A Different Way To Think About Disability Accommodation

What blew me away when thinking of the social model of disability was to realize that everything is an accommodation. Everything. Your computer at work. Your chair. Your lunch hour and sick days. Work policies and union negotiations. Traffic lights, parking lots. Door height, step height, volume buttons, etc. The print in Newspapers, street signs, all of it--everything people create and design. Because my accommodations may look different than yours does not make mine special, lesser, unequal or taking it the other way, give me an advantage or special treatment. Disability is a natural part of the human condition, not a deficit. Societal attitudes about disability (or even its definition) are not even about medical conditions and impairments, they are simply about how wide a berth on any given bell curve of human characteristics we are willing to go to accommodate. Disability activists have shown time and again that the wider you go to be inclusive, the more benefits are enjoyed by all, no matter where they live on the curve.

The bell curve idea (which is not new, of course) came to me a long time ago when I heard about the reclassification of the term “mental retardation” as it was called back then. The criteria was changed by actually MOVING the line on the bell curve of a Stanford Binet IQ test. Instead of 85 (one standard deviation below the norm), it became 70 (two standard deviations). Or something like that. So, a bunch of people that previously met the criteria for services now did not and no longer received services. It also occurred to me that people hovering around there (what Special Ed people used to rudely call a “dull normal”), could probably use some level of support but got none, and probably got treated pretty badly.

Another example is Personal Care Attendant (PCA) services. in Oregon (and probably other states) people who need PCA services get a number that indicates how dependent on this type of care they are. The lower the number, the more care needed. At one point in Oregon, people could get PCA care if their number was up to 14. Slowly it has been lowered and now that number is 8. So, if you are an 8, you may actually be less “disabled” than a person who is a 9, because you are getting supports and they are not. Its interesting to see how disability is so dependent on socially constructed definitions and policies.

- Lisa Ferris, 2016

Working For a Better Life

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  Today, 70% of people with disabilities are not employed, even though polls show that most of them would prefer to work. Incredibly, this is about the same percentage of unemployed persons since the early 1980's when I began my work in the field of disabilities.

The Unitarian Universalist Association, along with many other religious organizations, signed a Statement of Solidarity Around the Employment of People with Disabilities.  It pledges us to promote the full employment of people with disabilities in our congregations and in the wider community. For more information on the Statement of Solidarity, click on http://www.aapd.com/what-we-do/interfaith/idac-statement-of-solidarity.html

What can congregations do to support this commitment to full employment?  Here are some ideas developed by the Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition, of which the UUA is a member:

• Develop a plan to offer support to people in the congregation who are out of work
• Communicate to members and visitors in the congregation the need to support an initiative to hire more people with disabilities
• Encourage employers who are members of the congregation and within the community to hire qualified people with disabilities
• Encourage local organizations that have job assistance programs to include a component that will assist persons with disabilities to find employment:

You can find specific suggestions on how to implement the above ideas at http://www.aapd.com/what-we-do/interfaith/idac-suggested-steps.pdf

Unemployment is an affront to one's dignity, self-worth and ability to achieve a satisfactory quality of life.  We have to do better.  Please share the attachments in this message with members of your congregation and work collaboratively to improve opportunities for people with disabilities to gain employment.

With respect,

Mark Bernstein

Congregational Life Staff, Central East Region of the UUA

UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Ingredients for Success

Highlights from the July 15, 2014 Huffington Post article entitled "7 Ways Congregations Can Embrace People with Disabilities".

In a major study conducted by the University of Kentucky and Vanderbilt University, only 43% of the parents of children with special needs surveyed described their religious community as supportive and more than a third changed their place of worship because their child had not been included or welcomed.

The seven ways include:

• Communication - Provide a resouce person to listen to the needs of the person with a disability and their family to learn how they can work together toward full inclusion.
• Accessiblity - To the extent possible, meet the physical needs of the individual.
• Support - Provide an aide or peer assistant to participate in religious education, small group ministry, etc.
• Leadership - Faith communities where leaders are committed to including people with disabilities were more welcoming, offered greater opportunities for people to share their gifts and were more physically accessible.
• Participation - Invite people with disabilities to sit on boards and committees and to take more visible roles in congregational life.
• Education - Congregations that educate their members on disability issues are more welcoming and better able to integrate people with special needs into the life of the community.
• Love - Parents of children with special needs who experienced love and acceptance reported their congregations were sources of great strength and support.

With respect,

Mark Bernstein

Congregational Life Consultant, Central East Regional Group

UUA Liaison to Equual Access

When Suicide Hits Close to Home by Rev. Barbara Meyers

By SAMHSA/White Buffalo Calf Women of the Lakota People [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The suicide of Rev. Jennifer Slade, the minister of the Unitarian Church of Norfolk, we are reminded of the seriousness of depression, and of how prevalent it can be even among the most respected members of society. Sometimes, just hearing of a suicide can be very unsettling and disturbing to people who are living with depression.

Here are some resources for people who might need to have extra support at this time:

The American Association of Suicidology is dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. Links to suicide support groups nation-wide.

What to do if someone seems suicidal:

· Lane County Suicide Prevention Program

· Quinnett, Paul. Question Persuade Refer - Ask a Question Save a Life, a booklet used for training for Certified QPR Gatekeeper Instructors by the QPR Institute, 1995.

· Ellis, Thomas and Newman, Cory. Choosing to Live - How to Defeat Suicide through Cognitive Therapy, Oakland, California: New Harbinger Publications, 1996.

· Grollman, Earl A. Suicide: Prevention, Intervention, Postvention, Second Edition, Boston: Beacon Press, 1988.

· Heckler, Richard A. Waking Up Alive - The Descent, The Suicide Attempt and the Return to Life, New York: G.P. Putnams Sons, 1994.

· Jamison, Kay Redfield. Night Falls Fast - Understanding Suicide, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1999.

After a suicide:

· Bolton, Iris with Curtis Mitchell, My Son ... My Son ... - A Guide to Healing After Death, Loss, or Suicide, Roswell, GA: Bolton Press Atlanta, 1983.

· Fine, Carla, No Time to Say Goodbye - Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One, New York: Broadway Books, 1997.

· Mennonite Media. Fierce Goodbye - Living in the Shadow of Suicide, Harrisburg, VA: Mennonite Media Productions.

Depression and Bipolar Disorder:

· Top 100 websites for information on depression and bipolar disorder:

· Adularia, Alysse. I Wish You'd Tell Me - A tool box of answers to the question, "What can I say that will help?" when the one you love is bipolar, Lulu, 2010.

· Fieve, Ronald. Moodswing, New York: Bantam Books, 1989.

· Jamison, Kay Redfield. Touched with Fire Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament, New York: Free Press Paperbacks, 1994.

· Schaefer, Elizabeth M. Writing through the Darkness - easing your depression with paper and pen, Celestial Arts, 2008.

· Solomon, Andrew. The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression, New York: Simon & Schuster, 2001.

The Ins and Outs of Mainstream Life

Two contrasting stories caught my attention this week.  One exemplifies the continuing efforts to include people with disabilities in mainstream life through various media forms.  The other dramatizes the fact that, in reality, people with disabilities are often excluded, or forgotten, from mainstream life.

The good news is that Archie has a new girl friend...and she has a disability.  After more than 70 years, the venerable Archie comic strip has finally added a person with a disability to the gang from Riverside.  Her name is Harper, cousin of Veronica (my favorite was always Betty.  Stop me when I've exceeded the nerd quotient) and she uses a wheelchair.  She is described as having a spunky personality and, according to the Archie Comics people, does not let her disability define her.  Good for you, Arch!

When we move away, however, from the colorful pages of a comic book to the black and white pages of real life, we see news that is not as positive.  According to the National Council on Disability, as reported in a recent article in Disability Scoop, serious barriers continue to jeopardize the well-being of people with disabilities in the wake of disasters and other emergency situations.  Many 911 systems are still unavailable by text.  Shelters and televised emergency announcements often lack sign-language interpreters for those who are deaf.  Broadcast alerts feature language that is unclear for individuals with intellectual disabilities.  Evacuation maps and websites with emergency information are inaccessible to people with sight impairments.  Said Jeff Rosen, chair of the National Council on Disability, "The concerns of people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs in emergency situations are frequently overlooked, minimized or not even recognized until after the fact."  The agency is recommending that several federal agencies work together to establish guidelines for communicating with people with disabilities in emergency situations.  They are also suggesting more oversight, training and collaboration with the disability community.

Maybe Harper, Archie and the gang can help with that.

Mark Bernstein
Growth Consultant, Central East Regional Group and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, (CRPD) by Arthur Tackman

Advocacy is one of our most important functions. It gives us a chance to share our views and concerns with our family, friends and colleagues as well as our political representatives. If we ban together with others who share our positions, we can add to the strength of our positions.

Right now we face a challenge getting our country to ratify the UN Convention on People with Disabilities. This treaty provides moral support and leadership on securing disability rights throughout the world.

Most UN member states have already ratified this treaty. The United States has not yet ratified this treaty. Treaty ratification was brought before the U.S. Senate on December 4, 2012 and fell 5 votes short of the two thirds needed for ratification. The New York Times editorial board published an excellent editorial on November 24, 2013, in support of ratification making it easier to work, study or travel abroad.

The U.S. International Council on Disabilities reported:

Opponents of the Disability Treaty have claimed that the Senate should not take up ratification until the Supreme Court had announced adecision in the Bond case. “The Supreme Court has spoken. Bond is no impediment to ratification of the Disability Treaty, and the Chief Justice has given the Senate a clear blueprint on how to ratify a treaty while preserving existingstates’ rights,” said Marca Bristo, President of the U.S. International Councilon Disabilities. “It's now time to restore American leadership on disability rights by moving forward immediately with ratification of the Disability Treaty. One billion people worldwide with disabilities have waited long enough.”

It is now time to bring the UN Convention to the Senate floor for another vote on ratification, but we need all of us to take action. Make contact with staff in your Senatorial offices to let them know that this is an important issue. Follow this link to join The Leadership Conference in sharing a message together at the same time - automatically.

Call for Senate Action on Treaty Following Supreme CourtRuling in Bond Case.

Moving at a glacier pace by Warren Brown

Photo by Luca Galuzzi - www.galuzzi.it

I agree that overall awareness and empathy for those with differing abilities has increased somewhat over the last 50 years. Steps such as closed captioning at movie theatres, better access for those with physical disabilities, audio versions of UU World are all wonderful. And while I think its important to acknowledge such gains, I worry about being too self-congratulatory. As a society - and more importantly as UU communities - we ARE moving at a glacier pace. That is cause for concern. I truly believe that the progress we have seen so far only represents the very lowest of the low hanging fruit. What we have done is to address the most visible and least threatening problems. Its natural to see people in wheelchairs or with walkers and want to help - and we rightly should support and applaud those efforts. However, if we were to dig just a little deeper we would see how unaware we remain of the huge number of those who have to struggle in other ways to engage in our communities. We don't see hearing loss. We often turn away from those with mental or emotional challenges. The fact is that there are many who would like to join us who could if we were more conscious of their obstacles and sincere in our desire to learn how to help.

As an advocate for those with hearing loss, I have become most aware of the issues they face. How many times have you been in a large gathering of UU's when someone stands up to speak and refuses the microphone? "I'll speak up," they say not considering those who can only hear with the help of the sound system. How many UU churches have acoustics so bad that it's hard to understand even for those with mild hearing loss? Often people avoid those places. How many are under the misconception that FM headset systems in our sanctuaries are the solution for those who have trouble hearing services? Headset systems don't address the some of the most basic requirements to help people hear. So many of us never realize that there are countless members of our congregations who struggle to hear everyday.

UU's should be on the forefront of inclusion not only for those with hearing loss but for all who face disabilities of any kind. It's not that we don't care. It's just that we don't know. That needs to change. We need to step up our efforts and bring awareness to these problems. We must strive to pay closer attention to those around us. We should never assume that because its easy for us to participate, that others share the same experience. All of us can raise our level of empathy for our neighbors. To that end, I'd like to promote a workshop "Reaching Out To Those With Hearing Loss" that EqUUal Access, Carol Agate and I will be presenting at General Assembly. I hope many of you will join us Thursday, June 26 between 4 and 5:15 pm in the Rotunda. Let us all take BIGGER steps to include those of all abilities into our UU family.

Step By Step

It may move at glacier speed, but more and more the needs of people with disabilities are being addressed in our society in ways both large and small.  The latest to catch my eye involves
the simple but universal act of enjoying a night at the movie theater.  In the Philadelphia area, and, I imagine, in many areas around the country, movie theaters are now offering small devices that discreetly display captions to the individual moviegoer.  Some theaters offer eyeglasses that display captions across the bottom of the inside surface of the lens so that only the wearer can see them.  Others provide little screens mounted on the end of flexible arms that are positioned in the moviegoer's cupholder.  While there are still occasional glitches in the accuracy of the transcriptions, this is a wonderful step forward in helping people with hearing impairments (like me) follow the dialogue and more fully enjoy the movie.

Theaters are also installing devices that aid those with visual impairments as well.  In many theaters, moviegoers can wear an audio headset that includes both the regular movie dialogue as well as the voice of a narrator who describes the action on the screen, for example, whether they are driving a car, eating a meal, or even smiling or frowning.

At the Unitarian Universalist Association, we are constantly looking for ways to use existing technology to aid Unitarian Universalists with hearing and vision problems.  For two years now, we have offered audio versions of UU World.  We are exploring ways of better utilizing closed captions on various YouTube and other videos.  We are also investigating ways of making printed materials available to people with "print disabilities" via audio books, screen reader software and braille.  Resources are available to congregations who want to enhance the sound capacity in their buildings via headsets or loop system.

Whether its watching a movie, attending a worship service or enjoying a good book, everyone deserves the right to full access.  We in the UUA, as in the general society, are getting there.  Bear with us and thanks for your patience.

Mark Bernstein
Growth Consultant, Central East Regional Group and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Radical Love and Inclusion

Reprinted form 30 Days of Love.

Sometimes I forget that I’m different. Sometimes I’m part of the group, participating and being myself and being accepted for who I am. And then, out of the blue, I’m put back behind the barrier, reminded that my lived experience is, definitely, different. The funny thing about those painful moments is, usually, I’m the only one in the room who even knows it happened. Usually no one intended to exclude me, and they have no idea that they did. But they have made it clear that they are sure their lived experience is better than mine.

“I could never do what you do,” one says. Uh huh, I think, wondering what they mean by that. Please, let them say something about my talent for synthesizing a discussion, or that I’m a good listener. Nope. “I would have given up.” Really? And done what with the rest of your life? Hide under the bed? I don’t believe you.

There are a million versions of it, some gentler than others, more likely to be said in my presence. “You’re so courageous.” “You could have done so much. What a waste.” “I’d rather be dead than disabled.” The message remains the same – my lived experience is too different.

I understand about the fear. We are taught to value radical independence and self-reliance. But autonomy can be over-rated. In this world full of barriers, I ask for accommodations. Even for help. Rather than diminish me, it teaches me, again, that we are inter-dependent – all contributing in different ways.

I have multiple disabilities. I use a mobility scooter. I encounter the world differently. There are a lot of things I would never have experienced running up the stairs three at a time. Perspectives I only get down here at waist-level. Conversations I would never have had, if I had not been on a “slightly different path.”

Too often, when someone inadvertently “others” me, I don’t say anything. I decide against the “teaching moment.” There are too many of them. Yet, I know I feel included when I can point out a disempowering attitude or remark as ableist, and know that my intent will not be questioned and I can take up the teachable moments.

And I know I feel included when someone takes the trouble to draw my attention to ways I am excluding someone. When they bother to take up a teachable moment with me. The communities we live in are filled with so many differences that we will, almost certainly, “other” someone from time to time without meaning to do it, and without being aware of doing it. I do it. And, if that person I just “othered” decides to make it a “teaching moment,” I hope to have the grace to listen and to experience the discomfort that comes with realizing that I messed up, again. For me, it’s part of the journey.

In faith,

Suzanne Fast

Looking Backward, Looking Forward

As we begin a new year together, it is a time to be reflective. Many of us take time to consider the year just finished, and also consider the year that now begins. There are so many ways in which to reflect at this time of year.

Our EqUUal Access community is a special and dear group of people within the larger Unitarian Universalist community. Many of us deal with challenges that are daunting on a regular basis.

I would like to share some possible questions for reflection as we begin 2014:

• What were your deepest joys during 2013?  
• In what ways did you make a difference in someone else’s life in 2013?
• How did you change in a positive way during 2013?
• How did another person or group offer you help or kindness during 2013?
• What was one important thing that you learned during 2013?
• In what way do you hope to make a difference in someone’s life or in the world in 2014?
• How would you like to change in a positive way during 2014?
• To whom would you like to offer your help or kindness during 2014?

May we work together in peace, love, and hope. I wish each of you the very best—a warm thought, a compassionate moment, a blessing—in 2014.

With peace and hope,

Rev. Marcia Marino, D.Min.

Chair of Right Relations, EqUUal Access

The Passing of a Hero

The passing of Nelson Mandela this week reverberated throughout the world.  Rarely has a human being received such universal acclaim and appreciation for his presence on earth.  Mandela represented the highest ideals of compassion, forgiveness, truth, honesty and love.  

So it is not surprising that he also spoke eloquently of the needs and rights of people with disabilities in our society.  Here is what he said,

"It is not a question of patronizing philanthropy towards disabled people. They do not need the patronage of the non-disabled. It is not for them to adapt to the dominant and dominating world of the so-called non-disabled. It is for us to adapt our understanding of a common humanity; to learn of the richness of how human life is diverse; to recognize the presence of disability in our human midst as an enrichment of our diversity." 

We mourn the passing of this great man.  The world is poorer today because he is not in it.

Mark Bernstein

Growth Consultant, Central East Regional Group and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Celebrating the Truth

The Today Show ran a short piece recently on Jimmy Jenson, a 48 year old man with Down syndrome.  He ran the New York City Marathon on Sunday and became the first person with Down syndrome to complete this landmark race.  You can see the video by following this link:

http://www.today.com/health/first-runner-down-syndrome-finishes-nyc-marathon-8C11518983

This is no doubt a great achievement, but I wonder....Do we lift up these kinds of stories because we don't expect people with disabilities to succeed in ways like this? Are we celebrating Jimmy's greatness or our own willingness to admit that people are people and that “disability” is an imaginary barrier?

It seems that whenever a person with a disability accomplishes something or otherwise makes a difference in the world, we consider them to be extraordinary.   Not just because what they did was extraordinary but because they did it WITH A DISABILITY.  I came across a website recently that touted the “Top 10 Extraordinary People with Disabilities.”  They included people like Van Gogh, Beethoven, Christy Brown, John Nash, Stephen Hawking, and Helen Keller.  It wasn’t enough that these people created breathtaking music or inspiring artwork or intellectual breakthroughs in science and mathematics.  It’s that they did it WITH A DISABILITY, as if the achievement would be less significant if they hadn’t had a disability.

So maybe, it is important that we lift up stories like the one involving Jimmy Jenson…because no one had ever heard of Jimmy Jenson before.  It’s people like Jimmy who live in anonymity while they fight for their rights; struggle to be accepted in their communities; and persevere in the face of prejudice and doubt.  That is what makes them extraordinary, not the accomplishments they achieve.

Lucy Daniel is the Policy Officer at CBM Australia, an international development agency that works with people with disabilities in the world's poorest countries.  She once wrote, “I no longer focus solely on the problems faced by people with disabilities over the people themselves, because I can now see these problems in the context of everything that people with disabilities have and can achieve…I see a chance to celebrate the truth that each and every person living with disability has the potential to contribute hugely to their family and community.”

So, way to go, Jimmy…and keep on running.

With respect,

Mark Bernstein

Consultant, Central East Regional Group and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship

The Disability/Ability Action Program is under way and so Unitarian Universalism begins a new chapter in its commitment to inclusion of people who historically have been on the margins of society.  A collaboration of Equual Access and the UUA, this groundbreaking program challenges congregations to welcome, embrace, support and integrate people with disabilities and their families into congregational life. 

Congregations seeking certification will conduct an assessment of accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities, create an action plan of worship, workshops and projects, have that plan approved by the Disability/Ability Certification Committee and then implement the plan. When the plan has been fully implemented, the congregation can vote to be recognized as a congregation with a Disability/Ability Action Program certificate.  The program is designed to meet the needs of the entire congregation and includes workshops and activities for children and youth as well as adults.

Ten congregations are currently participating in the two year pilot project:

First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor, MI
First Parish in Bedford, MA
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Buffalo, NY
First Parish Cambridge, MA
First Parish Kingston, MA
The Unitarian Universalist Church of Las Cruses, NM
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry, IL
The Congregational Society, Unitarian Universalist Peterborough, NH 
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh, NC
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Rochester, MN

The plan is for the project to be offered to congregations around the country in 2015 to coincide with the 25^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Beautiful friendship, indeed.

For more information about the Disability/Ability Action Program, contact me at mbernstein@uua.org or Reverend Barbara Meyers at bfkmeyers@prodigy.net.

With respect,

Mark Bernstein

Consultant, Central East Regional Group and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

The (Star)Bucks Stops Here

In early March of this year, a group of deaf people were holding their monthly meeting at a Starbucks in lower Manhattan.  Part of a national effort called Deaf Chat Coffee, they were gathered together to socialize over coffee and pastries purchased at the coffee outlet.  Suddenly, their meeting was interrupted by police officers who had been summoned to the store by Starbucks workers.  The workers claimed that the group was creating a disturbance, conducting a meeting without a permit, and were not purchasing items from the store.  None of these allegations were true and the police officers apologized to the group, finding no illegal conduct.  In addition to harassing the group by calling the police, one Starbucks employee allegedly laughed hysterically at the speech of one member of the group and other deaf customers claimed that they were refused service.  In one case, a Starbucks employee who knew some sign language tried to assist the deaf customers and was reprimanded by another employee.

When a complaint was filed with Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and other upper management staff, an executive apologized and tried to assuage the group by offering them a preloaded Starbucks gift card.    That wasn’t enough for these customers and they promptly filed a lawsuit, now pending in Federal Court.  (To their credit, Starbucks subsequently published a post on their website decrying discrimination in any form and outlining the ways in which they intentionally support Deaf partners and customers.)  http://www.starbucks.com/blog/starbucks-on-inclusion-of-deaf-community/1262

For those Unitarian Universalists who don’t think that matters related to inclusion of people with disabilities is a social justice issue, think again.  If this action had been perpetrated against a group of LGBT persons or persons of color, the uproar would have been deafening (no pun intended).  But because it happens to a group of people whose rights are not nearly trumpeted as much as those of other marginalized groups, it gets a 10 second spot on the local news right before sports and weather.

There are a group of UU congregations who are planning a joint worship event in the fall.  The idea was raised to hire a sign language interpreter for attendees who are deaf.  I was told that there was resistance to the idea since some members of the planning committee felt that it wasn’t necessary.  Thanks to the persistence of one member of the committee, the idea was adopted and the interpreter was hired.

We have a long way to go in recognizing and acknowledging the rights of people with disabilities, both in the outside world and within our Unitarian Universalist communities.  Let’s start talking about it in our congregations.  I’ll be happy to discuss it with you anytime, perhaps over a cup of coffee?

  

With respect,

Mark Bernstein, CERG  Consultant and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Getting There

As it pertains to issues around disability and accessibility, General Assembly 2013 in Louisville went, from my perspective, pretty well.  The workshop on creating inclusive worship services with Suzanne Fast, Sarah Dan Jones and Amy Carol Webb was well conducted and very well attended.  The Equual Access booth was busy with many ribbons, business cards and literature being handed out, many questions being answered, and many new relationships being formed.  The convention center was, as far as I knew, physically accessible. And the language during group worship and plenary sessions was generally appropriate and respectful.

So, all in all, I think it went okay.  However, there were a few times during the week when people were not as sensitive as they should have been.  We still have a long way to go in raising the consciousness of people around hurtful words and phrases and the suggestion of concepts that demean an entire group of individuals.

The most grievous example of this came during the Sunday Morning Worship and the sermon delivered by the Rev. Dr. William Schulz, President and CEO of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee and former President of the Unitarian Universalist Association.  In his opening remarks, Rev. Schulz said, “I have been preaching to Unitarian Universalists now for more than forty-four years. One of the definitions of mental illness is doing the same thing over and over again without appreciable effect. Thank you, Peter, for giving me one more opportunity to prove my sanity.”  This was followed by uproarious laughter in the hall, including the dignitaries on the stage behind him.

First of all, Rev. Schulz, that is not one of the definitions of mental illness.  Secondly, it is not true that all people with mental illness do the same thing over and over again without appreciable effect.  Thirdly, I know many people who do not have a diagnosis of mental illness who do the same thing over and over again without appreciable effect.  Witness my New York Mets.

But the worst thing about these remarks was the effort to squeeze some laughs out of a blatantly stereotypical and negative profile of a particular class of persons.  Imagine what would have happened if, for example, Rev. Schulz had begun his sermon with, “One of the definitions of a lesbian is…”; or  “One of the definitions of an Hispanic is …”  At the least, it would have been met with stunned silence.  At most, it would have resulted in cries of protest and people leaving Plenary Hall.

Yeah, we still have a ways to go.  But I’m hopeful.  I truly believe that while words may sometimes divide us and preconceived ideas, judgments and assumptions may sometimes hurt us, if we pay attention to these things; if we give voice to it and speak out against it; if we strive to understand others with compassion and empathy, we will prevail.  And General Assembly will truly become the beloved community.

As the author Jose N. Harris said, “I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday.”

With respect,

 Mark Bernstein, CERG  Consultant and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act July 26

This year is the 23rd anniversary of theAmericans with Disabilities Act. The law was intended to guarantee equal opportunity for people with disabilities in public accommodations, commercial facilities, employment, transportation, state and local government services and telecommunications. The requirements specified in the standards are the minimum.

Religious organizations and other agencies are not required to meet these standards, however, Unitarian Universalist congregations that strive to live in keeping with the 7 Principals seek to improve the engagement of people with disabilities sometimes well exceeding from minimum federal or state requirements.

In celebrating the 23rd anniversary of the ADA, EqUUal Access offers some information for you to consider.

In 2010 U.S. Census, 56.7 million people living in the United States self identified as a person with a disability.

8 percent of children under 15 had disabilities.

21 percent of people 15 and older had disabilities.

17 percent of people 21 to 64 had disabilities.

50 percent of adults 65 and older had disabilities.

Of the people 15 years of age or older

7.6 million people reported having a hearing difficulty. Among people 65 and older, 4 million had difficulty hearing.

8.1 million people reported having vision difficulty.

30.6 million people had difficulty walking or climbing stairs.

3.6 million people used a wheelchair to assist with mobility. This compares with 11.6 million people who used a cane, crutches or walker.

2.4 million people had Alzheimer's disease, senility or dementia.

12.0 million people required the assistance of others in order to perform one or more activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, doing housework, and preparing meals.

33% of the civilian non-institutionalized population 18 to 64 with a disability were employed.

315,000 janitors and building cleaners are people with a disability ─ the most common occupation for people with disabilities. Among occupations with 100,000 or more people, dishwashers had the highest disability rate, with 14.3 percent.

$19,735 was the median earnings in the past 12 months for people with a disability. This compares with $30,285 for those without a disability.

23% of people with a disability were living in poverty. By comparison, those without a disability had a poverty rate of 15 percent.

Bourbon & Baseball Bats: Reflections from General Assembly in Louisville

I am unpacking my suitcase, home again after attending General Assembly for 2013. As I sift through the clothing that needs to be laundered I am also sorting through the memories of this year’s General Assembly. I saw very little of the city of Louisville and what I did experience was one of the least accessible cities I have ever visited. Restaurants met only minimal standards for elevator access, sidewalks were hazardous, traffic lights had no audible signals for people who are blind, and there was barely enough green space for a Seeing Eye Dog to find relief.

The best part of General Assembly for me was the time spent with other UUs. Nine of us worked at the EqUUal Access booth and I have included some reflections of theirs along with my own. I felt blessed to meet so many UUs who are committing to making their congregations more inclusive for people with disabilities. Most of the youth and young adults, President Peter Morales and several UUA Board members proudly wore our ribbons. We handed out EqUUal Access business cards with a QR code to the membership page. We demonstrated the operation and benefits of hearing loops.

We explained that EqUUal Access was more than ramps and hymnals. It's about inclusion and engagement of people in their UU faith communities. It's about changing attitudes and that does not require any capital investment.

We discussed concerns at the congregational level. The ones we heard most frequently were:

• providing a safe place for adults with mental disabilities,
• including children with disabilities in RE and worship,
• making it possible for people who are blind to fully participate in worship,
• improving accessibility of websites,
• using inclusive language,
• and publicizing accessible congregations.

We discussed ways to improve General Assembly including contacting the Center for Independent Living and the Mayor’s Office in advance so that people with disabilities can use local services.

We learned about a group of UU divinity school students who are PWDs starting their own EqUUal Access Caucus.

A more comprehensive report will be posted to the EqUUal Access website in the near future. Please contact us if you were at General Assembly or participated online to offer your perspectives.

The Better to Hear by Warren Brown

“I was able to hear everything. I didn’t have to see the speaker’s lips like I did in the past.” For years, Cheryl relied on lip reading to understand the Sunday morning service at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Akron. Despite the church’s public address system, Cheryl, who has severe hearing loss had trouble understanding the words even with the benefit of hearing aids. Then, everything changed. The church installed a new assistive system, a hearing loop that transmits the sound of the service right to Cheryl’s hearing aids. After the service, Cheryl was elated, “I could even understand the words the choir sang. I was never able to do that before!” What makes the sound she now hears so much clearer is that all the background noise is eliminated. The words from the pulpit microphone go directly into Cheryl’s ears.

The key to the system is a simple loop of wire that circles the room. That loop is connected to the sound system and produces a magnetic field which can be picked up by a T-coil (telecoil) within the hearing aid. By simply pressing a button that activates the T-coil the sound from the PA is reproduced into the wearer’s ear. Wireless headsets that work on the same system are available for those without t-coil hearing devices.

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, the number of Americans who suffer hearing loss is some 38 million and growing. As many as 30 to 40 percent of those over 65 have some impairment. That’s why more and more UU churches have been installing loop systems.

Recently, the American Academy of Audiology and the Hearing Loss Association of America have started the Get in the Hearing Loop campaign to help promote the installation and use of hearing loops in the United States. They advocate the widespread availability of loops, from airports to theaters, from banks to taxi cabs - just as they are in Europe. Loops can even be installed in people’s homes. A family room can be looped so that a hearing impaired person can hear the television or stereo without turning the volume way up, which even makes it more comfortable for non-hearing impaired family members.

Hearing Loops are not an expensive technology. For churches, depending on the size and construction of the building, one can be installed starting at less than $2000. Congregations can do simple installations themselves. However, it’s a good idea to seek the guidance of a certified supplier.

This year at General Assembly the EqUUal Access booth in the Exhibit Hall will feature a display on hearing loops from Brown Audio Service. For more information about hearing loops in general, visit Hearing Loop.org or contact EqUUal Access.