribute to as a Hearne awardee, and this energy is what sustains me. Over the last several months, I have dedicated time to growing the Organizer’s Forum as a means to supporting community organizing within the disability rights movement and with the ultimate aim of engaging more people with the movement. Our monthly calls now average 40 participants, and a facebook site notifies people about the calls and allows people to post questions and comments. We now have an email group to allow disability rights organizers to discuss issues of community organizing in the disability rights movement.

One of my earliest organizer mentors taught me about seizing opportunities. He taught me that when a hot issue arises, and people are ready to mobilize and take action, jump on it! Over the past year, a new movement has taken shape – a movement for securing fair treatment and respect for domestic workers, including the personal care attendants who allow many of us as people with disabilities to live our lives with dignity and fulfillment. As a Hearne awardee, I have taken on the work of organizing people with disabilities who employ attendants, as an opportunity to connect the disability rights movement with a broader struggle for justice. Through educating the disability community about workers rights, educating workers on the history of disability rights, and working together for mutually respectful, beneficial relationships, we are moving toward collective liberation.

Would I be doing this work without the Hearne award? Some of it, sure. But my work is stronger because of it. The Hearne award has allowed me to set aside time to do new, cross-movement organizing that I hope will change the course of the disability rights movement. The Hearne award has given me access to people from state and national organizations with a wealth of creative and insightful perspectives. And the Hearne award has given me a strong responsibility to do everything I can to build the disability rights movement, to think outside the box, to not be afraid to take actions that might challenge people in uncomfortable ways, as we work to transform the disability rights movement and get a little closer to justice.

The Hearne award can provide a thousand different opportunities for transforming the disability rights movement. As my early mentor taught me, seize that opportunity! Put in your application. Take the process as an opportunity to share your vision of how the disability rights movement can grow and change, and then take us with you on your way to make that happen. 

 Click Here to Apply for the 2012 Hearne Award!

First-ever Nationwide Test across TV and Radio Scheduled for Nov. 9th

by Jenifer Simpson, AAPD Senior Director for Government Affairs

On Wednesday November 9, 2011, at 2 PM EST, the FCC will be conducting the first ever nation-wide test of the Emergency Alert System or EAS. TV viewers -- and radio listeners -- are advised to take no action as it is only a test of the Emergency Alert System.   At that time, an announcement will come on every TV and radio channel indicating that the emergency alert system has been activated.  Audiences are advised to not be alarmed when they see or hear the message, which will be about 3 minutes long. 

The purpose of the test is to assess how well the EAS can alert the public during certain national emergencies.  Although the FCC and FEMA are taking steps to ensure that everyone has access to announcements made during the test, some people watching cable television (as well as some others) may receive only an audio (not a visual) notice that this is a test.  The FCC and FEMA want to make consumers aware of the test so that they understand that this is only a test and that there is no real emergency.  This test of the EAS is a little different than what's happened before. Such tests usually include an audio EAS tone and a message indicating that “This is a test of the Emergency Alerting System.”  Not only will the Nov 9 test be a little longer--about 3 minutes, but, due to technical limitations, a visual message indicating that “this is a test” may not appear on every television channel, especially for cable TV subscribers.  For these reasons, the FCC and FEMA are taking extra steps to educate the public, especially people with hearing disabilities, that this is only a test.  

What is the EAS?  EAS alerts are sent over the radio or television (broadcast TV and radio, cable and satellite).  State and local emergency managers use these alerts to notify the public about emergencies and weather events, such as tornadoes and hurricanes.  The EAS can also be used to send an alert across the United States if there is a national emergency.  It is common for state and local EAS tests to occur on a monthly and weekly basis, respectively, but there has never been a test of the nationwide EAS alert on all broadcast, cable and satellite radio and television systems at the same time.  The November 9th test will help ensure that the EAS will work if public safety officials ever need to send an alert or warning to the entire country or to a large region of the United States.  

 

Video: English voice and text/ASL: http://deaflink.com/video/eas/eng.html

Video: Spanish voice and text/ASL: http://deaflink.com/video/eas/span.html

 

Click here for more information

 

Click here to complain about problems with the EAS system or the Nov 9 test 

 

Protecting Medicaid across Faith Lines for People with Disabilities: Leaders from the Religious Community to Host a Web Chat

Dear Religion and Disability Leaders:

The shared values of our faiths lead us to support policies and programs that promote independence and dignity for people with disabilities so they can continue contributing to their communities and congregations. Medicaid is one such program.  As we pursue our mission of preserving Medicaid, it is important that the voices of the faith community be a vibrant part of the national conversation.

As you may know, IDAC Steering Committee Member David Feinman is working with AAPD’s “America’s Supercommittee” project to preserve Medicaid.  He is one of six Americans from a variety of backgrounds who are sharing their perspectives on why Medicaid must be preserved.  To learn more about that project, visit the America’s Supercommittee website at:  http://www.ucp.org/public-policy/america-s-super-committee

We now have a powerful opportunity to bring leaders and supporters of the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition (IDAC) into the conversation.  On November 10th, AAPD, IDAC, and project partner UCP will host a faith community web chat titled: Protecting Medicaid across Faith Lines for People with Disabilities.

Our November 10th web chat is essentially a panel discussion where the “panelists”—including David Feinman—are communicating from laptops and the “audience”— members and supporters and people of faith from across the nation—are asking questions via email and seeing the answers on their computer screens.  Through this technology, we can share questions, concerns, and statements of belief with a wide variety of people.  Unlike a live panel, however, we will retain everything that is shared that day in the form of a transcript.  We can then use these powerful questions and statements to educate leaders and our communities about this urgent social justice issue.

Please save November 10th for the web chat.

In the coming days, you will be hearing from us about how this coalition and our supporters across the country can engage in this web chat, including by emailing questions and statements to the moderators, spreading the word among our grass roots, and promoting this event and its message.

Blessings, Ginny

Director, AAPD Interfaith Initiative

 IDAC Convener

 

TV Worth Watching: PBS Premieres Fred Fay Documentary Tonight

From AAPD (10.27.2011):

Tonight PBS will air the documentary “Lives Worth Living” about disability rights champion Fred Fay.   This is TV worth watching.  In an era when so much TV programming features people who are famous for being famous, we have a rare chance to learn about someone who moved mountains. 

Who was Fred Fay?  He was an architect of the disability rights movement.  He was a founder of the Justice for All web network.  He was an organizer, an innovator, and an inventor.  Working from a motorized bed he designed with three computer screens in reach, Fred Fay connected people to ideas and to each other.  Over the course of decades, he knocked down barriers for people with disabilities and helped change our landscape to be more accessible. 

Watch “Lives Worth Living” with your friends, family, congregation, classmates, or neighbors.  Launch a conversation-- what makes our lives worth living, and what would it take to fulfill our enormous potential as Fred did?  What can we invent?  Whom can we touch with our own gifts? 

For broadcast information visit:

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/lives-worth-living/film.html

Department of Housing and Urban Development Acts to Stop Discriminatory Prohibitions Preventing Persons with Disabilities from Using Service Animals or Emotional Support Animals

By David Heymsfeld, AAPD Policy Advisor

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development recently began a series of cases against property owners and condominium associations for applying “no pet” rules to prevent persons with disabilities from using service animals or emotional support animals on the property. 

The cases were brought under the Fair Housing Act which requires that in the sale or rental of housing there must be reasonable accommodations necessary to afford equal housing opportunity for persons with disabilities.

 According to HUD Assistant Secretary John Trasvina , HUD interprets the law as requiring the honoring of “requests for animals like service dogs if a person with a disability requires that dog for daily life activities. In these cases, people with disabilities are not seeking special treatment: they are seeking the equal opportunity to enjoy their dwelling just as anyone else can”

The practices challenged in the cases include:requiring residents with assistance animals to use service elevators; requiring burdensome medical documentation  of the need for a service or emotional support   animal;and refusing to allow a tenant to be visited by a friend with an emotional support animal.

The cases may result in the property owners being ordered to pay fines and attorney”s fees.   

Click here for a summary of the recent cases 

 

Click here for general information about filing a claim of discrimination under the Fair Housing Act

 

AAPD Joins Transportation Equity Coalition to Ensure Civil Rights of People with Disabilities: You can join in too!

by Jenifer Simpson, AAPD Senior Director for Government Affairs

AAPD has partnered with the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) to ensure that the transportation needs of people with disabilities are addressed in any new transportation policy agendas.  Several key leaders from the disability community are working directly with AAPD in this effort. They include Kelly Buckland of the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL),  Billy Altom of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL), Marilyn Golden of the Disability Rights & Education Defense Fund (DREDF) and James Weisman of United Spinal Association.  The intent of the partnership is to generate more awareness of the overall. Transportation Equity agenda in our community and to influence federal and state policy so that the transportation needs and civil rights of people with disabilities are part of every transportation policy discussion. 

There’s no doubt that transportation equity is a civil and human rights priority. Availability of affordable, reliable and accessible transportation widens opportunity and is essential to addressing our employment needs.  Similarly, transportation is critical to our participation in higher education, health care and civic activities such as voting. However, current transportation spending does not equally benefit all communities and populations. We need to ensure ‘a disability voice at the table’ as transportation decisions are made at both the federal and state levels. By joining in the activities of the Transportation Equity for People with Disabilities campaign you can participate to help ensure there are more opportunities for us to succeed.

 If you would like to be regularly informed of the Transportation Equity for People with Disabilities Group's activities, including invitations to participate in state level efforts, you can join as follows:

 

Go to the website at http://groups.google.com/group/transportation-equity-for-people-with-disabilities and click on the “join this group” button.

Or you can subscribe directly by sending an E-mail to transportation-equity-for-people-with-disabilities+subscribe@googlegroups.com .  

We encourage you to let your friends and colleagues know about this group so that they can sign up too and learn more about this specific topic as well.

If you no longer want to participate in the group’s notices and discussions, all you have to do is just send an email to transportation-equity-for-people-with-disabilities+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

 

More on LCCHR at http://www.civilrights.org/

More on Transportation Equity at http://www.civilrights.org/transportation/

Information on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections in regard to people with disabilities is at http://www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/12325.html

Instructions and Form for filing an ADA complaint against a public transportation entity is at http://www.ada.gov/t2cmpfrm.htm

More about AAPD at http://www.aapd.com

 

Disability Mentoring Day 2011 Launches in Chicago

On Friday, October 14^th AAPD partnered with Chicago’s Mayor’s office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) for the 2011 Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) National Launch.

Last week’s launch at Malcolm X College was a huge success, showcasing Chicago’s outstanding model and success in furthering the employment of youth with disabilities. The theme for the 2011 DMD National Launch was “Transition to Independent Futures”, focusing on the importance of education, employment, and independent living for people with disabilities. The morning started with outstanding keynote speeches from Commissioner Karen Tamley--MOPD, Allison Donnelly--Transition Manager for Chicago Public Schools, Mark Perriello--President and CEO of AAPD, Joyce Bender-- President and CEO of Bender Consulting and AAPD's Board Chair and Dr. Harvey Davis--Director of Installations and Logistics for NSA. The morning ended with wonderful skits prepared by the students, teaching the participants the right and wrong way to interview for a job. For the rest of the day, more than 300 young people participated in career building activities and workshops that will prepare them for the next stage in their lives.

The DMD National Launch kicks-off hundreds of DMD programs across the country. The programs are coordinated by a proximity 200 AAPD volunteers, implementing programs tailored to employers and students. DMD promotes career development for students and jobseekers with disabilities through hands-on career exploration, on-site job shadowing, and mentoring which leads to internship and employment opportunities. It is currently the nation’s largest job-shadowing program designed for people with disabilities.

 

Disability Mentoring Day is supported nationally by:

Platinum Partners Walmart, American Airlines, CSC

Gold Partners AT&T, IBM, SAP, SCI

Silver Partners Darden Restaurants

Bronze Partners ARAMARK, the US Office of Personnel Management, the US Office on Disability Employment Policy, Siemens, Walmart/Sam’s Club

 

Patrons Amerigroup, Bayer, FedEx Ground, the Job Accommodation Network, the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation, the National Security Agency, TimeWarner and USA Characters Unite.

 

Transportation and Job Opportunity

by AAPD's VP of External Affairs, Lara Schwartz

Unemployment is high and job creation is a top priority for America.  But job creation is not the only piece of the puzzle.  For many Americans including those with disabilities and people with low incomes, job opportunity cannot exist without job access. Even if a person is offered her dream job, there is no true opportunity if she lacks accessible transportation to get to the interview. 

As Congress and the Administration consider how to combat unemployment, it’s important that they include accessible, affordable transportation in their agenda.   People with disabilities disproportionately lack access to cars, but most of our nation’s transportation investments continue to focus on car-based travel.  Options such as rail, commuter buses, and transit-oriented development—which means building employment, housing, and community services around accessible transit—not only increase opportunities for people with disabilities, they benefit the entire community by reducing traffic and pollution, enabling senior citizens to be closer to services and activities, and providing options for lower-income workers who can ill afford the $9,000 per year that it costs to own and maintain a car. 

Click here to learn more about how access to transportation affects job opportunity.