POWER: The Disability Vote
A Virtual Summit
 
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is proud to host an event titled POWER: The Disability Vote. This is a national, non-partisan Disability & Election Virtual Summit held via Zoom.

Monday & Tuesday, June 22 & 23 from 10:00 AM - 1:45 PM MDT.

Both days will include panels, presentations and a national call-to-action to mobilize disability voters and allies.

This virtual summit was created to highlight the power that lies within the disability community when individuals exercise their right to vote. Disability groups across America are staring down the pandemic with a big question: given COVID-19’s impact on Americans with disabilities and growing numbers of voters who will acquire disabilities, will the Disability Vote be among the deciding factors in the 2020 Election?
 
The answer is YES! In 2020, more than 35 million eligible voters will be people with disabilities. The number of “disability voters” increases to over 62 million when considering the ripple effect of the disability vote that connects families, friends, advocates, educators, providers and other individuals that interact with people with disabilities. To register and for more information, CLICK HERE. Please note, this link stopped working at the time this newsletter was published. There was no alternative link provided. We expect that it will be working again in the near future.
FREE--DRMAC Transportation Options Workshop

Presented by the Denver Regional Mobility & Access Council (DRMAC), this workshop is intended to help navigators, case managers, social workers, and other human services professionals learn more about transportation resources in Metro Denver.  
                                                                                               
Tuesday, July 7th, 1:30 - 3:30 PM, held via Zoom

Learn about:
  • RTD Access-a-Ride
  • Rideshare (e.g., Uber, Lyft)
  • DRCOG services
  • Discount fare programs
  • Travel Training
  • Medicaid NEMT
  • Thinking multimodal
  • DRMAC’s tools and resources — including the new DRMAC app!

Interested? RSVP for this free webinar to Carol at [email protected] or 303-861-3711 x102 .  For special accommodations, contact DRMAC five business days in advance to make arrangements. DRMAC is a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center.
What Is Intersectionality and Why Is It Important?

The reason intersectionality is important for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), is because many fall into other minority categories, as well, related to race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

When trying to promote and protect someone's rights, and when trying to understand that individual's experiences, it's necessary to consider the many aspects of that person and how those intersect, not just whether the person has I/DD or not.

The Arc is committed to understanding how intersectionality affects the people we serve.

Intersectionality is a theory developed by law professor, civil rights advocate and philosopher,  Kimberlé Crenshaw . In her 1991 article, “ Mapping the Margins ,” she explained how people who are “both women and people of color” are marginalized by “discourses that are shaped to respond to one [identity] or the other,” rather than both. Intersectionality is also looking at people's overlapping identities and experiences in order to understand the complexity of prejudices they face. CLICK HERE to read more about intersectionality and disability.
Where Are We Now?

It’s hard to keep up with the public health orders and recommendations designed to keep us safe from coronavirus. Here's a quick update on Colorado guidelines.

According to Governor Polis, Colorado has been “able to strike a fairly successful balance” of preventing the increased spread of COVID-19 while reopening the economy in phases. He says it's, "because Coloradans have been following the rules and generally being responsible...” WAY TO GO COLORADO! KEEP IT UP!

Below are some of the guidelines set to go into effect tomorrow, June 18 th . Read the full guidelines at www.coloradosaferathome.com .

  • Residential summer camps may open with groups of 10 kids indoors, 25 kids outdoors, similar to day camps.
  • Indoor events (conferences, receptions, museums) can begin to open -- these vary based on the size of the venue.
  • Outdoor events (concerts, fairs, rodeos, receptions) can also begin to open.
  • Bars will be able to open at 25% or up to 50 people indoors, but must follow the same guidelines as restaurants.
  • Personal services will be able to expand to include things like facials, beard trimming, lip waxing, etc. where the client has to take off a mask -- these services are permitted if the worker has adequate protection.
COVID-19 Questions & Answers

QUESTION: Does wearing a cloth mask actually provide protection?

ANSWER: YES, wearing a mask DOES provide protection from catching COVID-19 and spreading it to others in your family and community.

The 2019 novel coronavirus is thought to mainly be spread through viral droplets that come out of people’s nose or mouth when they cough, sneeze or talk. Cloth masks  act as a physical barrier  to keep large droplets from spewing out into the air, where someone else could breathe them in and become infected.

Studies have demonstrated that cloth masks  reduce the number of microorganisms  that someone releases into the air. So the more people wear masks in an area, the fewer potential viral droplets go into the space, and the less risk that someone will be exposed to the virus.

If you have a mask on, it’s also harder to  touch your nose and mouth , which experts say could be another way that the virus gets into the body. CLICK HERE to read more about mask misunderstandings.
THE ARC IS OPEN - OUR OFFICE IS CLOSED (UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE)

In an effort to protect our clients, staff, board, volunteers and community members, The Arc – Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties physical offices will be closed effective immediately (Friday, March 13) until further notice due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns. Please note that services will continue to be provided, as staff will be working remotely and communicating via phone, text and email. All in-person meetings, events and scheduled trainings will be canceled or postponed. When our physical offices reopen, our website and social media platforms will provide such information. CLICK HERE   for more information.