Advocates Summit 2008

BCIL Advocates Summit 2008 Summary

Dear Members and Friends of BCIL,

I would like to share with you a summary of the Advocates Summit on March 28th. For those of you who attended, thank you for coming. For those of you who couldn't make it, I hope this gives you the flavor of what took place. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. We are always looking to make these Summits better and more relevant so let us hear from you. Our hope is to act on what happened at this one, so there is a connection and unity in our work with you.

After introductions, Bill Henning talked about the status of the MBTA since our victory. Subway elevators are the biggest success: running better and new ones ready to be built. The training continues for Customer Service Agents and Bus Drivers, and the T is working to figure out how to close the gaps between the cars and the stations in the subway (the bridge plates you may have seen and used are a temporary solution). Stacy Rogers, who runs our Youth Group, told us about a video the group made about the MBTA. They plan to show it on April 5th at the Transportation Building. Stacy can tell you more about it if you call her at BCIL.

Liz Casey gave a report on the ongoing activity of the PCA Workforce Council in its effort to negotiate with the State for better wages, health benefits, and vacation for PCA's. Now that the PCA's. are unionized 1199SEIU is participating as well in these talks, and Becca Gutman, union organizer, gave an update as well. People were asked to show up at the State House on the 1st of April for a rally and to deliver post cards to the Governor which requested his support of a PCA pay raise. (Thanks to everyone who did show up on the 1st. There were a huge number of people with disabilities, PCA's., Union folks, and other friends who filled the halls and delivered the materials.) Bill also mentioned that the administration is pushing Community First, an initiative to expand community-based services for seniors and people with disabilities. No more nursing homes!

Our Keynote Speaker was Representative Byron Rushing, the 2nd Assistant Majority Leader (D-Boston). A long-time friend of the disability community, and a civil rights activist, Representative Rushing spoke passionately about our right to all of the same liberties as all people. His eloquent speech underscored how we are part of the “we” and not a separate and unequal group. You can read his testimony on our Advocates Summit page.

John Kelly, a BCIL member and founder of NAG (Neighborhood Action Group) talked about what his group has been doing regarding street and sidewalk access and the City’s ongoing neglect of our Community. Both BCIL and NAG, along with the Disability Policy Consortium and the Disability Law Center, are working to fix sidewalks, get rid of bricks, bring curb cuts into compliance and a lot more.

I made a short announcement about the medical project we are working on with Greater Boston Legal Services to gather information about the disparity between the care of people with disabilities and those without in medical facilities. Key concerns are physical access, access to equipment and attitudinal issues. We are almost finished and ready to act on these reports but if you have a story to tell about any medical facility where you felt you were treated inappropriately, it is not too late to let me know. Give me a call at BCIL.

Evelyne Milorin spoke about our ongoing work to keep people with disabilities in the loop as City and State officials make plans for Emergency Preparedness in case of a natural or human-created disaster. She informed people of Boston's plans for emergency dispensing of medications. Contact Evelyne at our office if you have questions.

Janice Ward, BCIL member, introduced Linda Landry of the Disability Law Center, who answered questions about problems people have with durable medical equipment: receiving it, receiving it in a timely manner, and problems of payment. This is a huge problem and one which everyone could relate to. Her office and ours will continue to fight, but it was clear from Linda’s discussion that this subject will not go away soon.

We would like to thank everyone for their participation and assure you that the topics discussed will not be put aside now that the summit is over. Each one requires all of our work – BCIL’s, consumers, and supporting agencies as well as government. Please consider participating in our neighborhood groups, and other actions and meetings. We will keep you up to date on what is happening and how you can contribute your talents and expertise. If you have ideas on how we can do things better, please let us know.

Your voice is the one that counts! Please continue to speak out and join us at events and ongoing groups that focus on specific issues and civil rights for all of us.

Thanks!
Karen Schneiderman for BCIL
Community Organizer
617-338-6665 x216
kschneiderman@bostoncil.org

Comments of Byron Rushing to BCIL

Byron Rushing speaking at the Advocates Summit

On March 28, 2008, state Representative Byron Rushing, a member of the House Leadership Team, a person of history, and an unflinching civil rights advocate, spoke at BCIL's annual Advocates Summit. Below are excerpts from his comments:

What you demand is so reasonable and it makes so much sense. What you are doing is absolutely necessary. You defend the rights of everybody in this city and in this state, when you defend the rights of people with disabilities.

You deserve to be treated with the dignity that we all deserve -- because we all deserve to be treated with dignity. You have been effective in saying how the majority of people have to change.

People speak easily about freedom and democracy in this country, but it is important to understand how few years this idea has been on the scene. These were radical ideas 230 years ago, too radical even for those who invented them then. However, once these words were written they no longer belonged to the people who wrote them, they belonged to those who heard them. And women heard them, black people heard them, people of every religion and ethnicity heard them, gays and lesbians heard them -- and you are making sure that people with disabilities are hearing them.

When I was involved in the civil rights movement in the 60s, white people used to ask us "What do you people want?" And a friend came up with a reply, after hearing this so much: "What do you want for your family? You want a good home, a good job, good healthcare, to be treated with respect and dignity. Is that what you want? OK. Write it all down and sign my name! That's what we want."

We must continue to denounce barriers to opportunity put before any people by others. People with disabilities should be treated as everyone should be treated. You are in the forefront of the movement for justice in this country. Never, ever, let anyone say what you are doing is self serving. It is serving the community. It is serving the whole Commonwealth. It is serving all of us.