Thoughts for a New Year

Sitting here in Los Angeles where I am spending the year I realize a few very interested things. One, I am expierencing the holiday season where there is not a frop of snow on the ground anywhere! This is such an alien concept to me! With the weather beingg in the high 60s this whole week I am actually enjoying this modified version of what they call winter here in Southern California. It certainly has given me a whole new perspective on the idea of a White Christmas!

As the the first decade of the 21st Century slowly comes to an end and a new one begins there are many thoughts that have been racing through my mind about the future of persons with disabilties. With the American with Disabilities Ammendmant Act passing and a new President office who has put healthcare at the forefront of his agenda which in my humble estimation is critical for the future of all Americans but especially those with disabilities.

As we enter this new decade the disability community I believe must be more vigilant in finding ways to truly define what it means to be a community. How do people and organizations dealing with a myriad of disabilities ranging from Cerebral Palsy, MS, Muscular Dystropy to Autism and Spinal cord Injury among many others find commong ground so that they can work together and fight the good fight TOGETHER! How will the disability community be defined for the 21st Century and its impact not only on just different types but even in broader context looking at areas of race, gender and sexual orientation. Disability impacts us all- it must be given the credence it deserves within political, business and cultural circles. Moving forward into this next decade these are the areas that I will dedicate my working life to explore & define and hopefully create a better life for many. I am eager to welcome 2010 and the new decade ahead!

A Promise...

In the new year (and new decade) I promised myself I would do more writing to look at disability issues throughout the lifespan focusing on every aspect of ones quality of life. While my interests are numerous and even more important is that readers find valuable information from everything from education to employment the goal is simple - share strategies that enhance all.

So, as we enter this new year & new decade I make this promise- I will continue to write and share my thoughts, expierence and ideas on disability and aging issues and the impact on our daily lives..

Please Mr. President....

Please Mr. President give me healthcare! The past few days have been truly life altering. I was denied healthcare insurance due a pre-existing condition
(Cerebral Palsy) which angered me to know end. I moved to California for a brief period of time and needed to get in state insurance which started me down this long and windy road. Through every step of the process I have been made to feel shamed for something I cannot change - the fact that I have a disability! It is crucial that I have basic healthcare coverage so that I can have a better quality of life. It makes no sense to me that healthcare companies don't see the inherent value in underwriting a person with a disability - someone who will be a loyal customer
(assuming the company provides valued services)throughout the course of there life.

We are on the eve of a vote that will change the landscape of healthcare in this country. While the Bill can be seen as flawed by many it does provide the opportunity for millions of uninsured Americans to be covered. This is a seismic shift in our healthcare system and I believe in our way of life. This means people like me with pre existing conditions will be able to participate in a more a robust way of life.
So on Christmas Eve I hope that Congress can provide a wonderful gift under the tree for all Americans!

Off to Washington DC...

I have spent the past week in Washington DC taking the tempture of the political climate in terms of healthcare(which seems to be everyones focus in the beltway)and employment as it pertains to persons with disabilities. I often wonder wether we have truly done enough & if infact the disability community has been vocal enough in the trying times. Solutions are hard to come by BUT they are sorely needed. So let me put my hat in the ring and offer some thoughts. One, people with disabilities must be vigilant in this healthcare fight. This will impact so many facets of our lives. What can each of us do? As a citizen make your voices be heard - as the saying goes " Nothing About Us Without US" Writing or calling our Congressesmen or Senators is critical. Looking at the political landscape locally is important as well. The disability community is the "sleeping giant" among voters and as we gear up for 2010 our voices must be heard!

Jobs...Jobs..Jobs...

In this economy many of us are looking for jobs. But for people with disabilities this cannot be stated loudly enough. Having a job isn't solely about economic stability and indepence but identity. As for many a job helps define the person we are- it gives us a purpose every morning to get up & contribute to a larger goal. As we leave the month of October behind and National Disability Employment Awareness month is just a distant memory it is critical to understand that having a month to focus on employment in my mind defeats the purpose. We need to see this as both an economic and moral imperative. This is about the renewing of the contract with america & creating a vibrant workforce & develop innovative ideas for the new economy of the 21st Century. People with disabilities want to work! With an aging population & those in this demographic that want to work & have valuable intellectual capital American corporations must see this as a competitive advantage & must consider new approaches to hiring & retaining workers. Aside from that this pool of workers offers new opportunities for new business ventures that have only scratched the surface of what's possible.

As we inch closer to the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act America must look at itself & ask what progress have really made in reigniting the business of America.

Healthcare & Employment

This is October which means it is National Disability Employment Awareness month. At the sametime throughout the halls of Congress is a major healthcare debate. But no one seems to be making the link between healthcare and employment particularly for those with disabilities.

Healthcare while vital for all Americans is critical for the disability community because it enhances one's quality of life and creates further opportunities for millions of people with disabilities. Corporations have to see the vital role that healthcare plays for the retention of employees but the ability for them to add valuable human capital to there organizations.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

We have reached the month of October and again we go through another National Disability Employment Awareness Month. While I think the month is vital for the disability community I often feel it doesn't have as much impact or resonance as one would like. October also is Breast Cancer Awareness Month which in my estimation has a lot more media coverage and a resounding impact in terms of funding for further research and awareness. The fundamental question that needs to be asked is why isn't the cross disability community seeing the same type of national exposure that other groups (like cancer organizations who in my mind are related to the larger disability community)One is that disability as a cross sectional community has never truly hit the mainstream - they are relegated to the world of foundations and non profits. One can argue that segments of the disability community have gone "mainstream" like the autism community but this is due in part to Autism Speaks that was founded by the former President of NBC and has tremendous reach in the media world. Also celebrity parents such as Jenny Mcarthy and Hollie Robinson Peete who have gone on talk shows to discuss raising a child with autism have provided more gravitas in the media. More recently films like Adam and television shows like Boston Legal have showcased people on the spectrum as major characters.

I feel that the larger disability community MUST show that people with disabilities are intergal to human capital issues and critical to the future of corporate strategy and ROI. Ostensibly, the disability community have to rebrand themselves & portray themselves in a different light. No longer should they be seen in the context of a hand out but rather be seen as one of the most important coggs in the wheel so that organizations can run effectivley. Without them organizations may fail to have a workforce of the future.

Looking at Disability A New

Over the past several months there have been both some professional and personal changes that have made me rethink a lot about the nature of disability and the future of my work in the field. I have been neglegent when it comes to writing on my blog. Since my last post I have been discovering a new chapter of my professional life that has been opening up for me. I was a primary consultant on a film called "ADAM" about a young man with Asperger Syndrome. Since the release of the film it has garnered a lot of press in publications like the NY Times and BBC Magazine. During this time I have been recieving a lot of phone calls and emails from both professionals and parents who have children with disabilities (in particular those of the autistic spectrum) asking me a variety of questions about there children from career development, schooling to a host of other areas. All these questions wre not clinically based but focused on lifestyle. It dawned on me pretty quickly that people are craving this information and that my work in the field could be of real value to peoples lives.

At the sametime President Obama spoke to a Joint Session of Congress discussing the need for healthcare not in terms of just dollars and sense but a basic human right and in essence a contributing factor to social justice. It has dawned on me that I need to continue to focus on disability and its impact on socio-cultural issues, lifestyle and a political framework is vital to the future of this community in the 21st Century. Disability as a concept is evolving and continues to do so. It is essential that we provide an accessible manner to do so not mired in academic loqution or political ramblings - BUT BASIC language so that it is truly accessible to all. I will continue to write focusing on these very areas.

The Obama Era

On January 20th history was made in the United States, our first African American President! But just as important our country has begun a new era of transparency that I think we have seldom seen in modern history. When you look at the Obama agenda, disability issues are a prominent cornerstone of the administrations goals. One can also see that with the use of technology the administration is embracing a real desire to communicate with the American public. I feel that this will be critical for the disability community to take advantage of and see that their agenda takes a prominent role over the course of the next four years. We as Americans with disabilities must be active participants in helping to structure public policy in this country. For the first time in my political consciousness I am more hopeful than ever that we will be given not only a voice but a place at the table to express our opinions. Yes we can!

Welcome 2009!

Welcome to 2009! This is going to be quiet a year; from the Inauguration of a new President to dealing with a global economic crisis we have our plate full. However, the ripple effect of unemployment, trying to deal with a new generation of disabled Veterans to the aging baby boomer community will be critical not just for the future of America but will have a tremendous impact on the dimensions of politics, society and our general economic security.
My goal is the year is to use this blog as a place to formulate and discuss ideas that are vital to the disability and aging communities that look at the intersections of politics, economics, culture and society as a whole. I welcome others thoughts and ideas as the year progresses.
Again...Happy New Year!