JFActivist

Why Should YOU Apply for the AAPD Hearne Award? 2010 Awardee Catherine McNally Has Some Ideas

In the past several years, I’ve found myself in quite a few “at-the-right time-and-place” situations. I’ll tell you about two instances that are related:

I started my company, Keen Guides out of a random rainy day in a museum, when I discovered that audio tours were not as accessible as one would expect them to be given the technological advances of 2005. You can hear and watch the story by watching this video. 

While I've been on Twitter since its infancy in 2006, I never caught on until Fall 2010, when I decided to dig in and give it a serious try for a solid week to see if I could better reach the museum and accessibility community. Well, I picked the right week because half-way into this week's experiment, I came across a link about the Hearne Award from the Twitter accounts I had recently found and started following. I was excited to learn about this, and slightly panicked seeing that I had three days left until the deadline. But I managed to get my two letters of recommendation completed (and pulled an all-nighter) to get what would be the winning application submitted in time. (Note: I'm certainly not advising you to wait until the very, very last minute to start the application. I got super lucky, especially since I had two awesome references who were able to help in such short time.) 

Those two "at-the-right-time-at-the-right-moment" occurrences make me extremely grateful for the Hearne Award. This opportunity yielded me some great experiences, and I'll highlight a few of them in the bullets below:  

• • Credibility - I was perceived by the business and disability community as a person with a valid, true focus, and a real cause that positively impacted not only people with disabilities but also everyone else. 

• • Connections - The Hearne Award provided me with a vast network of leaders and advocates in both the disability field and business community. I've been able to meet with individuals in Fortune 500 companies, and with some of the most well-renown advocates in the field. How awesome is that? 

• • Platform - Through the Gala and the video production, I was able to more effectively communicate my vision and goal for better accessibility through technology. I was able to do it live, in front of 700 people, and now I have the footage at the ready to share with other people so they can continue to learn about my mission. 

Those are just a few of the areas outlining how the Hearne Award has been such a positive experience. If you’re considering it, I would first ask yourself these questions: 

1. Do I need an extra boost in my credibility? 
2. Am I in need of a stronger network of accessibility and business leaders? 
3. Are my “marketing” materials as robust and targeted as I’d like them to be? 

If you said “Yes” to any or all of the above, then you should apply for the Hearne Award of you meet the qualifications! Good luck!

 

AAPD Announces October Disability Mentoring Day Events

American Association of People with Disabilities’ Disability Mentoring Day Events to take place in October

“Disability Mentoring Day is a testament to what responsible employers, energized volunteers, and AAPD can do together to promote employment opportunity,” said AAPD President and CEO Mark Perriello

Contacts:
Lara Schwartz, 202-521-4309, [email protected] 
Frankie Mastrangelo, 202-521-4308, [email protected] 

 

Washington, D.C. – (September 19, 2011) – The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) announces its 2011 Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) events.   Disability Mentoring Day events at work sites, workshops and job fairs provide valuable first-hand experience to students and job-seekers with disabilities.  This experience has helped thousands of past participants develop lasting relationships and secure internships or jobs.

 

DMD began as an event at the White House for a few dozen students in 1999.  In 2010, AAPD worked with over 200 volunteers and 19 DMD National Sponsors to support 13,000 students and job-seekers with disabilities participating in DMD events at sites across the country. 

 

This year, AAPD and the Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) will host the DMD National Launch at Malcolm X College in Chicago. The National Launch will mark the start of hundreds of DMD programs nationwide.

 

“Disability Mentoring Day is a testament to what responsible employers, energized volunteers, and AAPD can do together to promote employment opportunity,” said AAPD President and CEO Mark Perriello.  “With unemployment among people with disabilities nearly twice as high as for our peers without disabilities, this is critical work.  This program provides students and job seekers with disabilities a hands-on experience with the workforce that lays a foundation for future success,” he added.

 

AAPD is proud to partner with:

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.

 

For more information, contact AAPD at 800-840-8844 (V/TTY), by email at [email protected] or visit the AAPD website at www.aapd.com.

 

The American Association of People with Disabilities promotes equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities.  www.aapd.com

 

HELP Committee Holds Hearing on the Future of Employment for People with Disabilities

by AAPD Development Intern, Alexandria Braboy

On September 15, AAPD staff attended a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on the future of employment for people with disabilities. The hearing comes on the heels of the 2011 Bureau of Labor report that although the national unemployment rate is about 9 %, the rate is nearly twice that for people with disabilities. Committee Chairman Senator Tom Harkin proposed that the discussion specifically explore the spectrum of employment options that will address the needs and potential of people with disabilities. Panelists also discussed the reasons why people with disabilities face multiple barriers to employment. They called attention to discrimination, prejudiced public perception and expectations, apprehensive employers, and sub-minimum wages as obstacles to gainful employment for people with disabilities. “We have an inherited world and the world we want to create and change,” National Council on Disability Chair Jonathan Young pointed out.

Sheltered workshops were at the center of the discussion on changing and expanding employment options for people with disabilities. One panelist, a parent of a person with a disability, supported the workshop model, which gave her son a chance to work throughout the week. However, Senator Barbara Mikulski and other panelists emphasized that people with disabilities are capable of working in an integrated employment setting. Regardless of their position on the workshop model, all panelists agreed that people with disabilities have the right to competitive employment and diverse job options. Dr. Young summarized, “We don’t need to be guaranteed a chance to succeed, we do need to be guaranteed a chance to try.” AAPD has also maintained that people with disabilities should expect improved employment opportunities.

For more information on AAPD’s work on employment or on Disability Employment month in October, visit: http://bit.ly/o4xF7v

 

Let's Get to Work: Disability, Poverty and the American Jobs Act

by Frankie Mastrangelo, JFA Moderator

Although it’s no secret that we are in tough economic times, new data from the Census Bureau shows just how tough the times really are for people with disabilities. Last year, the nation’s poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent, the highest it’s been since 1993.  This is alarming in itself, but the numbers relating disability and poverty status are even more striking. In 2010, 27.9% of people with disabilities were living below the poverty line, compared to 12.5% of people without disabilities. People with disabilities are far more likely to live in poverty and householders with disabilities are, on average, earning less than half of those without disabilities. Last year, householders without disabilities’ earned a median income of $58,736/year while those with disabilities brought in an average of $25,550/year.

Not surprisingly, the data also reflects income drops for people both with and without disabilities. Yet despite a two-percent drop in median income --to $49,445-- workers without disabilities’ earned more than workers with disabilities.  Male workers without disabilities earned an average of $6,525 more than male workers with disabilities. Working women without disabilities earned $37,028/year compared with working women with disabilities, who earned $31,851 per year.

Today, White House officials will be hosting a live event to answer the public’s questions on President Obama’s job creation plan: the American Jobs Act.  The President says this plan will “put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans”. People with disabilities and our supporters need to know whether the AJA will put more Americans with Disabilities back to work.  If we are to change these Census numbers in years to come, our community needs jobs. Let’s make sure the administration hears our concerns and creates policy solutions that benefit all working Americans.

 

AAPD and Friends Remember Fred Fay

 September 12, 1944- August 20, 2011

From AAPD (8.25.2011):

Dear Friends:

By now many of you have received the sad news that Fred Fay passed away this past weekend.   Our movement has lost a fighter, an innovator, and a problem solver.  We have also lost a friend. 

Through the assistive technology he developed or the legislation he championed, Fred changed our lives and our world in tangible ways.  When Fred was invited to the White House in 1964, his wheelchair had to be bumped up the steps because the White House was not accessible.  It is accessible today, and that means more than just being able to attend a signing ceremony or go on a tour.  It means having the opportunity to make our case to the highest levels of government.  We owe this opportunity in no small part to Fred, who fought with equal passion for access to education and employment and who inspired so many people to fight alongside him.
 
It would be impossible to give a complete recitation of Fred’s accomplishments in this letter.   We are posting links to some of the articles that have been published in the past few days.   We’re also pleased to share letters from Yoshiko Dart and Becky Ogle. 

We believe that the best tribute we could pay to Fred is to use Justice for All —which Fred co-founded and loved—as a forum to share our thoughts about Fred’s life and about how to continue our civil rights work together.    Please submit your comments below to join in the conversation about taking this work forward with the same passion that Fred brought to it.

Sincerely,

Mark  Perriello      Helena Berger
President and CEO    Executive Vice President and COO

Related links 
On October 27, PBS will air A Life Worth Living, a film about Fred's life and his role in the Disability Rights Movement, is scheduled to air on PBS on October 27.
http://concord.patch.com/articles/disability-policy-advocate-remembered http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/10/al.fred.fay.htm

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From Yoshiko Dart (8.25.2011):

 
Yoshiko Dart remembers Fred Fay:

“I am with you always. I love you. Lead on. Lead on.”

Justin Dart, Jr.

August 22, 2011

Dear Trish, Family, and Friends of Fred Fay:

Please accept our deepest condolences for the recent passing of Fred.  Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you for your peace, comfort and strength to live through this difficult time.  You all did a magnificent job assisting him to live a life of quality to his fullest.  Hats off to you!

Justin and I had the privilege of working closely with Fred for many years on the ADA, Justice For All, political campaigns of/for/by the disability constituency and more.

When Fred received the 1997 Henry Betts Award at the Library of Congress via Satellite, Justin stated,
Congratulations to Fred Fay, one of the greatest human beings I have ever known.  He has been a pioneer of the international movement to liberate the hundreds of millions of people with disabilities from subhuman status.  He has been an outstanding leader in research, philosophy, advocacy and politics.

His every act has communicated the courage to stand for principle, and the profound love for every person that has characterized the truly great moral leaders of history.

He has made monumental contributions to the quality of my life, and to the quality of the lives of millions in present and future generations.

Fred, Yoshiko and I are so proud to be associated with you.  We love you.  Lead On!

The monuments to Fred Fay will live and grow as increased quality of every human life as long as humans exist.

Fred, we love you.  We cannot replace you, but we will multiply our passion and our actions to achieve the golden Dream that we share – the individualized empowerment of all human beings to live their full personal potential.

Beloved family members and friends of Fred, we love you.

FAY FAMILY POWER!  POWER OF FRED’S LOVING AND FIGHTING SPIRIT!  POWER OF DISABILITY PRIDE AND DIGNITY!  POWER OF GLOBAL SOLIDARITY!

Leading On Together No Matter What!

Yoshiko Dart and the family

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From Becky Ogle (8.25.2011):

 
Becky Ogle’s tribute to Fred Fay:

Dr. Fred Fay was many things to many people.  I could write about how proud he was to be a father of a bright and talented son and how proud he was of his wife Trish and her accomplishments as a business owner and wife, but my writing would not do justice to either so I will stick to what I knew best about Fred; his talent, commitment to disability rights and friendship to many.

Fred Fay, like those who left before him; Ed Roberts, Justin Dart, Jr., Mark Smith to name just a few, was a pioneer in every sense of the word.  Fred managed to lead one of the most impressive, productive and meaningful lives all the while being flat out on his back 24-7.  Some people who are upright won’t come close to accomplishing all Fred was able to accomplish flat out on his back.  Granted Fred was fortunate to have Trish and others in his life who supported his goals and desires, but they will be just as quick to dismiss their own contributions and give full credit to Fred.

Fred Fay embodied all that is good and true in life.  Fred was instrumental in mobilizing the grassroots during the ADA, political actions and of course his infamous role in Justice for All.
Fred and I had a limited relationship prior to the creation of JFA, but this changed dramatically once JFA was up and running.  Fred was the Moderator of JFA, which was no small undertaking, especially given the newness of the technology and the end users (me).  Fred had spent many years building his own list of email addresses and it continued to grow it as JFA gained popularity.  Few individuals at this point in time had the technological grasp Fred possessed and we all benefited greatly for his knowledge, because without his participation nothing got posted.

Many days Fred and I spoke as many as a dozen or more times.  Usually our discussion began with my terrorizing Fred and threatening to roll up to MA to beat him senseless for not posting my alerts.  Fred’s responses to my rants were always the same; he laughed.  This incited me more, which only caused Fred to laugh more.  I finally learned that Fred would always come through, but on his own time and not mine or others.  Thankfully Fred’s timing never impeded people receiving alerts in a timely manner. 

Little did I understand how Fred worked his magic during all the years of JFA, but this changed when Fred and I met in October, 1996 during the re-election campaign of Clinton-Gore.  An opportunity presented itself for my being in the general vicinity of Boston for the campaign. I took advantage of it to meet this mystery man behind the voice I heard multiple times on a daily basis.  Knowing a bit about Fred and his background did not prepare me in the least for our actual in person encounter.

Again, it was 1996 and technology was in its’ infancy for many, but not Fred Fay.  Fred had his life wired into three different computers that hung from the ceiling enabling him to see them all at once.  One computer was set-up for work related activity, another controlled his telephone and allowed him to play scrabble with his son and others.  The third mounted computer appeared to give him total control over the surrounding environment allowing full independence.

The real shock for me came when Fred escorted me outside to choose where he wanted to place the Clinton-Gore yard sign I had brought for him.  I had no idea the contraption/bed that held him flat on his back would also motor him out into his yard.  No big deal or so it seemed to the neighbors driving by and waving as we planted the political sign.  Apparently the only one surprised by Fred being outside was yours truly.

I had heard stories about Fred and his legendary relationship with Senators Kennedy and Kerry, and how often Senator Kennedy paid visits to seek out Fred’s advice.  Legend held that Senator Kennedy came to Fred’s house on many occasions to discuss disability policy.  The Senator took his cue from Fred and the assembled group of activists that Fred rounded up.  Fred could have easily kept his visits with Senator Kennedy to just the two of them, but that was not in Fred’s nature.  He invited everyone in the area interested in disability policy to attend every meeting he and the Senator conducted at Fred’s home.  Pretty impressive, but you’d never know it from talking to Fred, because he never boasted or tooted his own horn the entire time I knew him. 

Our community has seen its’ fair share of loss in terms of leaders leaving us way too soon and it is a given that many more will follow.  It is my sincere desire that for those that knew nothing of Fred Fay’s contributions to our community you may have learned more here.  I cannot do justice to all Fred gave, and hope others’ will take it upon themselves’ to add in their own perspective.  The Dr. Fred Fay I got to know was a fine human being, and deserves to be remembered for all he did. 

--Becky Ogle

Health Care Reform: Insurance Available for People with Preexisting Conditions

via AAPD (8.9.11):

Health Care Reform: Insurance Available for People with Preexisting Conditions

By David Heymsfeld, Policy Advisor, AAPD

On August 4th, AAPD participated in a meeting convened by the Department of Health and Human Services to increase awareness of a new program established by the health care reform act (the Affordable Care Act) to make insurance available at reasonable prices to persons who are unable to get insurance to cover preexisting conditions.

Under ACA ,after 2014 health insurance must cover pre-existing conditions. Before 2014, the law requires each State to establish a Preexisting Condition Insurance Program, or to participate in the federal program. The insurance is now available in all States at premiums of about $200 a month for persons under 35, and $400 a month for persons over 50.

The insurance will not be of interest to everyone. Persons on Medicaid and persons who are satisfied with their existing insurance will probably not want to buy PCIP policies. To qualify for PCIP, a person must show that they have been without insurance for 6 months, and that they have a preexisting condition.

Further information on the program and on policies available in particular states may be found at https://www.pcip.gov/

Addressing Accessibility in Social Media

via the Nonprofit Technology Network (7.11.11):

Addressing Accessibility in Social Media

By Stuart Holland, Sr. Web Consultant and Dan Mouyard, Sr. Web Developer, TerpSys

In an ever-changing world of social media and web collaboration, tools for user interaction and engagement are becoming increasingly prevalent. Many non-profits have embraced features such as forums, blogs, user profiles, and photo/video sharing as a means to extend their reach.

Your organization may have implemented any number of social tools in the past, or may be considering doing so in the future, but with these decisions often come concerns about how to best address your audience’s diverse needs. These needs may relate to accessibility and the user-friendliness of your site for those with auditory, visual, cognitive or mobility impairments...

>>>To Read the Full Article

Chipotle Loses Disability Access Case

via Disablog (4.26.11):

Chipotle Loses Disability Access Case

Maurizio Antoninetti sued Chipotle Mexican Grill arguing that the restaurant chain’s 4-foot counters were too high for people using wheelchairs. On April 18, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a ruling made by the Federal Court of Appeals last year which found in favor of Antoninetti saying that the counter “significantly reduced Antoninetti’s ability to enjoy the ‘Chipotle experience.’”  Chipotle has said they will be retro-fitting the counters in their restauraunts to make them accessible to wheelchair users. Now my only question is - what about other restaurants like Subway, Qdoba, etc? Are they already in compliance with the law, and Chipotle just dropped the ball?

>>>To View this Blog Post

Program Helps Vets with Disabilities Become Entrepreneurs

via the Department of Defense (8.1.11):

Program Helps Disabled Vets Become Entrepreneurs

By Donna Miles

Retired Army 1st Sgt. Renee Floyd wasn’t about to let a disability stop her from realizing her dream of having her own business.

Applying 21 years of experience as an Army mechanic, she launched BRF Mobile Lube Service in Phenix City, Ala., in 2009 and began traveling to people’s homes and businesses to provide convenient oil changes and maintenance services.

But her big break came last month, she said, when she attended the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans With Disabilities at Florida State University. The nine-day EBV crash course is part of a program designed to help participants get their businesses off the ground or enhance ventures they have started...

>>>For the Full Article

The Self-Defined Perspectives of Women and Girls with Disabilities

via the Center for Women Policy Studies (7.29.11):

In 2011, the Center launched an online series of new Barbara Faye Waxman Fiduccia Papers On Women and Girls with Disabilities. The 2011 Barbara Faye Waxman Fiduccia Papers will present the self-defined perspectives of women with disabilities – both in the USA and globally – on such topics as: access to health care, reproductive rights and health, violence against women and girls, women and AIDS, educational equity, family life and parenting, employment and economic development, balancing work and family, participation in Government at every level – from local to national to international.

>>>To View the Fiduccia Papers