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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PRESS! Youth Empowerment Press! |
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Summer 2008 |
You can download a copy of this newsletter at www.nyln.org
If you would like to receive future issues in hardcopy, please call |
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Table
of Contents: Letter
from the President Page 3 Voting
and People with Disabilities Page 4 What
Do the Candidates Think? Page 6 There
is No Excuse Page 8 Disability
Culture: An Interview Page 10 International Corner Page 11 Federal Funders: |
A Letter from the Executive Director By Every
day we advocate for equal opportunity: We want equal rights. We deserve equal access. We demand equal representation. In many instances, these expectations
require justification. However, when
it comes to voting, we find a natural balance. One person equals one vote, period.
We
so often work toward creating equality.
But if we want equality, we also have to recognize the responsibility
that comes with it. We live in an era
where we have the opportunity to not only live in freedom but to create
freedom as well. With such civil
liberty still in its youth— liberties disability-related and otherwise—we
have the power and the responsibility to sculpt the way disabilities will be
perceived for generations to come.
This opportunity, though easy it shall never be, is one to which we
are obligated. If we want rights, we
must willingly carry the weight of duty. So,
perhaps your duty will be simply casting your vote this November. Or maybe you will volunteer for a local
candidate. Or maybe you will campaign
for someone on the national ticket. No
matter what you do, recognize the fact that you have power. And for once your power is equal to that of
everyone else’s from the very beginning.
You don’t have to advocate for it.
You don’t have to battle. You
don’t have to strategize. You just
have to do it! In
our world, there are those who see an opportunity and there are those
who seize it. Which one are
you? Voting will be your chance to
have an opportunity to be powerful, to be influential, and to be equal. And isn’t this opportunity of equality the
overarching goal of our community? If
we ban together, the disability community has the power to create change
right now. We
have the ability to create solutions that society has never before seen in
existence. We have the ability to
condemn the unthinkable and make it our reality. Sometimes we must remind ourselves that
there is no strength where there is no struggle. And when it comes to voting, the struggles
of our predecessors have brought us to the opportunity of today. So,
when seeking empowerment, notice that the coming election is a time when you
can be strong, powerful, and influential all on your own. NYLN is working to serve as a support to
this opportunity through our voting teleconference, the focus of this
newsletter, the public education document, and the ongoing public
notices. But it all comes down to your
taking that first step, casting your vote, and being part of the
process! VOTE
POWER! YOUTH POWER! YOU POWER!
By Dear
NYLN Family, Greetings!
I hope you are staying cool in this hot summer heat. Last
time I wrote to you, I talked about our duty to speak out as young people in
the Disability Rights Movement. For me, this duty comes from wanting to build
community and see justice for everyone. Mandy
Next
month we will celebrate the 18th anniversary of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). We are also taking a part in history with this year’s
election. Although there have been other people of color and women who have
run for president, this is the first time the potential is so real.
Regardless of how you feel about the elections or the candidates, doors are open
for us and we are in a new place. How
do we recognize the people who came before us and the people we owe to be
active? Vote. Be active in your local community. Take time to celebrate. Find
ways to remind yourself why you are here, doing what you do. Centralize
community, not self. Love yourself and each other. I
hope you have a great summer and a wonderful With
love and in community,
By
Brenda Hill Voting
is one of our most basic rights. Many
people have struggled to ensure that this right exists for all. Why is voting
so important? It gives us a voice about the future of the Yet,
many people do not take advantage of this right. Or they have things that get in the way of
getting to the polls. Voter
turnout rates in the U.S. are just over 50%.
People with disabilities vote at a much lower rate. In the past, only
about 33% of people with disabilities vote.
This number makes us about 20% less likely to vote than other
groups. Not voting makes politicians
less likely to pay attention to our needs. In the 2000 Presidential election, 41%of Americans
with disabilities voted. This was more
than previous elections. But this is
still low compared with other groups. In 2000 there would have been an additional 3.2
million votes if people with disabilities voted at the same rate as other
people of voting age. These votes could have changed the outcome of the 2000
election. On the bright side, more people with disabilities
are voting. But there is still a large difference between people with and without
disabilities. This has been called "The Political Participation
Gap." Some reasons for this gap include: ·
Building and transportation barriers ·
Lack of information ·
Lack of voter registration services ·
Inaccessible polling places ·
Lack of access to voting machines If
barriers were removed, Americans with disabilities could have a big impact on
political decisions. The roughly 40 million Americans with disabilities of
voting age have the potential to make change. If we were to vote on a regular
and united basis, no candidate could afford to ignore our needs. As a
group we are greatly affected by public policy. The services and accommodations that many
of us receive are all the result of such policy. Today there are still many issues that
require political action. But if we do
not act, these may never be resolved. Some
ways to increase voting among people with disabilities are: ·
Provide
equal access to polling places ·
Increase
voter registration services ·
Improve
voter education ·
Ensure
accessible voting machines ·
Encourage
service providers to promote voting ·
Increase
information about absentee ballots Many
organizations are working to help people with disabilities vote. The American Association of People with
Disabilities (AAPD) has put together a 2008 action center. This includes information on candidates,
disability issues, voter registration and other resources. To view go to: http://www.aapd-dc.org/News/election/peac2008.php The
National Organization on Disability (NOD) also offers information on making
polling places accessible. To view go
to: http://www.nod.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewPage&PageID=173&C:\CFusionMX7\verity\Data\dummy.txt The
National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) offers information. To view go to: http://www.ncil.org/VOTE2008.html If
we all work towards fully participating in the political process, as a group
we may achieve meaningful changes.
Voting is power and we must make our voices heard. This is a way to meet our own needs. So please BE SURE TO VOTE!!!
What do the Candidates Think? By Rachel Kellem Over 54
million Americans have a disability.
This is about 1 in 6 people in the U.S. We are a large community. We
need to work together to improve services and opportunities for our
community. We need to raise our voices! We can do
this by voting. People with
disabilities do not always vote in elections. In 2000, research showed that
people with disabilities were 12% less likely to vote than nondisabled people.
We need to change this. And we can do
that by going to the polls! It is important that we are involved with politics, and it’s important that we know what is going on. Being an educated voter is important in making sure that positive changes occur. So now that you know… be sure to vote! Here are the
presidential candidate’s positions on disability issues based on their
websites. Barack Obama (Democratic nominee)
Obama’s Plan 2) End workplace
discrimination. John McCain (Republican nominee)
Due
to McCain’s work as a senator, veterans with serious combat-related
disabilities can collect retirement.
They can also receive disability compensation at the same time. This has never been done before. |
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There’s No Excuse for People with
Disabilities to Not Vote
By
The
number of people in the U.S. who do not vote is amazing. Everyone seems to have an excuse. Some people say that they don’t have enough
time. Other people say that they don’t
know where to go. There are even people
who say that it takes too much work to vote.
Not
too long ago there were many disabled persons who did not vote. These people did not have a choice. There were some people with disabilities who
tried to register to vote, but they were not allowed. Many disabled people had a hard time getting
to the voting stations because they were not accessible. Also, the voting systems (the different
machines and ballets that people use to vote) were not accessible. Some people with disabilities were able to
get to the voting station, but the people who worked there may not have allowed
them to vote.
During
the 2000 presidential elections, there were a number of problems with
·
voting
stations,
·
voting
machines, and
·
ballets.
Because
of these problems, laws were passed a few years later. On
·
register
to vote,
·
access
polling places, and
·
cast
votes.
On
Technology
plays a large role with accessible voting.
Voting systems are being created that do all kinds of different things
for different disabilities. There are
machines that can change the size of the words on the screen to make the words
larger. The color of the screen can also
be changed. Other machines will speak
the instructions and voting choices to the person. Some machines have controls with Braille or
raised buttons to show the person the different choices.
Each
state in the U.S. has been working to make voting accessible for disabled
people. Each state has an elections
website. Information on accessible
voting can be found on each state’s website.
The State of Oregon had a vendor fair.
At this fair, different companies brought their accessible voting
systems. People with disabilities tried
each system. After trying out the
different systems, the disabled people decided which systems they liked
best. Their ideas were given to the Oregon
Secretary of State which helped him decide which voting systems to
purchase. Some states are also creating
training videos. These videos teach people
with disabilities how to use the different accessible voting options.
For
many years voting stations were not accessible.
Voting systems were not accessible.
Disabled people were discriminated against when trying to vote or
register to vote. Since the Help America
Vote Act (
·
voting
stations are becoming accessible,
·
voting
systems are becoming accessible, and
·
people
with disabilities are being given the right to vote.
Even
with
Disability Culture!
An Interview About Voting
in the Deaf Community
By Chelsea Tobin
Election
are just around the corner. So, it is
important to keep voting accommodations in mind.
It
is important to talk about what voting is like for the American Deaf community.
Being Deaf myself, I want to teach you about accessibility issues for Deaf
people. So, I interviewed Tom Kober. He is the Division Director of
Communication Services for the Deaf in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Here
is my interview with
Chelsea: How do people make
voting accessible for Deaf people?
Tom: Captioning is the main thing our community
needs to participate. We often do not get involved because we do not
get accurate information. Television ads involving candidates should
be captioned.
Chelsea: What kind of
services does your agency give when it is time for voting?
Tom: We provide a workshop on the voting
process. Our workshop includes balloting, voter registration and
polling places. Small things can make a big difference in the Deaf community. This includes things like captioning the
coverage of primaries. [A primary election is when two or more people from the
same party travel around the country.
They try to win the chance to run for President. An example of a primary
would be Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama competing for the chance to run for
president for the Democratic Party.] The Deaf community depends on that to vote
for the right candidate.
International Corner
Practicing German in Berlin
By Leslie Elaine Weibacher
At age ten, I watched as my older brother
went on his first exchange trip to Europe. From that moment, I decided I would
also go abroad. But even then, upon mentioning my dream, I encountered
obstacles. The adults around me focused on the difficulties that a girl with
low vision would have on her own in a foreign land. They could not think of how
to prepare for the perceived problems. But, I continued to learn the German
language and study the culture. After my freshmen year of college, I just went
for it.
Still exhausted from the flight to Germany, I
dozed off on a train in Berlin just for a moment. It was a moment too long and
I missed my stop by three stations. Not the best beginning for a first
international experience – but I proved to myself that I can work through those
problems.
The trains in Berlin announce over the
loudspeaker each station before they stop, which I found very helpful. When I
arrived in Berlin two days prior, I had a common cold and not enough sleep from
all the excitement of being in Germany for my studies. The jetlag from the time
zone changes didn’t help either. On the train, I heard a train station’s name
announced that I did not recognize. I turned to my fellow passenger and asked,
“Wo ist Lichtenberg?” which was the name of my intended stop. “Drei Stationen
zuruck,” he responded. He had to repeat it twice before I grasped what he said:
“Three stops back.” I jumped off the train right before the doors closed.
So early in my study abroad experience, my
speaking skills were not well practiced and I was very nervous. My guide dog
also sensed my fear and added to my worry. I asked a German woman at the
station for directions to Lichtenberg. Trusting myself that I understood her
correctly, I took off. I walk fast, but I walk even faster when I do not know
where I am going. It took two more friendly people, three more trains and two
and half hours later before I found my way back to my host family’s apartment.
This was for a trip that normally would have taken thirty minutes.
I grew up in a family of German descent and
had taken German classes at the University of Oregon. So, I learned what to
expect from the culture, such as finishing your plate so that you don’t insult
the cook. However, a few situations forced me to scrap my forming opinions and
start anew.
During my four-week study abroad program, I
became used to some people not recognizing my guide dog, Cammy, as a service
animal. My German host father, whose sister also has a guide dog, argued with a
shopkeeper for several minutes before my guide dog was allowed in the store.
While Germany has a law for service dog access, it is not well known.
Although service animals are not as familiar
as in the United States, we could still gain access to interesting sites. When
my friend and I visited the Cecielinhof museum, a docent began to follow us
around. This often happened in Berlin with Cammy, but it still annoyed me. My
friend attempted to describe in detail to me the table and chairs on display,
since the museum’s exhibits were blocked off with velvet ropes. But, it was not
very interesting to me at first. Then the museum docent, who I assumed was
following us because of Cammy, surprised me by unfastening the rope. She said,
“Anfassen, Anfassen!” or “Touch, Touch!” I thought to myself, “She can’t mean
that? Hey, they do not let me do that in the U.S.!”
In disbelief, I began touching the detailed
carving of the chairs and table. Former Russian leader, Stalin’s desk was in
the next room. It was big and fancy. The next room held former U.S. President,
Truman’s desk. It was medium and plain. The former Prime Minister of England,
Churchill’s desk, I touched next. It was small and ornate, but our docent,
turned tour guide, jokingly told us Churchill used the couch more.
I gained much more access to understanding
the culture than just touching typically off-limits museum pieces. This
cross-cultural experience connected me to the history of Germany and my family.
When I return to Germany next, I will not feel the stress of schoolwork or
uncertainty of my abilities. And hopefully I will not fall asleep on any more
trains.
For free information on going abroad or
disability travel tips, visit the National Clearinghouse on Disability and
Exchange’s website at http://www.miusa.org/ncde
or by contacting 541-343-1284 (tel/tty) or clearinghouse@miusa.org.
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and
Exchange is sponsored by the United States Department of State and administered
by Mobility International USA.
Join its NCDE Forum mailing list to receive
information monthly on international opportunities and disability news; sign up
at:
http://list-manage.com/subscribe.phtml?id=ab557a87b6.
Photos
Caption 1: I'm posing here with Cammy in
front of a statue of Friedrik the First.
Caption 2: I’m in the gardens of the last
remaining castle standing in Berlin, Schloss Charlottenburg, built by Friedrik
for Queen Charlotte.
Caption 3: I'm with my Costa Rican friend,
Ana, who lives in Paris but was also taking classes in Berlin; we are in a part
of Berlin called Köpenik in front of "Rathaus" courthouse.
Caption 4: The friend I mention in the
article and I are on the east side of the Brandenberg Gate in Paris Square
"Parisier Platz, Brandenburger Tor."
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