I arrived early and found myself in a packed auditorium. People were everywhere. Wheelchairs of all types, people with a multitude of disabilities and people with none. The faculty and staff at the Perkins School for the Blind were there. Personal Care Attendants were there. Members of SEIU were there. The crowd was electric. On stage was a trio of students playing violin, drums and accordian enthusiastically playing Stars and Stripes Forever, among other things to the great pleasure of the crowd. I watched from the front corner of the balcony where I stood as all the seats were filled.
I watched as a screen flashed in yellow letters on a blue background the words that were spoken almost as quickly as they were uttered. I saw no one typing them but I did see the laptop that was plugged into the projector. Two different women were on the stage to sign for the hearing impaired. I watched as two Personal Care Assistants in the front two rows were tactilely signed the entire program with both of their hands enfolded by the hands of their clients. I saw a myriad of devices used for communication, the kind of communication that most of us take for grantedspoken words.
This event was FOR the disability community. I felt like I was crashing someone else’s party in a way. But I also felt privileged to be there. The Perkins community gave me a gift of a glimpse into their lives. They didn’t know it, I was irrelevant to the event which was as it should be.
What I saw in the two politicians, Sen. Kerry, and soon-to-be Gov. Patrick was a connection, a deep connection with the people in this community. They both have been involved in one way or another with the Americans With Disabilities Act. They showed a compassionate understanding of the issues, the multiple issues, faced by the people they were surrounded by. They spoke briefly from the stage with no script, Deval only minimally referring to a list of issues on the podium next to him.
Then they went onto the floor and took questions. They engaged with people face to face, wherever that face happened to be, in a chair or standing. They listened. They answered what they could. They heard what they were there to hear. It was obvious to me that this was no ordinary campaign event. I heard Deval say some of the same things I have heard him say before, but it was different here.
This was not about the donors, the debate “issues” the commercials, the necessary part of politics that wear away at candidates day after day. This was about listening, about paying attention to a community that needs the state and the government to be on their “team.” This was about politics in its truest sense as the “work of the people.” It was about hope. My estimation of both men kicked up a notch. I am glad I was given the gift of a glimpse of this world.
There is a reason that the motto of the Perkins School is “All We See is Possibility.”
I was supposed to be on a ministers’ retreat and had to miss out on our program in order to come into the city for this. Then back to the retreat center with no helpful connection to the outside worldwhich is what retreats are supposed to be for. Oh well. I am really glad I witnessed this event. It was well worth the trip.
I was moved to tears. Deval demonstrated once again his capacity to listen. During the question and answer period someone who was difficult to understand asked a question, Deval leaned in to listen. He didn’t understand the question so he leaned in further. I could see him trying to understand, his brow was furrowed. He finally got it. He smiled and gave an answer. For so many years people like the questioner have been ignored. The entire disability community has been ignored. It meant a lot to me that Deval, Kerry, and the Deval campaign thought this community was important enough that they spent an hour and a half with us during the last two weeks of the campaign.
Thank you for the comments.
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As a disability advocate for the past 15 years, (for those that missed earlier posts, I am in a wheelchair)this campaign has truly been a wonderful journey.
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For me personally, to finally connect to a man I’ve been very well aware of since 1994. When everyone else was saying “Deval, who? I already knew the compassionate, dedicated man he was.
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He has been the champion and our hope since then.
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Many of the rights the disability community have now are attributed directly to Deval Patrick’s work at the DOJ.
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The ADA is, as most (not disabled) may not know IS a Civil Rights Act. Therefore, the enforcement fell to Deval. As an advocate working with the AAPD (American Assoc. for Persons w/disABILITIES)in Washington, I was very well aware of all the cases he prosecuted on our behalf. Most notable were DisneyWorld, the service dog issue (being able to take our dogs everywhere), and more accessibility to the World Wide Web. Those are but a few that just scratch the surface.
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I never got to actually meet him back then, but I did at the convention. And he and I have had several great one on one meetings since. And his recall, after meting thosands of persons is amamzing. I will always be in awe of him.
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And RevDeb is right..he listens, really listens to EVERYONE’s comments.
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And I have his personal assurance that the disability community will have a greater role in the Commonwealth after January. Tuesday’s event just reinforced that promise.
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How ironic to me is, that we have NOT had a democratic governor SINCE the signing of the ADA in 1990, that Deval was the first Asst. Atty. Gen. to enforce it, and poised to be our first Dem Gov. since..for us in the disability community it is so much more, I’m one who believes it is destiny. As well as history.
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Barb in Worc.
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I’ve served on my town’s disabiltiy committee for many years, and I am a founding member of a disabiltiy group – MassRehab being largely responsible for my ‘Lord helps those that helps themselves’ attitude – and I would add this as just one more I.O.U. that Mr. Patrick will have a hard time honoring if he gets to Beacon Hill.
Well, I’ve not been to the Statehouse in a about 18 months, but the last time I was there, much of the accessibility had begun to be updated.
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While there is still so much more work to do, some architecturally near impossible have confidence that unlike his predecessors, Deval believes in equal access and inclusion much more realistically.
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As far as IOU’s, I don’t expect hundreds of years of inaccessibility to disappear overnight. The ADA was “revised” to be inadequate in many ways…..there may never be a completely accessible America. But, adaptability is not as scary as many would have you believe.
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And as far as Mass Rehab is concerned, just another state agency that needs a serious look see and overhaul by experts and advocates in the “community” itself. Deval has told me that the community’s input will be crucial, because we know best what we need. Many of us have come up with very creative ways to deal with our surroundings. He wants to tap into and utilize that creativity. Not just in the disability community, but in all aspects of how his Administration will deal with all issues.
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Not all of us in the disability community, faithfully follow like we don’t have a choice. I guess I’d have to say I advocate to follow your own path. But we have many decades to undo. At just 16 years old – 1990-2006, we are a movement still in our infancy…think of things like how long it took for the woman’s vote or the civil rights act itself…way longer than 16 years to shake out all the things wrong. But, I do respect your opinion.
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Yes, the legislature for a decade and a half has been guilty of not abiding by the law, or actually selectively avoiding it by not “hearing” strong enough objections.Just remember, it’s been 16 years since they’ve come up against a Governor who made equality a high priority for all of it’s citizens. They ALL need an awareness wake-up call to hold them more accountable. That task must be on the disability community and it’s leaders. We will have, I believe an Atty. General, more engaged. Personally, I would fire half of them, in the next election, if I could. Disability is just another “reality” THEY don’t understand…so they don’t deal with it, until someone puts their backs against the wall…the legislature is about to get a HUGE wake-up call……
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Barb
Having attended the Perkins School event as well, I can say that RevDeb caught the flavor nicely. You’re right, this was no ordinary campaign event. Both Deval and Senator Kerry handled it perfectly, and yet Deval, in particular, didn’t always say what the crowd wanted to hear, e.g., his answer to one questioner that he supports MCAS as a graduation requirement. The nonprofit organization I work for blogged the event as well. This was just one more example in which Deval, despite his reputation in the MSM, spoke in specifics.
Maybe I am wrong but I don’t remember any major candidate including disability issues as a major plank like Deval. To me that is de facto evidence of real class. I know I am repeating myself but Deval Patrick, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and NH governor John Lynch have been absolutely rocks of support for people with disabilities.
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This is not a big sexy media issue – one reason is that people with visible disabilities make some people uncomfortable and many politicians are afraid of the imagery.
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Also Senator Bob Dole and the late great New Hampshire governor Hugh Gallen
have been fearless advocates. Although it wasnt’ that long ago, lot of people forget NH gov Hugh Gallen implemented possibly the most progressive policies for people with disabilities in the country in New Hampshire.