The Launch of a New Era: Disaboom!

Over the past few weeks I have been in negotiations developing a strategic partnership with a new company called disaboom. (www.disaboom.com)Disaboom is a new online community for people with disabilities providing an array of services from social networks, employment, to a host of other valuable resources. What has been the most attractive draw for me was the passion that the founders and new mangement team have for this new venture. This is not just your run of the mill entreprenurial endeavor but rather something that has real purpose and meaning for all involved. The founder Glenn House, a physician and parapelegic himself understands the daily life of someone with a physical disability and wanted to utilize the technology avaliable to create something that not only connects the 56 million Americans across the disability community but ber a place where the 600+ million people with disabilities and aging community ( many of whom will be dealing with disabilities) a community to share, find information & create a true global village if you will.

I am eager to see where this idea can take the disability community. I am a firm believer that this is the time for a company like this to emerge and become a trailblazer...let's move forward into the Disaboom nation!

A Moral Question: How Well Does America Care for It's Own?

With pomp & circumustance, young men & women brave soldiers are sent off to war to fight for there country, there beliefs & a way of life. Yet, on the return home many veterans injuried by the ravages of war either physically or mentally do not seem to get the treatment or the respect that there government owes them. This has begged the question why are our facilitates like Walter Reed having public scandals that describe shotty outpatient care and infested conditions and public debates over the VA's inability to care its patient is now plying a front center role in daily newspaper, TV & internet stories.

This has begged ne to ask the question, are people with disabilities, even our wonderful soldiers still seen as second class citizens. Does the stigma of disability still exist or is this just politics as usual? Most importantly, how can a government not care for its own? To be even asking this questions have made me both sad, angry & disgusted. Why should I have to be even thinking that in the United States of America those that defend our country should not get at least the basics when it comes to healthcare. While many disagree with the policies of war and the administration, no one should feel that these young men & woman deserve sub standard care!

We are at a philosophical crossroads here - If the government cannot take care of its own in terms of basic healthcare, acclimating these young men & woman back into society and helping with employment, education and other basic needs what do we as a community need to do to solve the issue? I will begin to answer and show what is being done to help solve an issue that our own government seems to be sputtering on.

The Anxiety of Influence

Well who said that the need for technology was overrated...well, I can now tell you from expierence the value that technology plays in my life. Loosing access to my computer is very much like loosing access to my freedom. Not being able get my e-mail or use the internet truly hindered every aspect of my work life. When I thought about it I know many people with physical disabilities who's need for technology goes far beyond what my needs are but use it as a critical piece of there activities of daily living. I realized the power that technology has over our lives- almost every aspect for that matter- the influence is enormous!

The Arrival of the iPhone- Is it a Good thing?

The much touted iPhone is finally avaliable for public consumption. But wait a minute is this phone really good for everyone? Let me be a bit more clear on this, is this good for the disability and aging community. When we look at the concept of Universal Design or the value of of accessible technology the point is that new technologies are designed to make things easier, to even the playing field so to speak. While the iPhone looks really cool & has new amazing features and applications I worry that this is not a phone that ALL consumers can use. In the reviews I've read by Walter Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal and David Pogue of the New York Times the one thing that clearly stands out is the touch screen. Will people who have arthritis or visual impairments be able to really utilize this technology easily? In full disclosure I have not done any focus groups or have begun to research on this. However, for me it seemed like red flags just kept popping up the more I read about the features of the new iPhone. I wonder what Steve Jobs would say if he were posed these very questions? Hmm...

AARP , Diversity & The Future of Aging in the 21st Century

Over the past few weeks I spent time in Los Angeles to attend and participate (as a speaker) at a conference on Aging and Diversity in the 21st Century given by AARP. Aside from giving my own workshops on policy implications on employment and the value of technology I must admit I was truly blown away by the plethora of information provided. I came away with a new found appreciation for the work that is going on. Also, I learned a tremendous amount of what needs to be done in the diversity field as it pertains to disability. Still, disability is seen as the bastard child within the diversity field. I often feel it is still doesn't quite have a eat at the 'grown up' table. However, when consider all the aspects of diversity it is the disability community that has a role in every facet. Though I belive AARP is beginning to recognize this - a bit slower than I may like, however, moving forward in the right direction. This conference was the first step in my oponion to solidify all of the cultural elements of different communities to look at a common goal as part of a human expierence. This I believe is critical & also serves as a template to serve disability issues.

America & The Convention for The Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The Convention for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was recently ratified at the United Nations on March 30th 2007. Yet the glaring abscence on the United States to sign the convention has not gone unoticed. This has been in my view one the great blunders of American policy since its inception. How can the host country of the UN not sign something that promotes human rights, equal opportunity and abolish laws that perpetuate discrimination? It has many people within the American disability community scratching there heads and asking the proverbal question - why? This has been confounding me for weeks because I have no logical answer. It makes me incredibly upset that a country that prides itself on the very values the Convention espouses does not acknowledge it's value by signing is just astounding.

The disability community in the United States should be irrate & lobby congress to revaluate this choice. If we as a country are going to be at the forefront of disability rights we must be in lock step with the rest of the world...only time will tell!

The Question of Autism: New Readings

With the epidemic rise in autism, it begs the question why haven't we seen this many people with autism before or with the recent growth of this community what has the role culture, science & the role of diagnostic definitions played in the growth of this disorder? In Roy Richard Grinker's new book "Unstrange Minds: Remapping The World of Autism" he draws upon is academic and personal background to explore these very questions. As a father of daughter with autism he certainly understand the very personal challenges of raising a disabled child. But as an anthropologist he takes a very serious look at the world of autism and how it has changed from Leo Kanners time some 60 years ago. With the advent of media & a pop culture revolution of sorts with Autism Speaks & NBC and celebrities like Dan Marino, Toni Braxton & others the world of autism has expanded its definition and no longer is seen in the context of "The Empty Fortress: Infantile autism and the birth of the self" by Bruno Bettelheim.

We are at a crossroads in what defines the autism spectrum? Is it really as prevelant as the CDC suggests & why has the definiton expanded to incorporate other types of disabilities? As a person who has been dealing with autism in my professional life I am curious to see how these changes will impact people with cognitive disabilities and those with mental illness. Will it be incorporated into the autism spectrum or will there be distinctive definitions? We shall see...