ISSUE 1 2014 VOLUME 8 The ECNV Declaration Awards Reception Salutes Role Models Meet the New Staff Please see page 5 to meet our new Medicaid Programs Coordinator, Jennifer Reese; Medicaid Programs Assistant, Rachel Henry; Travel Trainer, Andrew Shaw; and Communications Manager, Brianna Gross. Message from the Editor: I am very excited to begin as the new Editor of The ECNV Declaration. Each month, I will bring to you news of all the incredible work we are doing here at ECNV, as well as what is happening in the greater disability community. We hope you enjoy this first new issue, and look forward to all the exciting things we have in store at ECNV! Brianna Gross, Communications Manager In this issue: ECNV Annual Awards Reception 1-2 Congratulations to our Awardees 2 Annual Awards Reception Sponsors 3 Celebrating the ADA 4 Meet the New Staff 5 NCIL Conference 6 National Mental Health Awareness Month 6 August Calendar 7 From left to right: Rachel Henry, Brianna Gross, and Andrew Shaw On the evening of June 11, ECNV welcomed 200 community members to the Clarendon Ballroom for our Awards Reception. Two former ECNV Board Members, Nancy Starnes and Frank O’Leary, received Lifetime Achievement Awards. Michael & Son received ECNV’s Business Leadership Award. The awardees have been leaders in their communities, and fiercely committed to ensuring independent living opportunities for people with disabilities. Michael & Son was saluted for its Cares program, which helps people in financial hardship with pro bono repairs that enable them to stay in their homes. Many of those they work with have disabilities. Andrea Vargas, who has worked with ECNV in the past, accepted the award on behalf of Michael & Son President Basim Mansour. Attendees were treated to fine food and drink as they mingled in the elegant Clarendon Ballroom. Musical entertainment was provided by avant garde electric cellist Wytold and Grammy-nominated hip hop/human beatbox artist Christylez Bacon. The silent auction was a huge success raising over $5,700. The highlight was a pair of seasons Washington Redskins tickets donated by the Spinal Cord Injury Network, but items ranging from gift certificates to a handmade Irish harp caught peoples’ attention and bids. (Continued on page 2) President of the ECNV Board Marcie Goldstein speaks at the 2014 Awards Reception ECNV is going paperless! If you would like to continue receiving a printed newsletter, call us at 703-525-3268 or email us at [email protected].
Transcript
ISSUE 1 2014 VOLUME 8
The ECNV
Declaration
Awards Reception Salutes Role Models
Meet the New Staff Please see page 5 to meet our new Medicaid Programs Coordinator, Jennifer
Reese; Medicaid Programs Assistant, Rachel Henry; Travel Trainer, Andrew
Shaw; and Communications Manager, Brianna Gross.
Message from the Editor: I am very excited to begin as the new Editor of The ECNV Declaration. Each month, I will bring to you news of all the incredible work we are doing here at ECNV, as well as what is happening in the greater disability community. We hope you enjoy this first new issue, and look forward to all the exciting things we have in store at ECNV! Brianna Gross, Communications Manager
In this issue:
ECNV Annual Awards Reception
1-2
Congratulations to our Awardees
2
Annual Awards Reception Sponsors
3
Celebrating the ADA 4
Meet the New Staff 5
NCIL Conference 6
National Mental Health Awareness Month
6
August Calendar 7
From left to right: Rachel Henry,
Brianna Gross, and Andrew Shaw
On the evening of June 11, ECNV welcomed 200 community members to the Clarendon Ballroom for our Awards Reception. Two former ECNV Board Members, Nancy Starnes and Frank O’Leary, received Lifetime Achievement Awards. Michael & Son received ECNV’s Business Leadership Award. The awardees have been leaders in their communities, and fiercely committed to ensuring independent living opportunities for people with disabilities. Michael & Son was saluted for its Cares program, which helps people in financial hardship with pro bono repairs that enable them to stay in their homes. Many of those they work with have disabilities. Andrea Vargas, who has worked with ECNV in the past, accepted the award on behalf of Michael & Son President Basim Mansour. Attendees were treated to fine food and drink as they mingled in the elegant Clarendon Ballroom. Musical entertainment was provided by avant garde electric cellist Wytold and Grammy-nominated hip hop/human beatbox artist Christylez Bacon. The silent auction was a huge success raising over $5,700. The highlight was a pair of seasons Washington Redskins tickets donated by the Spinal Cord Injury Network, but items ranging from gift certificates to a handmade Irish harp caught peoples’ attention and bids.
(Continued on page 2)
President of the ECNV Board Marcie
Goldstein speaks at the 2014 Awards
Reception
ECNV is going paperless! If you would like to continue receiving a printed newsletter, call us at 703-525-3268
Lifetime Achievement Awards: Frank O’Leary, Arlington County Treasurer Frank O’Leary has been the Treasurer of Arlington County since 1983. He is a founding member and Chairman of the Warren G. Stambaugh Memorial Foundation (WGSMF), which honors the late Virginia State Delegate from Arlington. The Foundation supports public and private organizations in Virginia that provide assistance to persons with disabilities. Since its founding in 1991, WGSMF has raised more than $350,000 in projects for persons with disabilities. Mr. O’Leary has served on the Boards of both ECNV and the Northern Virginia Independent Living Foundation (NOVIL). He received his award from ECNV Board Vice President Lee Page.
Nancy Starnes, Disability Advocate Nancy Starnes is a Presidential Appointee on the Access Board and the former Chair of that independent Federal agency. Ms. Starnes was previously Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff for the National Organization on Disability, where she founded and coordinated the Accessible America Award recognizing communities going far beyond the letter of the law to be accessible to residents and visitors with disabilities. A longtime Arlington resident who served on ECNV’s Board of Directors, Ms. Starnes earlier served as Mayor of Sparta, N.J. in 1984, and won the Ms. Wheelchair New Jersey pageant in 1996. ECNV Board Treasurer Helena Berger presented Ms. Starnes’ award.
Business Leadership Award:
Michael & Son Services Michael & Son Services, a general contractor, is being honored for pro bono work they do to assist individuals and families with disabilities facing home repair crises. Their “Cares” program helps people maintain their independence, and the firm uses its work to inspire other businesses to give back to the community. Under the leadership of its President, Basim Mansour, Michael & Son established its Cares program to perform free home repairs for at
least one family in dire financial straits each month. Many recipients are area residents with disabilities whose ability to remain in their homes is enhanced through this kind of donated support. Andrea Vargas, who has participated in ECNV’s programs in the past, accepted the award on behalf of Michael & Son President Basim Mansour. She is pictured with ECNV Executive Director Brewster Thackeray and Ms. Berger.
Congratulations to ECNV’s Annual Awards Recipients
The event overall raised more than $48,000. These funds are critical for ECNV’s programming efforts to ensure people with disabilities are receiving the services and supports they need. “We enjoyed bringing the community together to celebrate ECNV’s commitment to maximizing independence and opportunities for people with disabilities,” said ECNV Executive Director Brewster Thackeray. “This event was a great success and we look forward to building on that next year.”
The ECNV Declaration Page 3
Annual Awards Reception Sponsors
Shola & Uloaku Oyewole
Olakunle Olaniyan Lee Page Maggie & Larry Roffee Brewster Thackeray
Helena Berger & Jeff Arpin Deb Cotter Yoshiko Dart Marcie Goldstein
Donors:
Elizabeth Akinola, Anonymous, Shayna Amerasinghe, Yetunde Aranmolate, Jim Barker, Richard Benjamin, John
Bollinger, Jim Brooker, John Buhler, Dave Burds, Peggy Burds, Nancy Carter, Cathy’s Custom Jewelry, Sandra Cawley,
Ruth & David Cohen, Bob Connelly and Bob Witeck, Coronel Day and Night Cleaning Svc., Delores Dabney, Cindy
Deborah Fisher, Joan Flores, Tracee Garner, Judy Heumann, Michael Fox, Konoka Izumi, Martin & Mary Ann Jensen,
Karina Jeronimides, Hamzat Kabiawu, John D. King, Dan Kohrman, Chandra & Natarajan Kumar, LaGrange Vineyard,
Ruchika Lalwani, Katrina Le, Liberty Tavern, Amy McPherson, Paul Douglas Michnewicz, Barbara Mingo, Mister Days,
Shelah and Marc Moller, Julie Nepveu, Valentine and Babi Obi, Bayo Oyewole, Funke Oyewole, Layo Oyewole, Pacers
Running Store, Susan & Howard Pavane, Phalanx Technology, Bickie Pham, Theresa Preda, Susan Prokop, Mini
Ramachandran, Rock Bottom Brewery, Judith Schwartz, Red Top Cab, Silver Diner, Susan Silverstein, Steven Slinker,
Lyn Sowdon, Jennifer Strasel, Caryn Sykes, Synetic Theater, William & Selma Thackeray, Peter Thomas, United Spinal /
Vets First, Diana Urquiza, Vintage Restaurant Group, Vornado, Bill Ward, Andrea Zak
Thank you to our sponsors and donors for making the Annual Awards Reception possible!
Gold Sponsor: NOVIL Foundation
Event Hosts:
Warren G. Stambaugh
Memorial Foundation
Event Friends
The ECNV Declaration Page 4
Celebrating 24 Years of the ADA
The ADA has impacted my life by… “...Providing me the freedom and independence to live my life the way I choose.”
Cindy Daniel, ECNV Board Member “...Ensuring public accommodations, mainly stadiums, theaters, restaurants and other places of entertainment are accessible. Being a season ticket holder for the Georgetown University men's basketball team would not be possible without that fantastic seating at the Verizon Center that is now wheelchair accessible!”
Sheri Denkensohn, friend of ECNV “...Giving myself and others the inherent right to fully participate in the world and community around us without barrier or exclusion.”
Tracee Garner, Outreach Coordinator “…Allowing me to grow up knowing I have equal rights as a disabled person. But even more importantly, the ADA has allowed me to look ahead to what more needs to be done to achieve full equality.”
Brianna Gross, Communications Manager “…a) making sure my kids are able to take the bus to school at a stop which I can access, b) being less fearful of being fired based on accessibility reasons, and c) figuring out how to render my bathroom accessible.
Karina Jeronimides, ECNV Board Member “...Protecting the rights of my family, friends, and community since 1990, at present, and in the future. It has helped me to understand that equality is not automatic and that many advocates fought to have the ADA signed into law.”
Hannah Manila, Medicaid Programs Coordinator
“…Providing the legal framework whereby I can attain full citizenship in these United States of America.” Ed McEntee, Peer Mentor
“...Providing numerous employment opportunities (such as inspecting local parks for ADA compliance), and ensuring I was treated fairly in school.”
Andrew Shaw, Travel Trainer “...Protecting my rights in the workplace. And by mandating parking spaces, ramps and other architectural features that ensure my friends who have mobility disabilities and I can get into the same spaces.”
Brewster Thackeray, Executive Director
“…[Ensuring] more equality in accessibility. Our ability to have access to most venues is becoming the norm.” Bill Ward, LEND Executive Director
“…Allowing me equal access to buildings, hotels and tourist attractions throughout the USA. Also, the ADA allowed me to attend college and receive academic accommodations such as books in alternative format and extended test time just to name a few.”
Doug Zak, Administrative Associate
Photo by Tari Susan Hartman. ADA anniversary march,
New York City, 1993
July 26th is the 24th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, the ADA guarantees equal rights and prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. We asked the staff, board, and friends of ECNV to tell us how their lives have been impacted by the ADA. Here is what they said:
Say Hello to ECNV’s New Staff
Brianna Gross, Communications Manager For the short time I have been working at ECNV, it has already been a great experience. As the Communications Manager, my goals are to spread awareness about the incredible work ECNV is doing, and help revitalize the image of the organization. My background in disability specializes in the portrayal of people with disabilities in the media. In 2013 I spoke on a Library of Congress panel entitled Portrayal or Betrayal: People with Disabilities in Film and Media, and I produced a show on Connecticut Public Radio entitled Redefining Disability. Before coming to ECNV, I was the Communications Manager at the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). I received my Bachelor of Arts in English from Trinity College, in Hartford, Connecticut, with minors in Philosophy and Human Rights.
Rachel Henry, Medicaid Programs Assistant I am the Medicaid Programs Assistant, and long-time native of Virginia. What drew me to this organization was the opportunity to work with others. My passion is to help individuals and families find the resources they need to live better lives. Direct interaction with individuals and families is fulfilling to me professionally. One of my other passions is coconut-flavored ice cream - with nuts, of course. Joy comes in many forms and flavors…
Andrew Shaw, Travel Trainer
I completed both my undergraduate and graduate degrees at George Mason University. After receiving my Bachelor of Science Therapeutic Recreation, I became certified as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. I recently was awarded my Master of Science in Recreation Administration. Since 2006 I have worked professionally helping people with disabilities in Fairfax County with recreation, education, and employment assistance. Now that I am at ECNV in my new role as Travel Trainer, I would like to further test myself and my potential by helping others achieve their own potentials. I look forward to future adventures teaching consumers to navigate the public transportation system and achieve greater independence.
The ECNV Declaration Page 5
Jennifer Reese, Medicaid Programs Coordinator I am the new Medicaid Programs Coordinator for Loudoun ENDependence (LEND) and very excited for this midlife career change to transition my passion into my profession. I’m happy to be helping individuals and families like mine in my local community. I have a six-year-old daughter who has an intellectual disability and complex medical issues. She receives services through the Virginia Medicaid EDCD Waiver. I graduated from the University of Central Florida in 1996 with a Journalism degree. I worked at a newspaper right after college and then moved on to PR and Communications for various nonprofits. My first job in digital communications was as a web editor for the TV show America’s Most Wanted. I worked in digital communications for 16 years before this job at ECNV.
NCIL Conference Coming to DC in Late July
I asked my aunt what was the matter with me. “There’s nothing wrong with you. Your problem is that you need to go out and find a job. Once you have some money in your pocket, that depression will just float away!” The following day, I overdosed. At 21, I just couldn’t find a good reason to continue living. It was 1991. I had moved from Detroit to start my life over with relatives in Northern Virginia. Since the age of 12, I had bounced around more than 15 foster homes, group homes, mental hospitals, and homeless shelters. Clinical depression and borderline personality disorder (BPD) made stability nearly impossible. My mother had lived unsuccessfully with schizophrenia and other illnesses so she was not a source of support. My father passed when I was 16. So in late 1990, I boarded a Greyhound Bus and moved to Alexandria, Va., hoping to leave all those years of dysfunction behind. One problem: I brought me with me on that bus. Within two months, I was suicidal, unable to get out of bed, unable to job-hunt or contribute to the household in a meaningful way. Externally, there was nothing wrong. I wasn’t sick or heart-broken. I was surrounded by people who loved me and supported me. Yes, starting over in a new town could be hard. But not so hard that dying should bring any sense of relief. At that moment, that handful of pills seemed the best way to relieve my pain. Fortunately I got help. It took a few more hospitalizations and group homes but I became able to live with my depression. I no longer have BPD. I’ve been gainfully employed since 1992. I’ve even been able to help a few others along their recovery paths. I feel very blessed. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month —July — is a time of reflection for me. In many African-American families like my own, mental illness just isn’t “allowed.” When I was too depressed to look for a job, I was seen as “just being lazy.” When I overdosed, I was “just trying to get attention.” Therapy and medication were viewed as “crutches.” Years later, I was saddened, though somewhat relieved, to hear many stories from other African-Americans with mental illness that paralleled my own. Fortunately much has changed since 1991. Education on mental health is much more prevalent. We have a better understanding of symptoms, more effective treatments, greater access to mental health care. Yet there is still much to do. Let us remember that within a nation as diverse as America, mental illnesses are not perceived by all in the same way.
The ECNV Declaration Page 6
By Cynthia Evans, Director of Community Services
By Brewster Thackeray, Executive Director
There are many wonderful things about living where we do in Northern Virginia. One is that we are just across the river from the nation’s capital. People travel from all across the country for major events that are in our back yard. One such event is the annual National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Conference. I’ve attended this event in past years, and am excited that this year’s will be my first as the head of a CIL. NCIL is our national organization and several ECNV staff members and I are looking forward to meeting with our peers from around the country, and learning about topics that are key to our work. The conference runs from Sunday, July 27 through Thursday, July 31. The famous annual rally at the Capitol is on Tuesday morning. To learn more about the conference and to register, you can go to www.ncil.org.
As NCIL President Kelly Buckland says in his call to action, “As advocates, we will come together in Washington to remind legislators of the Independent Living Program’s significant successes and our impressive return on investments. We will take a stand and together, we will prevail. We cannot do this alone. I hope you’ll join us this July as we do the work that will bring our Movement to its full potential: a united people who will create a world in which people with disabilities are truly valued equally and participate fully.”
NCIL march, 2011
A Personal Perspective: National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
7:30 p.m. Fairfax Area Disability Services Board (FA-DSB), Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Pkwy., Conference Room 2/3, Fairfax. Contact Jill Clark, (703) 324-5874(V) (703) 449-
7:00p.m. Alexandria Commission on Persons with Disabilities (ACPD) - Chet & Sabra Avery Room
2000, City Hall, 301 King St. Contact Mike Hatfield, 703.746.3148 (V) or [email protected]
Thur
s
14
7:00 p.m. National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, Potomac Chapter, St. George's Episcopal Church, Room 115, Arlington. For more information call (703) 646-1130
Sat
16
2:00 p.m. Northern VA (NOVA) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / ME & Fibromyalgia & Orthostatic Intolerance Support Group (CFS NOVA) CFS Nova, Sully Governmental Center 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., Room 1, Chantilly, 20151. Contact Elly (703) 968-9818, Toni (410) 647-7578
Tues
19
7:00 p.m. Arlington County Disability Advisory Commission (ACDAC), 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Conference Room 311, 3rd Floor Arlington, 22201. Contact Anna Maynard, (703) 228-7096 (V/TTY) or
With your help, ECNV connects people with disabilities to training and advocacy tools so we can achieve, maintain and maximize our freedom. Please join ECNV and support our work as a $50 ENDependence Advocate – or with the membership contribution that you can best afford today.
$50 ENDependence Advocate $100 Champion of Independent Living (CIL) $15 Friend of ECNV $_________ Self Advocate (Your choice of amount)
It is easy to make a donation to ECNV today with a check made payable to ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia and mailed to our office at 2300 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 305, Arlington VA 22201; or by using PayPal to make a donation via our website at www.ecnv.org. ECNV can also accept credit cards over the phone at 703/525-3268. Thank you for your support!
ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia, Inc. (ECNV) 2300 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 305 Arlington, VA 22201
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