Living Forward

Unemployment Rate and Disabilities

2008-07-08T18:04:00Z

Government leaders and members of the news media rarely focus on the race-related issue of minority status in the disability unemployment rate. Still, the United States Department of Labor tells a story of discrimination. Unemployment for individuals with "not severe" disabilities is 23 percent. This is about four times the national average, and official statistics do not count long-term unemployment among individuals who have given up hope in their job searches.

Among Hispanics, the minority status of the "not severe" disability unemployment rate rises to 29 percent. For both African Americans and Asian Americans, the rate is 31 percent. For Native Americans that number rises to 34 percent. Similar disparity, according to the Department of Labor, exists in the "severe" disability category. The overall rate of unemployment is 74 percent. For Asian Americans the rate is 77 percent, for Hispanics 79 percent, for African Americans 81 percent, for Native Americans 91 percent. "The employment circumstances facing minorities with disabilities are bleak. Attention to this issue must become a priority for the nation," states a report from the Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Congress established the disability office in 2000, the final year of former President Bill Clinton's tenure. Partners in the quest for progress have included the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and also the ASPIRA Association, a similar group geared to uplifting the Latino population, along with the Urban League and hundreds of schools. "It will take the efforts of many organizations and employers to reverse the negative employment picture for minorities with disabilities," the report states.

Some of the discrimination is viewed as "unconscious." Individuals, or society as a whole, do not understand that bias exists in minority status through the disability unemployment rate and do not intend to cause harm. In other unfortunate cases, employers may carry out overt or "conscious" discrimination. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the population this decade has surpassed 300 million, including an estimated 50 million with a long-lasting disability or impairment.

America's total population is 67 percent Euro American and 33 percent minority (Latino Americans make up 14 percent, African Americans represent 13 percent, Asian Americans make up 5 percent and Native Americans and "others" add up to 1 percent). However, in minority status for the disability unemployment rate, the ratio literally flip-flops because two-thirds of those with disabilities are ethnic minorities. Factors for the lower minority status include disparity in education and rehabilitation resources, inadequate transportation and housing in low-income communities and a lack of mentors and role models. Steps toward progress have focused mostly on education improvements and partnerships between hundreds of K-12 school districts, along with historically black colleges such as Howard and Hampton universities.

Still, the Labor Department asserts that the key is change in attitudes and actions. Suggestions include education about minority disability employment, sensitivity training, news media attention and involvement of role models. A prime proposal is directed toward employers: "Provide training, offer job opportunities, recruit wisely. Utilize local recruiting sources such as area minority organizations, religious institutions and disability related organizations to identify qualified job applicants with disabilities from culturally diverse backgrounds."

Sources:
www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ek98/disabilin.htm
www.dol.gov/odep/archives/programs/cultural.htm
www.jan.wvu.edu/english/whatisodep.htm
www.jan.wvu.edu/englp.htm
www.benderconsult.com
U.S. Census Bureau

How to Be an Optimist

2008-07-08T16:52:00Z

Any change in lifestyle, whether great or small, can be accomplished by virtue of one easy, controllable method. Many of the lifestyle choices that the average person makes are done through this method without much in the way of conscious choice. The trick to achieving change consciously is to recognize the power behind this methodology and exploit it. The secret? Habit.

Losing weight is best accomplished by making a habit of eating right and exercising. Increasing one's vocabulary is best attained through the habit of learning and using at least one new word per day. This ability extends even to changing one's perspective on the world. Even if you have spent most of your life shaking your fist at the sky and demanding to know when some cosmic waitress will come along to fill your half-empty cup, you can quickly learn to adopt a more optimistic view. Optimism is not something some people are naturally born, and others are given a short supply. The capacity to look on the bright side exists within every human being and can be learned. More than that, it should be learned. Numerous scientific studies, as well as simple anecdotal evidence, have shown proof that optimistic people are, on the whole, far happier than those who cling to looking for worst in life. Even if it is true that optimism springs from a willingness to overlook pragmatic rationality on occasion, there is still no denying that people who look at obstacles as opportunities tend to be more successful than those who give in to self-pity and a self-destructive acceptance that Murphy's Law is the governing rule behind every decision.

Changing thought processes can seem daunting at first, but only when looked at from a pessimistic state of mind. Just as every journey begins with one step, so does ever habit begin with the first time you do it. Adopting a more positive outlook and a sense of hope is no more difficult than developing the habit of smoking cigarettes or taking the same route home from work every day. It has been asserted that it takes about three weeks on average to develop a habit. What that means is that if you begin today consciously deciding to view your life from the perspective that the cup is half-full, then three weeks from day you may find yourself getting around with a positive attitude without even thinking about.

Can adopting an optimistic attitude really increase your enjoyment of life? Well, that all depends, doesn't it?

Lex Frieden Profile

2008-07-08T15:27:00Z

For someone who barely can move his body, Lex Frieden has moved mountains during the past 41 years on behalf of people with disabilities. The Houstonian was a college freshman and honor student when he was paralyzed in a November 1967 car crash that broke his neck at the fifth vertebra. Since then his career of disability activism ranks him among America's most remarkable leaders. He also leads a remarkable family life.

His most notable accomplishment has a double link to the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA.) He helped write the landmark law during the 1980s, when he was executive director of the National Council on Disability, whose members were appointed by the president. Since then he has helped to implement the ADA, including work as board chairman of the same highly influential national council from 2002 to 2006. Former President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law and his son, President George W. Bush, issued the board chair appointment. Indeed, millions of Americans owe Lex Frieden thanks for today's disability rights in such areas as employment, public access and transportation.

"Reasonable accommodation," Frieden has said more than once, citing the ADA's most recognized phrase. "In the final assessment, those were the key words in making that legislation work. We tried to define the requirements that businesses would need to meet, while not creating a hardship on those businesses." The former high school valedictorian has put his bright mind to work in many other ways, especially in following the ADA's spirit toward the next step of independent living. He is the senior vice president of the Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, formerly the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, or TIRR. He is founder and director of TIRR's Independent Living Research Utilization Unit and is an adjunct professor at both Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Science Center. He also is senior vice president of Memorial Hermann-TIRR Hospital in Houston.

The list goes on, but Lex Frieden's ongoing legacy extends far beyond his work for people with disabilities. For many Americans who don't get into all of the ins and outs of advocacy, his family story is even more compelling. He was protesting within a year of the 1967 crash, when Oral Roberts University denied him admission because of his condition. He instead enrolled at the University of Houston to begin graduate and post-graduate studies that would qualify him for his various future executive positions and lived in the TIRR's residential facility. In 1972, he encountered Mac Brodie, a Vietnam veteran with mental troubles from an encounter with a landmine. Frieden and some TIRR buddies on a weekend evening gave Brodie $5 to go fetch a six-pack of beer. When Brodie instead walked home with the five bucks, Frieden learned that his new pal's specific affliction was total short-term memory loss. They thus formed a partnership. Brodie could function as Frieden's caregiver and transporter, and Frieden, in turn, could keep Brodie on schedule.

Next in 1974, the future Joyce Frieden attended a campus rally that Lex Frieden had organized. She was a single mother but had become paralyzed from the waist down as a young adult as the result of a neurological disorder. They fell in love and married in 1977 in front of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, with Brodie, part of a household that remains intact today. Joyce's daughter, Melissa Cassel, also is there with teenage son, Luke. Various writers have opted to focus on this inspiring household even more so than on Lex Frieden's career. A prime example is a Family Circle magazine feature from Jan. 20, 2004.

"Some people have a way of casting aside the disabled, of expecting less of us." Lex Frieden says. "The truth is we're no different from anyone else. We want to choose how and where to live, and we want to live with minimal reliance on others. "We don't feel bad about ourselves. We are happy, we love to have fun, and we're eager to accomplish things."

Sources:
www.lexfrieden.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lex_Frieden
www.home.comcast.net/~lfrieden/FamCir04.htm
www.houston.rr.com/frieden/Lex-Chron-10-25-98.htm

Ready for Work?

2008-07-07T22:34:00Z

"I had no idea," Elaine began wearily, "that I'd have to produce so much so fast." The 43-year-old mother of three had just re-entered the workforce after a 12-year battle with rheumatoid arthritis. She was newly single, with one child ready for college the following academic year. Elaine experienced culture shock on her first day at work as a claims adjuster for a large insurance company. She expected to report for work, attend an orientation and have a couple of days to get settled into her cubicle.

Instead, just 45 minutes after she set foot in the building, she had filled out new-hire paperwork and was seated across from her boss, who listed the required production she'd need to meet each day when taking calls. He handed her a checklist and a procedures manual, then directed her to put on a headset and start taking calls from policy holders. Elaine had returned to a different work culture from the one she had left. In this one, employees were expected to put in a lot more time and receive fewer benefits. She sensed they were more likely to be treated as numbers than as people in a large company.

One of the greatest shocks for individuals with disabilities who reach a point where they're ready to work is that so much is expected of employees these days. Much of it is physical: bending to reconnect computer cables, driving to required, off-site meetings - often on their own time - and frequently packing up and moving your workspace. In some cases, you might also be expected to carry your computer, telephone and office supplies, before reconfiguring your new cubicle. While there might be an official break policy, during a recession, the workers who feel most secure tend to be those who keep their noses glued to their computer monitors and spend lunch in the same spot.

One of the most important things a worker with a disability can do is to ask to look at the proposed work space either during the final interview or before reporting to work. Try to arrive mid-morning when business is in full swing to see the pace at which employees are moving, the level of noise and whether the workforce looks stressed or at ease. This will at least give you an idea of what to expect. If you disclosed your disability and asked for an accommodation under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), make sure everything is ready before your first day at work or ask your employer to let you know when it will be ready.

Keeping up with your co-workers means getting to your job on time. It is a good idea to practice the commute in both directions at least twice before your first day. If you find driving too physically taxing, start asking questions about carpools or public transpiration. Employment with a disability really isn't so different from working without a disability. It just requires planning. According to the New Freedom Initiative launched by President George W. Bush's administration in 2001, more than 54 million Americans have disabilities, nearly one out of every five individuals. Half of those had a severe disability that affected their ability to see, hear, walk or perform other basic life functions.

The Initiative stated that while people with disabilities want to work, only 10 percent of them owned their own homes while 71 percent of those without disabilities own their own homes. The employment rates for adults of working age with disabilities had remained at around 70 percent for the prior 12 years. Rates for those without disabilities were much lower. The definitive set of statistics for disabled employment can be found in the 1994-1995 National Health Interview Survey. This old, but often-quoted, survey revealed that 79 percent of adults without disabilities were working when interviewed, contrasted to only 37 percent who had disabilities. The total number of adults of working age was 11.3 million.

Before accepting a job once you're ready to work, spend some time getting to know which disability resources are available. Next, decide exactly how much information you're willing to provide to prospective employers about your disability. This is especially important for workers with invisible disabilities such as memory loss, digestive diseases and migraines.

Double-Arm Amputee: Paralympian and Magazine Publisher

2008-07-03T17:20:00Z

Active Living magazine publisher Jeffrey Tiessen sees himself as a “hands-on” publisher - somewhat ironic for a double-arm amputee.

DT (Disability Today) Publishing Group Inc. and Active Living were founded by the three-time Paralympian to print high-standard “inclusionary content” tied to special interest markets.

Tiessen, DT’s president, is the world record holder in the 400 meter track event in the double-arm amputee class.

Focus Changed
He explains Active Living’s focus changed from general disability community content to more specific health, fitness, sports, and recreation.

Tiessen adds, “We do business as DT because we publish work that isn’t disability-related, including Blaze magazine and city guide Toronto with Ease. DT prints event programs, premium products, corporate publications, and multi-media exhibits from its St. Ann’s, Ontario, base.

A public speaker/leadership trainer, Tiessen is listed in Who's Who of Executives & Professionals and profiled in Heroes in Our Midst (foreword by hockey star Wayne Gretzky). In 2007, he was inducted into the Windsor Sports Hall of Fame, University of Windsor Alumni Hall of Fame, and Toronto Sports Centre Wall of Fame.

Distinct Readership
He believes Active Living pages provide information and “opportunities for healthy living and redefines what physical activity means for the disabled. (It) serves a very distinct readership” that shares ambitions of able-bodied peers, “but looks to the publication for adaptive ways to achieve those goals, regardless of age, stage, or station in life.”

Blaze magazine is a “discovery magazine about horses and the world they live in, for kids 8-14, their parents, and as a teacher’s tool.”

At age 11, Tiessen lost both arms after touching a snow-covered 27,000-volt transformer while tobogganing. “My parents were supportive. With my father’s effort to see me included in my community hockey league, I came to know at 12 that if I could play hockey again, I could do anything.”

Tiessen picked publishing after studying journalism at the University of Windsor and appreciated the “influence media has on public perception.” In 1991, the “mainstream media weren’t doing the disabled any justice; information is power for persons needing adaptive equipment, services, and products.”

Praise for JFK
After graduation, Tiessen spent a year at a disability magazine in Florida and went on his own “self-funded, with advertising and sponsorship, plus volunteers—writer, designer, etc.”

His heroes were “JFK, particularly on why we do things: not because they’re easy but because they’re hard.” Also, there’s Canadian cancer patient Terry Fox, plus “musicians, athletes, artists as a community—for creativity, passion for their work, fortitude regardless of the pay.”

Tiessen’s mentors were his parents: “They gave me the attitude that anything was possible,” and his professors: “They showed me what was possible.”

Sports played a role. It taught him how to manage time, “rewards of preparation, believing in myself, setting lofty goals, and the power of teamwork.”

Calculated Risks
His hurdles have been “attitudinal—society’s generally lowered expectations for PWD; taking calculated risks opens new doors, regardless of the outcome.”

To be a successful entrepreneur, disabled or not, Tiessen, 42, claims it required “passion about my work; initiative; follow-through; creativity; solution-oriented thinking; determination (particularly through lean times) and commitment of time and energy.

His advice for any entrepreneur is:

Prepare a business plan, short-term, and long-term as a map. Different routes will present themselves and sometimes should be taken.
Ensure you have the personality for it. Being your own boss and your-time-is-your-own are myths.

Tiessen tries to help others “define their goals, successes, and dreams.” His greatest achievements are “modest, attainable by anyone, and more a matter of attitude/fortitude.” He encourages others to “consider carefully what success means to them individually.”

Married with two children, Tiessen muses, “As a dad without hands, success isn’t found in being able to change diapers like any other dad. It’s in the way my kids embrace my hands with a sense of pride, and even brag to their friends about my amazing steel-fingered, bee-catching abilities. To my children, my so-called ‘different arms’ don’t define me, they accentuate me.”

His message is simple: “Character may be manifested in the great moments, but made in the small ones. Never let small victories go unappreciated.” Tiessen is an active, living example of his own advocacy.

In his wheelchair in Jacksonville, FL, Herb Drill heads Able Me & Associates. His e-mail address is herbdrill@ableme.com. He has Muscular Dystrophy.

Stephen Hopkins: One of America's Earliest Disability Rights Leaders

2008-07-03T16:10:00Z

“My hand trembles, my heart does not.”

With those words Stephen Hopkins, then a 69-year-old member of the Rhode Island legislature, affixed his signature to the Declaration of Independence. His cerebral palsy might have shaken his hand, but not his commitment to the right to live a life of freedom and independence.

A former governor of Rhode Island, lawyer and educator, Hopkins was one of the 56 signers of the Declaration. His outspokenness against British tyranny had begun long before the rallying cry was joined by his fellow countrymen. He even wrote a pamphlet called The Rights of Colonies Examined in 1764, in which he criticized British government and recommended colonial home rule.

In keeping with his focus on freedom, Hopkins also authored one of the first anti-slavery laws in the United States in 1774 while he was a member of the General Assembly. His bill made it illegal to import slaves into the Rhode Island colony.

As the nation today debates the reauthorization of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it’s useful to recognize that forward-thinking American leaders have been fighting to ensure independence for those with disabilities since the founding of our nation. Many of those leaders have been visible; others have labored in less visible – but equally impactful – ways.

As Americans with (and without) disabilities consider the reauthorization of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it’s important to remember and applaud the many individuals who have advanced efforts to secure the rights to independence, accessibility and the pursuit of equality for all. So thank you, Stephen Hopkins, for your trembling hand, and your stalwart heart. Your courage helped shape a nation.

Photo courtesy www.gaspee.org.

Braille Without Borders: Creating Hope Where Darkness Once Dominated

2008-07-03T15:42:00Z

While many people know of Helen Keller’s accomplishments and draw inspiration from her words, very few know about how a blind German woman—a woman who many call the “modern day Helen Keller”—set out alone on horseback and rode across China, bound for Tibet, on a mission to help improve the lives of those equally challenged in the oppressed region.

In 1998, after completing her university studies in Tibetology, Sabriye Tenberken established a teaching organization called Braille Without Borders (BWB). Her mission was to train and educate the blind children of Tibet and teach them how to improve their self-esteem and become contributing members of society. The school opened with one teacher and six students.

She explained, “I wanted to do development work, to travel and have an adventurous life. And then I thought, ‘What region sounds adventurous enough to me?’ And then I found out about Tibet. I created a Braille system for the Tibetan language and decided to go to Tibet by myself, without a sighted person, to prove that blind people are capable of traveling and to convince the people that I could also run the project.”

At first everyone thought she was crazy. "They couldn't imagine I could come to Tibet," she recalled. "They said, ‘It's not possible. She's blind; who can take care of her, who can take her around?' "

Tenberken was horrified at what she found when she arrived. "I first met blind children who were 4 or 5 years old and looked like infants,” she said. “They were tied to the bed and hadn't learned to walk because their parents hadn't taught them. They couldn’t believe that I was blind myself and I was looking for children, because blind children had no value at all in society."

Before she arrived, people in Tibet saw blindness as a punishment for something you have done wrong in a past life. They believed blind people were possessed by demons.

A decade after she made her first trip to Tibet, Braille Without Borders has established its home in the capital city of Lhasa. BWB emphasizes living skills like cooking, hygiene, and self-reliance. It also teaches workplace skills like computer use and Tibetan, Chinese, and English. Training is also offered in careers like massage therapy and music. Some of Tenberken’s original students have gone on to begin their university studies, while others have become teachers themselves.

“They come to our project at first and think that blindness is something to be really embarrassed about and later they learn that they don’t have to be ashamed if they are blind. Then they celebrate it and see blindness as a chance. They can jump back into society and say ‘I’m blind, so what? I can do so many things,’” Tenberken said.

In 2004, blind American mountaineer, Erik Weihenmayer traveled to Tibet to meet Sabriye Tenberken and lead six Tibetan teenagers from her school on a climb of the 23,000 foot Lhakpa Ri on the north side of Mount Everest. Their story was recounted in the award winning documentary Blindsight that is now showing in theaters across the United States. Through special screenings, as well as through the efforts of Friends of Braille without Borders, more than $250,000 has been raised to support the ongoing efforts of the organization.

One of BWB’s most ambitious efforts to date is the establishment of the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Kerala, India. Through the IISE, Braille without Borders aims to empower those blind and visually impaired people who feel an urge to make a positive change in their country, society, or surroundings. In a year long course, the IISE will train 25 to 40 participants (age 18 and older) who have the right initiative, motivation, and potential to establish and run their own social projects. They will be trained in management, fundraising, PR activities, project planning, computer technology, English, communication, and soft skills.

After their training is complete, these young leaders will be in a position to fight for the rights of their supporters, to negotiate with governmental leaders, and to help change the attitudes towards marginalized groups by setting up social and/or environmental projects in their own regions or countries.

With plans to expand the school in Tibet and across international borders, Sabriye Tenberken’s is realizing her dreams. Lightheartedly reflecting on the growth of her program but still well aware of the difficult plight that blind people face all around the world, she joked with the New York Times and concluded, “A blind child will never be able to drive a truck. But they can read and write in the dark," she said. "And who else can do that?"

Additional Information
To learn more about Sabriye Tenberken, Braille Without Borders and the Friends of Braille Without Borders Foundation, please visit www.braillewithoutborders.org. To learn more about Blindsight, please visit www.blindsightthemovie.com. Sabriye Tenberken is also the author of My Path Leads to Tibet which is available in English through Arcade Publishing at www.amazon.com.

Photo Credits: Braille without Borders

Young Entrepreneur Sings to 'Lead to the Lord'

2008-07-03T15:12:00Z

I believe, above the storm, the smallest prayer will still be heard; I believe that someone in the great somewhere hears every word. - “I Believe,” sung by Frankie Laine

The story goes that a mother heard her daughter’s tale of struggles, went to the kitchen, filled three pots with water, placed each over a hot fire, and the pots boiled. In one, she placed carrots; in another, eggs; and in the last went coffee.

Later, she turned off the burners, placed carrots in a bowl, eggs in a bowl, and ladled coffee into a cup.

“Tell me what you see,” the mother asked her daughter. “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.

Adversity Knocks
Mother had her feel the carrots, which were now soft; then peel a shell to find a firm, hard-boiled egg. The daughter sipped coffee and smiled at its rich aroma and asked, “What does it mean?”

Mother explained that each of the items had faced the boiling water. The carrot was strong, and became softened. The fragile egg was hardened by the boiling water. The coffee changed the water itself. Mother asked: “When adversity knocks, are you the carrot that wilts; the egg that becomes hardened after some trial; or the coffee bean, which rises to another level?”

Brooke Pernice would savor the “coffee” every time.

Make a Difference
Brooke’s aim is to “try and lead as many people as I can to the Lord - to inspire them to make a difference in this world.” Her entrepreneurial plan is to “sing and speak about the Lord as much as I can and wherever I can.”

She admits her Catholic religion and faith play a major part in her music and her ministry. “When I was 7, the Lord told me I would lead a worldwide ministry through music. In June 2006, He told me I would see when the time was right. In October 2006, He told me it was time to do concerts and public speaking.”

All this, despite Leber’s Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), a genetic degenerative retinal disease having affected the rods and cones of her eyes. She has joined Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee to promote LCA awareness through his Project 3000. Lee has a child with LCA. Also, Brooke works with the Foundation Fighting Blindness to raise money for a cure by joining its Visionwalk program.

Nervous? Her?
An ardent fan of country music, her favorite song is "Have You Forgotten", by Darryl Worley, recalling events surrounding 9/11. Tennessee Ernie Ford is another favorite.

Her practice sessions take up to two hours a day with vocal coach David Reuther, with her band during rehearsals, or “by myself doing vocal exercises and practicing new songs.” In between home-school courses in Murrieta, Calif., Brooke regards singing hymns as required homework, too.

She doesn't get nervous in front of a crowd, such as at the Jacksonville (Fla.) Landing. It doesn't seem to faze her that she's only 13 and cannot see the audience, including Mayor John Peyton.

Brooke was in Florida with her dad, PGA Tour golfer Tom Pernice Jr.; she helped tee off The Players Championship. Dad was among those applauding.

In his wheelchair in Jacksonville, FL, Herb Drill heads Able Me & Associates. His e-mail address is herbdrill@ableme.com. He has Muscular Dystrophy.

DisabilityBiz.Org Offers Business Resources for People with Disabilities

2008-07-01T18:08:00Z

J. Andy Leaf says that, as a wheelchair user for nearly 40 years, "transportation and health issues have kept me out of traditional employment."

His answer is creation of The SEED Business Network on disabilitybiz.org, offering disability business resources for members to pursue self-employment.

"I have learned how to balance different areas of my life; nutritionally, spiritually, mentally and behaviorally," Leaf writes from his base in Laguna Beach, Calif. "This holistic approach has allowed me to stay healthy and participate more fully in my community. Earning a profit or receiving a paycheck is not the only benefits for you and your family! Being productive and having a purpose will help you to feel better about yourself and your life."

A highlight on his Web site is a report from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability. Census figures indicate that people with disabilities have a 12.2 percent rate of self-employment experience, which is higher than the 7.8 percent for people without disabilities. The Disabled Businesspersons Association estimates that 40 percent of home-based businesses are operated by people with disabilities.

For people with disabilities, a list of self-employment options includes accounting, air conditioner repair, bakery, child care, piano refinishing, real estate and freelance writing.

Leaf also explores potential drawbacks of self-employment. They include possible loss of Social Security Disability Income and Medicare or Medicaid benefits, and difficulty obtaining credit.

He reports that he receives support from the Ellyn Bye with the Dream Envisions Foundation, Rogers Severson with the SCI (Spinal Cord Injury) Special Fund, and the Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation.

A basic free membership includes a monthly newsletter with featured business resources, articles and events, along with a member bulletin board to communicate and share ideas with other members.

For $35 per year, a full membership adds a copy of Quicken Premier Home & Business 2007 software, an entrepreneurial style test, a business card listing and a list of potential funders.

The $95 deluxe business membership adds a "members only" section with an insight learning personality test, marking advice and two hours of time with a business coach.

Call (949) 413-1555 or E-mail aleaf@seedbiznet.org.

Sources:
disabilitybiz.org

Be Safe in the Sun

2008-07-01T17:36:00Z

It is important to be safe in the sun and be aware of skin care. There are some skin care basics that everyone should keep in mind for sun safety. Whether you have a disability or work with someone with a disability it is important to keep in mind the basics for sun safety.

Sun Safety Tips: Cloudy Days Can Burn Your Skin
Did you know that cloudy days can burn your skin? Many people do not realize this. As a result, they do not put on sunscreen, wear protective clothing or worry about the sun. You can get a sunburn on a cloudy day. Regardless of the weather, it is always important to protect your skin when you are out in the sun.

Sun Safety Tips: Protective Clothing Helps to Protect Skin
It is important to wear protective clothing during the warmer months or even if you're outside for an extended period of time in the winter months. Be certain to wear lightweight gloves to protect your hands and palms from sunburn. You can wear a lightweight jacket or long-sleeved shirt to protect arms. A nice, wide brim hat is great for offering scalp and facial protection from the sun.

If you assist with the care of someone with a disability, it is important to look after their well-being when out in the weather. Make suggestions of protective clothing that they can wear. Offer to assist them in dressing appropriately for the weather when you are going to be out for an extended period of time.

Sun Safety Tips: Sunscreen Helps to Protect Against UV Rays
It is imperative that you wear sunscreen on exposed areas of the skin. If you do not have protective clothing on certain parts of the body, be certain to wear sunscreen. The higher the numbers on the sunscreen the better protection you will have. After exposure to the sun, use a deep moisturizer product for skin care and moisture.

If you are unable to apply sunscreen, remind the person assisting with your care to put the appropriate number on you. It is important to your skin care that you not become burned. Deep burns can later lead to skin cancers. Ask for assistance to use moisturizers after you come in from the weather to help with good skin care.

Sun Safety Tips: Eye Protection
Many times, people remember to wear hats, protective clothing and sunscreen. However, they forget the protection that is needed for your eyes. A good pair of UV-blocking sunglasses is the best way to protect your eyes from the sun and dangerous rays. You can purchase a quality pair of UV-blocking sunglasses from many department stores, drug stores and even an eye doctor.

Getting Organized

2008-07-01T17:34:00Z

The term "getting organized" sounds like a huge, maybe even impossible, task. Actually, uncluttering your life is just a matter of scaling down, putting items in their places and cultivating good habits that will help keep your organizational plan intact.

Having a Cluttered Life Produces Stress
Reducing clutter is important for everyone. It helps you save time and energy in finding documents and other items. If you have a disability, getting your life together is even more important because lacking order causes stress. And stress can worsen existing health issues.

Once your life is in order, you'll replace the stress that you previously felt with satisfaction and self-confidence. You'll be able to find anything you need easier and without undue tension.

How to Start Getting Organized
The first step in tidying up your life is to set up a time frame to get it done in. It's impossible to reorganize in one day. Even planning to declutter your life in one week is pushing it. So give yourself 30 days to accomplish your goal. That month will allow you to take small steps every day. These steps will take you closer to your goal of reducing clutter.

Get Assistance With Your Project
As the old adage goes, "Two heads are better than one." But, four hands and four feet are better than two. To help add organization to your life, especially if you have a disability, enlist the aid of at least one helper.

Steps On How to Scale Down
Now that you've set up a time frame, the next step is to "scale down" or reduce the amount of your belongings. If your life is cluttered, chances are you own too many things. To become thoroughly organized, you'll need to reduce the clutter in every room of your home. Start with one room in your home and look through your belongings. Decide what you need and what you don't need. A good rule of thumb to follow is: if you didn't use an item within the last year, then you probably don't need it. Divide your items into labeled storage containers marked "Keep," "Pitch" and "Sell/Donate." When it comes to paperwork, place it all in a separate box for sorting later.

Next, start with the "Pitch" containers. Bag up all of the items you're discarding and remove them from the room. Then, take a look at your "Sell/Donate" containers and decide what you're going to do with them. If you're going to donate the items to your favorite charity like the Salvation Army or Goodwill, bag or box these items up. Place the bags/boxes in your garage or in another temporary storage area. To add organization to your life and reduce clutter, plan on donating these items as soon as possible.

The items you have left will be in the "Keep" containers. Sort these belongings and put them away. If you don't have enough storage space, you may need to first hang some shelves on your walls and maybe even install them in your closets. If you have a disability and are unable to do this yourself, hire a handy man for the job.

Place items you use on a regular basis in convenient places you can easily reach. Other belongings that you don't use often, such as holiday decorations, box fans and seasonal clothing should be boxed up. Part of your organization plan is to label the boxes so you can see in a glance what's in them. Then, store the boxes until you need them.

Getting Your Paperwork Organized
Once you have succeeded in reducing the clutter throughout your home, it's time to organize your paperwork. Important documents like real estate deeds, motorized vehicle titles, insurance policies, birth certificates, marriage licenses and divorce decrees, etc., should be filed and stored in a metal, fireproof box. Other papers such as bills, bank statements, receipts, owner's manuals and copies of tax returns should be placed into labeled folders and stored in a desk or filing cabinet.

Eliminate the Clutter That Enters Your Home
Now that you've reduced the clutter in your home, it's time to take a good, hard look at the items you threw away. For example, did you toss out a lot of store catalogs? Catalogs are a source of clutter in many people's homes. You can easily trim down the number of catalogs you receive in the mail. Just sign up at a Website like Catalog Choice. This free service lets you cancel catalogs you no longer want to receive.

Magazines are another common source of clutter. To add organization to your life and reduce clutter, you may need to cut down on the magazines you receive. On a regular basis, throw out or recycle old magazines by donating them to places like nursing homes.

Frida Kahlo’s Colorful Life

2008-07-01T00:20:00Z

Though famed Mexican artist-turned-icon with a disability, Frida Kahlo, was overshadowed by her husband Diego Rivera in her lifetime, her unusual, colorful, and confessional paintings seem to be everywhere today.

Appearing on museum walls and in books as well as videos and documentaries, many of her tormented self portraits reflect the physical pain she lived with - the result of childhood polio and a streetcar accident that shattered her adolescent hip and spine. (Some historians also claim Kahlo was born with a spinal disability, possibly spina bifida.)

Most of the 150 or so of her works still in rotation are self portraits, though only the later ones depict her in a wheelchair. Even so, Kahlo’s disability was a major factor in her decision to become an artist - she spent much of life bedridden, on crutches, or in a wheelchair recovering from over 30 operations. It was during one such recovery period that she began painting with the help of a special easel.

Many people believe that Kahlo’s obsession with self portraits was a form of therapy. It seems quite plausible that her body and all that it had survived were central to many of her thoughts and experiences. But Kahlo’s fans aren’t just drawn to her art - the sum total of her controversial and torrential life is what many find so fascinating.

In addition to her physical suffering, Kahlo’s 25-year marriage to muralist Rivera was a stormy one (she was the third of his four wives). His womanizing led to her own numerous affairs (both with men and women); and Kahlo, who was active in Mexican political causes, was in and out of the Communist Party. Noted photographer and Soviet spy Tina Modotti and Leon Trotsky were among her most infamous brood of friends and lovers.

But, like so many disability stories that, with time, become tales of heroics instead of real reflections of a life lived hard, the dark side of Kahlo often goes missing from her biographies (and even from films about her).

For instance, some close to Kahlo speculate that many of her surgeries may not have been medically mandated and were instead attention-getting attempts, especially where Rivera was concerned. Kahlo also counted addiction to drugs and alcohol among her vices and even attempted suicide several times. She was a devout Stalin supporter and despised the very gringos who now proudly tote her image on jewelry, handbags, and more.

Kahlo’s been the subject of major art shows in New York, Houston, Seattle, and London. And she has inspired many Frida-themed books, movies, calendars, posters, pins, refrigerator magnets, a Volvo commercial, a Time magazine cover and even a U.S. postage stamp.

On the anniversary of her death each year, special exhibits pop up across the world, including at Casa Azul (the Blue House) in Mexico City where she was born, lived, loved, worked and died in 1955 at the age of 47. July 14 will mark the anniversary of her death, and Kahlo appears to be maintaining her status as one of the most widely known (and revered) people with a disability, living or dead.

Read more:
For advice on painting for people with disabilities, see Brush Color Into Your Life.

For people with disabilities in film, see Reality, Crip-Style: Ten Must-See Disability-Themed Documentaries.

For an innovative art exhibit showcasing deaf artists, see University Showcases Artwork Expressing Values of Deaf Culture.

Disability Mentoring Day

2008-06-30T19:24:00Z

Place a big circle around October 15, 2008 on your calendar. This is the scheduled date for this year's Disability Mentoring Day (DMD). DMD is observed annually and internationally throughout the year. Disability Mentoring Day is an undertaking that's recognized across the country. Several cities hold DMD kick offs and activities on this day.

The basic purpose of this day is to allow students and job-seekers who have disabilities to try their hands at an array of different careers. It's also designed to raise disability awareness. The original idea for Disability Mentoring Day was borrowed from the National Groundhog Job Shadow day. This day provides opportunities for students to "shadow" workers while they're on their jobs.

The History of Disability Mentoring Day
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) subsidized the first National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD) in 1999. It was in conjunction with the White House as a way to bring more attention to National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is celebrated every October. NDMD is a national alliance between the AAPD and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Less than 36 students kicked off the first National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD), which was held chiefly in Washington D.C. In 2001, the American Association of People with Disabilities took over the reins of DMD. That year, there were more than 1,500 students and job-seekers, numerous employers and over 70 local coordinators in 32 states participating in the program. Disability Mentoring Day has continued to grow consistently every year. In 2005, the number of participants had increased to 9,000 students with disabilities. The locations had increased to 20. These students were counseled and taught by over 2,000 organizations.

Corporate Sponsors
The generosity of several corporate sponsors help to make Disability Mentoring Day successful every year. Some of the companies who have made contributions over the years include: Verizon, Wal-Mart, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, American Airlines, UPS, Goldman Sachs, AIG, Disaboom.com, the Social Security Administration, Pitney Bowes, JC Penney, Wells Fargo, Darden Restaurants, IBM, Microsoft, BellSouth, Hewlett-Packard, America Online, Cingular Wireless and Honeywell.

How Disability Mentoring Day Works
DMD works the same way as National Groundhog Job Shadow day in that the participants with disabilities - referred to as "Mentees" - are paired up with employer mentors in accordance to the participants' job interests. The students and job-seekers then spend an entire work day with their mentors so they can experience what the job they are interested in is actually like.

The benefits of Disability Mentoring Day are actually two-fold. Students and job-seekers with disabilities are given the opportunity to explore the working world. Plus, employers are exposed to disability awareness. This gives them the opportunity to see how persons with disabilities can contribute and be assets to their organizations.

The Objectives of Disability Mentoring Day
Every year, the objectives of DMD are basically to: Start a year-round venture that helps increase mentoring opportunities; enhance disability awareness, especially where employers are concerned; educate employers about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities; increase training and employment opportunities for people who have disabilities; improve the self-confidence levels in students and job-seekers who have disabilities, and to promote disability so the workforce is more diverse.

Who Can Participate in Disability Mentoring Day?
Besides students and job-seekers who have disabilities, educators, all types of employers, including private, non-profit, governmental and educational types all take part in Disability Mentoring Day.

If you wish to participate in DMD as a mentee, an employer, or as a coordinator and increase disability awareness visit the American Association of People with Disabilities Website.

Sources:
http://www.dol.gov/odep/programs/dmd.htm
http://www.dmd-aapd.org/docs/factsheet.php
http://www.washington.edu/doit/Programs/dmd.html

Dump Your Doctor?

2008-06-30T18:46:00Z

Myra, 42, suffers from a degenerative nerve disease and moves around in a wheelchair. However, two of her physicians decided within the last year to join other existing practices in order to trim costs.

Unfortunately, when she tried to follow each of them, she encountered a common problem: accessible doctors' offices. The first specialist now practiced on the first floor of a low-rise building. However, she hunted for half an hour for a parking place and found none big enough for her van.

The second practitioner had accessible parking, but Myra was unable to maneuver through the outside door to his office building, let alone make it to the 12th floor.

There comes a time for many patients when it's time to dump the doctor.

A recent Forbes article points out that while most executives know when it's time to can an employee, most people have a much harder time evaluating their doctors' performance. Here are 10 tips for figuring out whether to issue your physician a pink slip:

1. No teamwork: Is it easy to talk to your doctor? Do your messages get delivered? If the practice has a pre-recorded message stating all tests results will be mailed and not to expect them for six weeks, you might want to look elsewhere for care. This also applies when the physician's assistant, nurse or medical assistant promises time and again to mail you a prescription after the doctor has signed it but fails to do so. Do you experience errors in billing or delays in submitting correct claims to your health insurance company?

2. Personality clashes: Sometimes doctor and patient just don't match. You have a sense of humor but he doesn't. Do you feel at the end of each appointment that the doctor just plain doesn't like you? Then it's time to take your business elsewhere.

3. Experience: If your doctor suggests a certain new treatment for your condition or you bring one up, does he have the experience to pull it off? New and improved medical procedures can bring wonderful results, but only from a doctor who has done them prolifically. It he suggests treatments that don't even seem related to your condition, say goodbye.

4. No e-mail address: While some patients are content dealing with medical practices by telephone or fax, others feel uncomfortable if they can't reach their physicians via e-mail. It would be unrealistic for the majority of patients to expect a doctor to volunteer his or her personal e-mail address. However, many practices do have accounts to which you can submit questions.

5. Language skills: When English isn't your native language, you might need a doctor who's bilingual. If either one of you has to frequently repeat questions or answers to communicate, it's probably time to consider another provider.

6. Lack of information: Do visits feel like pulling teeth? Do you have to initiate questions at every appointment to get information? Does your doctor act resentful or impatient when you try to get information on your disability or treatment?

7. Rushed visits: Do you sense the doctor is always in a hurry, rushing from one patient to the next? Does he write the entire time you're talking? Avoid looking at you? If you expected to be examined but the doctor only talks to you, with one hand on the doorknob, he's rushing.

8. Wait times: Every physician gets behind once in a while due to emergencies. What is the pattern of your visits? Do you sit in the waiting room more than 30 minutes before seeing the doctor at each appointment? Long waits when you're the only patient signal a practice that is out of control.

9. Apologies: An effective doctor doesn't hesitate to apologize when the practices makes an error or inconveniences a patient with or without a disability. If yours can't, there's a problem.

10. Impression at visit end: Do you feel worse at the end of the appointment than you did when you walked through the door? Did you get any resolution to your problem, or was it just dismissed without any meaningful action?

Since individuals with disabilities require long-term treatment, you should also take into consideration the number - if any - of other qualified physicians in your area who could take over your care before sending that farewell message.

Mother and Son Bike Cross-Country to Raise Funds and Awareness for Rehabilitation

2008-06-24T17:42:00Z

Aaron Baker was a newly minted 20-year-old motocross pro in 1999 when a malfunction in his motorcycle kicked him over the handlebars, breaking his neck and rendering him a quadriplegic. Just days after his accident, he suffered from respiratory failure while in the hospital, lingering between life and death as doctors rushed to stabilize his pulse.

Years later, he points to his near-death experience as one of the most important steps in his recovery:

“I ended up flatlining. I remember that movement vividly. There was a dissolving of my reality, of everything I thought I knew, of everything I held close. When I was resuscitated the paralysis injury really didn’t matter. All that mattered was time, another breath, sharing moments with those I loved,” Baker said.

According to his mother, Laquita, doctors gave Aaron a “one in a million chance” of ever functioning again, a prognosis that neither she nor her son ever accepted.

“I just shot up in front of my chair and told them to never say anything like that in front of my son. All I knew is that if there was one chance in a million then that’s what we were going to focus on, “ Laquita said.

After three months of an outpatient rehabilitation program, Aaron and Laquita started looking for ways to continue Aaron’s rehabilitation more aggressively; they found their options to be surprisingly scant.

“There’s a sense of defeat in realizing that the resources are so few, it’s still inconceivable to me that people have no place to go once their hospital stay has been exhausted,” said Laquita.

Undeterred, Laquita scoured libraries and the Internet for further rehabilitation options. Eventually, she and Aaron settled on a kinesiology lab at Cal State Northridge run by personal trainer and former professor Taylor Issacs.

Making Strides
Aaron quickly hit it off with Taylor, and soon he was spending 4-6 hours a day working out. Once in rehab, Aaron began to achieve gradual improvements, reaching levels of physical mobility that his doctors thought weren’t possible.

Not only was Aaron able to soon walk on his own, but he began to ride a tandem bicycle with Laquita. Then, in 2004, the two entered and completed the L.A. marathon on the bike. The event was a huge accomplishment, and flush with confidence the mother-son duo decided to push themselves toward an even more ambitious goal.

“A week later Aaron said, ‘Well, hell, if we’re going to ride this thing, let’s ride across the country and promote what we are doing’,” Laquita said. The two made a pact to give the cross-country venture a shot.

C.O.R.E. and the Rise Again Tour
Since the early days of Aaron’s injury, both he and his mother had been appalled at the lack of rehabilitation resources for those suffering from catastrophic injuries. When Aaron’s health stabilized, they were finally in a position to do something about it.

The two founded C.O.R.E. (Center of Rehabilitative Exercise), a non-profit corporation focused on providing continuing rehabilitation services after acute care rehab has been terminated.

“In a nutshell, it’s a gym for special populations with clinicians who have been trained to work with such populations,” said Laquita, who adds that the rehab centers will be affordable as well.

In 2007, Aaron and his mother bicycled from San Diego to Florida on the Rise Again Tour to raise funds and draw attention to the C.O.R.E. concept; this summer they’re on the road once again, having departed in early June from San Francisco with plans to arrive in Washington D.C. in mid- September.

The two bike approximately 30-50 miles per day and live in the Rise Again Tour bus that accompanies them on their journey. Along the way, they’ll meet up with other athletes with disabilities and speak at rehabilitation clinics and hospitals.

Aaron and Laquita hope to raise a $1 million for C.O.R.E.—between individual and corporate donations—and open their first C.O.R.E. rehab center in the San Fernando, CA area by the end of 2008.

For Aaron, the Rise Again Tour now serves two purposes, acting not only as a “personal campaign to promote the benefits of ongoing exercise,” but also as his own personal recovery process.

For both Aaron and Laquita, C.O.R.E. is the most current chapter in a number of challenges they’ve been faced with over the years—challenges that have strengthened the bond between a mother and her son.

“My mom has provided me the opportunity to do whatever it is that I want to do. Not only are we mother and son, but we are best friends and now business partners. The rewards are so great,” Aaron said.

And after sticking with her son through thick and thin, Laquita also expresses a glowing optimism for the future.

“There’s not a day that goes by that part of me, as Aaron’s mother, isn’t mad as hell at the challenges he faces to function. But, as hard as it’s been the rewards have been greater. Overall, I’m incredibly grateful,” she said.

Read More
Read Part II of Laquita and Aaron's story, A Mother Harnesses Her Love and Entrepreneurial Spirit To Help Her Son and Others.