[00:00:01]
TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES, A PROGRAM ABOUT ISSUES[Focus on Abilities (#199): "Cornelius Booker - Equal Opportunity Specialist, JSC Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity"]
AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM.
BEFORE THE END OF TODAY'S PROGRAM, WE'LL ANSWER A QUESTION.
WHO WILL BE THE FIRST PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO ROLL ON MARS? OKAY.
WE'LL TAKE A BREAK NOW AND COME RIGHT BACK.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
WELCOME BACK TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
I'M PROFESSOR AT UT HEALTH, AND I DIRECT THE INDEPENDENT LIVING RESEARCH UTILIZATION PROGRAM AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN.
OUR GUEST TODAY IS MR. CORNELIUS BOOKER.
UH, CORNELIUS, WELCOME TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
NOW, AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW, I ASK WHO'S GONNA BE THE FIRST PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO RIDE ON MARS? AND I GUESS THAT'S GONNA BE YOU, RIGHT? IF EVERYTHING WORKS OUT LIKE I PLAN ON IT.
YOU, YOU WORK FOR NASA, RIGHT? I DO.
AND YOUR JOB THERE? I'M A EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST, AND I'VE BEEN THERE A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS.
WHAT PREPARED YOU FOR WORKING AT NASA WITH, UH, ALL THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE? WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD SAY PREPARED ME WAS WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE HOUSTON AREA, UM, BECAUSE IN MY ROLE I DEAL WITH A LOT OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAS OPPORTUNITIES AT NASA.
AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FIND EMPLOYMENT, BUT I THINK NASA HAD A, HAD A, HAD A REAL DESIRE TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FELT WELCOME AT NASA.
LEMME BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UH, WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, THAT'S THE GROUP YOU WORKED FOR? YES.
THAT, THAT THEY REPLACED THE, UM, TEXAS, UM, REHABILITATION AGENCY.
WELL, WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY STARTED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES, BECAUSE IN MY ROLE WHEN I WAS AT WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS, I WAS DOING, WE WERE DOING SIMILAR THINGS.
SO INSTEAD OF REINVENTING THE WHEEL, LET'S HAVE A STRONGER PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND THE, UH, WORKFORCE SOLUTION VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES.
SO I THINK IT WAS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WAS VERY NECESSARY BECAUSE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES NEED, UM, NOT JUST SKILLS, BUT THEY NEED THE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO BRINGING THEM TWO TOGETHER WAS, WAS THAT THE FIRST, UH, FIRST JOB YOU HAD OUTTA COLLEGE? MY FIRST JOB IS, IS REALLY INTERESTING, UH, BECAUSE I MOVED HERE FROM OKLAHOMA AND MY FIRST JOB WAS AS A, UH, DIVERSITY AND EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST WITH A LOCAL MAGAZINE IN OKLAHOMA, IN TULSA, OKLAHOMA.
AND WHEN I MOVED HERE, THAT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST JOBS WHEN I MOVED TO HOUSTON, TEXAS AREA.
SO, SO TALK TO ME ABOUT TULSA, OKLAHOMA.
THAT'S WHERE I WENT TO COLLEGE.
I GREW UP IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE IN ALVA.
UH, WHERE'D YOU GROW UP? I GREW UP, I'M FROM A TOWN, A SMALL TOWN STILL IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.
UM, THEY GAINED A LITTLE MORE NOTORIETY WITH, UM, JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY AND DEON SANDERS BRINGING THAT, THAT ATTENTION TO THE JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY.
SO I GREW UP IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, AND I MOVED TO OKLAHOMA TO SEEK A, A DEGREE IN THEO THEOLOGY.
AND SO I WENT TO R BIBLE TRAINING CENTER THERE.
UM, AND I, I WENT, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A MINISTER, BUT I WANTED TO HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD, AND SO THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO TRANSFER THERE AND DO THAT.
SO YOU'RE ABLE TO EXPRESS THOSE INTERESTS IN YOUR CURRENT POSITION? OH, YES.
UM, AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT NASA IS DOING, UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS AND ONE OF THE NEWEST EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS ARE FOCUSING ON THE DIFFERENT, UM, THEOLOGIES AND THE DIFFERENT RELIGIONS AROUND, AROUND THE WORLD THAT WE HAVE TO, THAT WE DEAL WITH.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T BE WELCOMING IN AN ENVIRONMENT, SO EVERYBODY COME WELCOMING AND NOT THINK ABOUT THEIR, THEIR RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND.
THAT HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER.
SO, YEAH, SO MY EXPERIENCE WITH THAT WAS ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT LED ME INTO GETTING A JOB AT NASA.
[00:05:01]
YOU, WHILE YOU WERE IN TULSA, DID YOU FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE TULSA UNIVERSITY AND ORAL ROBERTS, AND I GUESS OKLAHOMA STATE HAS A BIG PRESENCE THERE NOW TOO? OH, YEAH.I'M A GRADUATE OF OKLAHOMA STATE FROM THAT CAMPUS AT, AT, UH, TULSA.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS A LITTLE BIG WORLD TO ME, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M FEELING FRESH OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL AND GOING DOWN THERE AND EXPERIENCING ALL THAT.
SO IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AT OKLAHOMA STATE.
AND I ALSO TRIED TO GO TO ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY, UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE CREDITS THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE THEOLOGY WAS ALSO TRANSFERRING OVER TO ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY.
SO, UM, I ATTEMPTED TO GO THERE, BUT THEIR CAMPUS WASN'T AS ACCESSIBLE AS I WOULD LIKE IT TO.
I GOTTA TELL YOU, MAN, WHEN I BROKE MY NECK IN 1967, YEAH, IN 1968, I APPLIED TO GO TO ORU AND IT WAS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE CAMPUS.
BUT THEY TURNED ME DOWN BECAUSE I USED A WHEELCHAIR
YOU SERIOUS? SO IT WAS KIND OF AN INTERESTING DILEMMA THERE.
LET'S JUST SAY I GRADUATED FROM TU AND CAME TO U OF H WELL, BOTH GOOD SCHOOLS, SO
SO THE, UH, THE, THE EDUCATION OUT OF THE WAY, YOU STARTED WORKING AND, UH, WORKED IN HOUSTON YES.
AND WORKED FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS AND THEN MOVED TO NASA.
WAS THAT A BIG CHANGE FOR YOU? IT WAS, IT WAS TAKING SOME, GETTING USED TO MORE SO THE FEDERAL SIDE OF THINGS, UM, BECAUSE WORKING WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTION, I WAS WORKING MORE WITH THE NONPROFIT SIDE, BUT GOING OVER TO THE FEDERAL, THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT NUANCES, AND ONE OF THE LARGEST GAPS I HAD TO FACE WAS UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT ACRONYMS THAT THEY USE.
NASA USED ACRONYMS FOR EVERYTHING.
SO JUST, THEY HAVE A WHOLE BOOK ON ACRONYMS. AND SO JUST LEARNING THOSE ACRONYMS AND HOW THE FEDERAL GOV GOVERNMENT MOVES, UM, IT, IT WAS AN ADJUSTMENT.
WHAT ABOUT ONE-ON-ONE WHEN YOU WORKED FOR WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS? YOU HAD A, UH, A GROUP OF, UH, CLIENTS, RIGHT? I SUPPOSE YOU WORKED FOR, RIGHT? SAME THING HAPPEN AT NASA? NO, NASA IS, I STILL DEAL WITH CERTAIN EMPLOYEES.
A LOT OF MY FOCUS IS DEALING WITH EMPLOYEES AND MAKE SURE THAT THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK THERE, UM, HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, IF SOMEONE, UM, HAS AN ACCIDENT AND THEY MAY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR WORKSTATION, THEY WILL CONTACT ME AND I WILL REVIEW THEIR WORKSTATION AND SEE WHAT, WHAT ACCOMMODATION THEY NEED SO THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO DO THEIR JOB AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY DID IT.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I DO ONE-ON-ONE WITH PEOPLE, IS IF THEY CONTACT ME AND SAY, HEY, I NEED A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
SOMETHING HAPPENED, AND I NEED, UM, SOMEONE TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT I CAN DO WHAT I DO.
NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE ASHAMED OR AFRAID MM-HMM
YOU FIND THAT AT NASA OR NOT? IT, THE FUNNY THING ABOUT IT IS, WHEN IT GETS TO A POINT THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR JOB IS IN DANGER, THEN THEY WILL OVERSEE THEIR, THEIR, THEIR NEED FOR AN ACCOMMODATION OR THEIR DISABILITY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO, IF THEY HAVE A DISABILITY, NOT TO WAIT UNTIL YOU NEED AN ACCOMMODATION TO ASK TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A DISABILITY.
UM, SO EVEN WHEN PEOPLE COME IN, THEY'RE HIRING FOR A POSITION.
WE TELL, WE ENCOURAGE THEM IF YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A JOB, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S, UM, ADVANTAGES TO LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE YOU BEFORE YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR AN ACCOMMODATION.
I WANNA VISIT ABOUT THAT WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT FIRST WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK FROM FOCUS AND, UH, WE'RE HERE WITH CORNELIUS BOOKER, UH, FROM NASA, AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE AFTER THIS BREAK FROM FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
WHY? WHEN YOUR GOAL IS TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY.
BOOK ONLINE WITH ECOPARK AND ECO PARK TWO.
TRAVEL SMARTER, PARK, SMARTER ECOPARK AND ECOPARK TWO AT IAH HOUSTON 3 1 1.
NOW AVAILABLE AS A MOBILE APP.
TAKE A PHOTO, ENTER YOUR LOCATION REPORT AN ISSUE, THE QUICK AND EASY WAY TO REPORT NON-EMERGENCY ISSUES OR REQUEST CITY SERVICE INFORMATION.
DOWNLOAD TODAY ON THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY.
HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION INTRODUCES LYNN WYATT SQUARE IN THE HOUSTON THEATER DISTRICT IN OAK TREES, WATER FEATURES AND PROGRAMMING.
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC LYNN WYATT SQUARE.COM.
AT METRO, YOUR SAFETY IS JOB ONE EVERY DAY.
AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO MAKING YOUR RIDE EVEN
[00:10:01]
SAFER WITH SECURITY CAMERAS ON OUR TRANSIT VEHICLES AND LIVE MONITORS ON MANY OF OUR BUSES.BLUE LIGHT CALL BOXES AT OUR BUS AND RAIL FACILITIES.
METRO POLICE PROVIDING PEACE OF MIND.
AND MPD CONNECT APP THAT LETS YOU REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY INSTANTLY TO METRO POLICE.
METRO IS BUILDING A SAFER TRANSIT SYSTEM SO YOU CAN DRIVE LESS AND DO MORE GREASE AND WIPES CLOG PIPES.
IN FACT, CLOGS FROM THESE ITEMS ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF SEWER OVERFLOWS IN HOUSTON.
LEARN MORE@PROTECTOURPIPES.ORG.
YOU ARE WATCHING FOCUS ON ABILITIES ON HTV.
AND BY THE WAY, IF Y'ALL WANNA WATCH SOME OTHER SHOWS, SOME OTHER EPISODES, CHECK OUT YOUTUBE.
WE GOT A YOUTUBE CHANNEL, AND, UH, WE'LL PUT THE LINK ON A FUTURE BREAK.
SO RIGHT NOW, TODAY WE'RE TALKING TO CORNELIUS BOOKER, UH, FROM NASA AND, UH, CORNELIUS, YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES RUN INTO IN YOUR JOB, RIGHT? AND MENTIONED THAT ONE OF THEM IS THE ISSUE OF PEOPLE WHO IDENTIFY AS HAVING A DISABILITY GENERALLY AFTER THEY ACTUALLY NEED AN ACCOMMODATION.
NOW WE KNOW THE LAW, A DA AND, AND THE FIVE TITLE V SECTION, UM, THAT, UH, THOSE LAWS REQUIRE COMPANIES TO, UM, PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
AND PEOPLE CAN GET THAT WHENEVER, I SUPPOSE.
BUT IF THE, UH, AGENCY AND THE SPECIALIST IN YOUR CASE MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, THAT THAT PERSON, IF, IF YOU'RE, IF THEY'RE ON YOUR RADAR, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE HAVING AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE CASE UNTIL THEY RUN INTO A BARRIER.
BUT IF THEY FAILED TO IDENTIFY UNTIL THEY RUN INTO A BARRIER, THEN YOU'RE KIND OF BEHIND THE CURVE AND YOU HAVE TO CATCH UP.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE HOW THAT WORKS? YES.
UM, WHAT WE WANT OUR MANAGERS TO DO IS THEY, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE VIGILANT TO, UM, IF THERE IS AN ISSUE, THAT THEY ADDRESS IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, OUR CAMPUS IS AN OLD CAMPUS, SO WE DO HAVE A LOT OF BARRIERS, UM, ALREADY ON SITE TO THE BUILDING ACCESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO WE ENCOURAGE MANAGERS TO BE, BE VIGILANT AND, AND BE PROACTIVE IN YOUR, UM, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
WHEN YOU HIRE PEOPLE, MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTIRE AREA IS ACCESSIBLE, SO NOBODY HAS TO ASK FOR IT.
UM, AND ONE THING WE'RE DOING AT NASA IS WE ARE DOING A REVAMP OF ALL THE FURNITURE AND MAKE SURE ALL THE FURNITURE IS ACCESSIBLE.
SO IT'LL, IT'LL BE MINIMUM COST IF SOMEBODY ASK FOR A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY DONE.
I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT I'M ON AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR UNITED AIRLINES, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE WHO GET OFF A PLANE AND THEIR CUSHION IS DEFLATED OR THEIR CHAIR BREAKS ACCIDENTALLY OR WHATEVER.
AND THEY'RE PROVIDING, UH, CHAIRS, UH, IN THE AIRPORTS THAT YOU CAN TRANSFER OUTTA YOUR CHAIR AND SIT IN THE MORE COMFORTABLE RECLINER CHAIR WHILE SOMEBODY'S WORKING ON YOUR CHAIR WHILE THEY'RE PATCHING THE CUSHION.
BRINGING YOU A NEW ONE OR WHATEVER.
SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A THOUGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF NASA HAS RECLINERS OR NOT, PROBABLY IN THOSE SPACECRAFT, RIGHT? YEAH.
THEY, THEY SHOULD HAVE, WITH THE MONEY THAT WE SPEND ON THOSE SPACECRAFT, THEY SHOULD HAVE EVERYTHING THAT SOMEBODY WOULD NEED, ESPECIALLY MYSELF, WHEN I GET INTO THE SPACECRAFT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ON THE TRIP TO MARS, THAT, UM, I'M COMFORTABLE.
AND YOU'RE PLANNING ON THAT, RIGHT? YEAH, DEFINITELY.
HAVE YOU BEEN IN THAT CENTRIFUGE YET? NO, I HAVEN'T.
I THINK YOU GOT SOME TRAINING AHEAD OF YOU, BUDDY.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE SUITS ARE REALLY HEAVY, AND SO I BE WORKING OUT, TRYING TO GET SURE THAT I'M READY FOR IT.
WHEN YOU PUT IT ON ME, I'M READY, READY TO GO STRAIGHT THROUGH IT.
SO YOU'VE GOT YOUR NAME ON THE LIST WHENEVER THEY'RE RECRUITING NEW OF COURSE.
ACTUALLY, ONE TIME WHEN I WAS THE, UH, CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY, WE FORWARD A AGENCY, UH, QUERY TO NASA TO ASK THEM WERE THEY ACTIVELY RECRUITING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES YEAH.
AND AT THAT TIME, AND THIS MADE THE USA TODAY NEWSPAPER, UH, THE NASA ADMINISTRATOR SAID, WE ARE READY TO, UH, TO HIRE AND TRAIN PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO GO UP TO THE, UH, UH, UP TO THE CIRCLING SPACESHIP NOW.
AND AFTER THAT, THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY HEARD IT, AND THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AN ACTIVE PROGRAM.
I THINK THEY MAY HAVE SET SOMEBODY WITH A DISABILITY
[00:15:01]
ALREADY UP THERE.SO REALLY, I GUESS NASA BETTER BE READY FOR COMPETITION.
THEY HAVE A, A PROGRAM RIGHT NOW WHERE THEY'RE, UM, ALLOWING PEOPLE.
WE ARE, WE ARE LOOKING FOR ASTRONAUTS RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO APPLY, AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, ANYBODY WHO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PARTICULAR SKILL SET TO APPLY, UM, YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A DEGREE IN, IN THE STEM FIELD TO APPLY.
AND I'M ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY, I PUT IT ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA TO APPLY FOR NOW.
SO THE, UH, DON'T THINK THEY CAN DO IT.
SO HOW, HOW, HOW, HOW DO PEOPLE LOOK FOR YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING? YOU CAN GO ONTO MY, UM, PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF THEM UNDER CORNELIUS BOOKER, AND ALSO I HAVE A NEW ONE CALLED LIFE ON WHEELS SHOW.
SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO CHECK, CHECK THOSE BOTH OF THOSE OUT.
NOW TELL ME ABOUT THAT LIFE ON WHEELS.
AND I PREVIEWED IT LAST NIGHT, AND I ALMOST LAUGHED MYSELF OUT OF THE WHEELCHAIR.
I'M TELLING YOU THAT THAT IS A PROFESSIONALLY DONE PIECE.
YOU'VE, YOU'VE GOT A CREW WORKING ON THAT, RIGHT? I DO, I DO.
YEAH, I, I HAVE THE WHOLE THING.
I GOT A PRODUCER DIRECTOR, I GOT MIKE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, IT'S A WHOLE PRODUCTION.
I NOTICED YOU'RE THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER YEAH.
AND A WRITER AND SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS A WHOLE LOT LIKE YOU, PLAYS THE ROLE OF QUINTA BOOKER
SO QUINTA MUST BE A STAGE NAME, RIGHT? YEAH, IT IS.
IT IS A STAGE NAME IN WHAT POSSESSED YOU TO DO A, UH, PROGRAM LIKE THAT? WELL, ONE OF MY FOCUSES HAS BEEN TO INFORM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT CHALLENGES THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FACE.
AND IT'S EASY FOR ME TO TALK ABOUT PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, WHICH LIFE ON WHEELS IS ACTUALLY FOCUSED ON PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS, UM, BECAUSE I'VE EXPERIENCED IT.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE I'M BETTER TO, BETTER TO TELL THE STORY THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
SO I USE MY PLATFORM, MY EXPERIENCE, MY COMMITTEE EXPERIENCE TO WRITE A STORY THAT EXPLAINS PEOPLE, THE ISSUES THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FACE ARE THE SAME KIND OF ISSUES THAT EVERYBODY FACE.
WELL, YOU HAVE A GREAT ATTITUDE.
UH, SOME PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WOULD BE THROWING THINGS IN THAT RESTAURANT, LEMME TELL YOU.
AND WE MAY GET A CHANCE TO TAKE A CLIP.
MAY I HAVE A STER ALARM? MEDIUM.
WELL, WITH POTATOES BESIDES SALAD AND RANCH.
YOU KNOW WHAT, UH, I'LL HAVE THE SAME.
AND INSTEAD OF RANCH, LET ME HAVE A THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING.
NO, I BET YOU SEE ME WHEN THAT CHECK COME
BUT THE, UH, UH, I MEAN, YOU, IF YOU ACTUALLY GO OUT TO EAT, ARE YOU COOL LIKE THAT? OH, NO.
I I TRY TO BE, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, SITUATIONS FOR SO LONG.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S TO THE POINT NOW THAT I DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING, UH, LET MY WIFE DO ALL THE TALKING FOR ME.
UM, IF THE AUDIENCE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY COULD CHECK OUT LIFE ON WHEELS.
AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE, RIGHT? YES.
LIFE ON WHEELS SHOW, IT'S AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE.
YOU CAN, UM, DO A SEARCH FOR LIFE ON WHEELS SHOW, OR YOU CAN LOOK IT ON INSTAGRAM, UM, ON THE LIFE ON WHEEL SHOW, ON MY INSTAGRAM.
AND IT'LL ALSO TAKE YOU TO THE LINK ON THE YOUTUBE AS WELL.
WELL, LEMME TELL YOU, YOU GOT THE, UH, LEX FREE SUPER TIP ON THAT.
YOU, YOU, THAT, THAT, I MEAN, THAT'S WORTH AN NOMINATION.
UM, CORN, YOU MENTIONED PEOPLE IN IDENTIFYING WITH DISABILITIES.
WE, WE, WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AT ILRU AND, AND THE SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER, AND WE'VE FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES DON'T LIKE TO IDENTIFY AS HAVING A DISABILITY.
PARTICULARLY PEOPLE, SOME PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE SPECTRUM AND CANCER SURVIVORS, RIGHT? THEY, WHEN WE ASK THEM, THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, STIGMA.
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT MANAGERS WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THEIR CONDITION AND MAKE UP AN ATTITUDE.
UH, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR THOSE PEOPLE? YEAH, THEY'RE DEFINITELY A STIGMA THAT THAT HAS TO BE OVERCOME.
AND ONE THING I WOULD TELL PEOPLE IS, UM, DON'T LET SOMEONE'S ELSE, UM, IDEA OF YOU CHANGE WHO YOU ARE.
UM, IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU APPLY FOR IT, THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN QUALIFY FOR, APPLY FOR THE POSITIONS.
DON'T BE YOUR, DON'T BE AFRAID TO BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE.
[00:20:01]
GETS TREATED, THEY DON'T TELL THEIR BOSS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.THEY COME BACK TO WORK AND THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M, UH, THEY'VE HAD CHEMO.
THEY'RE, THEY, THEY PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE STAMINA ISSUE, MAY NEED TO TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS OR, OR WORK FLEX TIME OR WHATEVER.
RIGHT? AND THEIR BOSS ASKS THEM WHY THEY SAY, UH, FINALLY COP OUT.
THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD CANCER.
WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE TO THAT PERSON? NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR BOSS TAKING AN ATTITUDE? UM, I SAY, YEAH, THAT'S ONE THING.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE BOSS TAKING AN ATTITUDE, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DISCLOSE EVERYTHING.
UM, IF YOU TELL YOUR BOSS THAT I HAVE A CONDITION THAT A MEDICAL CONDITION THAT REQUIRES ME TO TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS, THEY HAVE TO TAKE YOU AS THEY WERE.
THEY CAN'T ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT YOUR DIAGNOSIS IS OR ANYTHING TOO PERSONAL.
AND THAT WOULD ALSO INFORM THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO OUR OFFICE NEEDING A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE PERSONAL ABOUT WHAT THEIR ISSUE IS TO TELL THE MANAGER, UM, THAT I NEED A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION OR I NEED A CHANGE IN MY WORKING.
IF IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GETTING STIFFED, WHERE DO THEY GO? THAT'S, THAT'S ALSO WHAT COME TO ME.
OR, OR GO TO THE MANY RESOURCES IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY AND JUST, YOU CAN ALSO DO A GOOGLE SEARCH OR, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATES IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW THAT MOST COMPANIES WILL HAVE A, AN OFFICER FOR THAT TOO, RIGHT? YEP.
IN MY ROLE, I ALSO DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS AND ISSUES LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, EACH, EACH COMPANY SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE WHO DEALS WITH, UM, DISABILITIES SERVICES AND BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE A LARGE COMPANY.
WE'LL TRY TO PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE ONLINE.
YOU COULD EAT EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK IN HOUSTON AND ONLY SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUISINES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
THE BEST WAY TO TAKE IT IS JUST NEIGHBORHOOD AT A TIME.
EACH NEIGHBORHOOD HAS ITS OWN SPECIALTY AND THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO LEARN.
IT'S ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT FUD IS THAT YOU CAN NEVER LEARN AT ALL.
DOWNTOWN IS AN ART LOVER'S DREAM.
WITH MORE THAN 65 PIECES OF PUBLIC ART, SAM HOUSTON PARK IS PICTURESQUE WITH WADDLING DUCKS AND NINE FROZEN IN TIME HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
WE ARE A CITY OF COLLABORATORS WHO BUILD ON ONE ANOTHER'S INSPIRATION, STRENGTHS, AND CULTURES TO SHAPE A FUTURE WE ALL CAN SHARE.
WE ARE MORE THAN 7 MILLION INGREDIENTS THAT MAKE SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE DISCOVERED, TASTED, OR INVENTED ANYWHERE ELSE.
IN FACT, CLOGS FROM THESE ITEMS ARE THE MAIN CAUSE OF SEWER OVERFLOWS IN HOUSTON.
LEARN MORE@PROTECTOURPIPES.ORG.
AND WE'VE GOT A SHORT SEGMENT HERE, UH, WHERE WE'RE GONNA TALK WITH THE CORNELIUS BOOKER.
UH, STAGE NAME IS KINTA
YOU, YOU WENT FROM A GOOD JOB TO A BETTER JOB.
RIGHT? AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY, NOBODY'S GONNA HIRE ME AT NASA.
UH, BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY VERY WELL ACCOMPLISHED, UH, APPLICANTS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, DO, DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF THE PROPORTION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WORKING FOR THE AGENCY AND FURTHER AND PERHAPS MORE SIGNIFICANTLY, HOW DID YOU GET ON AT NASA? OH, YEAH.
UM, DEFINITELY WE KEEP TRACK OF, UH, DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WE HAVE AT NASA AND ONE OF THEM BEING, UM, PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND ONE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S GOAL IS TO HIRE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT EVERY, AT EVERY, UM, GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
AND NASA IS ON TRACK TO MEETING THAT GOAL.
AND THEY TRY TO CONTINUE TO MEET THAT GOAL.
AND FOR ME TO GET ON ONE OF THE WAYS, ONE OF THE WAYS THEY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO APPLY IF YOU DO HAVE A DISABILITY, IS GOING THROUGH YOUR VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES AND APPLY USING WHAT WE CALL A SCHEDULE A, UM, DOCUMENT.
AND WHAT THE SCHEDULE A LETTER, WHICH IS HOW I ACTUALLY BECAME EMPLOYED WITH, UM, NASA, IS NASA'S ABLE TO HIRE YOU ON A NON-COMPETITIVE, UM, BASIS WHERE YOU
[00:25:01]
DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS, UM, TO GET EMPLOYMENT.UM, ONCE YOU IDENTIFY AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND THERE'S A PARTICULAR POSITION THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR, GO AHEAD AND APPLY AND INFORM 'EM THAT YOU HAVE A SCHEDULE A AND THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HIRE YOU DIRECTLY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE NORMAL MEANS OF SITTING RESUME.
SO IF A MANAGER IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO WORK FOR THEM, YES.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ISSUES HERE.
NUMBER ONE, THEY CAN LOOK AT THAT, SCHEDULE A LIST YES.
AND LOOK AT YOUR, UH, CREDENTIALS AND INTERVIEW YOU WITHOUT THE NEED TO DO A COMPETITIVE SEARCH.
AND TO GO THROUGH AND BRING IN PEOPLE AND INTERVIEW 'EM AND GO THROUGH A LONG PROCESS.
SO IT'S AN ADVANTAGE TO THE MANAGER TO USE SCHEDULE A IF THEY NEED SOMEBODY IN THAT SEAT QUICKLY.
SOMEBODY'S CAPABLE, SOMEBODY WHO CAN WORK.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, PROVIDES THIS OPTION, UH, FOR MANAGERS AND FOR APPLICANTS.
AND THIS APPLIES TO ANYBODY WITH A DISABILITY, ANYBODY WHO CAN APPLY UNDER SCHEDULE A AND, AND WHEN YOU MAKE AN APPLICATION FOR ANY POSITION, YOU CAN INFORM THEM THAT YOU HAVE A DISABILITY AND YOU'RE ELIGIBLE YES.
AND I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SCHEDULE A OPPORTUNITY.
IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, PEOPLE STILL GET JOBS THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS TOO.
BUT IT'S QUICKER AND, UH, MORE ASSURED.
AND YOU'LL BE WORKING FOR A MANAGER WHO ALREADY KNOWS THE DEAL GOING IN.
AND THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE YOU, UM, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT SOMEONE THAT COMES ON MAY HAVE A DISABILITY AND MAY NEED AN ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO, SO WHAT KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT RAISING THE DESK SO YOU CAN FIT UNDER IT IN A WHEELCHAIR OR MAKING THE TRASH CAN BIGGER SO YOU CAN PUT YOUR TRASH ACROSS THE ROOM? OR WHAT, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, WE HAVE ALL TYPES OF ACCOMMODATIONS.
IF YOU, IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO SIT FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, UM, WE HAVE REMOTE WORK.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO COME INTO THE OFFICE, YOU CAN TELEWORK AND, AND ASK FOR THAT ACCOMMODATION.
YOU'RE ABLE TO, UM, CHANGE YOUR SCHEDULE.
IF YOU NEED FREQUENT BREAKS, THEN THEY'RE ALLOWED YOU TO TAKE FREQUENT BREAKS.
SO WHATEVER YOUR ACCOMMODATION NEEDS, IF YOU NEED A SPECIAL COMPUTER, THEY CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
SO, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION IS THEY CAN'T CONSIDER FINANCIAL, UM, SITUATION.
'CAUSE NASA HAS A LOT OF MONEY, SO YOU CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S TOO EXPENSIVE FOR US TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, WHATEVER YOUR NEED IS, WHATEVER, IF WE CAN, WE'LL TRY TO ACCOMMODATE YOU IF YOU NEED, UH, UH, NEW COMPUTER, A NEW DESK, OR WHATEVER WE NEED, WE CAN TRY TO ACCOMMODATE.
SO THAT, THAT REALLY IS, UH, AN OPTION FOR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
UH, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALSO REQUIRED TO MEET ACCOMMODATIONS, BUT THERE'S NOT A, AN EQUIVALENT SCHEDULE A IS THERE? NO, THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A PARTICULAR SCHEDULE A IS, UM, PRETTY MUCH DESIGNATED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
UH, BUT THERE ARE INITIATIVES OF HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THAT, UH, PEOPLE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AS WELL.
UM, CORNICE, ANY LAST ADVICE FOR PEOPLE? UM, WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO, UM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, IS DON'T, DON'T HIDE FROM YOUR DISABILITY OR BE ASHAMED OF, OF WHAT YOUR LIMITATIONS ARE.
UM, BECAUSE ONE THING I'VE LEARNED IS EVERYBODY HAS SOME LIMITATIONS.
UM, SO DON'T THINK YOUR LIMITATIONS ARE, ARE WHAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK USUALLY IS, IS A MENTAL THING THAT, THAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK.
SO PUSH FORWARD, DON'T LET YOUR PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS STOP YOU FROM BEING SUCCESSFUL.
AND THAT'S THE MINDSET THAT MY MOM INSTILLED IN ME.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANNA INSTILL IN OTHER PEOPLE.
UH, THANKS TO YOUR MOM AND THANKS TO YOU.
UH, THANKS FOR BEING OUR GUEST TODAY ON FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
UH, WE HOPE EVERYBODY TUNES IN AND CHECKS OUT, UH, LIFE ON WHEELS.
UH, CORNELIUS BOOKER AND KEEN TO BOOKER YEAH.
AND, AND, UH, WE HOPE YOU ALL WILL TUNE BACK IN TO WATCH, UH, ANOTHER EPISODE OF FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
WE'VE HAD CORNELIUS BOOKER HERE WITH US TODAY, AND, UH, NEXT TIME WE'LL HAVE A GREAT GUEST.
I APPRECIATE YOU WATCHING THE MUNICIPAL CHANNEL, HTV, AND, UH, THANK THE, UH, PRODUCERS HERE FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
COME BACK AGAIN FOR ANOTHER FOCUS ON ABILITIES.