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Disability Policy Consortium Weekly Update
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For those of you celebrating Easter, yesterday, I hope you had an wonderful day!
This week we have several new events on our calendar.
We also have a new section called Disability Culture. We begin with a fantastic piece by Heather Watkins who is one of my favorite advocate/activists.
We want to share a great music video pushing for more people to use captions. I think you will enjoy it.
As always
happy reading.
John Winske
Disability Policy Consortium
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Calendar: PCA and Consumer-Employers Meet and Greet
When: Wednesday, March 30, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Where: 1199SEIU Massachusetts, 150 Mt. Vernon St., Dorchester 02125
Join us to learn more about BCIL's and 1199SEIU's campaigns, develop relationships, and explore employment opportunities. All are welcome!
For more information, contact Vaughn at 199SEIU: 617-229-6229.
Click here for the Facebook event, and please invite your friends!
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Calendar: ALDA Presents Service Dogs
When: Saturday, April 9, 2016, 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Where: Cary Memorial Library (Large Meeting Room),
1874 Massachusetts Avenue, Lexington, MA 02420
* NOTE: The Large Meeting Room is looped and CART provided
A presentation by:
Carl Richardson & Merrick, Carol Agate & Molly
We answer your questions such as:
What kind of training do they need?
How are they trained?
How do I get one?
Cary Library is located in Lexington Center where Bedford Street (Route 4-225) and Massachusetts Avenue meet at the Lexington Battle Green. There is metered parking behind the Library and along Mass. Ave.
The Library is accessible by ramps at the front of the building and from the rear parking area. See
The Annual Board Meeting and Election of Officers will take place immediately following the presentation.
For questions or to RSVP, email Francine at: [email protected].
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Calendar: REV UP!
Register! Educate! Vote!
When: Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Where: Suffolk University Law School, Sergeant Hall Function Room, 1st floor, 120 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108
Join us for an Election Assistance Commission Public Meeting followed by a REV UP Strategy Meeting
2016 is a national election year. The goal of this meeting is the creation of a strategy on how to get people with disabilities registered to vote, educated on the candidates and issues, and to the polls on Election Day, November 8, 2016.
Register by April 20, 2016
Register Online, or contact Amanda if you have any questions.
[email protected] or 617-723-8455 x 123
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Calendar
: MOD Andover Regional Disability Commission Meeting
When: Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 11:00 A.M. - 1:45 P.M.
Where: Massachusetts School of Law, 500 Federal Street, Room 206, Andover, MA
The Massachusetts Office on Disability will be holding a regional meeting for members of local Commissions on Disability and interested people hosted by the Andover Commission on Disability.
It will be an opportunity to hear from David D'Arcangelo, Director, Massachusetts Office on Disability.
Discussion will include the impact of the budget on people with disabilities and an update on what MOD has been doing throughout the state as well as other initiatives that involve the COD's. There will also be time allowed for a general discussion among commission members to network with one another.
This will provide an opportunity to share what your commission has accomplished in the past year as well as time to discuss any roadblocks you may be encountering. Light refreshments will be provided.
We hope you all can join us. Anyone who is interested in this Regional Commission meeting should contact me by April 21, 2016 at the above number. Please advise me no later than April 21, 2016 if you need an accommodation.
Please be aware of the following:
1. This meeting is open to all COD's and their membership; however, physical mailings only went out to COD's around the Andover region.
3. Pre-Registration is required. Contact me if you are interested in attending this meeting by the dates listed above.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey L. Dougan
Assistant Director for Community Services
Massachusetts Office on Disability
One Ashburton Place, Room 1305
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-727-7440
Fax: 617-727-0965
www.mass.gov/mod
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Employment Opportunity: Spanish Bilingual and Outreach Ombudsman
Make a difference! Exciting Advocacy/Health Care Opportunity! - One Care Ombudsman Office SPANISH BILINGUAL AND OUTREACH OMBUDSMAN provides mediation and negotiation Ombudsman services for Spanish speaking members of new health care initiative One Care for persons with disabilities in Massachusetts, as well as coordinates program outreach. $42,000 - $45,000 based on qualifications | Worker's Comp, Health Insurance Premium Coverage: 50% Family and 75% Individual, Sick Leave, Telecommuting, Vacation Pay, Business Travel Mileage Reimbursement | Travel required - minimal.
To apply mail cover letters & resumes to DISABILITY POLICY CONSORTIUM: Attn: Amy Kalogeropoulos, 11 Dartmouth St. Suite 301, Malden, MA 02148 617-542-3822 or
[email protected]
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Disability Culture: Have Cane, Will Strut: Black Disabled Woman
As a disabled Black woman born with a neuromuscular disability, I'm often asked "what are you?" and "what happened to you?" You know when you "appear" racially-ambiguous folks need to figure out how to categorize while casting a slight side-eye or sometimes smizing out of curiosity. Tis a funny thing to be straight-faced *giggles* with a not-so-straight gait.
Oh how they wait for the reply with eyes growing wide while dining on lines to describe your biology while scanning the expanse of your anatomy. The need to place you in a category and define who you will be, nothing in their frame of reference culled from mainstream imagery.
Let me tell you...
I'm a wool fedora pulled forward. I'm a calm struggle whose cadence is complicated. Staccato-strutting through life cracked, whole, complete with each clickety-clack of my cane tapping down the street. And my effort and pace solidifies occupancy of space. Reflective and analytical, sometimes self-critical. I check-in and root out any bouts of internalized ableism harboring as an unwelcome house guest.
My best on any day changes due to hormones, energy, nutrition, amount of sleep and stress. Giving myself permission to be fab today. Disabled women of color still absent across the media landscape. No wonder why we're self-validating.
My experience has been that many disabled women of color are in need of care, caregivers, and community builders and exist in that continuum.Why is it again that many of us feel so "less than?" This is why sisterhood and support is so vital from community built of commonality.
I tip my hat to my sisters making a way, often from little to nothing, without fanfare or fame, surviving. Though life has not gone unscathed, high premium means heavy price paid too many times from unaddressed/unacknowledged pain.
So when you hear us shout and spotlight ourselves and speak our names... it's an affirmation of our revolutionary acts of being.
Heather Watkins is on the Board of Directors of the DPC and serves as the Chair of the Boston Commission for Persons with Disabilities Advisory Board. You can follow her at https://slowwalkersseemore.wordpress.com
Do you have an original piece about living with a disability or disability culture you want to share? If so, send it to us at [email protected].
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Net News: You Guys Need Captions! - Pharrell "Happy" Parody
This music video on YouTube is a great advertisement for captioning by 3Play Media based in Cambridge. The video is set to Happy by Pharrell. It appears that the video was entirely shot in Boston and Cambridge. How many spots do you recognize?
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DPC Needs your Help!!!
The DPC uses the PayPal PayFast system for your tax deductible charitable donations. You do not need to have a PayPal account to use this system because credit card payments are also accepted.
The DPC also uses the Causes program for recurring donations (as well as one time donations). This is a great way to make a smaller monthly donation.
Donate by Mail
Make check or money order payable to:
Disability Policy Consortium
11 Dartmouth Street
Suite 301
Malden, MA 02148 |
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