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IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER, PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.WELCOME TO FOCUS ON ABILITIES, A PROGRAM ABOUT ISSUES AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
I'M A PROFESSOR AT UT HEALTH HOUSTON, AND I DIRECT THE INDEPENDENT LIVING RESEARCH UTILIZATION PROGRAM AT TIER MEMORIAL HERMANN.
WE'RE SO GLAD YOU TUNED IN WITH US TODAY BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AMAZING GUEST AND A, AN INTERVIEW WE'RE ABOUT TO CONDUCT.
BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I HAVE A QUESTION THAT YOU CAN THINK ABOUT.
YOU CAN GOOGLE IT, YOU CAN FIND THE ANSWER BEFORE THE END OF THE SHOW.
WHEN WAS THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOUNDED? WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT LATER.
RIGHT NOW, UH, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A SHORT BREAK.
STAY TUNED FOR FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
I AM LEX FRIEDEN, YOUR WATCHING FOCUS ON ABILITIES ON HTV.
OUR GUEST TODAY IS THE ILLUSTRIOUS MARIA TOWN.
SHE'S THE EXE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT AND CEO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, FORMERLY A TO THE MAYOR, UH, AND HOUSTON.
YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW HER AND, UH, I'M GLAD YOU'RE ON THE PROGRAM TODAY, MARIA.
LEX, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE OBJECTIVES OF A A PD ARE.
A A PD WAS FOUNDED WHEN? JULY 26TH, 1995.
SO NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE 30 YEARS OLD.
SO THE A A PD WAS BASED ON A NEED TO HAVE REPRESENTATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
AND MARIA, HAVE YOU ACHIEVED THAT OBJECTIVE? NO, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS.
UM, SO THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, WE'RE A NATIONAL CROSS DISABILITIES CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, AND WE ARE WORKING TO INCREASE THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC POWER OF THE MORE THAN 70 MILLION PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
UM, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE A HUGE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THIS LEX, WE ARE DENIED EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AT EVERY POINT IN AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE.
UM, SO TELL ME 70 MILLION MM-HMM
IT'S A BIG NUMBER, HUGE NUMBER.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, CENSUS BUREAU DATA YEP.
WHERE DO YOU GET THE OTHER 20 MILLION? 70 MILLION COMES FROM THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROLS MOST RECENT SURVEY.
UM, AND THE 70 MILLION IS INCLUSIVE OF NEWER DISABILITIES LIKE LONG COVID, WHICH WE ARE STILL UNDERSTANDING.
WHAT ABOUT BABY BOOMER BOOMERS? MM-HMM
SO DISABILITY IS A NATURAL PART OF THE HUMAN CONDITION.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE A LONG LIFE, YOU'RE GONNA BE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BECOME DISABLED.
SO WE HAVE, UM, LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL TURNING 65 AND OLDER EVERY DAY.
AND AS PEOPLE AGE, THEY'RE GOING TO BECOME DISABLED.
THEIR, UH, AMOUNT OF SIGHT WILL CHANGE, THEIR HEARING WILL CHANGE, THEIR ABILITY TO MOVE AROUND.
SO DISABILITY AND AGING GO HAND IN HAND.
AND YOU SEE AS, AS YOU LOOK AT KIND OF THE AGES OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION, IF YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO ARE 65, 70, 75, YOU GET HUGE PROPORTIONS OF FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES.
IS THERE, IN YOUR ESTIMATION, A KIND OF A CRITICAL BALANCE BETWEEN THE KNOWLEDGE OF DISABILITY IN THAT POPULATION AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF DISABILITY IN WHAT WE WOULD PRIOR SAY WAS THE DISABLED POPULATION? HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU, CAN YOU ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN? YEAH.
YOU GOT THESE 20 MILLION PEOPLE MM-HMM
THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT DISABILITY.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WISDOM THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND
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ME CAN SHARE WITH FOLKS WHO ARE NEWLY DISABLED, WHETHER THEY'RE NEWLY DISABLED FROM SOMETHING LIKE LONG COVID, OR THEY HAVE RECENTLY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WENT THROUGH RECENTLY, MY, MY FATHER HAD TO HAVE A LIVER TRANSPLANT, AND HE BECAME VERY DISABLED AS HIS LIVER FAILED.
AND I HAD TO HELP HIM LEARN HOW TO STAND UP WHEN HE HAD LOST A LOT OF ABDOMINAL STRENGTH.
UM, I'VE HAD TO TEACH 'EM A WHOLE LOT ABOUT HOW MEDICAID WORKS,
UM, AND THIS IS ALL KNOWLEDGE THAT I'VE GAINED AS A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY WHO'S BEEN DISABLED MY WHOLE LIFE.
UM, NOT JUST FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, BUT FROM BEING A PART OF DISABILITY COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT, LEX.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO BECOME DISABLED LATER IN LIFE DON'T REALIZE THAT THERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY OF FOLKS LIKE YOU AND ME WHO ARE OUT THERE READY TO KIND OF WELCOME THEM INTO THE FOLD AND SAY, WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE POINT OF A A PD.
UH, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, AGING PEOPLE MM-HMM
ALL SEEM TO KNOW ABOUT A A RP.
THEY GET A CARD, THEY PAY THEIR MEMBERSHIP, THEY GET A DISCOUNT AT DENNY'S.
WHAT'S A A PD DO TO REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT THEY NEED THAT ARE NOT ADVOCACY ORIENTED? WE, SO, AS YOU MENTIONED, A PD DOES A LOT OF ADVOCACY WORK, UM, TO CHANGE POLICIES, HOPEFULLY FOR THE BETTER OR PREVENT BAD POLICIES FROM KIND OF GETTING ONTO THE BOOKS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DID A LOT OF WORK TO SAVE 5 0 4 FROM BEING OVERTURNED BY THE SUPREME COURT RECENTLY.
UM, WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, A A KEY WAY THAT ANYONE, WHETHER THEY'RE DISABLED OR NOT, GETS THEIR VOICE HEARD IS THROUGH VOTING.
UM, SO WE HAVE A MAJOR VOTING INITIATIVE CALLED REV UP, WHICH ACTUALLY STARTED HERE IN TEXAS.
UM, AND WE HAVE MORE THAN 20 REV UP COALITIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
AND THIS YEAR ALONE, WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TO ALL OF THESE GRASSROOTS DISABILITY VOTING COALITIONS TO GET DISABLED PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND MAKE ELECTIONS MORE ACCESSIBLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, LEX, ONE OF THE PASSIONS OF PAUL HEARN AD'S FOUNDER WAS TO REALLY BUILD THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DISABILITY RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMMING THAT WORKS TOWARDS THAT GOAL.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS THAT BRING STUDENTS AND RECENT GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES TO WASHINGTON DC TO INTERN WITH CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES OR FEDERAL AGENCIES.
AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, BECAUSE DISABILITY IS SUCH A DIVERSE CATEGORY OF EXPERIENCE, SOME OF OUR INTERNS ARE 18, SOME OF 'EM ARE 56.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING MOMENT TO SEE THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE COME TOGETHER.
SO WE AREN'T LIKE A A RP, WE CAN'T GET YOU A DISCOUNT AT DENNY'S.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR OWN INSURANCE THAT WE SELL, BUT WE, UH, WE DO TRY TO DO A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF DISABLED PEOPLE.
I DON'T WANNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THIS, BUT HAVE YOU CONSIDERED PROVIDING THOSE KINDS OF TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO PEOPLE? WE COULD.
I THINK IT WOULD GET TRICKY BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THOSE KINDS OF BENEFITS RELY ON IS DISCLOSURE.
RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE OVER 65.
AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THEY DON'T HAVE FORMAL DOCUMENTATION OF THEIR DISABILITY.
UM, IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING AT ALL, YOU KNOW, AND WE
AND SO, YOU KNOW, BEYOND MY MOBILITY DEVICE, I WOULD HAVE NO PROOF OF ME BEING DISABLED.
UM, SO THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES AROUND THAT THAT DON'T HAPPEN WITH AGE, IF THAT MAKES ANY KIND OF SENSE.
SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW AGING PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED BY DISABILITY MM-HMM
AND HOW A A PD CAN HELP THEM BE EMPOWERED.
BUT AT FIRST, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK.
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE FOCUS ON ABILITIES 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.
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THERE'S SO MUCH TO EXPLORE.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 FE IS THAT YOU CAN NEVER LEARN AT ALL.
THIS IS HTV, THIS IS FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
MARIA TOWN IS HERE WITH ME TODAY.
AND MARIA, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A A PD AND PEOPLE WHO ARE AGING, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE AGING INTO DISABILITY.
UM, WE FIND IN INTERVIEWS THAT MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO REPRESENT THEMSELVES.
DOES A A PD HAVE ANY KIND OF PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP PROMOTE ADVOCACY AMONG ELDERS? WE DO.
AND WE, WE WORK A LOT WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON OLDER ADULTS.
ORGANIZATIONS LIKE JUSTICE AND AGING, A A RP, AS WELL AS THE DIVERSE ELDERS COALITION.
UM, TOGETHER ALL, WE TRY TO COLLECTIVELY ELEVATE THE VOICES OF AGING DISABLED PEOPLE.
UM, AND A PART OF IT TOO IS ACTUALLY JUST GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AT A VERY BASIC LEVEL THAT DISABILITY IS NOT A BAD WORD.
UM, AND IT'S NOT INHERENTLY A BAD THING.
NOW, I CAN SAY AS A DISABLED PERSON, THAT IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY OR FUN TO BE DISABLED.
I MEAN, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN MY BODY WILL NOT DO WHAT I WANT OR NEED IT TO DO, AND IT IS PAINFUL, LITERALLY, SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE WOULD RESIST KIND OF CLAIMING THIS IDENTITY.
UM, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT A A PD DOES IS REPRESENT THE IDEA THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, NO MATTER HOW MUCH TECHNOLOGY CHANGES OR MEDICINE IMPROVES, DISABLED PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO EXIST.
UM, AND SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS WHERE PEOPLE CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT DISABILITY IS, WHAT DISABILITY LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE, AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACTUALLY SAY, I'M A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY, I CAN BE PROUD OF THAT, AND HERE ARE THE THINGS THAT I REALLY NEED TO THRIVE.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
I, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, FRIENDS OF MINE MM-HMM
WHO REALLY GET FRUSTRATED AND LIFE IS HARD.
AND SOMETIMES THEIR SOLUTION IS JUST TO STOP LIFE.
UM, THEY CAN LIVE, THEY CAN BE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY, OR THEY CAN MOVE INTO A NURSING HOME, OR THEY CAN, YOU KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY DIE.
UM, SOME PEOPLE CHOOSE THE LADDER BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY FOOTSTEPS LEADING TOWARD THE FORMER.
ARE YOU DOING EMPOWERMENT TRAINING FOR THE POPULATION? NOT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LOVE TO START.
SO LEX, WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE HTV VIEWERS, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THEM AROUND WHAT THEY THINK WOULD BE EFFECTIVE.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO, UH, JUST FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF TRAINING IS REALLY GOING TO REACH SOMEONE WHO IS AGING INTO DISABILITY, WHO IS NOT READY TO EVEN GOOGLE AN ORGANIZATION LIKE A A PD BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT READY TO SAY, I AM DISABLED.
YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA START FROM A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PLACE.
LET ME JUMP OVER A LITTLE BIT.
I KNOW THAT YOU PERSONALLY ARE AN ADVOCATE FOR TECHNOLOGY.
HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE AI FOLKS? ABSOLUTELY.
TO TALK ABOUT A, HOW AI CAN REMOVE PREJUDICE OR HOW IN THE AI BRAIN MM-HMM
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TAG ON DISABILITY.WELL, THAT'S NOT EXACTLY TRUE.
THAT IS HOW AI IS PITCHED ALL OF THE TIME.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AT A A PD IS NOT ALLOW TECHNOLOGISTS TO KIND OF USE DISABILITY AS THIS FANCY UNICORN THING TO GET KIND OF BAD TECHNOLOGY OUT INTO THE MARKET BECAUSE THEY PROMISED THIS UNBIASED TECHNOLOGY.
WHAT WE ACTUALLY SEE IS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN HIRING, UM, AND RECRUITMENT PLATFORMS THAT ARE FUELED BY AI, THERE ACT THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT BIAS AGAINST CANDIDATES WITH DISABILITIES.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THAT? WE HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ON, UM, WHAT IS THAT WORD? UH, UM, WHERE COMPANIES WILL CLAIM THERE'S NO BIAS, AND THEN WE TEST THE PRODUCTS AND THEY WEED OUT ALL OF THE DISABLED, UH, CANDIDATES.
UM, WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION TO GET GUIDANCE AROUND THE USE OF AI AND EMPLOYMENT, NOTING THAT IF THESE TOOLS ACTUALLY ARE BIASED AND ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE, THEY'RE VIOLATING THE A DA, THE AMERICANS ACT.
ONE OF THEM IS THE ARTIFICIAL BRAIN IS BIASED.
THE OTHER ONE IS THE TECHNOLOGY TO INTERACT WITH THE BRAIN.
AND WE ARE STILL, AS MUCH AS TECHNOLOGY IS ADVANCING, WE ARE STILL PUSHING FOR BASIC ACCESSIBILITY TO THE INTERNET, BOTH WITH CONNECTIVITY, BECAUSE DISABLED PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY DISABLED OLDER ADULTS, FACE SIGNIFICANT DIGITAL DIVIDES WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE CONNECTIVITY TO AN INTERNET, TO THE, AN INTERNET CONNECTION.
AND THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE A DEVICE TO ACTUALLY USE THAT CONNECTION.
SO WE'RE CURRENTLY PUSHING FOR THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO HELP, UM, DISABLED PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY'RE YOUNG FOLKS OR OLDER ADULTS, PAY FOR DEVICES TO ACTUALLY USE THEIR INTERNET CONNECTION.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT STATES, BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVESTED A TON OF MONEY TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES.
WHETHER THEY'RE SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY SAYS, I'M DISABLED AND I'M PROUD, OR SOMEONE WHO SHOWS UP AND IS CLEARLY DISABLED, EVEN IF THEY DON'T USE THAT WELL, I RECALL A PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE TO GET ASSISTANCE GETTING ONLINE OR AT LEAST GETTING CONNECTIVITY TO THE INTER, TO THE INTERNATIONAL INTERNET.
THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM.
CONGRESS, UM, CHOSE NOT TO FUND IT AGAIN.
WELL, WHAT WERE YOU DOING THEN? WE WERE TRYING TO GET CONGRESS TO FUND IT.
UM, YOU WORKED FOR A MAYOR IN HOUSTON.
AND THEN YOU WERE DRAFTED BY THE DISABILITY MOVEMENT TO BECOME, UH, HEAD OF THE A A PD IN THOSE VARIOUS ROLES.
HAVE YOU SEEN ANY OPPORTUNITY FOR BREAKTHROUGH? YES.
UM, WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA, HE WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY IN NEW WAYS AND GETTING THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY VOICE ON ISSUES THAT WE HADN'T TYPICALLY WORKED ON.
AND ONE BIG ONE THAT I REMEMBER IS ON THE ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
UM, GUN VIOLENCE IS THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF SPINAL CORD INJURIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
UM, GUN VIOLENCE CREATES DISABILITY.
AND WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA, MOST DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS WERE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT THIS.
I WAS ABLE TO WORK WITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVORS WHO HAD BECOME DISABLED, WHO WERE BOTH ADVOCATES FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.
SOME OF THEM WERE GUN OWNERS THEMSELVES AND WHO WERE ALSO DISABILITY ADVOCATES.
ONE OF THEM, JENNIFER LONGDON, WOUND UP AFTER MEETING BARACK OBAMA, WOUND UP RUNNING FOR, UH, THE ARIZONA STATE HOUSE.
UM, WITH MAYOR TURNER, UH, WHEN I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, HE UNDERSTOOD DISABILITY IN WAYS THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL UNDERSTAND IT.
HE UNDERSTOOD THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
I'M SURE YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN ON THIS SHOW SAYING DIVERSITY IS DESCRIPTIVE, INCLUSIVE INCLUSION IS ACTIVE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID TOGETHER WAS WORK TO ELEVATE THE STATUS OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND NOW THE OFFICE HAS MORE STAFFING, MORE RESOURCES THAN IT DID WHEN, WHEN I INITIALLY STARTED.
AND WELL, YOU KNOW, SHOULD'S INCREDIBLE.
SHOULD INTERJECT THAT IF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING YEAH.
AND THEY NEED HELP WITH DISABILITY RELATED
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ASPECTS OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THEY SHOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DIRECTOR THERE.AND DO YOU OFFHAND KNOW THE NUMBER? I DON'T.
BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED THIS WEEK IS THAT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAS SOME, A GREAT COLLABORATION WITH 3 1 1 NOW, WHERE THEY'RE REALLY INTEGRATED INTO THE 3 1 1 SYSTEM.
I MEAN, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT SOMEBODY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHO BUILT A NEW HOME AND THEY PUT A SIDEWALK IN MM-HMM
WITHOUT ANY RAMPS ACROSS THE STREET TO THE METRO BUS STOP AND THROUGH A REPORT BY SOMEBODY YEP.
TO 3 1 1, THE INSPECTORS WENT OUT, BUSTED THE OLD CURB, AND MADE THEM REDO THE SIDEWALK.
AND NOW IT'S A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF ACCESSIBILITY.
SO I, I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE INITIATIVE.
NOT JUST FEEL SORRY BECAUSE SOMEBODY DID IT WRONG, BUT TAKE INITIATIVE AND CALL THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ON DISABILITY.
FURTHERMORE, ON SIDEWALK ISSUES, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ISSUES FOR, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS ACCESS TO SOME MONEY THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE BUILD SIDEWALKS IF THEY'RE NEEDING TO GET TO THE METRO, STOP THE DRUG STORE TO SCHOOL, OR WHEREVER IT'S CALLED, THE PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY REVIEW PROGRAM, OR THE PAR PROGRAM.
AND THE, YOU CAN PUT IN A PAR REQUEST WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
AND THAT REQUEST GETS PRIORITIZED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
THE OTHER WAY THAT, UM, CITIZENS CAN HAVE THEIR NEEDS KNOWN IS TO GO TO THE HOUSTON COMMISSION MEET ON DISABILITIES MEETINGS.
THOSE MEETINGS ARE THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH FROM FOUR TO SIX AT TRANS STAR ON KATY ROAD.
ANGEL'S BEEN OUR GUEST HERE ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS.
UH, DON'T FORGET 3 1 1, IF YOU FORGET ANY OTHER NUMBERS.
CALL 3 1 1 IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE.
PEOPLE SHOULD ALSO GO TO AD.COM AND CHECK OUT OUR RESOURCES.
MARIA, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A BREAK.
THEN WE'RE GONNA COME BACK AND TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT A A PD CAN DO FOR YOU, FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
READY TO SPICE UP YOUR DAY? DOWNTOWN HOUSTON HAS EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE CRAVING.
SWAP YOUR WEEKDAY DINNER FOR AWARD-WINNING TAKEOUT.
TREAT YOURSELF TO BOLD, UNIQUE FLAVORS OR FRESH FROM THE OVEN CLASSICS.
DRINK OUTSIDE THE BOX FROM BREWERIES TO COCKTAIL BARS.
THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO TASTE WHEN YOU JOIN US DOWNTOWN.
VISIT DOWNTOWN HOUSTON.ORG TO FIND RESTAURANTS AND BARS FOR YOUR NEXT DELICIOUS ADVENTURE.
FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SUCH AS AMBULANCE, POLICE, OR FIRE, THE FIRE HYDRANT IS GUSHING EVERYWHERE.
FOR CITY RELATED SERVICES LIKE WATER LEAKS, TRAFFIC TICKETS, AND MORE, I NEED HELP FINDING A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.
CALL 2 1 1 FOR ALL SOCIAL SERVICE NEEDS, SUCH AS FOOD BANKS, HOUSING, SHELTER ASSISTANCE, HEALTHCARE AND CHILDCARE SERVICES.
MAKE THE RIGHT CALL 2 1 1 3 1 1 9 1 1.
THROUGHOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC METRO HAS BEEN THERE FOR YOU.
GETTING MEDICAL CENTER EMPLOYEES AND OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS TO THEIR JOBS DURING LOCKDOWN, WE'RE ALSO IMPROVING YOUR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.
FROM MORE FREQUENT CLEANINGS TO SECURITY MONITORS ON VEHICLES, WE'VE LAUNCHED FREE WIFI AND INSTALLED OVER 3000 NEW ACCESSIBLE BUS STOPS, ALL TO MAKE YOUR RIDE BETTER.
VISIT RIDE METRO.ORG TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN DRIVE LESS AND DO MORE.
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.
SAM HOUSTON PARK IS PICTURESQUE WITH WADDLING DUCKS AND NINE FROZEN IN TIME HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
HEY, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US ON FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
UM, MARIA, UH, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN ADVOCACY MM-HMM
WHAT DO, WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE THE MAJOR CHALLENGES
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NOW FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN HOUSTON, IN TEXAS, IN ANY OF THE STATES AND IN THE UNITED STATES? I, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES, UM, INVOLVES WHAT WE, WHAT WE AND THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY CALL COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, WHICH IS ABOUT ANYONE'S ABILITY TO LIVE IN THEIR COMMUNITY, IN THEIR HOME WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES THAT THEY LOVE.UM, OUR POLICIES HAVE WHAT WE CALL AN INSTITUTIONAL BIAS, MEANING THAT IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO PAY FOR SOMEONE TO BE IN A NURSING HOME OR A GROUP HOME THAN TO PAY FOR THEM TO GET THE SUPPORTS THEY NEED TO STAY IN THEIR OWN HOME AND GO TO WORK, EAT WHAT THEY WANT TO EAT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
UM, RELATED TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A WORKFORCE SHORTAGE OF DIRECT SUPPORT WORKERS.
AND THAT IS IN PART BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE JOBS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY VITAL, UM, AREN'T GOOD JOBS.
WELL, I'M NOT EVEN SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT ISSUE.
IF YOU HAVE A DISABILITY, IF YOU'RE OLDER MM-HMM
AND YOU NEED HELP IN YOUR HOME, IT'S REALLY HARD TO GET HELP.
AND PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO ARRANGE FOR THAT THEMSELVES.
THERE'S NO AGENCY THAT DOES THAT FOR YOU.
UM, SOME LOCAL AGING AGENCIES MAY PROVIDE HOME CARE, UH, TO A LIMITED EXTENT AND MAY PROVIDE MEALS ON WHEELS, BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.
AND TO FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL HELP YOU, THERE IS NO PROGRAM THAT YOU CAN CALL UP AND SAY, HEY, I NEED SOME HELP.
UM, THE STATE PAYS $90,000 A YEAR FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME MM-HMM
IN A NURSING HOME, AND YET THERE'S NO WAY THAT THEY WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO ME IN MY HOME UNLESS I QUALIFY FOR ONE LITTLE KNOWN MEDICAID MANAGED CARE COMPANY.
UH, AND THAT IS MEDI MANAGED CARE PROGRAM.
AND THAT NOT VERY MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I MENTIONED MY DAD PREVIOUSLY WHEN MY DAD WAS VERY SICK, EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY ASSUMED THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET HOME HEALTHCARE BECAUSE HE GOT MEDICARE.
AND I HAD TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, MEDICARE DOESN'T COVER THIS.
EVERYONE ASSUMES THAT THERE IS THIS SAFETY NET FOR OLDER ADULTS AND THERE SHOULD BE.
'CAUSE FOLKS HAVE WORKED THEIR WHOLE LIVES.
UM, PEOPLE DESERVE THESE BENEFITS.
SO WHAT, WHAT HAD TO HAPPEN, LEX, I HAD TO GO HOME AND TAKE CARE OF MY DAD.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT YOU, YOUR EXAMPLE REALLY HELPED ME THROUGH BECAUSE, UM, I WANNA SHOUT OUT MAC, YOU KNOW, YOU ALWAYS TOLD ME THAT YOU AND MAC KEEP EACH OTHER OUTTA THE INSTITUTION.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS ABLE TO DO WITH MY DAD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ASSUME THAT DISABLED FOLKS LIKE US AREN'T CAREGIVERS AS WELL.
UM, AND A LOT OF THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK TO KEEP FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE DISABILITIES THEMSELVES AND ARE, AND ALSO NEED CARE.
SO MARIA, WE ARE WINDING UP THE SHOW.
WHAT'S THE NUMBER FOR A A PD? HOW DO PEOPLE GET IN TOUCH? IS THERE A WEBSITE? THERE IS A WEBSITE.
YOU CAN FIND US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, UM, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW OUR PHONE NUMBER, LEX.
UH, BUT YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL US@COMMUNICATIONSATAD.COM.
MARIA, THANKS FOR BEING OUR GUEST TODAY.
AND THANK ALL OF YOU FOR WATCHING.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT ON THIS SHOW TODAY.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM, WE ASKED WHEN WAS THE A A PD FOUNDED? IT WAS SURPRISING TO ME A LONG TIME AGO, 30 YEARS AGO.
SO ANYBODY THAT'S INTERESTED IN A A PD, YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH.
MARIA WILL BE THERE WITH A GREAT STAFF OF PEOPLE WHO ARE HELPING ADVOCATES ALL OVER AMERICA.
UH, PLEASE TUNE IN NEXT TIME FOR FOCUS ON ABILITIES.
I'M LEX FRIEDEN, AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU LATER.
THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS SPONSORED BY ILRU SOUTHWEST, A DA CENTER PROMOTING COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.