Christmas Tales from the Disability World

I have no new thoughts on Christmas. But while the huband and kids are out doing last minute holiday errands (taking chairs and disposable party tableware to relatives) I wanted to share some excellent disability Christmas carols and Christmas tales from some of BBC message board's most illustrious disability bloggers.

The Real Meaning of Christmas..

There is a compliation CD that has a song entitled, "The Real Meaning of Christmas". I heard it this morning and it was a nice reminder as we finish up the last minute shopping, holiday eating, festivities and post Christmas Boxing Day, that we should take a few minutes to rest, reflect and be greatful for all we have. We forget and overlook our many blessings--so, give someone a call, send one of those sloppy sentimental email cards and practice random acts of kindness.

Peace

Don't Mess with Me-- I have a 504 Plan!

I have created a Teenage Advocacy Monster!

He prowls the hall of a public school, that shall not be named:

1. seeking lairs to use for private test taking
2. bouncing other kids from the library study carrels
3. running teachers from unofficial break areas

He marks his territory:

1. setting up time to use the computer lab for his test modification that can be administered
2. setting up time after school or during study halls to have his extended time test modification

He stalks him prey:

1. commanding the Building Specialist (code language for Special Education Teacher) to get get him out of class based tests
2. ratting out teacher non compliance to the Building Coordinator of Special Education
3. demanding his test modifications from teachers
4. reminding teachers about his test modifications
5. demanding again his test modifications

He takes his prize:

1. He gets his test modifications
2. He doesn't feel the need to explain his test modifications to peers
3. He brags about his test modifications when he gets good grades and others fail
4. He brings home his test and quiz grades-- WITHOUT BEING ASKED

I have created a monster.

I am so proud!!

How do you spell Elliot (Spitzer)?

Today was the last day of the legislative calendar in New York State. Legislators returned to the Capitol Building Complex (euphemistically called 'The Egg') to pass a flurry of end-of-the-session, go-out-with-a-bang, give-ourselves-a-quick-raise, and not-pass-too-much-that-while-l make-those-who-didn't re-elect a lot of us happy.

So, we are left, like a prom date, after the big fanfare, hoopla, and romance are done, wondering "What comes next?"

We have a New Governor (Eliot is spelled with one L) and Lieutenant Governor Patterson-- the first blind or visually impaired official at this level. There are more websites (election, write in your opinion, transition team, inauguration, online ads, and Hevesi spin doctoring) and levels of social marketing in this administration than you can shake a stick at. The inauguration is shaping up to be uber PC-- with representation from organizations, vendors, business across the state, to make Jesse Jackson's concept of the rainbow coalition look monochromatic.

Meanwhile, we are still wondering if this 'relationship' with Eliot is going to work out or not.....

Stay tuned.

Disability Carnival #3

Check out the Disaiblity Carnival #3. There are several great poems, and essays on the theme of Spirituality.

How to Engage a politician-- Part IX

On Friday September 22, 2006 a band of forty ADAPT members met at Rundell Library, in downtown Rochester. Under the ADAPT ‘invisibility cloak’, we were ‘hidden in plain sight’-- just a group of people with disabilities on a field trip, chatting amicably while watching the Dick Cheney motorcade of regional law enforcement, come to town. Vice President Cheney was coming to Rochester to support Congressman Randy Kuhl at a fundraiser. There were sharpshooters on the roofs of the Convention Center, police on all floors of the parking garage, and four square blocks were cut off to pedestrian and car traffic. A protest action looked impossible. Nevertheless, ADAPTers tightly lined up, and marched across the police line at South Avenue and Broad Street, in to the Vice Presidential Security Zone. RPD met protesters, physically moving wheelchair users and grabbing people by the arm, to pull them back behind the line. Bruce Darling was restrained, face down, on a police car, but that did not stop the ADAPT crew. Norita Darling, Bruce’s mom, saw the incident, but kept on walking. Aware that there were larger issues at stake, she focused upon what needed to get done by ADAPT. Unable to get through the police barricade, the ADAPTers did an about face, and marched off, down the Broad Street Bridge.
We headed for Main Street, wheelchairs leading the way. The group attempted to cross over Main Street, to enter the Convention Center, but was met in the middle of the street by police, effectively stopping traffic. RPD redirected protesters, routing wheelchairs back to the yellow line, in the middle of the street. The ADAPT contingent filled in, urging the group forward, but the police brought in barricade fences. Eventually, the group agreed to go onto the sidewalk, next to other quiet protesters, where we stayed. Several officers were assigned to ‘watch’ us, to make sure we did not attempt to cross the street and enter the Convention Center. (One person literally "took it on the nose" for ADAPT, getting ‘bumped’ in the face with her camera, from a hostile employee of the Rochester Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. In the true spirit of non-violent protest, she did not respond in kind, but she has his picture!)

Q: What does ADAPT do when we are going to be somewhere for awhile?
A: Chant!

Anita ‘O’Brien and Susan Norwood led the group in a variety of chants including:
What do we want? MiCASSA!
When do we want it? Now!
Our homes, not nursing homes!
Free our brothers, free our sisters, free our people now!
Settled into a tight group on the sidewalk, we continued chanting. RPD brought in the mounted patrol, forming a Line of Five in front of the Convention Center. Several Cheney reception attendees and Convention Center staff peered out the windows at the demonstrators. Rochester ADAPT was situated in the front of the crowd. Users of power chairs/scooters were on the frontline, facing the Convention Center. Meanwhile, in the rear of the crowd, members of Rochester ADAPT passed out flyers about the need for Randy Kuhl to sign onto MiCASSA. After about an hour, the anti-war groups in Washington Square Park marched down Main Street, and joined us, in front of the Convention Center. This group was composed of Metro Justice members, college students, gay activists, and anti war activists. Cars driving by honked their horn, in support of our demonstration.
As the protests continued in the non-violent manner, the police became friendlier, asking questions about MiCASSA, tapping their toes in time with our chants, and nodding their heads in support of our cause! At the end of the fundraiser/picture event with Dick Cheney, a special bus was brought in for the Republican fundraiser guests, so they could scurry to safety, fearful that people across the street, behind barricades might ‘get’ them!! While leaving the event, Kuhl staffers and others leaving received a rousing round of “Boo’s!!” from the anti-war protesters.
While the protest was in its last hour, others hit the parking garage with MiCASSA leaflets. The Convention Center was empty, as Vice President Cheney and fundraiser guests were gone. However, a group conversation was in progress in one of the meeting rooms. Being curious, both Mike and Bruce walked in to see Randy Kuhl doing a press conference. Ever ready with a question, Bruce Darling cut off a reporter to ask why Kuhl did not support MiCASSA and would not meet with ADAPT. (Mike Volkmer added that it was much more cost effective than nursing home placements.) Congressman Kuhl replied that this was a staffer oversight and he would be interested in getting more information and MiCASSA sounds like something he would like to support! Bruce got his business card and agreed to follow up.

In reflection, this action was another ADAPT victory! The karma of success in unexpected places continues for Rochester ADAPT!

Question: How do you spell power?
Answer: A-D-A-P-T!

Candidate Forums and Elected Officials

The Center for Disability Rights is hosting an Election 2006 Forum, not a debate. Each person get four to five minutes, to come and explain their platforms, and how it impacts people with disabilities.
-----------------
The Center for Disability Rights and The Regional Center for Independent Living will be hosting a Candidate Forum on Disability Issues for Election 2006. This forum will focus upon key issues that impact people with disabilities.

Do Housing, transportation, and healthcare and education matter to you?
Do you want to know more about the Candidates views on disability issues?

Then come join us!

Monday, October 23, 2006
5:30PM-8PM
Kate Gleason Auditorium
Bausch and Lomb Public Library Building
115 South Avenue
Rochester, New York.

The forum will present Candidates for the offices of:
NY Governor, NY Attorney General, US Congress and NYS Legislature.

The Bausch and Lomb Public Library Building is wheelchair accessible.
Sign language interpreters will be provided.

If you have any questions, or need more information, contact Arlene Wilson at (585) 546-7510 or awilson@rochestercdr.org.

-----------------

This should be interesting, as many never thought through a platform to this degree, even the Gubenatorial candidates. But, as most politicians, they are fast on their feet, and seeking to make hay while the sun shines.

Future DocWilson’s Book Meme

I have seen this great idea on The Goldfish's website, so I wanted to add my two cent...

Future DocWilson’s Book Meme

1. One book that changed your life?
The Autobiography of Malcom X, would be at the top of the list. I man whom American history is just starting to consider for his oratory and personal triumph or adversity.

2. One book that you have read more than once?
Well, I would have to concur with The Goldfish, about The Bible. Not only is it a religious text, but is the source of many philosophical (Proverbs), and cultural (Creationism versus Evolution) concepts and ideas.

3. One book you would want on a desert island?
I do not think one book would do it, so I would have to hedge this one, and go with a completed works set, in a leather binding. I think the collected speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These speeches are motivational, and insightful. I would also go with the Complete Works of Tolstoy.

4. One book that made you laugh?
I'm sorry, I can not restrict myself to one. If I choose The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy then that means I have to neglect Puckoon, and Three Men in a Boat, and No Bed for Bacon, and Clive James's Unreliable Memoirs, and My Family and Other Animals, and The Cat Who Came in from the Cold, and Pickwick Papers, and....so I won't choose any.

5. One book that made you cry?
One Thousand Years of Solitude. A strange book, that tells the story from the end, and threads its way backwards, to explain tragedy. Gabriel Garcia Marquez has the power to find the paintful, private truth of life and love. gem.

6. One book you wish you had written?
Roots, by Alex Haley. This book created a whole academic specialities around genology, travel through the African Diaspora to slavery sites, and increase the number of African American family reunions. It also helped to decrease several prevalent myths around the dynamics of slavery, and slave families. Fascinating.

7. One book you wish had never been written?
Mein Kampf. It creates a platform for serious consideration of racism, antisemetism and other Ayran disfunctional constructs.

8. One book you are currently reading?
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, by himself. This is a great book, which gives insights on slavery, and American political thought of the 1800’s. It also is inspiring on how far someone can come, by grit determination and a few random acts of kindness.

9. One book you have been meaning to read?
I have hear and seen various versions of Homer’s the Oddessey. Any book that have been so copied, parodied and retold is a must for required reading.

10. Now tag five people.

Illogical Syllogisms and the Dissertation

Five months of revisions, rewrites, edits.
Done.
Committee approved.
Just when I thought there might be smooth sailing ahead, the dissertation process runs into another snag...NEW procedures implemented.

Q: Was the doctoral student told in advance of submission?

A: No.

Q: Then the doctoral student is grandfathered in under old standards, right?

A: Wrong

Q: SO what happened to due process, uniformity of standards and accountability?

A: Do you want this doctoral degree, or not?

Special Education Determination- A Paradigm Shift

Some good news on the special education front for parents...

August 4, 2006
The New York Times
By Diana Jean Schemo

WASHINGTON, D.C. For more than 25 years, federal law had required that schools nationwide identify children as learning disabled by comparing their scores on intelligence tests with their academic achievement. This meant that many students had
to wait until third or fourth grade to get the special education help they needed.

In regulations issued today after changes to the law, the federal Education Department said states could not require school districts to rely on that method, allowing districts to find other ways to determine which children are eligible for
extra help.

It was the final step in the federal government's repudiation of the old approach, which had come under severe criticism from advocates for children with disabilities, testing experts and eventually federal officials themselves. Advocates for those
children applauded the change.

"If you talk to principals and special ed directors, there is pent-up demand for better ways to serve struggling kids than waiting until they crash and burn in third and fourth grade," said James H. Wendorf, executive director of the National
Center for Learning Disabilities. The new rules also require schools to alert parents as they begin exploring whether children may need special education, another change that won praise from advocates for children with disabilities.

The regulations come after Congress updated laws covering special education for some six million schoolchildren nationwide in late 2004.

Comparing intelligence tests with academic achievement, known as the discrepancy model, came under intense criticism in the debates over the law and over special education.

Federal officials and advocates for children with disabilities contended that the practice of waiting for children to fall behind on tests in third or fourth grade before getting them extra help consigned them to failure, and opened the way for
the disproportionate numbers of poor and minority children to be labeled as needing special education.

The 2004 law abandoned reliance on that approach. And the new regulations favor alternative methods of identifying children who need services, like evaluating the response of struggling children to extra help before the third grade.

The 2004 law also streamlined procedures and reduced the paperwork involved in providing children special education services, and relaxed burdens on schools when children with disabilities had behavioral problems.

A draft of the regulations published in June 2005 prompted an outpouring of 5,500 letters and comments to the Education Department from advocates for children with disabilities, as well as parents, teachers' unions, and state, district and
local education officials.

The department posted the final regulations on its Web site today, along with answers to each of the comments it received. The final regulations will be published in the Federal Register on Aug. 14, and will take effect 60 days later. In unveiling the new rules, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said her priority was "that we not lose our vigilance for educational attainment for every child."

Advocates for children with disabilities said they were disappointed that the regulations did not address some problems they saw in the 2004 federal law. For example, the law says that instead of reviewing each disabled child's educational plan every year automatically, schools could review them only once every three years, provided parents agree to the change. The regulations do not help ensure
parents are properly notified, advocates said.

"But who is going to make sure that parents now know what they're giving up if they agree to that?" said Ricki Sabia, associate director of the National Down Syndrome Society Policy Center. "The department could have made clear what constitutes
that agreement."

------------------

But it goes to show that constant vigilance is always required....

The Future Doc Wilson: The Season of Hope and Renewal: Dissertation Proposal Submission

The Future Doc Wilson: The Season of Hope and Renewal: Dissertation Proposal Submission

Update:
The Future Doc Wilson has submitted an updated proposal to her dissertation committee...

Stay tuned.

Mastering The 504 Plan

It is that time of year—parents start buying school supplies, putting overpriced sneakers on layaway and developing a new strategy for dealing with teachers, administrators and various other academic interveners, disguised as well meaning and caring purveyors of public school education.

So here is my Five Step Survival Guide to special education advocacy:

1.Have a building based plan. Many districts require special education services to go through a central office. If you can avoid this, by all means do. These people do not know you child, and only have his/her psychological testing, social work evaluations to go by. (Have you ever wondered how you would be described in an evaluation done by a perfect stranger asking you things you don’t tell you best friend?) While this snapshot may be clinically acceptable, it is only a snapshot—you child needs should be based on more than that. If you cannot avoid going through a central committee, still pursue an unofficial meeting with the building based team leader—it may be the speech, OT or PT. In the worst-case scenarios, someone is usually the carryover year to year, and is the de facto coordinator of special services.

2.Know your legal rights. Well meaning administrators and teachers tell parents so much bad, subjective and completely wrong information, its scary. Parents have been mandated to medicate children, allow aversive therapies (electro-shock), deny medication (insulin), etc. that is critical parents have a copy of the IDEA law, the 504 section of the ADA, and the mandatory guide to special education services, which is required (but seldom seen). Learn the appeals process, the grievance process, etc.

3.Know your legal options. There are lots of treatments, therapies and services that are available outside of the school district. Some health departments’ offer home based services to children at the pre-school stage, or children with serious medical conditions. Many health insurance plans cover speech, OT, PT. There are also services through the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities for children with less severe issues (respite, summer camp, special play groups, equipment rental, etc.) If you have to try to wrangle services form the school district, there are disability advocates through centers for independent living (CIL’s), VESID and other local disability rights organizations; let you finger do the walking through the Yellow Pages.

4.Get a second opinion. You child’s kindergarten teacher may know finger paints and nursery rhymes, but that does not apply to disabilities. Most teachers are not required to take any classes about disabilities, or any cognitive impairment. Those fortunate enough to be at a school with a minor or electives have a limited selection, and little or no practicum. Always get a psychological evaluation outside of your child’s home school. This local person never can give a truly unbiased assessment, when they have the feedback of peers, teachers, and building neighbors.

5.Develop your own plan. The Internet had leveled the playing field between parents and practioners. Anything you want to know about any issues, illness or disability is yours for the reading. Gather information, go the libraries and support groups, to bounce ideas around. Use parenting experience to document your child’s strengths, weaknesses, responses to stimuli, etc. This information should be distilled to a one page report to give to new teachers; share the long various with the building based special education/support services team.

Not everyone will value your level of preparation and knowing what you want, but one person will benefit—your child.

Sing Amen, Somebody!

This is a day early, but tomorrow is the 16th anniversariy of the ADA. and I found this song, which would be nice to hum or pass along tomorrow. It is composed by the late husband Justin Dart, who worked so tirelessly and valiantly for passage of the
ADA and who was seated beside President George Bush at the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26,1990.
__________________________________________________________

Happy 16 ADA!

LEAD ON!

A tribute to you, the patriots of empowerment! A tribute to
your power!

Dedicated July 26, 2006, ADA 16th Anniversary

(Lyric- the words of Justin Dart, compiled by IDAR Dart,
adapted to the tune of Amen by Jester Hairston)

LEAD ON!
LEAD ON!
LEAD ON! LEAD ON! LEAD ON!

LIVE THE DREAM!
LEAD ON!
FIGHT FOR FREEDOM!
LEAD ON!
THE WORLD IS WATCHING!
LEAD ON! LEAD ON! LEAD ON!

NOWS THE TIME!
LEAD ON!
WE CAN WIN!
LEAD ON!
WE HAVE THE POWER!
LEAD ON! LEAD ON! LEAD ON!

LOVE FOR ALL!
LEAD ON!
HAVE THE VISION!
LEAD ON!
SAVE DEMOCRACY!
LEAD ON! LEAD ON! LEAD ON!

WE ARE ABLE!
LEAD ON!
TRUTH IN ACTION!
LEAD ON!
WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE
FOR ALL! LEAD ON! LEAD ON!

Let us use all our creativity to explode the truth in the face
of the nation.

- Justin Dart

The Doctoral Journey and the Search for GPS Mapper

Well, I still continue proposal revisions, and reserach in new directions around the emergence of grassroots leadership. Of late, my travels have taken me to the Motherland in search of provenance for the phrase "It takes a whole village to raise a child." I have also develed into the world of advanced geometry, trying to better understand triangulation.

Keeping in contact with my fellow doctoral travelers, through group lists have been helpful, reducing frustration and giving me perspective. While only half a handful have made it to proposal approval, it does provide hope.

Bioethics: a primer for academics on civil rights and open discourse

Here is my journalque entry of a protest I was involved in last week:
____________________

The morning of July 13th, 2006 started with a consistent wet rain drizzle covering the City of Albany NY. To support “Not Dead Yet”, a busload of Rochester activists traveled to the state’s capital to make their voices heard at the Alden March Bioethics Conference being held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. They were joined by others from Binghamton, Albany, and the Chicago area.

At 10:00 AM, Bruce Darling greeted the Rochester ADAPTers as they disembarked from the bus. From the bus, the forty-plus activists ventured across the street to stay dry under the awnings of the Ten Eyck Building. A few staff and security appeared nervous, and inquired if the group was there to protest (perhaps at the Office of Disabilities, located in the building). However, the group was focused upon getting into the local cafeteria, to use the facilities and get something to eat. Around 11:30 AM, the group enjoyed hamburgers and fries. About an hour later the group gathered themselves, into a single line outside, to wait. The weather cooperated, as the rain finally stopped, and the sun heated up the city and the group.

At approximately 1:30 PM, the group, wearing a colorful array of T-ADAPT and Not Dead Yet T-shirts marched single filed up the steep hill of State Street, to their destination -- a side entrance of the hotel. Bruce Darling and Steven Drake led the way, as the group marched silently into the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

Disability advocates such as Christie Willson and Frank Johnson, entered the building with determination, walking briskly in a tight formation, down a long hallway, past the conference registration tables, and right into Ballroom A. The group strode single file in front of the conference presenters, podium, and 6’ x 6’ Power Point projector screens, filling the front of the hall. At first conference attendees looked shocked. The group pulled out protest signs with slogans such as “Not Dead Yet”, “Democracy not Dictatorship”, “ADAPT” and perhaps most importantly “Nothing About Us Without Us!” Chris Hilderbrant led the group in a loud chant “NOTHING!! About us… without us!” The group chanted as loud as they possibly could.

The conference had not yet begun. While Frank Johnson was leading his section in a loud, spirited chant, Paul Recor and a few other advocates went through the conference room, to pass out flyers about the lack of involvement of the disability community in a conference about bioethics issues that so critically affect our community.

Half of the conference attendees seemed confused, leaving the room at a brisk pace. The other half of participants seemed unsure of whether to take the flyers, but the majority took them, to read and discuss with their neighboring conference attendees. Others approached the group to ask questions and find out more about the issues around disability rights. A few took out cell phones and began taking pictures and video streaming the events as they unfolded!

At one point a receptionist from the Crown Plaza tried to find the leader of the group in order to force the group out, but the advocates stayed focused and strong. Bruce Darling, Shelly Perrin Mike Volkman and Stephen Drake approached conference organizers, and became the negotiating team with the conference organizers.

As a result of their discussions, Stephen Drake was able to speak in front of the fully attending conference. As Bruce put it, “He actually became the Keynote Speaker for the conference!” Stephen spoke of the mission of NDY and how people with disabilities have been dismissed by both sides of the “cultural war”. He gave personal examples of how people with disabilities are critically affected by bioethics issues, including the story of Rochesterian Joe Bonomo and the difficulty he had getting his own doctor to serve him at home after he had his series of strokes.

Stephen also shared other examples including the story of a 4 year-old girl with autism who was murdered by her mother. Instead of sympathy being garnered for the murdered girl, the media empathized with the mother whom killed her! That is why the disability community needs to have its voice heard at the bioethics table.

When Stephen ended his speech, he was met by powerful applause followed by contemplative silence. The activists slowly made their way outside as the conference recessed for a short period. Stephen Drake was invited to stay but elected to leave with rest of the group. A numbers of attendees came forward express their support of the action; other conference attendees asked group members more about why we were here. We left them with flyers and information and website links that would helpful be insightful.

Q: So, what does a group of disability rights advocates do in Albany, New York when it is only 2:30 PM and the bus home does not leave until 6 o’clock?

A: Go somewhere else to advocate!

After success at the Bioethics Conference, the group decided to pay a visit to Bob Sherman, from the Long Term Care Restructuring project, who is working on a “mega-waiver”. Chris Hilderbrant and the crew walked the distance from the Crowne Plaza past the Capital, up the mighty hill, to 99 Washington Avenue, also known as One Commerce Plaza. The crew entered the plaza and, in small groups, went up to the eighth floor.

We were headed to the office because just the day before Bruce had participated in an Advisory Group meeting about the waiver. Bruce was deeply concerned because it was clear that the waiver was being designed to meet the needs of various groups, like the counties and provider agencies, but that the needs of consumers, particularly those with the most significant disabilities, were being overlooked.

Once situated, Bruce called Bob Sherman, the head of the Long Term Restructuring initiative to see if he would come out and talk to the group. Bob asked how many people were with Bruce. Bruce replied, “about 40.” Bob retorted, “Really Bruce, how many people are there?” Bruce held the phone out and asked everyone to say “hi” to Bob. The crowd shouted back “Hi, Bob!”

Bob told Bruce he would be right out.

When he came out his office, you could see the awe in his face gathering us all in, and having to listen real stories about the importance of personal care. Bob Sherman promised the group that if we scheduled a formal meeting, he would attend to listen even more.

To finish off their trip to One Commerce Plaza, the gang went down the hall to visit Melanie Shaw, the Executive Director of the New York Association of Independent Living. The group thanked Melanie and her assistant Nell Brady for their support and the good work they do.

The group also reminded Melanie that the Center for Disability Rights was the only Center NOT to get any of the $1 million in state independent living funds. In fact CDR get NO state funding. Frank told Melanie, “We’re getting hammered. It’s just wrong.” She pointed out that the Association supported CDR getting funds and agreed to continue to work on it!

The group made their way back to the lobby and was able to get snacks and drinks from a near-by market and Dunkin Donuts. The bus finally came about and the Rochester crew was on their way home. We arrived in Rochester at an early 8:30 PM.

It was a LONG day for Rochester activists, but it was very successful! It demonstrated the power people can have if they want to make their voices heard. By the way, that’s “power” spelled A - D - A - P - T!

What a Wonderful World

My oldest son has received his first paycheck, from his first job! He is quite prooud of himself, as am I, having grovelled, beggged to get him his shot.

But as he is singing Louie Armstong's "What a Wonderful World" in the home office, it is well worth it...

"The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic

The Community Consortium has just completed a website and a traveling exhibit entitled "The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic," based on research into the lives of people whose suitcases were found in an abandoned attic at Willard Psychiatric Center in New York State. The website and exhibit present the lives of the suitcase owners in all their richness and complexity, and examine the history of psychiatric institutions during the early-mid 20th century through the eyes of those who spent decades within their walls.


The website is at www.SuitcaseExhibit.org and information about the traveling exhibit is at http://www.exhibitionalliance.org/documents/48.doc

Thanks,

Darby Penney
for the Community Consortium

********************************

This is a very moving and informative exhibit. It shows how far we have come as a society, and how far we have yet to go, when it comes to mental health stigma and treatment.

Professional Despair

My proposal has not been approved by the academic review board.Sigh...
I know I was told that they NEVER approve someone the FIRST time...Sigh...
Yet, I am sad and despondent. This picture is a great metaphor though..I am going through a bad patch, but I am still moving, and can look stylish, professional and well turned out.And yeah though I watch through the Valley of Death...

Loosing Momentum...I think I need a Pepsy

I am well on the way to chapter four of my dissertation:
I have my note cards for Grounded theorizing,
I have my data categorized, with section tabs, in specific binders
I have drafts of my proposal on CD, thumb drivers and my PC and laptop
I have seminal reference texts...

But I am alone and tired...
I am missing the interaction of the group for meetings, chatroom discussions, IM cross conversations...sigh.

I have been looking at the sculpture of Susan B. and Frederick Douglass entitled "Let's Have Tea" by Pepsy Kettavong. I have gone and seen it in person, several times, and it motivates me. I am hoping to meet with him to get permission to use it for a metaphorical imagery in my research.

Metaphors motivate me. (Three M's...oooh!)

Welcome to the Summer Solstice

I wanted to share this lovely photo from Diary of a Goldfish
As the summer season officially begins, and we are the closest to the Sun we will be all year, I could not think of a better way to reflect and show appreciation and joy for life, love and my son passing Living Environment (9th grade science). Enjoy the time on the porch, back stoop, 3rd story walk up window or fire escape.