From the JFA Moderator (3.12.10):
Stevie Wonder, AAPD Image Awardee, and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, AAPD Spirit of the ADA Awardee at AAPD's 15th Anniversary Gala.
Congressman Patrick Kennedy and Ted Kennedy, Jr., AAPD Board Member present Connie Garner with the Justice For All Award in honor of her work on behalf of the disability community while serving on Ted Kennedy's staff.
AAPD's Leadership Gala:
Celebrating Enduring and Emerging Leadership
AAPD’s highly publicized 15th
Anniversary Leadership Gala was a resounding success. Designed by international fashion sensation,
Betsey Johnson, and attended by an unparalleled host of leaders from the
disability community and dignitaries from Washington and abroad, Wednesday’s
event was the most successful Gala in AAPD’s history.
The Gala had around 800 guests
including numerous current and former Senators and Congressmen, Ambassadors, and
high ranking Obama Administration officials.
AAPD Board Chair, Tony Coelho, presided over the evening’s presentations
which began with AAPD President and CEO, Andy Imparato, thanking designer
Betsey Johnson for showing that “disability is and can be sexy.” Ted Kennedy, Jr. and Representative Patrick
Kennedy, sons of the late Senator Kennedy, followed this presentation by
honoring Connie Garner with the Justice for All Award in recognition for her
years of dedicated advocacy for disability issues on Senator Kennedy’s staff.
The keynote was given by John
Berry, Director of the Federal Government’s Office of Personnel
Management. As overseer of the nation’s
largest employer he filled the room with hope, promising
to work with Deputy Director Christine Griffin to create a new hiring
initiative, starting with the largest ever Federal hiring event specifically
for people with disabilities in April and aimed at fulfilling the vision
laid out 20 years ago with the passage of the ADA.
Continuing the theme of
independence through employment, the next speaker, Russ Owen, described exactly
why it makes good business sense for employers to actively recruit employees
with disabilities. As President of CSC, he has continually expanded his hiring
program for employees with disabilities over the last twelve years. This year
he is setting aside 100 jobs for people with disabilities recognizing, “It's
not charity work; it's easy.”
Following this rousing
presentation, the awards continued with the Paul G. Hearne Leadership Awardees
Don Dew and Lawrence Carter Long (check back later for more on these young leaders).
Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President, then presented the
Image Award to Stevie Wonder, who graciously accepted it with a song. The golden notes of Stevie Wonder singing “You
Are the Sunshine of My Life,” were a hard act to follow, but the presentation
of the Spirit of the ADA Award—an honor only given once before—was able to
truly capture the essence and energy of the event. Tony Coelho began by commemorating the
titans of the disability movement present, and Steve Bartlett followed by recalling
the specific significance that House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer, had in the
passage of the ADA and the ongoing work of the disability community. Steny Hoyer’s heartfelt acceptance of the
Spirit of the ADA Award was an ideal end to a spectacular event that honored
the tremendous achievement of our community over the last 20 years while celebrating
emerging leaders who will continue the fight in the years to come.
More about this event will be
available in AAPD’s upcoming Spring Newsletter.
Be sure to check our website (www.aapd.com)
to read more on this and the other work that AAPD is doing on behalf of the
disability community.
>>> For the Washington Examiner's Coverage
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