Month: March 2019

By Margie Barron, March 31, 2019

Fans of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” saw actor Robert David Hall go about his job in his role as Dr. Al Robbins, the county coroner for all 15 seasons of the hit crime drama. Hall portrayed the chief medical examiner in Las Vegas as a can-do guy who walked around his crime lab on crutches conducting his autopsies.

“Some people thought the crutches were a prop that made the character more interesting,” Hall reported. “But I’ve been very open about my prosthetic legs, the result of an accident when an 18-wheeler truck crushed my car and an explosion set it on fire.” Out of such a horrific event, burn survivor Hall has carved out a fine career playing a variety of roles that reinforces the fact that disabilities shouldn’t prevent talented actors from getting casting opportunities.

‘The accident took both my legs but didn’t take away my abilities, nor my spirit or creativity.’
—Robert David Hall

 

Hall, who also had a nice career as a broadcaster and musician, said, “The car accident took both my legs but didn’t take away my abilities, nor my spirit or my creativity. I knew that I could contribute in a meaningful way, and so can 56 million Americans with disabilities. I see no reason why talented, hardworking people, who are viewed as ‘different’ should be kept out of the entertainment industry, or any industry for that matter.”

Hall has become an advocate and a longtime board member for NOD, the National Organization on Disability, he said, “I am proud to lend my voice to NOD’s Look Closer campaign.” NOD’s goal as a non-profit is to increase employment opportunities for the 80 percent of working age Americans with disabilities who are not employed.

Hall explained, “Harold Russell who won an Oscar in Best Years of Our Lives (1946), didn’t lose his hands in the war, he lost them in a training accident. But Harold became the first person with that kind of disability to be shown as a human being. That was a big deal.”

TV and the media are critical to get the “abilities conversation” going because they do affect change. Hall believes, “The way we show ourselves affects us. CSI is on the air more now because of syndication, and when I’m out and about people still come up to me and say ‘I love your character,’ and they see me and say, ‘oh, that wasn’t a prop.’ That’s okay because they saw a man who was very capable.”

Hall continued, “The affect on TV, film or commercials matters when you see the diversity, old and young people, different nationalities out there, and people able-bodied and less able-bodied. There are more examples now and young kids are impacted by this stuff. If they never see someone like themselves on the screen they think they’re not a part of the future. It doesn’t just affect entertainment, because I think there’s some kid out there who’s going to cure some disease. That kid could be blind or deaf or a paraplegic, but I know I want them to have opportunities and not be devalued because of their disabilities. I feel strongly about that.”

We must look to our better angels. Hall recalled, “Someone once said that we should judge our society by how well we take care of the least among us. I certainly don’t think disabled people are ‘the least among us,’ but the reality is that we have barriers to overcome and problems to solve. If someone is able to take care of themselves, that’s great. But if someone needs a boost, I’d like to do something to help. That’s why I belong to NOD, and why I’m doing this Look Closer campaign to see people for what they can do, not for what they can’t do.”

NOD wants to encourage more people with a variety of abilities to go out for auditions for all sorts of roles. Hall said, “A role as a judge is ideal. I just want it to look more real.”

Recently, TV shows that have had characters of various physical disabilities include NCIS New Orleans, Speechless, Mom, Superstore, Breaking Bad, Switched at Birth, Glee, and The CW’s upcoming In The Dark (premiering Thursday, April 4) starring Perry Mattfeld as a blind crime solver. But Mattfeld is not blind, just like other shows that have able-bodied performers playing some of those rare roles, which is limiting the opportunities for actors with disabilities.

Margie Barron is a member of the Television Critics Association and has written for a variety of top publications for more than 38 years, and was half of the husband and wife writing team of Margie and Frank Barron.

Read on The Tolucan Times

The Campaign for Disability Employment: Blog by Carol Glazer

March 18, 2019 | Carol Glazer is the president of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), a Campaign for Disability Employment member organization.

It is not unusual for waiters and waitresses to look only briefly at my son Jacob before turning to ask me what he would like to eat. With a shrug, I almost always say the same thing: Ask him.

Jacob, 26, has apparent physical and cognitive disabilities. His arms sometimes hang awkwardly, and his eyes can wander. His speech isn’t always fluid. To many, it is the appearance of someone lacking agency—someone who needs help. It’s an appearance that belies a keen sense of observation, strong personal desires and a quick wit. Jacob knows what he wants. Ask, and he’ll tell you.

When meeting him, even people who interact regularly with people with disabilities tend to speak at enhanced volumes and reduced speeds. When this happens, Jacob will ask them why, and, ironically, check that they are okay (his emotional intelligence and sense of humor have always outpaced those of others his age). These exchanges are mostly innocuous and even funny, if not a bit awkward for the would-be do-gooders. But they reveal a worrisome truth about our society.

The term “stigma” is often used in the context of discrimination. And although stigma is certainly problematic, it is not always actively pernicious. Those waiters are not avoiding Jacob to be insulting. They are trying to spare him embarrassment—and perhaps themselves some discomfort. But in doing so, they rob him of his voice and his volition. For whom is that good?

Society has certain expectations of people: expectations of education, of employment, of contributions to the common good. But, for totally outdated and cynical reasons, those expectations do not typically extend to those with disabilities, especially when it comes to work. Rather, it’s seen as a miracle that they get out of bed in the morning.

Smart people—and smart businesses—do not subscribe to this tyranny of low expectations, however. Rather, they know that including people from all walks of life, with different perspectives and experiences, is the key to success. People with disabilities are above all problem solvers; in the workplace, this translates into innovative thinking. It’s no coincidence that businesses that excel at disability inclusion—for instance, those recognized as National Organization on Disability (NOD) Leading Disability Employers™—are among the nation’s, and in fact world’s, most successful organizations.

As president of NOD, I have the privilege of working with these companies, as well as those at different points in their disability inclusion journeys. Those more towards the beginning often have the same question: What kinds of jobs can people with disabilities do?

There are more than 50 million Americans with disabilities in the United States today, constituting a remarkably diverse group that includes people with Autism, asthma and arthritis, as well as cancer, depression, dyslexia and myriad other conditions. They are black and white, young and old; they live in Brooklyn, San Francisco and Iowa City. No two people have the same talents or interests—regardless of disability status. So, what kind of jobs can people with disabilities do? Any jobs that people can do.

The frequency with which this question is asked was a significant driver for NOD in launching the Look Closer campaign, as well as joining the Campaign for Disability Employment. Through these initiatives, we are working to recast Americans with disabilities as a capable, untapped workforce, with new terminology and new archetypes. The key is sharing their stories. Some of the individuals featured in our Look Closer campaign are low-skilled, hourly workers. Others are senior managers and C-level leaders. In almost every case, the individual’s disability played either no role in their career whatsoever or created competitive advantages. It turns out, disability has very little to do with ability.

So, have people with disabilities failed to exceed the low bar set for them? Or has society failed to set the bar high enough? It’s time for us all to look closer at our beliefs, expectations, and yes, our stereotypes.

For more information about the Look Closer campaign and how individuals and employers can get involved, visit nod.org/lookcloser.

 Read on What Can You Do? The Campaign for Disability Employmemt

 

By Olivia Feldman | Posted Mar 5, 2019 at 4:46 PM

One in five people in the U.S. have disabilities, making up 54 million people in the U.S. Palm Beach resident Luke Visconti advocates for this group as vice chair of the National Organization on Disability (NOD), which aims to help people with disabilities find employment.

In 1997, Visconti founded the online publication DiversityInc., which focuses on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. His life took a turn after suffering a stroke four years ago at the age of 54, leading him to gear his efforts toward working with NOD. On behalf of the organization, he took part in a meeting last week in Washington, D.C. with 12 national disability organizations and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) to advocate for increased employment for people with disabilities.

Visconti recently spoke to the Daily News about his work with the NOD and how he has progressed since his stroke.

How long have you lived in Palm Beach?

I moved here full-time last year but had been wintering here for the past four years while living in Princeton, New Jersey.

How did you get involved with the National Organization on Disability?

I’ve known (NOD President) Carol Glazer for well over a decade. After my stroke, she got out to me quickly. NOD has been able to put all of these groups together so we can advocate for our collective best interests. Our mission is to get people to work.

What are your responsibilities as vice chair of the NOD board?

The board keeps strategic direction. We discuss initiatives and opportunities that will help people get employment, and that’s what we spend the most time on. We evaluate Carol Glazer’s performance on a regular basis.

How did your stroke happen?

I was at home in Princeton, New Jersey. I woke up having trouble walking; I felt strange. At first I brushed it off, but then I woke up my wife. I made two big mistakes: I didn’t call 911 and I had her drive me to the hospital, which was the wrong one. They misdiagnosed me and I didn’t get a tPA (tissue plasminogen activator). There was no neurologist or cardiologist on staff. Instead of sending me away, they took my insurance money and left me there. If I had been treated properly, I wouldn’t be paralyzed.

How do you function since your stroke?

I was paralyzed on my left side, and I still do rehab every day to get myself basically functional. We moved here because the cold stiffens up my affected side. I can walk, but it’s not pleasant; I have to focus on every step. I am effectively one-handed. I really would like my left hand and left arm back, it just takes work. I do Pilates once or twice a week at the Royal Poinciana Plaza.

What should readers know about people with disabilities?

People with disabilities deserve the ability to go to work. They have plenty to contribute. From a pragmatic point of view, you get the best people when you select from the widest possible pool. We can increase the country’s GDP by having people work to the best of their ability.

Read on The Palm Beach Daily News

Walmart’s decision to change the responsibilities of its store greeters, who are largely represented by people with disabilities, is profoundly disturbing. As a mother of a child with intellectual disabilities, I can say that my family has always loved shopping at Walmart because my son sees greeters that remind him of himself, and who are role models for him.

But we have to keep this in perspective: Jobs are not entitlements. As a retailer competing with tech sector companies who can get merchandise directly to their customers’ doors, Walmart has to evolve its business model and its workforce.  It’s inevitable there will be winners and losers. Walmart has pledged to help those who may be displaced by the change in store greeters’ job descriptions. We hope this means people with physical and mental disabilities. Walmart would be wise to consider their many customers with disabilities, along with family and friends, who are counting on them to do the right thing.

Walmart’s solid track record in employing people with disabilities and veterans has earned it the right to make good on its promises. We in the disability community should watch closely, but give the company a chance – not only to preserve jobs for store greeters, but up and down the managerial chain of command. Corporate America needs to remember there are 20 million Americans with disabilities who are ready to work, and to contribute meaningfully to earn a paycheck.

Carol Glazer
President
National Organization on Disability