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

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

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

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

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.

What's In a Name?

It was Mark Twain who wrote that “…language is a treacherous thing, a most unsure vehicle…” For people with disabilities and their allies, the struggle over language is on-going. There are those who insist on “people first” language as the means to convey respect for the individual and the acknowledgement that one is not defined by his or her disability, but by their deeds and their character. On the other side are those who say that we spend too much time worrying about labels and images and instead should be focusing on effecting concrete societal changes for a group that has historically been marginalized and discriminated against. “It doesn’t matter what you call us (or them)”, they say. “What matters is how we (or they) are treated.”

Personally, I align with those who believe that language is important; that how we refer to people often suggests and defines how we treat people. And so we continue to search for labels and titles that command greater respect and reduce the stigma attached to people with disabilities. For example, 43 states so far have taken steps to remove the word “retarded” from their laws, conceding that the word “retarded” is outdated and has become offensive. In most cases, the word was replaced with the term “intellectual disability.”

It is in this context that I applaud the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees for voting to place on the 2014 General Assembly agenda, new by-laws language related to inclusion. In Article II: Principles and Purposes, the current language reads, “The Association declares and affirms its special responsibility and that of its member congregations and organizations to promote the full participation of persons in all of its and their activities and in the full range of human endeavor without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, language, citizenship status, economic status, or national origin and without requiring adherence to any particular interpretation of religion or to any particular religious belief or creed.”

The proposed language reads, “Systems of power, privilege, and oppression have traditionally created barriers for persons and groups with particular identities, abilities and histories. We pledge (to do all we can) to replace such barriers with ever-widening circles of solidarity and mutual respect. We strive to be an association of congregations that truly welcome all persons and commit to structuring congregational and associational life in ways that empower and enhance everyone’s participation.”

The latter paragraph is a call to action. It replaces the word “disability” with “abilities.” It puts into context the struggle to advance the rights of people who have historically been marginalized. It calls on all congregations to welcome everyone into circles of respect, empowerment and participation in congregational life.

We in Equual Access have the opportunity to lead the way in supporting the UUA in this commitment. The UUA-Equual Access partnership is strong and the next few years will see a growing and a cementing of that relationship. The only language that will matter as we move forward is “cooperation”, “collaboration”, and “courage.”

With respect,

Mark Bernstein
CERG Growth Consultant and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Buy Me Some Peanuts and Cracker Jack...

Ah, Spring. When a young man’s fancy turns to…BASEBALL (of course). Is there any better time to renew our love of things that are simple and timeless and perfect in their execution? Spring and summer afternoons spent in front of the TV or by the radio taking in the glorious sights and sounds of this magnificent game, or, better still, being out at the old ballpark to see your favorite team up close and personal.

Talk about your experience of the holy.

Of course, for people with disabilities, going to see a baseball game can be as arduous a task as the Mets bullpen holding onto a lead. So I decided to do some searching on the web to see what major league baseball is doing to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. Some of the newer ballparks are doing a more than credible job of accommodating people. Some of the older parks barely address the issue. But the one team that I found to have the most information about services to people with disabilities and the greatest emphasis on accommodating people with disabilities was (are you sitting down?) THOSE HATED NEW YORK YANKEES!!!!

That’s right, those Bronx Bombers of Bubble Bursting; those perennial pinstriped purveyors of (nearly) perfect seasons. Those…well, you get the idea! Say what you will about this franchise of evil, but you can’t say they’re inconsiderate of people with disabilities. Consider these amenities:

· Wheelchair accessible and designated aisle seats including premium seat locations

· Printed materials available in large print and braille

· Assistive listening devices available at no charge

· Two open caption video boards and on televisions located throughout the stadium

· 16 public elevators with operators stationed in each one

· Induction loops installed at approximately 50 locations

· Accessible restrooms located on all levels

· Electrical outlets available throughout the park for recharging wheelchairs, scooters and other medical equipment.

And there are lots more. Now that’s impressive. You couldn't ask much more from an organization, other than to have a losing season.

Why not check out your favorite team’s commitment to accessibility? It’s one way to find out if they’re a winner.

With respect,

Mark Bernstein
CERG Growth Consultant and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Dawning Future

The Unitarian Universalist Association is moving its headquarters, opening up virtual and physical space for communication, inclusion and engagement. The new headquarters offers opportunities for people, staff and volunteer lay leaders, with disabilities that were not possible before.

Rob Molla, UUA Director of Human Resources contacted the UUA staff liaison for EqUUal Access Mark Bernstein a few weeks ago. Mark met with Rob and had a preliminary conversation to discuss general issues related to accessibility as outlined by the EqUUal Access Board of Directors. Following this meeting, Rob said he would be back in touch with an invitation to representatives of EqUUal Access to tour the building and make recommendations.

On Tuesday, March 12, Suzanne Fast, Vice President of EqUUal Access, Carol Agate, EqUUal Access Treasurer, and Barbara Ceconi toured the new building. They identified a list of needed accommodations, which Rob documented, distributing copies to Peter Morales, Harlan Limpert, Kay Montgomery, Tim Brennen, and Mark Bernstein. Near the end of the tour, Rob indicated that there would be ongoing consultation with EA. The building has been gutted by the current owner, and the UUA is working with an architect.

UU Congregations Needed to Field Test Certification Program

Rev. Barbara F. Meyers, Chair of Certification Program team

EqUUal Access is pleased to announce the creation of a certification program for Unitarian Universalist Congregations, with the working title of Disability / Ability Action Program. The program was developed in partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Association.

In 2011 EqUUal Access published Accessibility Guidelines for Unitarian Universalist Congregations. The Disability / Ability Action Program assists congregations in developing and implementing a plan for accessibility.

The certification program was developed as a joint program of the UUA and EqUUal Access to provide UU Congregations the opportunity to certify that they welcome, embrace, support, and integrate people with disabilities and their families into our congregations. Its sacred covenant with congregations is that they fully recognize the humanity and gifts of all people.

The program will have a two-year field test scheduled to begin in June 2013. EqUUal Access is actively seeking congregations that will take part in this field test. We will select congregations in different categories: small, large, old building, new building, renting, etc. The deadline for applying to be part of the program is April 30, 2013.

Happy Valentine's Day

Bonnie Brown is the mother of Myra, a bright 15 year old who hopes to attend the University of Cambridge when she graduates high school.  Their relationship is a close and loving one…and an unusual one.  Bonnie has an intellectual disability. 

Bonnie has been employed by Wendy’s in the Philadelphia area for many years and is supported by Community Interactions, a local agency with which I have had some contact.  Their special relationship can be heard as part of the StoryCorps program sponsored by National Public Radio.

Bonnie and Myra’s story reminds us that love is the deciding factor in determining the ability of a parent to care for and raise a child.  Love trumps everything.  We are not defined by how we look or how we think.  Rather, we should be defined by our willingness to exercise empathy and compassion in our interactions with all who enter our lives.  It is what Unitarian Universalism is all about.

Mark Bernstein

CERG Growth Consultant and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Looping Your Sanctuary by Carol Agate

Are you planning to build a new sanctuary or remodel an existing one? Now may be the perfect time to install an induction loop around the perimeter. The loop will allow people who wear hearing aids to hear all the voices coming from the microphones right in their ears.
You may wonder why they would need that if the sound is already being amplified. That's because loudspeakers distort sound. Our brains do wonderful things with the sounds our ears pick up and deliver to them. But when those ears lose the ability to hear well, the brain can't do a competent job of interpreting the sounds. The brains of people with normal hearing are capable of interpreting those distorted sounds and understanding what comes through the loudspeakers. But for the brains of people with hearing loss the amplified sounds remain distorted. An induction loop sets up a magnetic field and hearing aids that have telecoils pick up those voices and put the sounds right into the ears, just as though the speaker was one foot away.

You may already have installed an FM transmitter and have receivers that you distribute to congregants and guests. If so, good for you! But do you find your ushers don't know where the receivers are kept, the batteries are dead more often than not, or the ear buds or headset pads are to hard to keep clean or to keep changing? When people with telecoil-equipped hearing aids walk into a looped sanctuary, no equipment is needed. All they have to do is flip a switch on their hearing aids.

Even if you aren't remodeling you may be able to install a loop.

Being in Right Relationship: It’s all Monkey Business

At Emory University, researchers Sarah Brosnan and Frans de Waal conducted a fascinating experiment on the sense of fairness. They taught brown capuchin monkeys to swap tokens for food. Initially, the reward was a piece of cucumber, a food that capuchin monkeys were only too happy to work for. But when the researchers started rewarding some monkeys with grapes, a food that monkeys much prefer over cucumbers, and rewarding others with cucumbers, the latter group immediately took offense. In some cases, they refused to comply with the task. In other cases, they took the food but refused to eat it, and in some cases, they threw the food at the researcher. You can see a hilarious YouTube video

Scientists say that this research suggests that human’s sense of justice is inherited and is not a social construct. The experiment demonstrates our natural reaction to become angry or frustrated when we are treated differently from others or when we see others obtain or achieve things that we aspire to obtain or achieve as well.

Being in right relationship with people who have documented disabilities is more than etiquette. It is more than being polite. It requires that we treat others equally and fairly; that we work as hard as we can to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities, the same resources, and the same rewards. It stems from the basic belief that if I am eating grapes, all those around me should be eating grapes as well.

In our Unitarian Universalist congregations, this sense of justice and fairness is actualized through a proactive stance in making physical accommodations so that people with mobility issues can access our buildings, our classrooms, and our sanctuaries. It means acquiring or adapting equipment and other resources so that people can hear better, see better, and worship better. It means embracing the gifts and strengths that are inherent in everyone and looking beyond the images that cause us to stereotype and distance ourselves from others.

Victor Hugo wrote, “Being good is easy, what is difficult is being just.” As Unitarian Universalists, we must begin doing the difficult so that everyone in our faith has equal access. In other words, we need to stop monkeying around.

Mark Bernstein
CERG Growth Consultant and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

When 'must' turns to 'can,' obligation becomes inclusion

The Unitarian Church of Barneveld

In his book, “The Righteous Mind,” psychologist Jonathan Haidt explains that his three-year old son seemed to be allergic to the word “must.” As an experiment, to see how humans react to the word “must”, Haidt. told his son, “You must eat ice cream.” Proving that this little boy was truly put off by the word “must,” the son declined. The young boy’s brain searched for reasons why he did not have to eat ice cream.

Then, at another time, Haidt, said to his son, “You can have ice cream,” and the boy’s thoughts turned to reasons why he would like to have ice cream, so he accepted the offer.

It seems to me that many UU congregations are also averse to the word “must.” Perhaps we don’t have a creed because we don’t like being told what we must believe. If a congregation believes it must have an elevator, it is understandable that many will look for reasons why this is unfeasible.

If we can change the perspective from “must” to “can,” we can together look for solutions.

Recently members of the Equual Access Board developed some questions to ask your congregation. The hope is that these questions will help turn the conversations from, “We must have congregations accessible for people with disabilities,” to “How can we live our faith in the worth and dignity of all?”

Consider being proactive by asking the congregation’s board the following questions and making these points:
Can we make our congregation more open to:
People who have temporary or permanent mobility impairments?
People with heart or other cardiorespiratory issues?
People who have had strokes or other issues that affect balance?
People who use wheelchairs or scooters?
Families with children in strollers?
Aging members with changing physical challenges?
All clergy, lay leaders and others who participate in worship?
All members, friends and visitors?

How can we put our Congregation’s Covenant into action?

If we believe in honoring the inherent worth and dignity of all people, how can we demonstrate that in our actions?

To paraphrase the famous baseball movie, if you build it, we will come.

One Step At A Time

Accessibility Floor Mats Adorn the
Floor of UUFCC

On the home page of its website, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County (UUFCC), located in State College, PA, includes the following statement: We welcome participation in our services and activities by all persons without regard to age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, national origin, race, gender or sexual orientation.

And guess what? They mean it. When you walk into their beautiful sanctuary, one of the things that you notice are several spaces among the rows of chairs with blue mats placed on the floor. Printed on the mats is the wheelchair logo, the universal symbol of accessibility. The floor mats are attractive and blend seamlessly with the dark blue of the surrounding chairs. More importantly, they signal to the congregation and to those visiting that this is a place where all are welcome; that we have room here for all.

The Fellowship’s Minister, Rev. Mark Hayes, says, “Rather than shuffling chairs around, we wanted to be more intentional and more welcoming.”

Their intentionality extends also to those with hearing disabilities. The sanctuary has a two level looping system, which enables anyone with a hearing aid to listen clearly and free of other distracting noise in the environment without the use of a separate receiver and headset.

UUFCC is just one of many Unitarian Universalist congregations that are committed to greater comfort and inclusion of people with disabilities in worship and congregational life. The Unitarian Church of Barneveld, located in Central New York State, is a small congregation with a very big heart. In the spring of 2012, they dedicated their recently completed ramp access. The ramp, which provides access to the lower building’s social area, was built with donations from members and friends, UU related funding, and hours of volunteer labor. For the time being, access to the building will only allow individuals to hear the worship service, but the good people of Barneveld are not done. Phase two of the plan will be the installation of a lift from the ground floor to the sanctuary.

As journalist and social activist Dorothy Day wrote so eloquently, “People say, 'What is the sense of our small effort?' They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time." The people of Centre County and the people of Barneveld, one step at a time, are building monuments to our faith and to our commitment to be a religion for all.

Thanks to Ellen Asprooth, St. Lawrence District Reporter, for contributing to this blog.

Mark Bernstein
CERG Growth Consultant and UUA Liaison to Equual Access

Right Relations Task Force at GA

The Right Relations Committee of Equual Access encourages constructive ways of dealing with institutional and interpersonal difficulties, which arise if people with a disability are excluded from participation in their local congregation or district. Right Relations at General Assembly is different because of the number and diversity of the people attending. Each concern brought to the Right Relations Team is unique and a variety of approaches to resolving problems is required by the team members. This year the Co-Chairs of the Right Relations Team (RRT) are Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer and Tomoko Takano.

Whatever the response of the RRT at GA, all concerns shared with them are compiled into a report which is distributed to the Council on Cross Cultural Engagement and the GAPC after GA. One of the major goals of the RRT is to document every encounter the RRT has at GA in order to help future event planners learn from our collective experience.

Below is description of the role of the RRT and how to contact them if you need their assistance.

One of the resources available to all attendees throughout General Assembly is the Right Relationship Team. The Right Relationship Team exists to listen and engage with people who have experienced any form of oppression or identity based marginalization while at General Assembly. We know from experience at General Assemblies past that we are still learning how to avoid perpetuating the biases of the larger culture amongst ourselves. General Assembly is among the most diverse gatherings of Unitarian Universalists and in this setting we know we are going to make mistakes. People will make hurtful assumptions about other people based on their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, ability, age, gender, sexual orientation or other identities. When that happens, it our sincere hope that General Assembly attendees will take it as an opportunity for learning how to engage in ways that are not oppressive. Should you need assistance naming your experience, speaking with others involved or exploring how to make amends, we are here to help. We will make a daily report about our collective experience during plenary sessions. When we believe it may be helpful, we will respectfully and anonymously share stories of hurtful assumptions that have been made so that we might all learn together how to grow more fully into right relationship.


Members of the team will be wearing lime green Right Relationship Team t-shirts, ribbons and/or buttons throughout GA. The Right Relationship Team will be sharing an office with Youth Caucus Staff, which is located in room 228 A. We will be holding office hours there each day from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm. To reach a member of the team at any other time during GA, please feel free to stop one of us when you see us or call our number (617)9030-RRT or (617)903-0778.