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In Memory of...

William Loughborough, or Love as he was called, passed-away on April 7, 2010. He was living in Madrid, Spain, where he was helping to establish a global presence for the Smith-Kettlewell Institute of San Francisco and helping the movement for independent living take roots. More on Loughborough in the next issue of Independence Today.

Marcie Roth: Emergency Management Demands Universal Design, Planning

By Janine Bertram Kemp

Roth is known for her ability to define a need or problem and roll up her sleeves to accomplish the solution. Full Marcy Roth Story

Commentary :

Independent Living Movement Taking Root in Spain

By William Loughborough

Full Spain Story

Recognizing -- and Living -- Your Freedom

By Peter S. Kahrmann

This column is about freedom -- your freedom. It’s about the freedom to be who you are in the world.
Freedom Continued.

ADAPT’S Rapport with CILs

By Mike Ervin

John Meinkowsky, policy analyst for ARCIL, said the center supports and complements the work of ADAPT. Adapt continued

New York Showing the Way on Spinal Cord Research

By Amy Halloran

“The state of New York could have some sort of research fund,” Richter said. “In the majority of severe spinal cord injuries, people violate particular traffic laws.”
Spinal research continued

U.S. to Provide $40 Million in Housing Vouchers to PWDs

The federal departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are providing nearly $40 million in housing assistance specifically targeted to meet the needs of thousands of Americans with disabilities, the agencies announced in early April. Full vouchers story

Commentary

Health Care Reform: We Need the Public Option

By John M. Williams

It is no secret that I am a strong supporter of a public option when it comes to health care reform.
Read full HC public option

Commentary:

Health Care Reform: A Matter of Life and Death

By Brenda Brown-Grooms

The question at the heart of the health care reform debate is “How are we to pay for it?”
Read full HC reform

Commentary:

PWD Unemployment Demands Action

By John M. Williams

Where are the jobs for people with disabilities (PWD) in the public and private sectors of this economy?
PWD continued

FCC Broadband Plan a Big Deal for People with Disabilities

By Penny Reeder

Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a two-part series concerning universal broadband connectivity.

FCC continued

Understanding Dependent Care Accounts

By Patricio Figueroa

In this issue we will examine the benefits of a dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA).More DCFSA

20 Years of the ADA: The Fight Goes On!
July 19th-22th, 2010;
Grand Hyatt, Washington, D.C.
NCIL registration information

To Mote Brothers, Born Blind, Life Sounds Pretty Good

By Opal Shelton Colvin

Gordon and Michael Mote are brothers born three years apart. After Gordon was born blind, his parents, Carolyn and Dennis, were told that their son’s blindness was most likely due to some kind of rare genetic condition. The Motes also were told that there was very little, if any, chance that it would happen again if they chose to have more children. Three years later Michael was born. Michael is also blind.
Mote continued

Commentary:

Let’s Hope Paterson Doesn’t Tarnish Us All

By Kathi Wolfe

“On the Internet, nobody knows you’re a dog,” one pooch says to another mutt in a wellknown New Yorker cartoon.
Paterson story

Removing Barriers a Work in Progress

By Diane Bostick

Twenty years after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it has fallen to local and federal agencies and a host of tireless advocates to monitor the law’s requirements, suggested guidelines, progress and enforcement.
Barriers continued

We Remember… Meinhardt Frank Raabe

Meinhardt Frank Raabe (September 2 nd , 1915 – April 9 th , 2010) was an American actor and one of the last surviving so-called M unchkin s in " The Wizard of Oz ." He was also the last surviving cast member with any dialogue in the film.

Read complete article on Raabe

International Conference June 3rd and 4th

These two days are open only for people with a disability and their representatives!
More conference info

The ILCHV 16th Annual Dessert Spectacular

Sean Turley, President ILCHV, Danny Donohue, President of the CSEA, Denise A. Figueroa, Executive Director of ILCHV, and Carole Fraser, Chair of the Event Committee and Board Member, presenting the Beacon Leadership Award to Mr. Donohue. The 16th Annual Dessert Spectacular, held on April 27th was a great success. More pictures of the Dessert Spectacular