Author: Jeff Peters

A Statement on the Supreme Court’s Eviction Moratorium Ruling

CIDNY was disheartened to hear the United States Supreme Court’s decision to end the federal eviction moratorium during a pandemic. The pandemic is not over. The housing crisis is not over. People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by housing issues, income equality, and employment. As the Delta variant spreads and we move into the fall season, ending the eviction moratorium is cruel and a potential disaster. We urge you to contact your local representatives (you can find how to do that at http://www.usa.gov/elected-officials) and make your voice heard.

For those seeking rental assistance, you can apply online at https://nysrenthelp.otda.ny.gov/en/ or by calling 1-844-691-7368. Please reach out to CIDNY if you need help.

A Statement on the John Lewis Voting Rights Act

CIDNY applauds the United States House of Representatives on passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. For far too long, people with disabilities, along with other groups, have been discriminated against and faced barriers to voting. Every eligible voter should have the ability to easily cast their votes and have the confidence that their vote will be counted. It is a right and one that has trampled for far too long. CIDNY urges the Senate to pass this key initiative and ensure protections for all voters.

 

Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York Announces Retirement of Executive Director Susan M. Dooha and the Appointment of Dr. Sharon M. McLennon-Wier as CIDNY’s New Executive Director

Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York Announces Retirement of Executive Director Susan M. Dooha and the Appointment of Dr. Sharon M. McLennon-Wier as CIDNY’s New Executive Director

New York, NY, July 06, 2021 – The Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY) announced that Susan M. Dooha, J.D., is stepping down after 19 years as CIDNY’s Executive Director. It announced that Sharon M. McLennon-Wier, Ph.D., has been appointed as CIDNY’s new Executive Director.

Ms. Dooha became CIDNY’s Executive Director in 2002. Together with the Board, staff, grassroots leaders, and allies, she built a strong, racially/ethnically diverse disability-led organization that is recognized as a leading advocate in New York. CIDNY’s mission is to ensure full integration, independence, and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities by removing barriers to the social, economic, cultural, and civic life of the community. With offices in Manhattan and Queens, CIDNY employs more than 80 people, and annually serves more than 40,000 New Yorkers with disabilities, many with multiple disabilities, in all five boroughs of New York City. Some of CIDNY’s successes during Ms. Dooha’s tenure include:

  • Bringing about suits to enforce disability civil and human rights laws which resulted in 11 cases related to emergency preparedness, curb cuts, library access, homeless shelters, subway access, and voting access.
  • Helping people with disabilities to achieve a key tenet of disability rights to live in the community and move home from institutions, also saving taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. 
  • Creating a robust support system which helps the disabled address hunger, housing, health care, transportation, and education.
  • Building CIDNY’s annual budget eight-fold.
  • Introducing use of statistical research as a tool in education and outreach campaigns, the design of programs, legislative initiatives, and litigation.
  • Addressing disparities between people with disabilities and those with no disability as well as inequities based on race/ethnicity. 
  • Diversifying CIDNY staff to mirror the diversity of New York. 80% are Black, Latino/a/x, and Asian Americans. 55% are bilingual, with staff capability in 24 languages. CIDNY staff members are disabled and experts in their fields.
  • Educating the public through thousands of appearances in major media outlets.

“After nearly 20 years, I am stepping down as CIDNY’s Executive Director. I am proud to have worked with CIDNY’s Board, staff, volunteers, grassroots advocates, allies, and people with disabilities in our community,” said Susan Dooha. “Together we made New York a better place to live for people with disabilities. The work is unfinished and will remain so as long as people with disabilities are discriminated against, segregated, and experience inequities in education, employment, income, health, transportation, civic participation, and housing. I am confident that CIDNY’s new Executive Director will open new opportunities for CIDNY and the people we serve. I look forward with enthusiasm to her leadership.”

Martin Eichel, who serves as Chair of CIDNY’s Board, said “It has been my distinct pleasure to work with Susan for the past two decades. Her relentless pursuit of equality for people with disabilities has improved the lives of so many New Yorkers, including those without disabilities. I thank her for her tireless dedication, and look forward with great confidence to the next stage of the organization’s growth under Dr. Sharon McLennon-Wier’s leadership.”

Dr. Sharon M. McLennon-Wier has extensive professional expertise in the field of disabilities and was chosen after a national search. She is a Black woman who is totally blind and has more than twenty-five years of experience in academia, non-profits, and disability advocacy. She previously served as the Director of Disability Services at Berkeley College and District Manager of the Harlem Office for the New York State Commission for the Blind. She earned a Ph.D. degree in Counseling Psychology from Seton Hall University, a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Hunter College, a U.S. Law and Methodology Certificate from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Syracuse University. She is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and an adjunct professor.

“I’m delighted to be joining CIDNY and look forward to working with our staff and our Board to advance the goals of independence, equality, and equity for people with disabilities. I want to thank Susan Dooha for building a strong organization. I look forward to advancing the mission of CIDNY”, said Dr. McLennon-Wier.

About Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY):

The Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York is a leading advocate for people with disabilities in New York City. It was founded in 1978 to ensure full integration, independence, and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities by removing barriers to the social, economic, cultural, and civic life of the community. For more information, visit www.cidny.org.

 

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OPEN LETTER TO ALL CANDIDATES FROM DISABILITY GROUPS: Make Your Campaigns Accessible

Bronx Independent Living Center – Brooklyn Center for the Independence of the Disabled – Center for Disability Rights – Center for the Independence of the Disabled New York – #CripTheVote – Disability Pride NYC – Disability Rights New York – Disabled In Action – Downstate New York ADAPT – Greater New York Council of the Blind – Harlem Independent Living Center – Independence Care System, Inc. – Staten Island Center for Independent Living – United Spinal Association-NYC Chapter

April 28, 2021

Dear candidates for elected office in New York City:

We call on you to fully include our community in live or virtual town hall meetings, other campaign events and website and other online content, which has not been a consistent practice so far during the 2021 campaign.

We also write you to pledge to make your tenure in office fully inclusive, from your hiring practices, to how you communicate with the public, to your policies.

This is so basic. Federal and local laws require reasonable accommodations* for people with disabilities, including allowing full access to events, forums and meetings. But those laws often are ignored, and we end up shut out of the electoral process. (*Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, including appropriate auxiliary aids and services, are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12131 et seq. and 42 U.S.C. § 12181 et seq., and the New York City Human Rights Law, N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 8-107(4)(a).)

Beyond that, accessibility often has been an afterthought, if it is even thought of at all, for city leaders and policy-makers. People with disabilities make up as much as a quarter of the city’s population, and often have been excluded from the electoral process and government. That must change, and we expect you to make that commitment now and when you take office.

During your campaigns, we urge you to take these basic steps, among others, to make this election accessible to all:

· Agree to participate only in events that are fully accessible, including:

– Appearing only in venues with no physical barriers that prevent persons with mobility disabilities from full access to the event

– Using assistive listening technology, including loop technology if available

– Ensuring that all material displayed or distributed before, during or after the event are fully accessible, including using large-print versions of pamphlets and other campaign material.

These basic standards should be followed by all event or town hall organizers, even if not affiliated with your campaign, and you should make their adoption a condition of your participation.

· Produce material that is fully accessible, whether printed or distributed electronically.

· Develop and endorse campaign hiring policies specifically intended to include people with disabilities, including appointing an accessibility officer.

· Ensure that your offices are fully accessible to people with disabilities.

· Endorse initiatives that will widen access to city services and civic life for all. We will be following up with a disability platform.

We also recommend referring to the National Council on Independent Living’s Guide for Campaign Staff (see https://ncil.org/campaign-guide/).

Our groups also are available to consult with you about how to improve accessibility (see below); the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) also has useful information at its website. (See checklist and list of groups to consult at https://www.cidny.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Campaign-Accessibility-Checklist-April-2021.docx.) 

There is no one “disabled” neighborhood, so these basic accommodations are essential across the city and, of course, across the internet. It’s time all candidates for office make their campaigns and this election as accessible as possible. We look forward to working with you over the coming weeks and years.

Yours truly,

Christina Curry

Executive Director, Harlem Independent Living Center

Brett Eisenberg

Executive Director, Bronx Independent

Living Services

Joseph G. Rappaport

Executive Director, Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled

Jean Ryan

President, Disabled In Action

Susan Dooha

Executive Director, Center for Independence of the Disabled NY (CIDNY)

Bruce Darling

President/CEO

Center for Disability Rights

Gregg D. Beratan

Co-Organizer

#CripTheVote

Julia Yepez-Macbeth

Liaison

Disability Pride NYC (DPNYC)

Marc Fliedner

Director, PAIR and PAIMI Programs

Disability Rights New York

Terence B. Page

President, Greater New York Council of the Blind (GNYCB.ORG)

Regina M. Estela

President

Independence Care System, Inc

Michelle Sabatino

Executive Director

Staten Island Center for Independent Living

Jose Hernandez

President, United Spinal Association NYC Chapter

LINKS

http://www.aucd.org/docs/add/sa_summits/ASAN.pdf

https://ncil.org/campaign-guide/

https://accessibility.huit.harvard.edu/use-plain-language