Protection for the Disabled Population

Linda Ann Weston, accused of being the ringleader.

The recent news about Linda Ann Weston, a woman who kidnapped a few people with disabilities (among others), in order to get possession of their Social Security checks, has sickened me, and honestly, I needed some time to process it before I could write a blog post about it. You can view the news report here.

Chron.com's version of the story is a little odd, too, another reason I am very saddened by this story. The writer tells us that this story only further proves that we should be more aware of possible human trafficking cases and report it if we suspect anything. When she talks about how it is still unclear if the police followed-up on a missing person's case involving Weston's old address and the neighbor's report to authorities about the adults screaming at the disabled people and children getting left to the wayside, though, we barely get any details. In addition, there's no indication that Social Security ever verified that the checks were being sent to the proper people. I understand that the government cannot keep track of everyone, but that's why we have individual agencies within each state. And not only that, they are generally housed in the major cities, like Philadelphia, which was the scene of this crime.

But the thing that probably bothers me most is that this woman--Linda Ann Weston--was charged with murder back in the 1980s for starving her sister's boyfriend by leaving him in a closet for WEEKS! I don't understand why this woman was ever allowed out of jail after committing such a crime. I can only hope that she is forced to pay for the hurt she caused all of these innocent people.

In my opinion, this story should help us realize that not every person with a disability is cared for, and for this reason, we should be more aware of how they are treated by their loved ones when we see them out at the grocery store, walking in the mall, or out to dinner. Many witnesses in this story said they saw Weston ordering the people with disabilities around at a yard sale. Some also reported seeing bruises on their bodies. All of which should have been dealt with by the authorities immediately after witnesses reported the incidents. So I'm calling for action....authorities, please, we need you to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Do your best to help us!

Everyday new reports are allegedly made, making this story an absolute horror. Keep an eye out for your neighbors, folks.

What do you think of this story? Leave me your comments below.

October: A Month of Awareness

Every year, October makes for a very special and unique time for me, and not just because I love the weather and the color of the changing leaves.

October is both National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Spina Bifida Awareness Month. Being born with Spina Bifida, it is almost a given that I am passionate about increasing awareness of the common birth defect. But now entering the "real world" post-college, I am beginning to really appreciate the push for awareness regarding people with disabilities in the employment realm. Add to that the harsh economic climate we are currently facing, and you've got quite a point of view.

Considering the amount of people out of work, there isn't one subgroup or diverse category that I feel most sympathetic for when it comes to living through this challenging time period. I will say, however, that it is hard for all minorities to enter the workforce, and most can't make it past the interview stage due to judgmental attitudes. Certainly not all employers have this mindset, but it doesn't mean that it makes the employment process any less daunting for people--diversely speaking or not.

So in light of these two causes for action and awareness, I'd like to comment regarding what I think is important to note about them. There are many people out there with a variety of opinions and feelings about what October means to them, and this is just my opinion. I'll start with Spina Bifida Awareness Month.

There is plenty of literature available for expecting parents that warns them to take their vitamins and seek prenatal care. If you didn't already know, the leading cause of Spina Bifida is a vitamin B12 deficiency, so it is important that you acquire enough of this and all the other recommended vitamins when pregnant. My focus, though, is never about that. Sometimes parents can do everything in their power to keep a healthy body during pregnancy, but still complications arise. Therefore, I don't believe we'll ever have a perfect society. (But what is the definition of perfect anyway?) So my focus remains on the people who are living with SB. With respect to Spina Bifida Awareness Month, I think the best we can do is continue spreading the knowledge about what it is and how others can/should or should not help those with Spina Bifida, or really any person with a disability. Also, I would encourage parents to raise their children with SB to be as independent as possible. Although this is often difficult for parents, it really is necessary. If your child--whether he has SB or not--is not raised this way, he will always require or expect more help than is probably needed. Luckily for many with SB, living a healthy, productive, active lifestyle is in reach, so why would you stunt a child's potential? Therefore, my way of increasing SB awareness this year is through encouraging parents of children with SB to be patient, kind, loving, and committed to their child's potential. Show them that you have confidence in them, and you may be surprised at the amount of confidence they obtain in themselves, allowing them to live a much better life.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is, as I mentioned, close to my heart because I have experienced the employment process since graduating in May, and it was not easy. Not only was it hard to find a job and tackle the interesting looks I received from potential employers, I also had to research transportation solutions for myself since I do not drive, due to the exertion and strain it puts on my right leg, which is the only leg I use for walking since I have little use of my left leg and foot. Researching these transportation opportunities was few and far between, but I did discover several disability-related agencies and nonprofit organizations that are dedicated to helping people with disabilities in a variety of ways, including me and my transportation problem. Thankfully, I can say that I have since acquired a job and a personal driver. I simply put an ad in the paper once I got the job, asking for someone to pick me up from work and bring me home (my dad takes me in the mornings). After a TON of phone interviews (about 40 over a 3-day period), I scheduled a select number of in-person interviews, which I conducted in my home with my parents, and chose the greatest match: a wonderful woman who has a lot in common with me. But not all people with disabilities have as much success with finding jobs and solving issues that come with having one. For this reason, I am going to post the disability resources that I found during my search on the DA4U Facebook page throughout the month of October. You can "like" the DA4U page by clicking here: www.facebook.com/disabilityawareness4u.

Now that you know how I intend to raise awareness for disabilities and employment, as well as Spina Bifida, I want to know how YOU plan to raise awareness. Leave me your comments below.

Never Forget 9/11

September 11, 2001, was one of the worst days in American history. Many people died that day, and on the tenth anniversary of this tragedy, we must remember all who lost their lives, those who surrendered their lives in order to save others, and those on Flight 93, who saved an additional plane from crashing into its original destination, most likely the White House or Capitol Building.

Several people with disabilities that worked in the Twin Towers died because no one could carry them down the stairs due to their equipment, such as wheelchairs. I'd like for us all to take a moment to remember those people, who must have been extremely brave and scared, all at the same time. In addition, we must consider the large quantity of people who became disabled as a result of the 9/11 attacks. Many have been severely injured from breathing the dust and debris caused by the collapse of both towers, and others survived numerous third-degree burns that still require regular medical attention. There are several foundations that support these victims and survivors and I will list them at the end of this blog post. Please consider donating to these causes because there are plenty of stories about people losing their houses and other parts of their lives simply because they cannot work anymore due to their complications from 9/11.

Finally, I hope that with the remembrance of September 11 comes enlightenment about how we can change to make our country safer for its people. We have already dramatically improved safety at the airports and on airplanes, but that doesn't mean that we are done. We also must consider, as Mayor Giuliani pointed out on the September 9th episode of The View, improving our radio waves so that fire and safety personnel can easily access each other in times of emergency. From the point of DA4U, though, I think something that needs more attention--as proved by the devastation of 9/11--is the safety of people with disabilities when working on a floor other than the first or ground level of a building. First, people with disabilities need to outline their needs in an emergency situation with their employees upon their hiring. Answering questions like whether or not you can be lifted out of your wheelchair can definitely help someone help you if tragedy strikes. Also, you could teach someone how to escort you the proper way if you are blind or have low vision. You would definitely be smart to inform more than one coworker, too, so that if an emergency arises and that person called out sick or is on vacation, you have a back-up plan. In order to get these kinks worked out ahead of time, I would suggest asking your employer to allow you an hour or so to discuss your needs with all employees of your company. Not only will this reassure you some peace of mind when it comes to your safety in emergency situations, it will also raise awareness about your disability as well as make your fellow coworkers feel more comfortable around you.

If anything, 9/11 taught the United States that we must always prepare for accidents and emergencies. It also gave us the ability to discover humanity at its very best. On September 11, everyone came together and tried to help one another. We must never forget.

Ground Zero Memorial. Photo Credit: www.google.com

Today, Ground Zero displays a beautiful memorial for all of those heroes, with each of the nearly 3,000 names of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, inscribed in bronze.

If you would like to make a donation to a foundation that benefits the victims and survivors of 9/11, please click on any of the following links:

http://www.americas911foundation.org/

http://www.fealgoodfoundation.com/

http://www.911memorial.org/

http://www.911helpamerica.com/


I wish you all nothing but safety, and hope that on the tenth anniversary of September 11, you will tell everyone you know just how much they mean to you, because life is very precious.

Disability Discrimination and Employment

Although I believe we are making huge strides to gaining equal opportunities for diverse populations when it comes to employment, I know we are no where near the overall goal.

I recently graduated college and have now found myself on the quest for an occupation. After 5 months, I've gone on 6 interviews and have found that some of the employers were uncomfortable by my disability. Now I know they knew I was disabled because if they took a glance at my resume, they saw how involved I was with disability awareness, disability-related speeches, and disability-related clubs while in college. But if they took an even closer look at my resume, they will see that I wrote "talked to an audience of educators about my disability," etc. I am fully comfortable addressing it on my resume because it will get the question out of their heads before I walk in the door. However, they still don't know exactly what kind of disability I have. Here lies the problem. Once I get to the interview stage and actually meet with the employer(s), sometimes it can be awkward. I'm used to people staring and sometimes even gawking at me because they've never seen someone so different, but in the workplace, you can't do that. So often I'll walk in and they'll glance at my crutches. Right then I know I'm going to have to work a little harder to prove that I would be a valuable employee. More than skills and qualifications, employers are looking for someone that will fit in with their culture and workplace environment, and if I make them uncomfortable, it's not going to leave a good taste in their mouths, so to speak.

So how does one overcome this huge obstacle, when there is nothing he/she can do to hide his/her disability? Well, for starters, I've come to realize that it is important to remember that if an employer or company doesn't want to hire me because I am different, I shouldn't want to work for them. This is something I discussed with my mentors while an undergraduate student. But we can't just accept that logic, because it'll never change those companies and employers. So I've been wondering how we can adjust their mind frames to make it a little easier for people with disabilities trying to enter the workforce. One thing that immediately comes to mind is being persistent. Call the company, send them thank yous after an interview, and do all the things that career counselors would advise you to do. Don't accept that they might not have liked you and give up. Another tip: don't get discouraged. Keep applying to jobs and sending out resumes. This is something I struggled with and still do from time to time. It is very easy to get upset when you can't find a job, especially if you have suspicions that the reason could be your uniqueness. As I've discovered in every aspect of life, though, it is always better to be an optimist than a pessimist. Optimism will help the doors of opportunity open sooner. I'll write more on this later, since I'm still experiencing the occupational process. Thanks for any comments.

Rainy Days

Today it torrentially down poured in parts of Pennsylvania. Earlier in the week I had planned to go into the Dean’s Office and finish up my work on The Collage, but when I looked out my window and saw students with umbrellas flipping inside-out, I decided that wasn’t going to be possible. Not only can I not carry an umbrella, I also have a hood that doesn’t stay on very well in windy conditions. I also had to walk from one building to another because the shuttle bus at KU doesn’t have a stop at the building where I work.

I was very upset because I was already dressed and ready for the day and really wanted to go to work to finish the newsletter. But, I had no choice. So, I reluctantly called the Dean’s Office to let them know that it was going to be hard for me to get there. Luckily, they seemed to understand my situation.

I was then stuck in my apartment. I was hoping that the rain would stop before my class at 3:00, because I was presenting all of my different websites on Disability Awareness 4 You, and thankfully it did!

Sometimes students with disabilities face challenges when bad weather conditions happen. The best thing a teacher and/or other students can do is understand that it may not always be as easy as it seems for these students. Also, students with disabilities should keep the lines of communication open with their professors and friends so that they will (hopefully) not be penalized for missing class/work/etc.