Visionary Voices: Judith Gran Ch 7

Chapter Transcript

Chapter 7: Ongoing Advocacy

09:12:30:26 - 09:13:46:20

Lisa: And, Judy, your work has really secured the rights and literally the freedoms of maybe tens and, tens of thousands of people with disabilities in Pennsylvania and throughout the country. Enable them to go to school, to work in communities of their choice, these are incredible accomplishments but do you feel that you've accomplished all that you wanted when you started your career?

Judy: Oh no. Oh no there is so much more to be done. In New Jersey where I work now, New Jersey is one of the most segregated states in the nation both in education and in residential services. New Jersey's institutions are still alive and well and have a lot of political support. New Jersey is about third from the bottom in inclusion of children with disabilities in regular classes in the school system. And yet New Jersey is one of the most wealthy and well educated states in the nation so it shows us that we have a long way to go.

09:13:53:00 - 09:14:51:11

Lisa: I wanted to ask you what you're view is of meaningful inclusion.

Judy: Well inclusion to me means that people with disabilities are in the same places that they would be if they didn't have disabilities. For children this means school, for adults it means work, for everyone it means neighborhoods, community and it means that they have the support that they need to flourish in those setting, it means that they have friends, that they have relationships with coworkers, with other children, with people who do not have disabilities and that they are fully valued as participants in those settings.

Lisa: Thank you.

About Judith Gran

Born: Virginia, 1943.
Attorney

Keywords

Community Collaborative, Institutions, Pennhurst, PILCOP, Raphael Oberti, Right to Education, Self-advocacy

The Disability and Change Symposium is available as a free online learning module.

Combating Implicit Bias: Employment

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About this year's theme

Employment statistics for persons with disabilities continue to be disappointing, ~19% compared to ~66% of peers without disabilities. (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). We ask ourselves, "is there something beyond overt discrimination and access that perhaps we need to address? Are there silent barriers such as those created by implicit bias?"

Most of us believe that we are fair and equitable, and evaluate others based on objective facts. However, all of us, even the most egalitarian, have implicit biases – triggered automatically, in about a tenth of a second, without our conscious awareness or intention, and cause us to have attitudes about and preferences for people based on characteristics such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and religion. These implicit biases often do not reflect or align with our conscious, declared beliefs. (American Bar Association, Commission on Disability Rights, "Implicit Bias Guide," 2019)

This year's theme challenges us to each ask ourselves "What implicit bias(es) do we have and encounter, and how do we recognize them and move beyond them to create opportunities, welcome, and full participation for all?"

As always, this Symposium privileges first-person voices and experiences.

About the Disability and Change Symposium

The stated goal of the annual Symposium is "to create conversation that transcends any one-dimensional depiction of people with disabilities, and foregrounds the multidimensional lives of our speakers - as writers, educators, performers, and advocates."

The Disability and Change Symposium is a one-day, interdisciplinary conference focusing on cultural equity and disability. The event is free, accessible and open to the public.

Acknowledgments

Organized by the Institute on Disabilities at Temple University, the Symposium is an outcome of collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Faculty Council on Disability whose mission is "to foster collaboration across Temple University on disability-related projects including research, teaching, programming, publication, and grant-seeking. By connecting with one another, Council members help build community among the growing number of people at Temple whose work engages with disability."

Core funding for the Disability and Change Symposium is through a grant from the Center for the Humanities at Temple University (CHAT)

We extend our appreciation to Disability Resources and Services for providing Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) and American Sign Language services for the day.

The Institute on Disabilities, Temple University College of Education is pleased to recognize some of our 2020 Symposium Partners/Sponsors from Temple University:

This year we also want to recognize the contributions of students (Associate Professor Deb Blair, STHM 2114 - Leisure & Tourism in a Diverse Society), who contributed to shaping and supporting this symposium:

  • Madeline Culbert, School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management; Bachelor of Science: Tourism and Hospitality Management (est. 08/2021)
  • Jair Guardia, School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Science: Tourism and Hospitality Management. (est. 08/2021)
  • Hallie Ingrim, School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management Bachelor of Science: Tourism and Hospitality Management
  • Thomas Leonard, School of Sport, Tourism, and Hospitality Management Bachelor of Science: Tourism and Hospitality Management (est. 08/2021)
  • Bryan McCurdy, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Science: Tourism and Hospitality Management (est. 05/2022)

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