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ON ABILITIES, A PROGRAM ABOUT[Focus on Abilities (#186): "MOPD Director Angel Ponce"]
ISSUES AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM.
I'M PROFESSOR AT UT HEALTH AND I DIRECT THE ILRU INDEPENDENT LIVING RESEARCH UTILIZATION PROGRAM AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMAN.
WE HAVE A GOOD PROGRAM FOR YOU TODAY WITH AN OUTSTANDING GUEST WHOM I WILL INTRODUCE RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK.
SO PLEASE STAY TUNED, COME BACK FOR FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
UH, WE HAVE A, UH, OUTSTANDING GUEST TODAY.
BUT BEFORE I INTRODUCE HIM, I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION, AND THIS IS ONE WE WILL ANSWER BEFORE THE END OF TODAY'S PROGRAM.
THAT IS, WHEN DID HOUSTON ESTABLISH A MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DISABILITY? IT'S HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
NOW LET ME INTRODUCE THE CURRENT DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, ANGEL PONCE.
ANGEL, THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR GUEST HERE TODAY.
I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU TODAY AND, AND SHARE WHAT WE, UH, WHAT WE OFFER TO THE COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE BEEN THE DIRECTOR NOW FOR WHAT, TWO, TWO, ALMOST TWO YEARS.
OH, YOU'RE GIVING ME TOO MUCH CREDIT.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, UM, LEX, I BECAME DIRECTOR, UH, LAST YEAR IN JULY.
WELL, IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE AT HOME, RIGHT?
I ACTUALLY, I, UH, I WAS STILL WITHIN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES BEFORE I BECAME DIRECTOR.
I DID LEAVE SHORTLY TO HARRIS COUNTY.
UH, BUT LIKE THE MAYOR ALWAYS SAYS, EVERYBODY ALWAYS COMES BACK TO THE CITY, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I DID.
UH, ANGEL, YOU, YOU, YOU MUST HAVE APPRECIATED THAT OPPORTUNITY WHEN THE MAYOR OFFERED IT TO YOU.
LEX, I, YOU KNOW, I, I ALWAYS HAVE, I THINK, DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
MY ROLE AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WAS TO DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND CONNECT WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS, AND CONNECT OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT THEM.
AND SO, WHENEVER, UH, I TALKED TO MAYOR VESTER TURNER, AND I TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS WHERE I NEED TO BE IS BECAUSE THIS WAS A CALLING FOR ME.
AND I, I BELIEVE THAT THE MAYOR SAW THAT.
AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THIS POSITION NOW WHERE I CAN CREATE SOME CHANGE, SOME LONG LASTING CHANGE, AND BRING IN NEW SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. AND LIKE YOU AND I WILL DISCUSS A WHOLE LOT OF BIG THINGS COMING FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR HOUSTON DISABILITY COMMUNITY.
SO WHEN THE MAYOR APPOINTED YOU TO THE ROLE, WHEN HE OFFERED YOU THE JOB MM-HMM
AND YOU ACCEPTED, DID HE GIVE YOU ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS? DID HE TELL YOU WHATEVER LEX FRIEDEN SAYS, YOU
LEX FRIEDEN WANTS, LET'S GET IT DONE.
SO, NO, THE, UH, THE, UH, MAYOR'S OFFICE IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU, THIS IS THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY, OR THE FOURTH LARGEST, DEPENDS ON WHO'S COUNTING.
AND, UH, AND YOU'RE REPRESENTING EFFECTIVELY, UH, MORE THAN, UH, WHAT, HALF A MILLION PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES? THAT'S RIGHT.
UM, IT IS THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN, IN THE COUNTRY, AND MAYBE SOON TO BE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
AND YES, UH, WE DO SERVE A LARGE POPULATION.
RIGHT NOW, IT'S ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 215,000 HOUSTONIANS WITH DISABILITIES JUST WITHIN THE CITY, UH, HOUSTON LIMITS.
UH, BUT WE THINK LEX, THAT IT'S A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN THAT, I GUARANTEE YOU MM-HMM
UM, THAT, THAT THOSE DATA ARE UNDERCOUNTED MM-HMM
UH, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES, UH, CHOOSE NOT TO
[00:05:01]
REVEAL THAT.AND, AND OTHERS FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP THAT PERSONAL INFORMATION.
SO A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE IS NOT A SMALL NUMBER, UH, BY ANY TOKEN OF THE IMAGINATION.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE PEOPLE THAN THAT, AND PEOPLE BECOMING DISABLED VERY RAPIDLY.
NOW, AS A RESULT OF AGING, WE HAVE A, A FAST, UH, GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING BEYOND RETIREMENT AGE AND BECOMING DISABLED.
AND INCLUDING THAT LEX, WE ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHEN COVID HIT US.
RIGHT? A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMING BACK FROM COVID WITH SYMPTOMS THAT ARE LONG LASTING, THAT ULTIMATELY, UH, IMPACT THEM WITH DISABILITIES.
AND SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND LIKE YOU JUST EXPRESSED, THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE THAT NOT ONLY HAVE, NOT DISCLOSED, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DON'T KNOW THEY HAVE A DISABILITY.
AND, UM, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PLANS OR THINKING ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES, THINKING ABOUT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE GONNA BE FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT BECOME DISABLED.
NOW, YOUR MAIN ROLE IN YOUR POSITION IS TO ADVISE THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MM-HMM
AND TO, UM, ENSURE, HELP ENSURE THAT THE CITY'S INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THE ROADS AND SIDEWALKS AND BUILDINGS THAT THE CITY'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MM-HMM
ALL THAT IS ACCESSIBLE AND WELCOMING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE, UM, WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY GEARED TOWARDS SIDEWALKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS.
UH, WE RIGHT NOW HAVE ABOUT $3 MILLION PER PHYSICAL YEAR TO FOCUS ON SIDEWALKS.
I THINK WE CAN BE DOING A WHOLE LOT BETTER THAN THAT, BUT THAT REQUIRES A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER WORK THAT WE GOT, WE GOTTA GET DONE IN THE BACKGROUND.
HOWEVER, UM, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, NOT JUST WITHIN THE OFFICE, BUT WE MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE, UH, AT THE TABLE, UH, MAKING, NOT JUST MAKING DECISIONS, BUT MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THOSE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT HOUSTON IS GONNA LOOK LIKE IN THE LONG TERM.
FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PERSON, UH, SITTING IN MEETINGS WITH THE VISION ZERO GROUP.
WE HAVE, UH, SITTING IN MEETINGS WITH THE SIDEWALK MODIFICATIONS TEAM, SO THAT WE ARE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND OUR LEADERS ARE TAKING ACCESSIBILITY AND DISABILITY ISSUES INTO CONSIDERATION WHERE WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN HOUSTON IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
WELL, I THINK, I MEAN, PERSONALLY, I THINK HAVING SOMEONE AT THE TABLE, AS YOU DESCRIBED IT, IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MM-HMM
UH, JOB OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
UH, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU ALL OPERATE, UH, PROGRAMS AND YOU'RE, YOU'RE, UH, COLLABORATING WITH THE, THE CENTER ON DISABILITY MM-HMM
UH, THE METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
UH, TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS THERE MM-HMM
AND YOU'RE PROBABLY THE GO-TO INFORMATION SOURCE FOR PEOPLE WHO MOVE TO OUR COMMUNITY OR RESIDENTS WHO WANT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ACCESSIBLE FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS. MM-HMM
SO, LEX, UM, YOU BROUGHT A, A VE YOU BROUGHT UP A VERY GOOD POINT.
WE DO SERVE AS THE LEAD ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
I WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE MAYOR AND WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHER DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND SUPERVISORS TO ENSURE THAT DISABILITY SERVICES AND DISABILITY PROGRAMS, OR IN GENERAL PROGRAMS DO, ARE TAKING DISABILITY INTO, INTO, IN, UH, AS A PART OF THE, THEIR STRATEGIES.
AND SO WITH THE METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, FOR SOME OF THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FACILITY, IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST ACCESSIBLE LOCAL OWNED MUNICIPALITY FACILITIES IN THE NATION.
AND IT'S, UH, NOT JUST ACCESSIBLE, BUT IT PROVIDES PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR OUR DISABILITY COMMUNITY, LIKE ADAPTIVE SPORTS, ADAPTIVE, UH, ACTIVITIES.
UM, THEY HAVE A, A POOL THAT IS FULLY ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE A, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK.
AND AFTER THE BREAK, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND TALK ABOUT THE, THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER AND WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR THAT.
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MOM WAS ALWAYS VERY SELF-SUFFICIENT, BUT WE STARTED NOTICING THINGS WERE OFF.I WAS FORGETTING MY RESPONSIBILITIES AT WORK.
I TOLD MOM WE SHOULD VISIT A DOCTOR ALZHEIMER'S.
IT WAS HARD TO HEAR THAT EARLY DETECTION GAVE US TIME TO SEEK INFORMATION AND SUPPORT AS A FAMILY, I'VE NEVER FELT MORE CONNECTED WITH MOM.
IF YOU OR YOUR FAMILY ARE NOTICING CHANGES, IT COULD BE ALZHEIMER'S.
TALK ABOUT SEEING A DOCTOR TOGETHER.
MOMENTS SHARED WITH LOVED ONES ARE PRECIOUS JOY ENCHANTMENT CONNECTION.
IT'S WHY WE TRAVEL AT HOUSTON AIRPORTS.
WE KNOW THE MAGIC OF FLIGHT BEGINS THE MOMENT YOU SECURE YOUR PARKING SPOT AND EMBARK ON YOUR JOURNEY.
THAT'S WHY WE WORK SO HARD TO BRING YOU THE MOST CONVENIENT PARKING SOLUTIONS THAT ARE THE BEST FIT FOR YOUR TRIP.
IF YOU'RE TRAVELING FOR BUSINESS OR LEISURE, WHETHER YOUR VOYAGE STARTS FROM BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL OR WILLIAM P.
HOBBY AIRPORT, OUR PARKING TEAM AT VALET PARKING ECO PARK, ECO PARK TWO OR TERMINAL PARKING IS HERE TO GIVE YOU A FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE WITH A BIG TEXAS SMILE.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU TO ENSURE THIS MOMENT AND EVERY MOMENT IN BETWEEN WILL BE FILLED WITH GREAT MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
SO, TRAVEL SMARTER, PARK SMARTER, AND GET MORE OF THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER.
METRO IS HERE FOR YOU EVERY DAY, PROVIDING SAFE, RELIABLE TRAVEL OPTIONS.
WE TAKE YOU TO CELEBRATIONS AND HELP DURING EMERGENCIES.
WE'RE ALWAYS LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, AND WE MANAGE TAXPAYER DOLLARS RESPONSIBLY.
AND THANKS TO OVERWHELMING VOTER APPROVAL, WE'RE BUILDING TRANSIT FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW SO THAT YOU CAN DRIVE LESS AND DO MORE.
WOO, WHEN YOU DON'T KEEP YOUR EYES ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING, IT CAN BE DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS TO YOU AND OTHERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE BEHIND THE WHEEL.
HEADS UP, TEXAS DOWNTOWN IS AN ART LOVER'S DREAM, WITH MORE THAN 65 PIECES OF PUBLIC ART.
I'M LEX, AND WE'RE HERE WITH ANGEL FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
ANGEL, BEFORE WE TOOK THIS BREAK, UH, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT, UH, HAPPEN MM-HMM
AT OUR METROPOLITAN MULTI-SERVICE CENTER DOWN.
IT'S, AND IT'S IN A PRIME LOCATION.
THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD MENTION.
I MEAN, THAT, UH, UH, YOU SAID IT'S THE, UH, ONE OF THE ONLY CITY OWNED FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY MM-HMM
SO, UM, THE FACILITY, I THINK IS VERY UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER FACILITIES IN THE, IN, NOT JUST THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT AT THE STATE LEVEL AND AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
THIS FACILITY PROVIDES SO MANY SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAMMING.
FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT WANNA BE, BE MORE ACTIVE OR JUST, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THEIR FAVORITE SPORT THAT THEY POSSIBLY THINK THAT THEY CAN'T BE INVOLVED IN ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY ARE RECENTLY INJURED, OR THEY JUST ACQUIRED A DISABILITY.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE FACT THERE.
RIGHT? SO, LIKE, WE DO PROVIDE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. WE HAVE ACTIVITY ROOMS, WE HAVE A FULL COURT GYMNASIUM, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH.
WE HAVE, LIKE WE MENTIONED, WE HAVE A POPULATION OF OVER 215,000 HOUSTONIANS WITH DISABILITIES THAT WANNA GET INVOLVED, THAT WANNA BE ACTIVE.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT THIS FACILITY REQUIRES A LOT MORE ATTENTION.
AND SO RIGHT NOW, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THE HOUSTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, AND A LOT OF FOLKS IN, IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, ARE WORKING VERY HARD, VERY HARD.
SO THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN THE FACILITY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS FACILITY CAN BECOME.
I ENVISION ANOTHER FULL COURT GYMNASIUM SO THAT WE CAN HAVE MULTIPLE GAMES HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
A A REMODELATION OF THE, OF THE GYM, UH, ANOTHER, UH, LOCKER ROOM FOR THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE PLAYING THE ADAPTIVE SPORTS.
ANOTHER FACILITY WHERE WE CAN BRING IN NONPROFITS AND OTHER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT, THAT ARE CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE COMMUNITY TO THOSE SERVICES.
A ONE STOP SHOP FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
WHAT BETTER COULD THAT BE? RIGHT? YEAH.
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SO THE, IN ADDITION TO THE, UM, THE BALL COURTS MM-HMMAND THE EXERCISE FACILITIES, THAT'S SWIMMING POOL IS ONE OF THE ONLY ACCESSIBLE POOLS IN THE CITY, RIGHT? IT SURE IS.
IT IS USED EVERY DAY EXCEPT ON WEEKENDS.
AND, UM, IT IS THE ONLY ACCESSIBLE POOL WITH LIFTS, WITH, UH, LIFTS FOR PEOPLE THAT, THAT, THAT NEED THE, THE ASSISTANCE TO ENTER THE POOL.
IT'S A HEATED POOL AS WELL, AND IT'S COVERED.
AND SO IT'S A, IT'S A PERFECT SPACE.
AND THERE'S A BALL, UH, BALL YARD OUT BACK WHERE THEY CAN PLAY.
THERE'S A TENNIS COURT OUT OUTSIDE, UH, FOR PEOPLE THAT WANNA DO SOME ADAPTIVE SPORTS, UH, TENNIS.
THERE, UH, A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY DOES USE THE FACILITY.
THERE IS A PLAYGROUND FOR, FOR ALL THAT IS LOCATED THERE, THAT IS SPECIFICALLY MADE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
AND SO A YOUNG CHILD IN THE WHEELCHAIR CAN ROLL UP TO THE PLAYGROUND AND PLAY WITH OTHER KIDS, UH, THAT ARE NOT DISABLED.
SO THE CENTER DATES BACK TO, UH, MID 1980S.
IT WAS THE, UM, THE, THE PLACE, THE SITE OF THE FIRST HEARING OUTSIDE WASHINGTON ON THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
1989, UM, UH, MAYOR KATHY WHITMEYER.
UH, SPOKE TO THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE, AND THEY ASKED HER AS MAYOR OF ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY, WOULD THE CITY, UH, SUPPORT THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IF IT WERE PASSED.
AND SHE SAID, NOT ONLY THAT, SHE SAID, I AM CURRENTLY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE, UH, COUNCIL OF MAYORS AND OUR, OUR NATIONAL GROUP SUPPORTS THE A DA MM-HMM
AND THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO WERE HERE WERE, THEY WERE MAKING NOTES, AND THEY WERE MOVED BY THAT.
AND THEN THEY ASKED THE TRANSIT DIRECTOR AT THE TIME, BOB LANIER, WHO WOULD LATER BECOME MAYOR, UM, CAN THE CITY, UH, ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN ITS TRANSIT SYSTEM? AND HE SAID, WE INTEND TO DO THAT.
AND SO WE HAD VERY COMPELLING TESTIMONY FROM HOUSTON THAT HELPED PASS THE A D EIGHT.
ALL OF THAT HISTORICALLY OCCURRED IN THAT MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
THE CENTER WAS THERE IN 19 88, 89, AND HERE WE ARE, 2023.
AND WE NEED TO UPDATE THAT CENTER.
WE NEED TO, TO MAKE IT LARGER.
UH, IF PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THAT, THEY CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU.
UM, FOLKS INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT THE FACILITY CAN CONTACT US AT 8 3 2 3 9 4 0 8 1 4.
OR YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL AT MOPD MAIL@HOUSTONTX.GOV.
I'M THE DIRECTOR, ANGEL CE, AND I LOVE TO TALK TO FOLKS ABOUT WHAT THIS FACILITY CAN BE.
AND THE SAME THING APPLIES TO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT WANT TO PLAY BALL EXERCISE.
USE THE TENNIS COURTS, THE POOL, OR WHATEVER THAT THAT'S RIGHT.
WE GET 'EM IN TOUCH WITH, WITH THE ADAPTIVE TEAM.
TELL ME ONE MORE TIME, THE NUMBER.
SO YOU GET 'EM IN TOUCH WITH SOMEBODY WHO CAN SIGN 'EM UP, UH, GET 'EM IN THERE.
AND WE HAVE, UH, GOOD COLLABORATION WITH METRO.
OF THE, OUR, UH, ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES.
UM, SO THAT'S A WONDERFUL, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR HOUSTONIANS.
UH, EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT WHEN THEY CAN.
AND, UH, WE SHOULD HELP TO, TO EXPAND, UH, THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER.
WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT, UH, WHAT HOUSTON CAN DO, UH, TO PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
UH, BUT FIRST WE'LL TAKE A BREAK.
[00:20:28]
HELLO.MY WORK DEALS A LOT WITH GOING BACK AND REVISITING THESE PLACES OF MY CHILDHOOD IN MEXICO AND DOCUMENTING THEM.
THE INFLUX OF SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE ARRIVING HERE IN HOUSTON FROM AROUND THE WORLD IS VERY IMPACTFUL ON MY PALETTE, AS WELL AS MY CANVAS AS AN ARTIST.
MAINLY FOR ME, JUST ALL THE ART THAT WAS IN HOUSTON WAS A BIG INFLUENCE ON ME.
IT GOT ME SERIOUS ABOUT MAKING MY OWN.
IN HOUSTON, WE MAKE TOMORROW TOGETHER, BUT FIRST WE MAKE DINNER TOGETHER.
WE MIX INGREDIENTS AND CULTURES.
YOU CAN TASTE AND EXPERIENCES TO SAVOR.
THE, UH, MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DISABILITY HAS, UH, A A LOT OF THINGS IT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR.
ARE YOU LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS OR PEOPLE WHO CAN COMPLIMENT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING? HOW DO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW ONE JOB THAT THE MAYOR HAS TO APPOINT FOLKS TO ON A ROUTINE BASIS IS A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION.
SO WE HAVE A HOUSTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSION? YES, DEFINITELY.
THE, THE HOUSTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES, IT'S A BODY OF COMMISSIONERS THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR.
UH, THERE ARE FOUR 14 MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, AND NINE OUT OF THE 14 MEMBERS MUST BE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WITHIN THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIMITS.
AND THE OTHER FOLKS CAN BE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR, UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE CALL ALLIES OR DISABILITY ADVOCATES.
UH, AND THEN THESE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, REPRESENT THE CITY AND TALK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH DISABILITIES ABOUT ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT THEY MAY HAVE.
AND THEN WE BRING BACK THOSE ISSUES AND CONCERNS TO THE MAYOR, TO CITY COUNCIL OR OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS TO HELP ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES IF WE CAN.
WE ALSO GIVE FOLKS THAT COME OUT TO TALK TO US ABOUT ISSUES THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING WITHIN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
AND SO WE HAVE ME, THE COMMISSIONERS GO OUT AND TALK TO THESE, UH, INDIVIDUALS ABOUT WHAT THE A DA SAYS, WHAT DISABILITY LAW INCLUDES, AND WHAT PEOPLE, FOLKS SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT INCLUSIVE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AND BUSINESS STRATEGIES.
SO THE COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR.
AND, UH, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE, UH, LEADERS OF PROGRAMS. THEY CAN BE ORDINARY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE THAT THEY CAN TRANSLATE TO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY.
WE, WE LOOK FOR LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT NECESSARILY BUSINESS, UH, OR ENTREPRENEURS OR, OR PEOPLE THAT, THAT, THAT ARE WORKING IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY ALREADY.
INCLUDING THAT, BUT FOLKS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN CREATING CHANGE IN HOUSTON.
[00:25:01]
AND SO, RIGHT NOW, I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT, LEX, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I HAVE TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOLKS THAT ARE DISABLED, THAT ARE READY TO REPRESENT HOUSTON AND THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY OF, OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.AND THE KIND OF RECOMMENDATIONS, CAN YOU GIVE US AN AN EXAMPLE OF THE SORTS OF JOBS THE COMMISSION DOES IN ADDITION TO LISTENING TO PEOPLE'S ISSUES? MOST DEFINITELY.
SO WE HAVE FOLKS THAT COME OUT TO TALK TO US ABOUT ANY TRANSIT ISSUES THAT THEY MIGHT BE HAVING.
AND SO WE GET A COMMISSIONER TO TALK ABOUT, TO TALK TO, TO METRO, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE FOLKS THAT MAY COME TO US AND SAY, HEY, I, I, I WENT TO A PARK WITH MY CHILD WITH A DISABILITY, AND THE PARK WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE.
AND SO THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WORK WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES SO THAT OTHER FOLKS IN THE FUTURE DON'T ENCOUNTER THOSE TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
AND THE SIDEWALKS, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE FOCUS ON SIDEWALKS.
UM, IF SOMEBODY RUNS INTO A SIDEWALK THAT PRESENTS A PREVENT IS A BARRIER FOR THEIR FULL PARTICIPATION.
LET'S SAY THEY LIVE DOWN THE BLOCK AND THEY CAN'T GET TO THE BUS STOP BECAUSE THERE'S NO SIDEWALK OR IT'S BROKEN UP.
UH, WHAT KIND OF, WHAT DO THEY DO? DO THEY CALL DO ONE ONE, OR, OR IS THERE MORE DIRECT? SO, SO FOLKS CAN CALL 3 1 1, BUT WE ALWAYS ADVISE FOLKS THAT ARE LISTENING OR, OR, OR WATCHING US RIGHT NOW TO, OR, OR TALK TO THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO REACH TO US, REACH OUT TO US DIRECTLY TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE IN OUR OFFICE THAT WORKS DIRECTLY WITH HOUSTON PUBLIC WORKS TO ADDRESS THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES.
WE ALSO HAVE MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM THAT COLLABORATE AND OTHER GROUPS THROUGH PUBLIC WORK SO THAT WE, AND THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS LOOKING AT INFRASTRUCTURE HOLISTICALLY AND THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
I, I, YOU KNOW, TO ME, JUST AN AM AMAZING THAT IN OUR CITY WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, AN INCLUSIVE PERSPECTIVE LIKE WE HAVE, UH, THAT WE CAN INCLUDE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN POSITIONS THAT HAVE INFLUENCE AT THE TABLE.
AND, UH, WE ARE NOT, WE'RE NOT ONLY ABLE TO PRESENT OUR OWN VIEWS MM-HMM
BUT WE'RE INFLUENCING THE WAY OTHER PEOPLE THINK ABOUT DISABILITY.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PROFOUND.
YOU, LEX, AND I KNOW ABOUT THE, THE FAMOUS SAYING OUT THERE SAYS NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US.
SO, UM, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW TODAY, I PROMISED THE AUDIENCE, WE'D TELL THEM, UH, ABOUT THE FOUNDING MM-HMM
OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DISABILITY.
AND, UH, YOU WERE THROWING OUT SOME, SOME DATES.
WHAT YEAR WAS THE OFFICE THAT YOU DIRECT ACTUALLY ESTABLISHED? THE OFFICE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1993, INCLUDING THE HOUSTON COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES.
SO THAT WAS BY ACTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
THERE IS A, UH, WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? A RESOLUTION MM-HMM
OR THAT, UH, ESTABLISHED THE OFFICE AND THE COMMISSION.
AND, UH, I, I RECALL THAT, UH, THE MAYOR WHO DID THAT WAS BOB LANIER
AND, UH, MAYOR LANIER WAS EAGER TO SHOW THAT OUR CITY REPRESENTED ALL EVERYBODY THAT'S RIGHT.
AND HE, HE SET THAT UP AND WE'VE BENEFITED FROM IT EVER SINCE.
SO, ANGEL, THANKS FOR BEING HERE ON FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
GIVE 'EM THAT NUMBER ONE MORE TIME.
WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR WATCHING.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE LOVE AND, UH, WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE, UH, WHAT GOES ON IN HOUSTON, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WITH EVERYBODY HERE, UH, WE HOPE YOU ENJOY IT.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT THE SHOW, DON'T HESITATE TO BE IN TOUCH WITH US.
I WANT TO THANK HTV FOR PRODUCING THE SHOW.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING, AND I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GREAT DAY.