AAPD Celebrates Disability Community Leaders
Disabilities Celebrated as Stepping Stones to Greatness
March 10, 2005

From the PRNewswire:
Thursday March 10, 2005

White House Chief of Staff Andy Card and Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta Speak to Issues Affecting 56 Million People with Disabilities at Washington, D.C. AAPD/Leadership Gala

WASHINGTON, DC -- Attendees traveled to Washington, D.C. from all across the United States to honor their leaders and recognize that a disability is often just a stepping stone to greatness. It was the 10th Anniversary Leadership Gala for the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), celebrating and recognizing the accomplishments of individuals who have overcome physical obstacles to inspire people everywhere. The Honorable Tony Coelho, principal author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), welcomed guests and hosted the evening.

Guest speakers included the Honorable Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, and White House Chief of Staff, Andrew H. Card, Jr. Both men spoke passionately of the achievements that have happened in the last 15 years since the ADA was signed into law. It remains the largest piece of sweeping legislative action ever taken in the United States. As a result of the ADA, Secretary Mineta said that 82% of the nation's rail structure and 90% of the nation's busses have been made ADA accessible. He noted that the administration is releasing this week a new guidelines manual for public comment covering air transportation for all people with disabilities. He also stated that his office is working at the federal, state and local levels to create transportation internships for returning disabled veterans from the Middle East conflicts.

Mr. Card noted that under the President's "New Freedom Initiative" the nation has been challenged to create jobs that are inclusive of all sectors of our society, including people with physical challenges. He spoke of the "doors of opportunity" being opened wide to all peoples regardless of their physical abilities. Card pointed out that 40 or more nations have copied the Americans with Disabilities Act as a basis for their own disability rights initiatives.

With over 100,000 members nationwide, the American Association of People with Disabilities is the largest cross-disability membership organization in the United States. It promotes public policies that advance the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. AAPD president and CEO Andy Imparato thanked the many corporate, government and private citizens who support the tenants of the ADA and the work of AAPD.

FIVE INDIVIDUALS HONORED FOR GREATNESS

The AAPD/Leadership Gala honored five individuals for their extraordinary achievements and accomplishments. The Henry B. Betts Award was presented to Paul Longmore, Ph.D., a disability rights activist, author, professor and polio survivor. Longmore has fought against injustices and public policies that thwarted employment for Americans with disabilities. In the 1980's he battled to reform Social Security policies that penalized disabled professionals for earning money through education, fellowships and grants. Since then he has worked tirelessly to establish and now direct the Institute on Disability Studies at San Francisco State University.

The Linda Chavez-Thompson Award was given to Richard Womack for his extraordinary leadership efforts to include people with disabilities and their families as part of the labor movement and the U.S. workforce. Presented by AAPD, the award recognizes Womack's job as assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO. He is also an elected member of the NAACP's National Board of Directors, where he chairs its Labor Committee and is vice chair of its Political Action Legislative Committee.

The three final honorees received the Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award in recognition and support of their far- reaching accomplishments throughout the disability community. Recipients included Berhanu Joffe Deboch, a political refugee from Ethiopia who has used his own vision impairment and leadership skills to start volunteer work at a refugee center in Portland, OR.

Alan D. Muir ended a 16-year commercial banking career to devote his life to helping college students with disabilities. He co-founded Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities in Tennessee. He also serves on the Tennessee Council of Developmental Disabilities. Alan works fulltime to create close collaboration between career services, disability services and employers nationally.

A two-sport varsity athlete and a Washington, D.C. lawyer, Elise C. Roy is an emerging leader among the young Deaf lawyers in America. In 2004, she assembled and led a panel at the United Nations to brief delegates on the importance of including a sports and recreation provision in a proposed international treaty on the rights of people with disabilities.

For further information about the American Association of People with Disabilities, write the AAPD at 1629 K Street NW, suite 503, Washington, D.C., 20006. For AAPD membership inquiries, call toll-free 1-800-840-8844 (V/TTY).

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