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YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PRESS! outh Empowerment Press! |
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Winter 2008 |
Download the newsletter at www.nyln.org or for hardcopy, please call Betsy at
1-866-480-6565. |
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Table
of Contents: Letter
from the President Page 4 In
Memoriam Corey
L. Burton Rowley Page 6 A
“Thank You” Note Page 8 Going
to College Page 12 Know
Your Rights In Education Page 14 Responsibilities
for Students with Disabilities Page 16 Resources Page 17 International
Corner Page 18 Donation Page 22 People
of Thanks Page 23 Federal Funders: |
A Letter from the
Executive Director By Betsy Valnes The
Winter Issue of Youth Empowerment Press
is focused on education and employment.
These are huge topics in the lives of young people with
disabilities. Each of us has a
personal story to share about struggles and triumphs in either area. However, I am going to focus on one
particular person who is living a battle around self-determination in
education right now.
Micah
Fialka-Feldman is a member of the Network.
He also serves on our Advocacy Committee. Micah is going to school at Micah
challenged this “policy,” and took all the appropriate steps. He started with the office of student
housing. When they said ‘no,’ he went
to the administration. When they said
‘no,’ he went to the Board of Trustees.
When they said ‘no,’ he petitioned his fellow students (got their
signatures of support) and took it back to the Board of Trustees. This time he also took several supporting
letters from outside organizations.
NYLN was one of them. Maybe
this battle for equal rights is something one would expect. However, the confrontation and opposition
from those in the disability community is something one would not
expect. Statements and comments from
people who refer to themselves as disability rights activists have come out
saying that Micah is asking for “preferential treatment.” Some have said that he is “breaking the
rules.” But when, might I ask, has any
Civil Rights movement made headway by conforming to “the rules”? Martin
Luther King, Jr. wrote the following in his Letter from Birmingham Jail:
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. … Whatever affects one
directly, affects all indirectly. … We know through painful experience that
freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by
the oppressed.” We
as young people with disabilities have all experienced some form of
oppression. Our peers talk all the
time about how we don’t feel equal. We
don’t feel included. We don’t feel
empowered. Then here comes an
opportunity for new ground to be broken.
A young person (like Micah) takes a leap to challenge the norm. He tries to gain the rights he deserves,
and people in our own community challenge not only his integrity, but the
validity behind his efforts. It
is a sad day when we support the oppression of those within our own
community. When we ourselves cannot
see past “the norms,” we have done a disservice to not only our movement, but
to the individual lives of those who are fighting (what should be) the same
fight. If
you are reading this as one who has already outwardly spoken in disagreement
with Micah’s fight, please consider the following: “First they came for the
socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade-unionists, and
I did not speak out because I was not a trade-unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not
speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for
me.” (The Reverend Martin Niemoller,
the anti-Nazi German pastor.) If
you are reading this as one that respects Micah’s fight, but has said
nothing, please consider the following: “When we stay away because we don’t
know what to say, it may as well be rejection.” (Rabbi Harry Kushner.) If
you are reading this as one who has supported Micah in his fight, please
consider the following: Champions believe in themselves before they win! As an organization, the National Youth
Leadership Network thanks you for taking that risk and standing behind the
efforts of another, for without actions such as these none of us would likely
be anywhere. For
more information on Micah and his goals to live on campus, please visit the
following sites: Micah’s
fight Continues, Oakland Post November 12, 2008: http://www.oaklandpostonline.com/print_article.php?id=735 Micah
and OU Students Discuss Future Plan, Check out YOU Tube: http://scripturn.com/video_38_xNJ3LePk.html Board
of Trustees meeting at OU Comments from friends, student leaders and allies: http://scripturn.com/video_EhgWPoAmvUY.html Student:
·
http://www.oaklandpostonline.com/read_article.php?id=560 ·
http://www.oaklandpostonline.com/read_article.php?id=557 Oakland
Press: A Letter From the President By Dear
NYLN Family, Happy
holidays! I hope this letter finds you well. This autumn has been a very busy
time for the disability community. It feels good to look back on the year and
reflect.
Through
the AMC, I had a chance to really get to know NYLN member Micah
Fialka-Feldman. He welcomed me to Micah
has picked up the banner of access again. After being denied campus housing,
he is working to make college more accessible for disabled people. Activists
in You
can read more about this struggle for accessibility by visiting this website:
http://www.throughthesamedoor.com/
I hope you will join us in talking about what access really can mean and how
it can change how we interact with the world. If you are ever facing
something similar, please know you can come to us. In
community, Stacey
IN MEMORIUM Obituary for Corey L. Burton Rowley July 21, 1968 –
October 13, 2008
Tremonton,
UT - Corey Rowley, a national leader in the disability rights movement lost
her long battle with cancer much too soon on October 13, 2008, at age 40,
surrounded by her family in Salt Lake City, UT. Ms.
Rowley was a highly successful progressive voice for change and her
leadership had a significant impact on the lives and rights of 54 million
Americans with disabilities. Ms.
Rowley served as the executive director of the Pennsylvania Statewide
Independent Living Council and the Utah Statewide Independent Living Council.
She chaired the Utah Legislative Coalition for People with Disabilities and
served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of People with Disabilities
(AAPD) and as Vice President and Chair of the Legislative and Advocacy
Committee for the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL). She received the 2006 Justice for All award
from AAPD and the 2007 Frank Harkin Memorial Award from NCIL for her
leadership. Growing
up in Fielding, In
addition to her expertise in organizing, advocacy and public policy systems
change, she loved history, politics and she was the life of any gathering she
attended. Ms. Rowley is survived by her mother, Gwen Burton, her daughters, Amber and Alex Rowley, her granddaughter, Bella Rowley and nine brothers and sisters, Janet Call, Joan Ann Gilbert, Val Burton, Gary Burton, Cindy Richins, James Burton, Melanie Evans, Charlene Kidman and Keri Burton as well as many nieces and nephews and a wide circle of friends in every state across the US. She was preceded in death by her father William Darrell Burton Jr. She will be deeply missed but the impact of her efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities leaves a lasting legacy. A “Thank you Note” By Zachary Quick
The
first life lesson you taught me was that sometimes those people who have been
charged with taking caring of you will not or cannot honor that sacred
charge. When they fail, I learned that I have to take care of myself. In fifth grade, my dyslexia had not been
diagnosed; I didn’t know why I couldn’t understand what other kids did, I couldn’t
understand why I couldn’t read and comprehend or why words never looked the
same. I guess you were frustrated with me because I “didn’t get it”. I understood your frustration, because I
was frustrated myself!!! But see, I
was counting on you to help me
figure it out. You didn’t even try! You called me lazy, you told me to pay
attention, you told me to get organized. But see, I was paying attention, I
was working hard and I was as organized as a dyslexic can be, but I still
didn’t get it, and neither did you. The difference? I kept trying and I took
care of myself and I never gave up! But you? You gave up on me within the
first month! In
fifth grade, I learned what many “educational professionals’ still don’t get,
that everybody learns in a different way. You did not recognize my
difference; therefore you could not respect the gift I had to offer the
class. You wanted everyone to be a cookie cutter learner and that cutter was
mighty small. In fifth grade, I learned not to look for cookie cutter anything:
not cookie cutter friends, cookie cutter cars or cookie cutter clothes. You
taught me to not only look for differences, but to respect the gift that
those differences offer. I
learned in fifth grade not to completely trust those in charge, because while
they may have authority, they may not always have understanding. I learned
this lesson walking by myself from the classroom to the resource room. That
was the longest walk of my life and I walked it every day. You had the
authority to tell me to that’s where I needed to go. But you didn’t understand the humiliation
of leaving the room in front of my friends, you didn’t understand how it felt
to be the “dumb kid” coming back into the class room, you didn’t understand
how it felt when I came back and didn’t know what the class was working on or
how it felt to fumble through my work trying to see what everyone else was
doing. You just told me when it was time to go and told me to be quiet and
not disturb anybody when I came back. You had no understanding of my
feelings, but by God you had order in the classroom! I learned a lot in fifth
grade about understanding. Now, I go out of my way to understand how other
people feel, I go out of my way to be “walk a mile in their shoes”, I go to
the “n-th” degree to understand the struggles of my friends and family; all
because you taught me the hopeless
feeling of being misunderstood. With the little authority I have experienced
so far in my life, I try to use that authority coupled with empathy. I
also learned a lot about patience in fifth grade. I learned patience by
trying to copy down assignments and spelling words from the blackboard week
after week. See, dyslexic’s just can’t
copy; it’s a known fact (although not by you). I came to you many times,
especially when I struggled so much that I copied the spelling words down
incorrectly and then learned to spell them incorrectly. When I couldn’t copy,
you told me to “Slow down, take your time, be patient”. When my Mom
discovered those misspelled copied words, she started to help me. I worked on
those damn words every night. My mom and I started with 5 the first night, 10
the second, 15 the third, all 20 on Thursday. We did ‘em in the car, we did
‘em in the tub, we did ‘em before bed. I failed every test; I failed every
test by a lot. I did learn patience, but not with copying. I learned to be
patient with you! Finally, by the end of the semester, you at least gave me a
spelling word list, and then I only had to copy down assignments. Sometimes,
I would copy down the assignment incorrectly and do the wrong home work, I
would do page 14 instead of page 41, then I would be in trouble for doing the
incorrect assignment. When I came to you for help, you told me to slow down,
take my time and be patient! Yes, you taught me patience! In
fifth grade I learned to deal with fear, I learned to manage overwhelming
fear when it threatened to eat me alive. I used to get sick to my stomach in
the morning over breakfast. I was worried you would ask me to read aloud and
my friends would listen to me stumble over words that just didn’t seem to
make sense; words I could use in ordinary conversation, but just couldn’t
recognize or “sound out” when I read them. I used to get sick to my stomach
on Fruit Loops, so often that my parent’s made me eat Cheerios. I knew it
wasn’t the cereal, I recognized it as fear. But I met that fear every day.
When I closed the car door when my Dad dropped me off at school, the only way
I could walk through those doors was to imagine how good it would feel to open
that same car door when my Mom picked me up at 3:05. I knew, no matter what
humiliating thing happened at school, in eight hours I would open that car
door and be safe again. You taught me that I could meet my worst fears and
still survive. I
also learned in fifth grade that it is important not to judge too quickly,
that it’s important to dig a little bit beyond the surface in many of the
challenges we experience in everyday life. I learned that sometimes we jump
to a conclusion, and that conclusion becomes our erroneous reality. You
taught me this valuable lesson by judging me the first week and by drawing
the erroneous conclusion that I was lazy and that I talked too much. That was
your erroneous reality for my entire fifth grade year. Let me tell you again,
I was not lazy!!! I was DYING INSIDE
and you didn’t even know, worse you couldn’t see my pain because of your
erroneous reality. Sure I talked too much, I was trying to impress people
with how smart I really was, so they wouldn’t jump to the conclusion that I
was stupid. You never knew me, you never dug even a little bit below the surface. You
also taught me about the vice of pride. Remember when you would make us
correct our own math papers and then you would call out our name and we would
report our score in front of the rest of the class. Well, I couldn’t stand the humiliation, so
I started to cheat, just now and then, so maybe I could report only 7 or 8
wrong, instead of 10 or 12. Yes I was proud, I despised my failures; I was
too proud to report my struggles in front of the entire class. But you sure
taught me a lesson when you discovered my cheatin’ ways and reprimanded me in
front of the entire class. I was just fighting to survive but you basically
dressed me down in front of the class. Yes, you made an example of me. I
could not engage in the vice of pride when you proved to the whole fifth
grade class that not only was I the dumb kid, I was a low down cheater as
well. I had nothing left to be proud about! The
greatest lesson you taught me was to have faith in God and to believe in
myself. My daily prayer life actually started in fifth grade. Every night, I
prayed to God to “make me better”, I pleaded with him to heal whatever was
wrong with me that no one could understand; I prayed for help to learn. I
prayed fervently every night to give me the strength to make sure that I
didn’t cry in class no matter what happened the next day. I prayed sincerely
to God to forgive me when I cheated on my math papers and asked for extra
forgiveness over the guilt I experienced because that I couldn’t tell him I
would stop cheating and sin no more. You taught me, that in the worst of
times (and fifth grade was very bad) that I needed to depend on God’s grace
and to continue to believe in myself. I
am now college bound, school and academics are still dreadfully difficult,
but I’m determined to succeed. My high school friends call me Rudy (based on
a character in a movie called “Rudy”) because I never give up. Because of the
lessons I learned in fifth grade, I suppose I have a pretty good chance to be
successful in college. So I guess, I
owe you a thank you. My sincere hope is that you do not receive an abundance
of thank you notes that are similar to this. The irony of the entire
situation is that I learn in a different way from many of my peers. I just
think the lessons I learned from you should have been learned in a different
way as well. |
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Going to College:
Tips and Ideas for Students with Disabilities
By
Emily Kathryn Holmes
Going
to college can be a fun and confusing time for any high school student. For high school students with disabilities it
is sometimes more confusing than fun. I
have spoken to many high school students with disabilities about college. Every time I talk with them there are certain
questions that are asked. These
questions usually deal with two topics: accommodations and professors.
The
accommodations you need for college can be confusing. Students often have questions about how to
get their accommodations. They also want
to know about the kinds of accommodations they can get. Here are three ideas for making college
accommodations easier to get.
1)
Know
what your disability is and how it works.
When you understand your disability, you can understand what your
strengths are and what your challenges are.
When you know what your strengths and challenges are, it will be easier
to figure out the accommodations you need.
2)
Think
of the accommodations you have in high school.
Think about which ones work and which ones do not work. The ones that work in high school might also
work in college. Also, think about any
new accommodations that might help you in college.
3)
Get
online and visit the websites of each college you are thinking about going
to. The websites should have a section
on the Office of Disability Services*.
This section may list the different accommodations that the office
offers. This will also get you thinking
about the accommodations that might work for you.
The
Office of Disability Services is there to make sure you have your
accommodations in the classroom, but that is not all. The office can also help you with
accommodations in other places like
-
in
the dorms,
-
at
a job on campus,
-
and/or
at an extra activity like a sport or a club.
Working
with professors can be scary for disabled students. A lot of times students are scared because
they are not sure if they should disclose (tell people you have a disability
and what it is) their disability to their professor. They might also be scared because they do not
know how the professor will react to their disability. Here are some tips about working with
professors.
1)
You
should never feel like you need to tell the professor about your disability but
telling the professor about your disability can be a good thing. The professor might ask you what he or she
can do to help you be successful in class.
Professors are there because they want you to do well in their classes. Professors do not want you to fail but there
will always be a few professors who are hard to handle. However, most professors will not have a
problem with your disability.
2)
If
you do end up having a problem with a professor, first try to work with the
professor on your own. If that does not
work, go talk with someone at the Office of Disability Services and ask for
help.
3)
Always
be polite. Getting angry at someone
never helps the situation. If you are
getting frustrated, go talk with someone at the Office of Disability Services. Remember, people do not always do things to
be mean. Often, they may not understand
that what they are doing is not ok. If a
professor does do something that you find frustrating, take the time to educate
them.
The
Office of Disability Services can help with other people besides
professors. They can also support you
and help you with any issues you are having with students and/or staff.
Talk
with your parents or your school counselor if you are not sure about
-
your
disability and how it affects you,
-
the
accommodations you have in high school,
-
and
scheduling a meeting with the Office of Disability Services at a college or
university.
These
are just a few tips and ideas for making college a little easier. There are many more tips and ideas out
there. If you are thinking about going
to college, talk with students with disabilities who are in college and ask for
tips and ideas from them.
*Each college has a different name for the
office that helps students with disabilities.
The Office of Disability Services is the name used in this article.
Knowing
Your Rights in Education
By Brenda Hill
Education is important to success. It is also a key to living independently.
Several laws have been designed to protect the rights of students with
disabilities. These laws were made to help people with disabilities access the
benefits of education. It is important
for students to be aware of their rights.
This will help them to become self advocates within the education
system.
To learn more about this subject I interviewed Mr. Howard
Kallem. Mr. Kallem is a lawyer for the
Office for Civil Rights of the United States Department of Education. Most of the information in this article was
gained from my communications with Mr. Kallem.
There are three major laws that grant rights to students
with disabilities. These are:
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973,
- Title II of the American with
Disabilities Act (ADA), and
- Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA).
Section 504 and Title II of the
These laws work together to prevent discrimination. They cover the entire education system. The basic purpose of these laws is to ensure
that all students have equal access to educational opportunities. As a result, a student cannot be excluded
from a school or a program due to a disability.
Schools must also be free from bias in grading. Students with disabilities must be free from
harassment. The law also recognizes that
students with disabilities may need assistance.
This is to level the playing field, not to provide advantages.
Some forms of assistance include aids, services, or
accommodations. These apply to the
classroom, athletics and dormitories.
Some common services are:
-Physical and occupational therapy,
-Modified curriculum,
-Resource room help or tutoring,
-Extra time on tests,
-Alternative testing location,
-Physical accommodations (ramps,
elevators, accessible toilets, etc.),
-Sign language interpreters,
-Books in electronic or alternative
format,
-Accessible websites, and
-Tests in electronic or alternative
format.
To learn more about educational services go to: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/publications.html#Section504
Mr. Kallem reported that 50-60% of complaints to the Office
of Civil Rights involve disability issues.
Many are related to disputes over services. Many are also related to a school failing to
recognize that a student has a disability.
If a student feels that he or she is being treated unfairly
a report should be filed. The law
requires that every school district and college have a grievance process. Students may use these to voice
concerns. This process should be made easily
available to students. Grievance
procedures are commonly found on a school’s or college’s website. These can also be found in the student
handbook. Each state department of
education also has a way to report complaints.
Students may also file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights of
the United Stated Department of Education.
More information can be found at www.ed.gov/ocr.
Being aware of your educational rights will make it easier
for you to protect them. The laws
represent progress that has been made to remove barriers for students with
disabilities. However, we must always
continue to seek improvements. This will
help to correct any shortcomings of the current laws. It will also ensure that the laws meet our
needs as best they can.
Special thanks to Mr. Howard Kallem, for taking the time to
help out with this article!
Responsibilities for Students with
Disabilities:
Education & Employment
By
Alicia Payne
Disabilities
are not all the same, some people have hidden disabilities that are not always
obvious. The decision to disclose (tell someone you have a disability) your
disability is YOUR decision but it can be helpful to share with certain people,
like professors and supervisors, the fact you have a disability.
One
of the things I would recommend for students with any disability is to make a list of your strengths and what you
have trouble with. When I attended Rose State College I always went a few weeks
before classes started to my professors’ offices. Most of them would ask about my
strengths. After we talked, they helped
me find ways to accommodate my disability.
Now I can do most things like students without disabilities.
But
there are other responsibilities students have:
·
Meet
with the counselor in the Disability Support/Services Office
·
Talk
with your Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor because Vocational Rehabilitation
may be able to assist you in some way
·
If
you want, discuss your disability with your employer
·
Make
sure you take a course load that fits your schedule and your capabilities (do
not overdo it!)
·
Volunteer!
You usually make some of the best contacts that could help with employment
·
Get
involved with a student disability organization if they have one on campus. If not, think about starting one
·
Get
involved in your state’s chapter for AHEAD.
I once was the student representative for OK-AHEAD and they put on some
awesome conferences! You’ll learn things
that will help you to succeed and it could also help with employment
Plus
be sure to check out the resources checklist I put together in regards to
education and employment.
Resources:
AHEAD – American
Association on Higher Education and Disability
Phone:
704.947.7779
Fax:
704.948.7779
URL:
www.ahead.org
Disability Nation
Phone:
480.302.9300
Email:
contact@disabilitynation.net
Skype
screen name: Isw99
MSN
messenger Isw99
National Youth
Leadership Forum
TBI Raiders
Wellston,
Ok 74881
Phone:
405.356.9966
Fax:
440.550.6315
Email:
tbiraiders@sbcglobal.net
URL:
www.angelfire.com/ok5/tbiraidersok
Yahoo
screen name: college_lady_ok
Gettinghired
1545
First
Floor
Phone:
866.352.7481
Fax:
908.470.2166
International Corner
Study
Abroad in France
Loren Ashton, who
is Deaf, studied abroad in
Why
did you want to go on an international exchange?
I
wanted to find out about differences between
Where
did you go? What did you do there?
I
went to
How did your
parents respond when you told them you wanted to go abroad?
My
parents were surprised. We had talked about me traveling through
What
was this like for you and for your parents?
My
relationship with my parents became stronger. I saw what kind of people my
parents are, and they realized I do many things without their help. They know I
am independent, but the study abroad experience proved I was capable of doing
anything.
What
was the most difficult part of the experience for your parents?
My
parents were concerned about being able to communicate with me. I emailed them
almost every day, either short or long e-mails, so they knew I was doing fine.
Sometimes we set up a specific time to meet online and talk through the AOL
instant messenger (AIM).
What
were some of your biggest concerns?
In
my two previous experiences of studying abroad in high school, I traveled with
a large group of classmates and a teacher but no sign language interpreter. My
biggest concern was getting a sign language interpreter to go with me to
What
services or accommodations did you use? How were these different from home?
I
used an ASL interpreter from the
Was
French an issue at all during the experience?
I
couldn’t speak French at all! I used gestures with people that I met. My ASL
interpreter knew the French language, so she translated at times when needed.
Interestingly, I saw many of my American friends and classmates struggle with
not understanding what a French person said to them. I understood their
frustration, because growing up I was used to the language barrier and have
developed skills to cope with it.
What activities
did you get involved with outside of school?
I
was involved in writing a paper for my professor at the
·
Deal
with the hearing culture and feel about their Deaf culture and history
·
Communicate
with their parents and if their family learned LSF (Langues Signes
Francais/French Sign Language)
·
Make
personal choices in their adult lives, such as marrying another deaf person or
a hearing person, and dealing with their hearing co-workers.
What were some
of the changes you noticed in yourself after returning from your exchange?
I
became more grateful for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I accepted
my deafness more and I felt it was okay to be Deaf. Before going to
What advice
would you give to other young people with disabilities who want to go on
exchange about approaching their parents about it?
I
want other young people with disabilities to use common sense, be grounded and
be realistic long before thinking about studying abroad. I advise doing a lot
of research on the place that they have chosen to go. Also, travel with an open
mind because studying abroad is a completely different experience – they will
find out more about themselves and about others.
For
parents, I want them to know they need to encourage this kind of opportunity
for their son or daughter with a disability. Chances are their child will
change for the better in many ways, such as gaining self-awareness and cultural
awareness. Their son or daughter will learn more about differences between
people and cultures, and even appreciate what they have at home!
For more
information about studying abroad or learning a foreign language, contact the
National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange. It is a project sponsored by
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State
and administered by Mobility International USA.
National
Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange
http://www.miusa.org/ncde
Email:
clearinghouse@miusa.org
Windows
Instant Messenger: clearinghouse_miusa
I am on one of my regular morning walks on
the way to class on Tuesdays/Thursdays. I would pass people getting ready for
the all-day farmer’s market in the little old town of
I went with classmates to
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