Category: Activism

Did you know that prestigious organizations including the American College of Physicians, American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association have recognized voting as a social determinant of health?

Yet, many in the disabled community still face obstacles to voting. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, these obstacles include “inaccessible voting places, inadequate numbers of accessible voting machines, and state laws that restrict voting by mail or criminalize assisting a person in voting.”  The ACLU found that 11% of voters in the 2020 election experienced some type of barrier to voting.

The nonpartisan Brennen Center for Justice predicts that barriers to voting in the 2024 election will be even worse than in the 2023 elections due to new restrictive voting laws recently enacted in at least 14 states.

With the 2024 elections just weeks away, the American Association of People With Disabilities (AAPD) is encouraging disabled Americans and their allies to participate in its annual Disability Voting Rights Week (DVRW) from Sept. 9-13.

DVRW is hosted by AAPD and its REV UP (Register, Educate, Vote, Use your Power) voting campaign. Rev Up aims “to build the power of the disability vote through increasing civic engagement in the disability community and improving the accessibility of elections.”

During DVRW, REV UP will be organizing voter registration drives, educational events and candidate forums on disability issues. You can get involved by hosting an event; raising awareness on social media; putting together a candidate town hall; writing an opinion piece for your local news outlet; collaborating with voting rights and/or disability rights organizations; or by asking local government leaders to issue proclamations for DVRW. You can obtain a DVRW Community Resources tool kit by submitting this form.

In addition, the ACLU encourages voters with disabilities to be well-informed about their rights. For example, voters whose illness or disability precludes them voting in-person are eligible to cast absentee ballots. However, it is critical to check the rules and deadlines for absentee voting in your state because these may differ depending on where you live. The ADA and Voting Act both require election workers to make voting places accessible to people with disabilities. In that vein, each voting place must have “at least one voting system at each polling place that allows people with disabilities to vote privately and independently.”

Furthermore, know that voters with disabilities are permitted to have help from another person to cast their votes. For additional information, click here.

Every July, we celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 – landmark legislation that significantly expanded opportunities and improved life circumstances for millions of disabled people in the United States.

Despite the ADA, disabled people still face obstacles that prevent their full inclusion in American society. Disability Pride Month is a time for honoring disabled individuals and their accomplishments; raising awareness about the obstacles they still face and advocating for their full inclusion.

This year’s Disability Pride Month theme is “We Want a Life Like Yours.” The theme was chosen by The Arc’s National Council of Self-Advocates and “reflects the disability community’s dreams for life experiences that they are too often denied.”

Want to help disabled individuals have the lives they deserve? Here are some ways that you can get involved in the disability pride movement.

1. Read about the history of disability rights in America
Until recently, disability history was mostly overlooked. This was in spite of the fact that disabled people have always existed and make up approximately 25 % of the population. As we discussed in our April 30 blogpost, disability history is finally getting some attention. For example, in 2018, Massachusetts’s social studies and history curriculums were updated to include lessons about the movement for disability rights and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education now provides a video resource, The Great Fight for Disability Rights to teachers who request it. You can learn more about disability history by visiting the websites of Emerging America, United Cerebral Palsy, or The Arc; reading books like “A Disability History of the United States” (Beacon Press) by Kim E. Nielson; “Demystifying Disability” (Ten Speed Press) by Emily Ladau, and “Disability Visibility” (Vintage) edited by Alice Wong.

2. Watch films about the disability experience
Viewing films about the disability experience is an easy way to gain knowledge and understanding about what it’s like to be a disabled person in our society. Films like Crip Camp, CODA and Autism: The Musical are examples of high quality films about physical and developmental disability. For more suggestions, visit this website.

3. Participate in a disability pride parade, festival or special event
Many American cities mark Disability Pride Month and/or the anniversary of the ADA with community gatherings of one sort or another. You can offer your support (and have a terrific time) by attending one of these events. Cities that have posted information about upcoming events include: Chicago, Buffalo, New York; Long Beach, California; Lincoln, Nebraska; Philadelphia; Lansing, Michigan; Denver; Miami;  Atlanta; Iowa City, Iowa;  Augusta, Maine; and Baltimore. For a more complete list, visit The Arc.

 4. Share your disability story
Here’s an opportunity to let people without disabilities better understand the disability experience. Using the hashtags #DisabilityPride and #DisabilityPrideMonth, tell them what makes you proud, and let them know how they can best become allies for people with disabilities.

5. Get political
Contact elected officials and raise their awareness about how their policies can improve the lives of people with disabilities.  You can also affect policies by donating to disability organizations working to make positive change on behalf of disabled Americans. Don’t forget to vote for candidates with good track records on disability rights.

Though approximately 25% of Americans live with some sort of disability, until recently, the topic of disability history has been largely overlooked in American classrooms.

In an April 2 interview with WGBH Public Radio, Boston, Fred Pelka, a writer and professor of disability advocacy at University of Massachusetts, Amherst noted: “You can’t find a period in history or a place in geography or time where there aren’t people with disabilities. And yet somehow, we’ve barely scratched the surface of that history.”

On a more optimistic note, Pelka admits that in recent years, there’s been a “way overdue” increase in attention to disability history that’s convinced some states to make changes. Nowadays, Massachusetts and several other states celebrate Disability History Month every year in October. Additionally, in 2018, Massachusetts updated its social studies and history curriculums to include lessons about the movement for disability rights. According to WGBH, “The Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education now provides a video resource, The Great Fight for Disability Rights, and associated curriculum to teachers for free if they request it.”

Richard Cairn, history, civics and social studies inclusion specialist at Northampton Massachusetts-based Emerging America, says his organization has also developed a new curriculum called Reform to Equal Rights. The curriculum uses primary source documents such as a 1913 silent film about American Sign Language to teach disability history. The program also connects the disability rights movement to other movements like civil and women’s rights. As Kate Benson, a special education teacher and administrator and president of Belchertown State School Friends Association told WGBH that the Emerging America curriculum teaches history in a more inclusive and intersectional manner than typical history curricula. For example, when teaching about the Civil War, “let’s also talk about institutions for the disabled and what it looked like for soldiers who had shellshock before we knew what shellshock was,” says Benson. “If we’re going to talk about women’s rights and abolitionism, let’s also talk about women’s rights in relation to involuntary commitment to institutions, things like that.”

Benson believes that learning about the history of these institutions and their eventual closures can help students “be advocates for themselves by watching how other people advocated for themselves during that time.”

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to recognize the contributions that disabled Americans make to the United States’ labor force. It is also a time to take stock of the current employment outlook for those with disabilities and to re-dedicate ourselves to increasing inclusion and opportunities for disabled workers.

“A strong workforce is the sum of many parts, and disability has always been a key part of the equation,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams in a press release. “People with disabilities make up a wonderfully multifaceted group. By recognizing the full complexion of our community, we can ensure our efforts to achieve disability inclusion are, in fact, truly inclusive.”

This year’s NDEAM theme is “Disability: Part of the Equity Equation.” But how equitable is the American workforce and what is the current status of disabled workers in our country? The answer is complicated.

This week’s blog looks at disability employment – the advances worth celebrating and the path forward.

Worth celebrating:

1. Record-breaking employment numbers
During the pandemic, employment of disabled workers rose dramatically. After vaccines became available and COVID deaths plummeted, many in the disability community feared the upward trajectory would end. Happily, the reverse was true. In fact, the latest employment numbers for people with disabilities are stronger than ever. According to a new report from the Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability (UNH-IOD), in September 2023 the employment-population ratio for disability employment stood at 37.9 %.To provide some context, in 2019, it was just 19.3%.

2. Remote work is here to stay.
A major reason employment rates among disabled workers rose during the pandemic, was because remote work became widely available. Since mobility and travel are difficult for many people with disabilities, the ability to work from home made it possible for a large number of disabled individuals to enter the workforce.

Disability activists feared that once the pandemic slowed, employers would insist that workers return to the office. Though some have, they’ve encountered resistance from employees with and without disabilities and many have continued to allow remote work.

3. Diversity in the workplace is viewed more positively
In recent years, study after study has proven that diversity is good for business. As employers have become more aware of this fact, they are making greater efforts to accommodate disabled workers. In some cases, employers are even creating programs specifically geared toward training intellectually and developmentally disabled workers.

4. Assistive technology boom
Video conferencing services such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams as well as improvements in assistive technology have made it easier for employers to accommodate the needs of all their employees.

5. Adoption of telehealth programs
During the pandemic, medical and healthcare businesses accelerated their use of telehealth services. Most have continued to utilize telehealth, opening up new positions for disabled individuals with skills in health and mental health care.

 6. Online training opportunities
In recent years, remote training and higher education opportunities have increased dramatically, making it convenient and more affordable for individuals with disabilities to gain career skills and certifications that made them more attractive to employers.

 The path forward:

While all of the developments we’ve mentioned are good news, it’s important to recognize that disability employment rates are still dismal when compared to non-disabled employment numbers. Likewise, disabled individuals who are employed are approximately twice as likely to work part-time than their non-disabled counterparts. Additionally, employees with disabilities are often paid less than non-disabled employees for the same jobs.

Though employers are becoming more cognizant of the value that disabled employees offer, some remain uninformed about the simple and inexpensive steps they can take to make their workplaces more accommodating and inclusive. They may also be unaware of their implicit biases against disabled people. That’s where celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month can help. NDEAM helps to educate employers and other non-disabled people about the strengths and talents of people with disabilities, breaking down stereotypes, challenging assumptions and encouraging prospective employers and colleagues to welcome disabled employees and co-workers.

For more information about how you can help raise awareness about both the obstacles facing disabled workers and ways to overcome those obstacles, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to unite against the dangerous specter of bullying and to promote kindness, inclusivity and acceptance.

While any child can be a target for bullies, “children with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be bullied than their non-disabled peers,” according to the Pacer Center. Bullying takes a tremendous toll on victims, who may experience a variety of adverse reactions including:

• School avoidance
• Falling grades
• Low self-esteem
• Fear
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Substance use
• Suicidal ideation

What’s more, research finds that the impacts of childhood bullying can be felt long after bullying has subsided. Adults who were bullied during childhood and adolescence experience higher rates of mental and physical health problems; have more difficulty maintaining personal relationships; are less successful in their professional lives; and even make less money than individuals who weren’t victimized as children. Additionally, when bullying takes place, it doesn’t just harm victims. Bystanders and the bullies themselves may also face negative consequences.

So, how can you help to prevent bullying? Experts recommend the following actions which can be taken during the month of October and any time of year.

1. Recognize the signs of bullying
According to Stopbullying.gov, bullying is defined as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.” There are several different types of bullying – verbal, physical and social aka relational bullying. In recent years, cyberbullying has become a pervasive and extremely damaging form of bullying.

2. Help your child to recognize the signs of bullying
Some children, especially those with developmental disabilities, may not recognize when they are being bullied and may not know that they don’t have to put up with hurtful behavior from peers. Let your child know what bullying entails and assure them that they do not deserve to be treated badly by classmates.

3. Let your child know you’re available to listen without judgment
Some children may be afraid that telling an adult about bullying will cause the bully to retaliate. Children may also feel ashamed, confused or helpless to stop bullying. If your child comes to you with concerns about bullying, listen calmly, let your child know that you believe them, but don’t rush in to fix the situation for them. Instead, ask open-ended questions to learn more about what’s going on, and find out how your child wants to handle it. Then, work with your child to come up with a plan of action. Avoid telling a child to stand up to a bully; suggesting the child just ignore a bully’s behavior; or minimizing the impact of bullying with adages like “Sticks and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me…,” “Boys will be boys,” or “Girls are catty.” These will only discourage your child from sharing their struggles. Arrange for your child to meet with a counselor or mental health provider to ensure that they have the support they need to handle the repercussions that come with bullying.

4. Know your child’s rights
Bullying isn’t a new phenomenon. Indeed, it’s existed throughout human history. It was not until the late 1990s, however, that Americans began to take notice of its serious consequences. The first law against bullying was enacted by the Georgia General Assembly in 1999. Today, all 50 states have laws prohibiting bullying. While there is no federal law against bullying, according to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, “in some cases, bullying overlaps with discriminatory harassment which is covered under federal civil rights laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).”

5. Work with your child’s school
If you determine that bullying needs to be reported to your child’s school, be prepared to express your concerns and priorities clearly and calmly and do your best to listen to feedback from school personnel without becoming defensive or overly emotional. Make sure you understand how the school plans to respond to your concerns and follow up to make sure that the plan is enforced. Keep notes on any meetings you attend. Be prepared to move up the chain of command in your school district if you don’t feel the situation is being handled appropriately.

On Saturday, March 4, the world lost one of its most celebrated disability rights activists. Judy Heumann passed away at the age of 75 in Washington D.C. The cause of her death has not been made public.

Heumann was born in Philadelphia to Ilse and Werner Heumann in 1947. She was raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. When she was 2 years old, Heumann was stricken with polio and spent three months in an iron lung (a negative pressure ventilator that stimulates breathing). Though doctors advised her parents to institutionalize young Heumann, they refused to do so. Instead, they became strong advocates for their daughter.

When Heumann was ready for kindergarten, her public school principal refused to let her enroll, telling her parents that she was “a fire hazard” because Heumann used a wheelchair. It was not until Heumann was 9 that she was finally permitted to attend public school, but she and other disabled class members were relegated to a basement classroom and segregated from other students.

Despite these setbacks, Heumann completed high school, college and earned a master’s degree in public health.

In 1970, Heumann applied for a teaching job but was not employed due to her mobility challenges. Heumann sued the city and alerted the media to her plight. Within months, Heumann was hired, becoming the first teacher in the New York City Public Schools to use a wheelchair.

After this victory, Heumann continued to fight for the rights of people with disabilities. She led a Manhattan protest against President Richard Nixon’s veto of the 1972 Rehabilitation Act as well as a 26-day sit-in in a federal building in San Francisco that succeeded in getting Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act enforced.

Heumann was one of the founders of the Berkley Center for Independent Living, the Independent Living Movement, and the World Institute on Disability. She served on the boards of many disability organizations and in 1993, she became the Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services in the Clinton Administration. In 2010, Heumann served as the first Special Advisor for International Disability Rights in President Barak Obama’s State Department. Later, she was named Washington, D.C.’s first Director for the Department on Disability Services.

Heumann became well-known outside of the disability community in 2020 after the release of “Crip Camp” an award-winning documentary about Camp Jened, a summer camp for teens with disabilities that operated from the 1950s through the 1970s. Heumann was a camper at Camp Jened, and the film traces her path from outspoken camper to disability rights leader.

Also in 2020, Heumann published her memoir “Being Heumann: An Unrepentent Memoir of a Disability Activist.” “Rolling Warrior,” a version of the memoir geared toward young adults, was published the following year. Heumann hosted a podcast called “The Heumann Perspective” until the time of her death.

Heumann is survived by her husband Jorge Pineda, her brothers, Ricky (Julie) and Joseph (Mary), her niece Kristin, grandnephew Orion and many other family members and friends.

Once considered just a rite of passage, bullying is now recognized as the serious problem that it is. According to Stop Bullying.org, “bullying affects all youth, including those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying.”

Bullying is a widespread phenomenon that affects young people around the globe. A recent survey found that approximately 20% of youngsters 12 to 18 report being bullied. For children and teens with disabilities though, the percentages are much higher. According to Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, “children with disabilities are 2 to 3 times more likely to be bullied than their nondisabled peers.”

Bullying can have devastating ramifications for children with and without disabilities. Studies show that bullying causes emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, and even suicidal ideation. Bullying also takes a toll on victims’ learning since children who are victimized may avoid going to school and participating in class. Bullied students may also suffer from poor concentration or lose interest in learning. Bullying can even result in a student’ s decision to drop out of school.

In fact, bullying can have long-term effects that persist throughout adulthood. These include poor self-esteem, mental health and substance abuse problems, academic and occupational failure, financial instability, and difficulty maintaining relationships.

Typically, when we see media coverage about bullying, it is painful and alarming. That’s why we were so pleased to come upon a recent CNN story about bullying that ended happily. The article, on CNN.com, told the poignant story of 11-year-old Embla Adem who lives in North Macedonia, a country in southern Europe that was once part of Yugoslavia. Embla has Down syndrome, the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States. The syndrome causes learning differences, distinctive facial characteristics, short stature and certain medical problems.

As a result of her disability, Embla was being bullied by some of her classmates. When the situation came to the attention of the president of North Macedonia—Stevo Pendarovski—he took decisive action.

According to CNN, Pres. Pendarovski made a bold statement when he was filmed walking Embla to school; meeting with the child and her parents; and giving her gifts. The president used the photo op to let the world know that bullying “is unacceptable, especially when it comes to children with atypical development.”

Pres. Pendarovski went on to say that children with disabilities “should not only enjoy the rights they deserve, but also feel equal and welcome in the school desks and schoolyard.”

Added the president: “It is our obligation, as a state, but also as individuals, and the key element in this common mission is empathy. … We are all equal in this society.”

We can only wish *every* child experiencing bullying would have such a great advocate on their side. Kudos to Pres. Pendarovski for doing his part to help

You may have known him as the gruff yet warm-hearted newsman Lou Grant on the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” and its spinoff “Lou Grant”; for his Emmy Award-winning performances in the miniseries “Roots” and “Rich Man Poor Man”; or for his role as Carl Fredricksen in Pixar’s animated film “Up.”

He was also known for his progressive politics and as a former president of the Screen Actors Guild.

But were you aware that seven-time Emmy Award winner Ed Asner was also a huge advocate for disability rights?

Asner died last week at the age of 91. But his advocacy on behalf of people with autism and other disabilities won’t soon be forgotten.

Asner first became active in disability causes after his son Charlie was diagnosed with high functioning autism at age 9. Like many parents, Asner admitted he did not see the signs – poor social skills; trouble fitting in with his classmates; and what others perceived as a lack of empathy. Until Charlie was diagnosed, Asner attributed his son’s behavior to being “high-spirited,” and “being a rule breaker,” he told the Tennessean in 2017.

Some years after Charlie’s diagnosis, Asner’s grandson Will — his son Matt’s child — was also diagnosed with autism. Matt’s stepsons from his marriage to Navah Paskowitz-Asner have autism as well. Autism became a family affair for the Asners, who began volunteering and fundraising for organizations such as Autism Speaks and the Autism Society. Prior to his death, Asner also sat on the board of Exceptional Minds, a nonprofit computer animation studio and digital arts school for young adults on the autism spectrum based in Sherman Oaks, California.

In 2018, Pascowitz-Asner and Matt Asner established the Ed Asner Family Center. Located in Reseda, California, the center is “a one-stop shop for neurodivergent individuals and their families seeking wholeness in all attitudes of life,” says the organization’ s website.

The center offers mental health services including individual counseling, family therapy, support groups for parents and siblings and life skills groups for teens. Additionally, the center provides arts and “career advancement classes” such as cooking, fine arts, drama, movement, music therapy and yoga. Center clients will also find programs about dating, and support groups specifically geared toward the LGBTQ community and a summer camp program.

Clinicians at the center are extremely concerned about the high unemployment rates of people on the autism spectrum so they focus on helping clients to find meaningful work and volunteer opportunities.

Though the center was designed with autism in mind, services are also open to individuals with other disabilities including cerebral palsy and Down syndrome.

For more information, visit Edasnerfamilycenter.org.

You know the old saying: “If you’ve seen one person with autism, you’ve seen one person with autism.”   In other words, everyone — including those on the autism spectrum — is an individual with their own unique qualities.

That said, many children with autism have difficulty with transitions. That’s why it’s helpful to plan for transitions well in advance. With most schools reopening in person this fall— some for the first time since March 2020 — it’s wise to start helping your child adjust to the reality of in-person education as early as you can.

Here’s a list of helpful hints that we hope will make the transition back to school as smooth as possible.

1. Start back-to-school routines in July
Though July is still summertime, it’s not too early to enforce consistent sleep schedules and mealtimes. If your family has fallen into habits like sleeping in and staying up late, now’s a good time to re-institute a schedule similar to the one you will follow during the school year.

2. Provide visual cues
Many children with autism respond well to visual aids that help prepare for transitions.  One way to help your child get ready for school is to use a wall calendar. Have your child cross off the days until school starts. This will help him or her develop a sense of when school starts.

3. Read back-to-school stories
There are many good children’s books about going to school.  Reading these to your child will help him or her prepare and encourage excitement about returning to school. Here are some titles that may work well for younger children:

• • “Autism Goes to School,” by Dr. Sharon Mitchell (ASD Publishing)
  • “Cameron Goes to School,” by Sheletta Brundidge and Lily Coyle (Beevers Pond Press)
  • “Starting School,” by Roderick Junt and Alex Brychta (OUP Oxford)

You can also create or download social stories about going back to school. Here’s an example.

4. Visit school before the first day
Seeing the place where he or she will be going can go a long way toward helping your child feel comfortable when the first day of school arrives. If possible, arrange a tour of the school over the summer. Even better, arrange for the child to meet his or her teacher and see the classroom. Take photos and create a photo album that your child can look at in the days leading up to the start of the school year.

5. Research your child’s school’s COVID-19 protocols
If your child is too young to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, make sure you and your child are familiar with the health and safety protocols in your school district. Discuss these protocols and include them in social stories about returning to school.

6. Have a playdate
During the summers, children don’t always keep in touch with their classmates. If your child has a special friend or several friends from school, schedule a summer visit with them. Your child may be more comfortable returning to school if he or she knows there will be friends there.

7. Calm down
Back-to-school season can be just as stressful for parents as it is for children. If you’re feeling anxious, take time to manage your anxiety in whatever way helps you. Do your best to hide your anxiety from your child.  Kids are great at picking up on their parent’s emotions and if you’re anxious, it’s more likely that he or she will be anxious too.

Here at Enabling Devices, we’re big fans of “Sesame Street” and its creators at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind the beloved television show. We were especially pleased that in 2015, “Sesame Street” created a new website that focused on autism. “Sesame Street and Autism: Seeing Amazing in All Children,” and its related products, were designed to address the needs of children with autism and their families and to educate typically developing children and their parents about the disorder. The creators also hoped to increase empathy and inclusion with the online materials.

Including videos and stories starring Julia, a new pre-school aged character with autism spectrum disorder, as well as tips, information and videos for parents, the website also spurred the development of print story-books and an app. In 2017, Julia became a cast member of “Sesame Street” and the first new character to join the show in a decade!

Based on the results of a new study published Aug. 25, 2020 in the journal Autism, the Seeing Amazing in All Children initiative has achieved its objectives and more.

The study, conducted by Cheryl L. Dickter, Associate Professor of Psychology at William & Mary, and her colleagues, suggests that the Seeing Amazing in All Children website materials “can reduce implicit bias against children with autism and help mitigate some of the psychological issues associated with parenting children with autism.”

According to Disability Scoop, researchers arrived at their conclusions by assessing “levels of implicit bias toward children with autism in 473 parents of kids on the spectrum and 707 parents of those without the developmental disorder.” The assessments, which looked at “attitudes and knowledge about autism, parenting confidence, strain and stigma, were conducted before and after the parents reviewed the ‘See Amazing’ website.”

Before looking at the website, parents with typically developing children had more bias toward children with autism than parents with autistic children. Yet, after viewing the website materials, parents with typically developing children showed levels of bias that were comparable to those of the parents with children with autism.

In addition, parents with children on the autism spectrum felt “empowered” by reading the website materials.  According to Disability Scoop, many of these parents “showed better attitudes and more knowledge about the developmental disorder after spending time on the website…”

We always knew we loved Sesame Street! If you love the show and website too, check out Enabling Devices’ ABC Elmo #2135 and Giggle and Bubble Elmo #2257.