Image Description: Finger Lakes Independence Center--FLIC--Logo: The letters: F-L-I-C and the letter I looks like an open door. Finger Lakes Independence Center Opening Doors to Independence

Aaron (A-ron) Rose Philip is an Antiguan-American model. In 2018, she became the first black, transgender, and physically disabled model to ever be represented by a major modeling agency and has since modeled in several major high fashion photo shoots and campaigns. In 2021, Philip debuted as an exclusive for Moschino's spring/summer 2022 fashion show, making her the first model using a wheelchair to walk for a major luxury fashion brand.

In 2016, at the age of 14, Aaron published a memior called This Kid Can Fly: It's About Ability (Not Disability), detailing her experiences growing up with cerebral palsy. She has actively worked towards an inclusive fashion industry. She has had editorial features in magazines such as Dazed, ELLE, Allure and Vogue. She was featured in The New York Times in 2018. She appeared in campaigns for Dove, Sephora, Outdoor Voices, and Nike.

Read her interview in British Vogue here: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/aaron-rose-philip-british-vogue-interview

Image Description: Black and white photo of Aaron Rose Philips. A-ron is a black woman seated in her motorized wheelchair. She is seated in silhouette, with her head turned toward the camera. She has shoulder-length, straight black hair and is wearing high white boots with tassels.

Image Description: Clipart image of island in the ocean. A small island with palm trees is in silhouette against the blue sky, surrounded by waves. In white lettering it reads, Caribbean American Heritage Month.

Since 2006, June has been designated as Caribbean American Heritage Month by Presidential Proclamation. The month-long observance promotes the rich culture and heritage of the Caribbean American people and their contribution to the world. The website, Triangle, Inc., highlighted two disability activitists who are also Caribbean-Americans; Erin Brown and Heather Little-White. Read about their lives and work by clicking the link below:



https://triangle-inc.org/2023/06/26/celebrating-caribbean-american-heritage-month/

Image Above: Yellow background. Hand raised making fist in black on righthand side. Words in Juneteenth colors of red, black and red read June-Teenth.

Southside Community Center has hosted Ithaca's Juneteenth celebration for many years to emphasize education, achievement, and community! All people are invited to attend and enjoy an educational experience with great food, live music, children's activities, and unique vendors. Representatives from local community organizations will share information and resources. See the poster below.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of African/European enslavement in the United States. Juneteenth acknowledges the history of Black Americans discovering truths and fallacies about freedom in this country. This celebration provides an opportunity to uncover, reflect, teach, set goals, and bring visibility to progress and existing untruths and fallacies that remain about freedom for Black Americans. (www.visitithaca.com)

Poster Description: Black poster with most print in white, title in red, and highlighted words in yellow. Poster reads--Save the Date! Juneteenth! Please come and join us on June 19th, 11:00 to 3:00 pm at Southside Community Center, 305 S. Plain St., Ithaca, NY 14850. Black business expo, Historical reenactment of the first Juneteenth Celebration in 1965, Community Lunch. Keynote speaker: Daquetta Jones, CEO, Vera House, Syracuse. Freedom then, Freedom now. Sponsored by: Tompkins County, City of Ithaca, Business Leaders of Colors (BLOC), Southside Community Center, the Community Foundation. Images included on poster: Juneteenth flad of orange, black and green, photo of keynote speaker-Daquetta Jones is an African American woman with black hair. She is wearing a black shirt and green jacket. Next to her picture is teh image of two hands raised, making fists. There are shackles around the wrists and the chain connecting them is hidden by the keynote's photo.

Image above: white background, letters in red and blue at top of image read, ADA 34. Beside the number 34 is a circle of red stars with 1990-2024 printed inside. Below it reads, Americans with Disabilities Act. Celebrate the ADA! July 26, 2024

The 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is coming up in on July 26^th.. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

FLIC is still planning our celebration for the 34th anniversary of this landmark legislation! So watch for a notice about our celebration in the newsletter, on our website and on our Facebook Page.



Learn more about the ADA:

• What is the ADA?
• ADA Fact Sheets from the ADA National Network
• Glossary of ADA Terms
• ADA Acronyms & Abbreviations

The Finger Lakes Independence Center administers the Registry Referral Program. This is a free referral service linking individuals seeking independent employment to people who need care in their home. Opportunities include: elder companion, housekeeper, run errands, cook, personal care aide, home care aide, LPN, RN. People looking for help can call and receive names of people willing to provide those services. If you either need assistance or if you would be interested in listing your name as a caregiver, pease call FLIC at 272-2433 or email: info@fliconline.org. If you have experience caring for a friend or loved one, please consider sharing your compassion with others. This program is made possible through funding from the Tompkins County Office for the Aging.