AAPD NEWS December 2001 - Volume 3, Issue 4 AAPD gratefully acknowledges the following corporations and foundations for their generous support of the AAPD Leadership Gala to be held this February in Washington DC. AOL Time Warner, American Express, Booz Allen & Hamilton, The California Endowment, Compaq Computer Corporation, Equality Staffing, Independence Technology, a Johnson & Johnson Company, Sagamore Associates, Verizon, The Bodman Foundation, Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation, Prince Charitable Trusts, and Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation. You will find a Member Survey in this month's newsletter. We value input from our members. We need your help to keep us focused on the issues and benefits of greatest importance to you. Please take a few moments to fill it out and tell us something about yourself and what AAPD can do to continue serving its members. Your input will also help AAPD grow as an organization. AAPD FILES LANDMARK VOTING RIGHTS DISCRIMINATION LAWSUITS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND FLORIDA Wednesday, September 5 AAPD was the lead plaintiff in a landmark voting rights discrimination case against the District of Columbia "The city is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment," said Jim Dickson, AAPD's Vice President for Governmental Affairs and a plaintiff himself in this suit. "Not only are some 16,000 voters with significant visual impairments, like me, denied the right to vote in the manner most Americans take for granted -- independently and by secret ballot -- but there are thousands of DC voters with physical disabilities who cannot even get into their neighborhood polling sites." The individual plaintiffs in this case include Dickson, Jocelyn Basnett (legally blind), Linda Black (legally blind), Christopher Butler (uses a wheelchair), Thomas Miller (Vietnam veteran blinded in action). All are regular voters in the district. Other plaintiffs include the Disability Rights Council of Greater Washington and, of course, AAPD. AAPD is being represented pro bono in the suit by the law firm of Hogan and Hartson and the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law. According to the plaintiffs, voting equipment that would permit them to vote independently is readily available but the District is purchasing new inaccessible optical scan voting systems from Sequoia Pacific. Sequoia Pacific manufactures accessible voting systems that are in use in places like Riverside California. The optical scan system requires marking one's vote on a paper ballot, which is then fed into a scanner to be recorded and tabulated. Optical scan voting equipment is not accessible. The plaintiffs are suing in federal court to require the District to purchase equipment that uses voice commands, remote switches, or other features that make voting by secret ballot possible for persons with visual and manual disabilities. The suit also addresses the twenty-three out of one hundred and forty polling places in the District that are still inaccessible for persons who use wheelchairs or who cannot climb stairs. Plaintiffs seek to require that all polling places be physically accessible. Last month a similar class action lawsuit was filed against the Florida Secretary of State, Katherine Harris and the Duval County (Jacksonville) Supervisor of Elections. Three individuals with disabilities (residents of Florida) have joined with AAPD as plaintiffs in this case which asks the courts to mandate that all people in Duval County be assured the right to cast direct, secret, and confirmable ballots in all elections. In Florida, a county cannot purchase or use a voting machine that has not been certified by the Florida Department of State. Currently the Florida Department of State authorizes the purchase of two types of voting systems - optical scan and touchscreen. The touchscreen system is accessible to the visually impaired only when modified with voice capability. With other modifications, the touchscreen system can be made accessible for voters with manual impairments. The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Jacksonville, states that Duval County has decided to purchase approximately 300 new voting machines. No more than four of the machines will be accessible to voters with disabilities and those machines, if purchased, will be located at election headquarters. There are nearly 300 polling places in the city of Jacksonville - geographically the largest incorporated city in Duval County and in the nation. AAPD maintains that the county's purchase of inaccessible machines is a violation of federal law under the Americans with Disabilities Act and a violation of the Florida Constitution that guarantees each citizen the right to a "direct and secret vote." All of this comes after last year's Florida election fiasco. "Election officials have the opportunity to ensure fair voting procedures for disabled voters in Duval County," said J. Douglas Baldridge, partner with Howrey Simon Arnold & White, L.L.P, co-counsel for the plaintiffs. "The lawsuit filed here is about doing the right thing." "Over half of all polling places in America are not fully accessible to people in wheelchairs. And for the 10 million blind and low vision Americans, exercising the right to vote does not currently include casting an independent secret ballot," said Dickson. "These lawsuits are two of many to be filed against cities, counties, and states who perpetuate discrimination by continuing to exclude citizens with disabilities from equal access to voting. Americans with disabilities should not have to sue every jurisdiction in the country just to exercise their right to vote, but if we have to, we will." Election Reform Along side its litigation efforts, AAPD has been working to ensure any election reform bill in Congress includes minimum standards for voting access by a date certain. On December 5, Dickson testified before the House Judiciary Committee and emphasized the need for stronger Federal requirements in light of wide spread inaccessibility of polling places documented most recently by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) study. Highlights of the study can be found at AAPD's "Justice For All" Web site at www.JFAnow.org. Both cases and AAPD's active role in the Senate and House committees have grabbed the attention of the national media. AAPD JOINS WITH THE REHABILITATION INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO TO PRESENT THE HENRY B. BETTS AWARD AAPD is collaborating with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to present the prestigious Henry B. Betts Award. The Award will be presented at AAPD's Leadership Gala to be held February 27th in Washington DC. The Betts Award was created by the Prince Charitable Trusts and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) in 1989 to honor annually an individual whose work and scope of influence has significantly improved the quality of life for people with disabilities in the past and present, and will be a force for change in the future. The award is named for Henry B. Betts, M.D., in recognition of his pioneering leadership in the field of rehabilitation medicine and decades of dedicated service to RIC. The individual selected will receive an unrestricted $50,000 cash award. Past recipients include AAPD current and past board members Judy Heumman, Lex Frieden, and Fred Fay. EXCELSIOR Dear AAPD Member: As I look back on 2001 and ahead to 2002, I am inspired by the motto of New York State, "Excelsior" (meaning "ever upward"). In the aftermath of September 11, New Yorkers have impressed the world with the way they have come together in solidarity to rebuild their lives and work together to heal and cope with unthinkable tragedy. The strength and compassion of New York's leaders and ordinary citizens have lived up to the State's motto-an invitation to keep one's head held high in the face of adversity and not be deterred from pursuing one's dreams. Like New Yorkers, people around the country whose lives have been touched by disability know the power that can come from successfully rising to a challenge. My psychiatric disability has enabled me to grow and tap resources of strength and resilience that I never knew I had before I began experiencing my disability. At the same time, my exposure to the vision and community of people who make up the disability rights movement has given me strength and a sense of belonging that helps me cope with setbacks and personal failures. Excelsior, it seems to me, is a good motto for all of us who have been affected by disability. We do best when we keep our hopes and expectations high, supporting each other as we go about the hard work of bending society to our vision of inclusion, empowerment, and full participation. In that positive spirit, I remember the many disability rights champions who died in 2001-people like Colleen Fraser, Larry Robinson, Howard Moses, Connie Panzarino, Stan Herr, Heidi Van Arnem, and Gunnar Dybwad. All of these individuals went about their work of changing society with unwavering commitment and a strong and joyful sense of the role they could play as individuals in communicating their powerful vision to the rest of the world. Moved by the examples of these extraordinary leaders, I am eager to work with AAPD's members and our allies in the coming year to broaden the base of support for disability rights. With our Disability Vote Project, AAPD will be working for stronger federal standards for voting accessibility; significant increases in voter registration among people with disabilities, our family members and supporters; and a major get out the vote effort for the national elections in November. By linking our policy agenda to the elections, we hope to strengthen Congressional and Administration support for things like the Family Opportunity Act, Medicaid Community Attendant Services and Supports Act, Olmstead implementation, stronger enforcement of ADA and other disability rights laws, and greater investment in disabled individuals that will result in more home ownership, employment, educational opportunities, and access to full citizenship for all of us. Building on the dramatic growth of Disability Mentoring Day in 2001, AAPD will be working to extend this event to every state and translate the day into long-term mentoring and career development opportunities for students and job seekers with disabilities. As the cornerstone of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Disability Mentoring Day brings together employers, service providers, educators, students, and job seekers in a concrete effort to produce more and better jobs for qualified people with disabilities around the country. AAPD looks forward to continuing to recognize and cultivate emerging and established disability leaders with our Paul G. Hearne, Henry B. Betts, and Justice for All awards. Building on these programs, AAPD plans to launch a Congressional summer internship in 2002 that will enable students with disabilities to have a first-hand view of the national policy process in Washington, D.C. Along with the voting, mentoring, and leadership development projects, AAPD will continue to seek out partners who can bring tangible benefits like financial services, health insurance, and valuable discounts to our members. As the membership grows, our ability to negotiate more tangible benefits will only increase. Likewise, as we are able to make the business case for cultivating the disability market, leaders in the corporate world will have greater incentives to incorporate universal design principles into product development and to hire disabled employees who can help tap this large and growing market. As you can see, AAPD has big plans for the New Year. With your support, we will achieve great things. As our members in New York might say, Excelsior! Andrew J. Imparato AAPD President and CEO ImparatoA@aol.com 2001 DISABILITY MENTORING DAY -A HUGE SUCCESS This year's Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), held October 24, was the biggest ever with nearly 1,500 students participating nationally. These students represented more than 70 communities in 29 states plus Washington DC. Additionally, local coordinators in five more states are planning activities to take place during the next few months, bringing the total to 34 states. Other highlights of this year include a DMD poster and brochure, proclamations from Governors and Mayors, and media coverage by local papers, radio, and TV. None of this could have happened without the dedication and commitment of hundreds of volunteers and all of the public and corporate sponsors. AAPD is grateful for their support and for the participation of the many students and young adults who helped educate employers about the talents and skills of people with disabilities. Next year's event will be slightly different. October 16, 2002, and thereafter the third Wednesday of every October, will be known as the "official" National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD). But it will only be considered a kick-off for a year-long effort aimed at providing career guidance and employment-related mentoring. Additionally, AAPD plans to expand the scope of NDMD to be "students and job-seekers." Each individual community will still determine what population to target (e.g. high school students or college students). People interested in getting involved for next year should contact AAPD at 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY) to find out how to get NDMD going in their communities.Due to our printer deadline for the September issue we were unable to run the logo of one of NDMD's sponsors, SmartForce. Thank you again SmartForce. FEBRUARY LEADERSHIP GALA TO HONOR DIABILITY COMMUNITY LEADERS On February 27, 2002, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) will host its first annual Leadership Gala. The gala, to be held in Washington DC, is a celebration of achievement, leadership, and progress toward AAPD's vision of equal political and economic empowerment for individuals with disabilities. The event is co-chaired by The Honorable Tony Coelho and Richard Ellis, Director of Federal Affairs, Verizon. Eight important awards will be made at the 2002 AAPD Leadership Gala. Members of Congress and the Administration have been invited to play key roles in the presentations. The 3rd annual Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards will be presented to seven emerging leaders within the disability community in recognition of their achievements. This award honors the memory of AAPD's visionary founder, Paul G. Hearne. Members of Congress have been invited to present these awards of $10,000 each to their respective districts' constituents. AAPD, in partnership with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, will also present, for the first time as a collaboration, The Henry B. Betts Award of $50,000. President Bush has been invited to make this presentation and to help honor the winning individual. The Betts award is presented annually to an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to the quality of life for people with disabilities (see related article this issue). The 2002 AAPD Leadership Gala will also include participation from high ranking policymakers, community leaders, and disability rights advocates and will generate new revenues through sponsorships and donations. These gifts are critical for the continuation of current programs and the development of future AAPD initiatives. AAPD members and friends are encouraged to support this event either through sponsorship (which includes recruiting a sponsor), attendance, or simply making a donation to AAPD. Sponsorship opportunities are as follows: $10,000 Gold Includes one table of six seats, tickets to VIP reception, program acknowledgement, recognition from stage, and company logo on all printed materials. $5,000 Silver Includes one table of six seats, program acknowledgement, recognition from stage, company logo on all printed materials. $2,500 Bronze Includes four reserved seats, company logo or name displayed on event program.$500 Friend Special rate for non-profit organizations to have a presence and participate in the 2002 Leadership Gala. $75 Individual One ticket, general seating at the Gala. If you are unable to attend the gala, a donation may be sent in your name to AAPD. You are cordially invited to attend and participate in the 2002 AAPD Leadership Gala. Call Amanda Lannon at (703) 288-8690 (V/TTY) for additional information. Please join us in this celebration. AAPD'S JESSA STEINBECK NAMED TO NATIONAL YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL Jessa Steinbeck, a college student and employee of AAPD, was recently appointed to the U.S. Youth Advisory Council of the Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities. She is one of fifteen young people between the ages of 14 and 28 to receive this high honor. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao made the announcement during a kickoff event for Disability Mentoring Day. Through the President's Task Force, the Council will advise the Secretary of Labor and her designees, including the Office of the 21st Century Workforce and the Office of Disability Employment Policy, on education, training, employment, health and rehabilitation, and independent living issues affecting young people with disabilities. In addition, the Youth Advisory Council will make recommendations to increase positive employment outcomes for young people with disabilities. Congratulations Jessa! 2001 IN REVIEW A YEAR OF "NEVER BEFORE" A Report From Helena Berger, AAPD's Chief Operating Officer AAPD is the authority on disability issues in the United States. We have known that to be true for sometime. This year it became clear that those in high and important positions, those in the media, and those who can make a difference for people with disabilities now also know that to be true. Never before in the history of our organization have so many national and regional government agencies, national and local elected officials, and corporate and community leaders turned to us for information and help on disability issues. Never before in the history of AAPD has our staff testified before Congressional committees - educating the highest elected officials about people with disabilities and accessibility. Never before have we joined in so many collaborations with other disability and non-disability organizations to lobby for and against issues that have a direct effect and on people with disabilities and the broader community. Never before have respected disability advocacy groups come to us and suggested merging with us. Never before have we filed major statewide lawsuits on behalf of people with disabilities and their right to vote privately in an accessible environment with accessible voting equipment. And all of this is only a part of what took place during 2001. This past year has been a year of dramatic growth in staff, programs, and recognition. With the inauguration of a new President last January came the nominations of new key government officials and judicial positions. Additionally, with the change of political affiliation in the White House new budget and human service priorities began to emerge. AAPD took a hard look at the disability rights records of all of the proposed nominations coming from President Bush. Two nominees warranted our attention and, in collaboration with other disability and civil rights organizations, we opposed the nomination of Senator John Ashcroft to U.S. Attorney General because of his disturbing record on disability and other civil rights issues. We also opposed Jeffrey Sutton, President Bush's nominee for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, because of his narrow view of constitutional protections for people with disabilities. Additionally, this past spring AAPD called upon President Bush and Congress to ensure that any tax cut and budget bills enacted allowed for and recognized the need for greater investment in making the goals of the landmark ADA a reality. AAPD's Andrew Imparato said in a statement, "With seventy percent of Americans with disabilities not working, with children with disabilities not graduating from high school at alarming rates, with home ownership in the single digits for this population, we can ill afford the kind of tax cut that President Bush proposed." Although we have had disagreements with the White House, we are also building positive relationships with the new Administra-tion. We believe our presence will help direct the current Admini-stration to reach out to leaders in the disability community for information and advice on disability issues and r issues that affect all citizens. AAPD has always held firm to the belief that if we want to see stronger enforcement of disability rights laws and greater economic opportunities, we must make our presence felt at the polling place. With that in mind, AAPD launched the Disability Vote Project last June with the goal of increasing the political participation of the cross-disability community. At the same time AAPD brought long time field organizer and political activist Jim Dickson on board as Vice President for Governmental Affairs to head this major new project. Adina Topfer also joined AAPD to serve as director of the project. Since then AAPD has worked with members and others around the country to strengthen federal access requirements for polling places and election systems, to register voters with disabilities and our supporters, to conduct non-partisan voter education, and get out the vote efforts around elections. Last June, Jim Dickson testified before U.S. Senator Chris Dodd's Rules Committee on Voting Rights in America. Jim and AAPD became a source of information for those in the Senate drafting the Voting Rights Bill. On December 5, Dickson testified before the House Judiciary Committee in an effort to strengthen the compromise legislation being considered in the House. In September AAPD filed suit against the District of Columbia for buying new voting machines that are inaccessible to blind people and others who cannot use a punch card. An additional voting rights lawsuit was filed in the State of Florida in November. AAPD will continue to file suits in states that do not mandate accessible voting equipment and will fight national legislation that does not set national standards on polling places and voting system access. We were pleased when on July 26 "Justice For All"(JFA) merged with AAPD. JFA had been well known throughout the disability community for its commitment to protect the ADA and the large national following of disability rights supporters it built through its JFA listserve and related activities. Under the stewardship of AAPD, the JFA Email Network continues to operate with virtually no changes as a part of this merger. As a part of the JFA merger and the celebration of the 11th anniversary of the ADA, AAPD presented seven individuals with "Justice for All Disability Rights Awards." These awards (to be annual) recognize individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in support of the economic and political empowerment of all Americans with disabilities. Awardees were Senate ADA Champions Ted Kennedy, Orrin Hatch, Tom Harkin and Bob Dole along with student leaders Sarah Triano and Daniel Davis, and grassroots leader Mark Smith of Jackson, Mississippi. AAPD continues its leadership training and awareness programs through such projects as the Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards and Disability Mentoring Day. This year the Hearne awards will be presented at an all-new Leadership Gala to be held in Washington in February. Additionally, AAPD will now be partnering with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to present the prestigious Henry B. Betts Award. Disability Mentoring Day, held this past October, was the most successful ever with more than 1,500 students participating in more than 30 states. We are a membership organization and everything we do is to serve each of you. This year we opened an office in Milford Massachusetts and added the position of Director of Member Services. We hired Diane DeAngelis who is responsible for adding new member benefits as well as recruiting new members. Diane has also updated our website this year to make it more efficient and user friendly. We want to thank those members who renewed their membership during the year. We rely on each of you to renew your membership every year. Membership growth and renewal is a key factor in how fully we are able to serve the disability community. Please do not forget to renew your membership for 2002. We also appreciate all of the generosity of our volunteers and contributors. Without each of you we could not do our job and fully represent people with disabilities in America. We are pleased to be able to report on the successes of this year but we know there is still much to do. We hope you will help us continue to grow by getting involved in advocacy and activities and helping us recruit new members. A LETTER TO AAPD MEMBERS AND FRIENDS From Mariana Nork, Vice President for Development and Communications As you consider the many charitable solicitations you receive this time of year, we ask that you place a priority on AAPD. AAPD is your organization and it will only be as beneficial and influential as you and others deem it to be through financial contributions to support its programs of importance to people with all disabilities. AAPD has one of the best records in not-for-profit organizations in administrative /overhead vs program expenditures. Last year, more than 93 percent of AAPD's income went toward program services and less than seven percent went toward administrative costs. Annual membership dues pay for less than five percent of the cost of AAPD programs and expenses. The rest must come from grants and donations from foundations, businesses, and individuals. As with any organization, the first people you ask to give are those who are benefiting the most from the work that is being done by the organization. For AAPD, those individuals are our members and friends. Currently, AAPD does not have the financial resources to do a year-end solicitation mailing. We hope, however, that this letter will serve that purpose. Donations help to pay for operations enabling AAPD to extend member benefits like the newsletter and the prescription drug program, develop new additional member benefits, and continue the development of new programs that benefit the entire cross-disability community. This past year we have expanded our corporate contributions and we continue to work to establish a strong base of corporate supporters. We also apply for appropriate private and public grants. But that is not enough. In fact, most grantors want to know how much our members are contributing to our financial base. It is sometimes used as a criteria for giving. Your gift will not only be a gift of money to AAPD, it will also help us generate more dollars from other sources. Since its founding 6 short years ago, AAPD has made significant inroads into increasing the economic and political empowerment of people with disabilities and our allies. Through programs like Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), AAPD is making both employers and educators aware of the capabilities of people with disabilities and their strong desires for employment. We aim to double the number of participants in 2002. We need your help to make that happen. In this issue's President's letter, you will read that the Disability Vote Project is a top priority for AAPD. In the past few months, AAPD has filed lawsuits in Florida and the District of Columbia, and we will not desist until every single polling place in this country is fully accessible to all people with disabilities. Again, we need your help to make that happen. With the assistance of Monster.com, AAPD is currently working on a full re-design of its web site, to ensure that it is easy to navigate and downloads quickly, so the most recent developments are shared with you in an expeditious fashion. And, we need your help to make that happen. We are currently going through a process of strategic planning to determine our direction and priorities for the next three-to-five years as well as more long-term objectives. While we want to always be looking down the road toward the development of new programs, at this critical juncture we must also ensure that AAPD's current programs are working to full potential. Additional member participation, corporate partnering, and improved outreach and communications are the keys to the steady evolvement of AAPD. Please complete the attached survey so we can have a better sense of your priorities as we set our course for the years to come. AAPD is quickly moving toward becoming the national authority on issues that relate to people with disabilities. Our wish is to be an organization that has a groundswell of support and is recognized as "the" disability advocacy organization both nationally and internationally. With increased voluntarism, participation, and financial support from within its membership, AAPD will live up to this profile. So, as we conclude 2001 and you are thinking about your personal philanthropy, please remember AAPD. Any size of gift will be appreciated and will help AAPD continue to operate and grow in 2002. To make your giving easier, just use AAPD's toll-free number (888) 712-4672 and phone in your contribution by credit card. Thank you, and best wishes to you and your families for a wonderful holiday season! Here's My Gift! Name Address City, State Zip Contribution Amount: o $10 o $25 o $50 o $100 o $250 o Other: $ o I am enclosing a check or money order in this amount. - OR - o Please charge that contribution to my credit card: o MasterCard o Visa o AmericanExpress o Discover Card # Exp. Date Name As It Appears On Card Please return this completed form to: AAPD 1819 H Street NW, Suite 330 Washington, DC 20006 Thank you for your continued support of AAPD! FAQs FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q. I love AAPD News. It is comprehensive and informative about advocacy and legislative issues. These issues are important to us, but is it possible for AAPD to also bring us a bit of "community news" about persons with disabilities? I would like to hear about some of the unsung heroes who work tirelessly in the background to advance opportunities for the disability community. A. The problem is there are so many national topics we need to bring to the attention of our readers within the limited space of our newsletter. As space permits we will try to include some human-interest articles. See our Paul G. Hearne Leadership Awards story in this newsletter. These awardees are emerging leaders who are just beginning to be recognized, many of them at a local or regional level. Q. As a dedicated and committed member of AAPD, what can I do to help further the goals of our organization? A. The greater our numbers, the greater our impact on the lives of people with disabilities. You can help by recruiting family and friends to join AAPD. Additionally, pass the "word" about AAPD's efforts to gain political and economic empowerment for all Americans with a disability, make a year end donation, and/or volunteer your time to help us grow our mentoring and voting projects. Fact: Not surprisingly, AAPD's largest member contingent hails from California. But, as a percentage of the state population, Virginia is on top, with Maryland a close second. Not far behind are Pennsylvania, New York and Illinois. ALCOHOL, DRUGS, AND DISABILITY AAPD recognizes the problem of alcohol and drug abuse among people with disabilities. Last year it was estimated that 1 to 1.5 million Americans with disabilities needed alcohol and or drug treatment services. John de Miranda, Executive Director of the National Association on Alcohol, Drugs, and Disability, Inc. will address the issues of alcohol and drugs and disability in upcoming issues of AAPD News beginning with the first quarter of 2002. AAPD ANNOUNCES 2001 PAUL G. HEARNE/AAPD LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS Seven emerging leaders with disabilities will receive the 2001 Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award on February 27 at the AAPD Leadership Gala. The Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Awards were established in 1999 by the Milbank Foundation for Rehabilitation to honor their friend and fellow board member. Since then 22 people have been honored with this prestigious award. Hearne was the founder of the AAPD and served as the organization's leader until his death in 1998. Criteria for selection includes leadership achievements that show a positive impact on the community of people with disabilities or within the applicant's area of disability interest, barriers overcome or risks taken to achieve leadership goals, connections made between individuals with disabilities and others in the applicant's community, a positive vision for the disability community, and a continuing commitment to leadership activities. The seven award winners for 2001 are as follows: Alicia Contreras Program Director, Whirlwind Women San Francisco, CA Alicia has spent most of her 35 years in Mexico. After several internships and leadership training programs in the United States during her early 20's, Alicia, in 1996, founded CEVIMUDI an independent living center for women with disabilities in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. After CEVIMUDI, Alicia served as Program Coordinator for People with Disabilities of San Luis Potosi, a government position. Working in collaboration with other agencies and organizations, she was able to start the first accessible taxi cab service in the state, give more than 700 scholarships to people with disabilities, and provide more than 1,000 hearing aids and 300 wheelchairs. At Whirlwind Women, an international organization, Alicia has helped build a wheelchair workshop run by women. Daniel Davis Co-Founder The National Disabled Students Union Berkeley, CA Daniel is a college student and disabilities rights advocate who has dedicated his efforts to addressing serious barriers that particularly impact higher education and students with disabilities. While serving as Vice President of the Disabled Students Union of UC Berkeley, Daniel strived to make the old campus more physically accessible to students with disabilities. Through collaboration building and testifying before governmental bodies, he was able to secure the first real student services (for students with a disability) funding increase in nearly a decade. In 2001, Daniel co-founded The National Disabled Students Union. Ann M. Forts Motivational Speaker and Self-Advocate Center Harbor, NH At age six, Ann began to refer to herself as someone born with "Up" Syndrome and set the direction of her life forever. For the past ten years, Ann has traveled all over the country as a motivational speaker. According to Ann, her talks always revolve around what she believes to be the main barriers to people with disabilities. In all of her speeches, Ann makes the point that "those of us with disabilities have a full-time responsibility to try to help ourselves." In addition to her speaking engagements, Ann has established two separate funding programs to help people with Down Syndrome and provide scholarship money for people who plan to enter special education studies. N. Linn Hendershot Computer Lab and Patient Resource Western Maryland Hospital Center N. Linn Hendershot is the first 100 percent ventilator dependent elected official in Maryland. Prior to his health failing in 1997 due to post polio syndrome, Linn spent most of his life working as a sports public relations and marketing specialist for such well-known entities as the Atlanta Falcons, the United States Auto Club, and NASCAR. While hospitalized for his post polio syndrome, Linn became interested in the issues affecting people with disabilities. He particularly was interested in integrated, accessible housing, accessible recreational facilities, and accessible voting. In 1999, he was hired by the hospital where he was a patient to assist other patients in learning computer skills and how to advocate for themselves. Last year, Linn began working at the hospital to develop an assistive technology program for individuals with disabilities both in the hospital and throughout the western region of Maryland. Kristen E. Jones College Student Houston, Texas Kristen is currently a junior in college concentrating on special education and governmental studies. She was one of the first individuals with a disability to serve in the White House Intern program in the Office of Public Liaison, Disability Outreach. She also participated as an intern in the US Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. This past October Kristen coordinated Disability Mentoring Day for the city of Houston. She recruited the participation of area businesses (both public and private), city government, and area college counselors. These organizations and individuals were paired with college students with disabilities in a day that helped them gain insight into career opportunities. Frances Priester Consumer Specialist Elgin Mental Health Center Elgin, IL Frances has worked to dispel the myths about mental illness and advocate for decent, safe, and affordable housing for people with disabilities. While living in a shelter in Chicago she was responsible for getting more than 20 individuals permanent affordable housing by assisting them in obtaining Section 8 housing vouchers and certificates from the Chicago Housing Authority. In 1995 Frances became the program administrator of Deborah's Place Emergency Shelter, a program that served homeless single adult women --70% of whom had a mental illness. In 1998 she took a position with the State of Illinois as Consumer Specialist at Alton Mental Health Center. Frances organized and implemented a five county collaborative voter registration program. Today, she is Consumer Specialist at Elgin Mental Health Center's Forensic Treatment Program. Gerard (Jerry) B. White Executive Director/Co-Founder Landmine Survivors Network Washington DC While on a camping trip in Israel Jerry took one step and his world literally exploded. He was unknowingly in a minefield. He lost a leg but, in his own words, "I gained a voice." In 1995 he started, with another American landmine survivor, Landmine Survivors Network (LSN). LSN was created for the thousands of landmine survivors that live in the more than 80 mine polluted countries. LSN links survivors to rehabilitation, peer support, and social and economic reintegration. Today, LSN has survivor networks in Bosnia, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Mozambique, and next year will add Vietnam. Jerry and his partner worked hard to bring the Landmine Ban Treaty into force. LSN succeeded in inserting provisions for disability support in the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty - the first time in history the needs of victims were addressed within an arms control treaty. AAPD's mission is to advance the political and economic power of all people with disabilities. AAPD News is edited by Amelie Bush. To contact AAPD News, e-mail Ms. Bush at: edit2456@aol.com. 1819 H Street, NW Suite 330 Washington, DC 20006-3603 Return Service Requested To request an alternate format call 1-800-840-8844 For AAPD membership Inquiries: Telephone 1-888-712-4672 or 1-800-840-8844 Written P.O. Box 97045 Washington, DC 20091-7045 Visit out Website at: www.aapd-dc.org