Advocates Ignored as State Plans to Partner with Oppressors

Posted on June 22, 2016 by peeraction

The following comments where presented to Michigan’s Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) on June 20, 2016, immediately preceding a nearly unanimous vote to approve Michigan’s State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL).

By Darma Canter

I urge the Council to reject the proposed State Plan.

At its heart Independent Living is about individuals having the personal power to act in their own interest; CILs are about supporting and mentoring the individual to be self-determined. The SPIL states its purpose as empowerment and self-determination through the practice of peer support, but there is nothing in the work plan that addresses either empowerment or peer support. journel

Needing and using services is a constant challenge to our sense of self and the physical and psychological energy to assert our self in opposition to the dictates of the provider systems. Disability services teach us to be dependent because service providers assume they know best, expect us to defer to them and require compliance with their plan. Il as a movement is the answer to dependence because it fosters identity separate from the need for services and the systems that provide our services and supports. IL teaches us that our lives belong to us; not our parents, or our doctors, or our case managers. Our voice is equal to that of every other person on our team of family and professional supporters.

If you don’t know that from personal experience or from meaningful interactions with disabled individuals, you can’t understand the function of IL to contradict the social construct of disability. Independent Living is hard. And what we need most from the network of Centers for Independent Living is support from our peers. We need a community who knows oppression and brings us together to collectively challenge our oppressors.

This State Plan for Independent Living actually partners with the systems that oppress us. Plan has nothing to do with the lived disability experience; this plan separates the disabled from their own IL movement, isolates the voices of advocates with disabilities and reinforces the professionals’ dominance in our lives.

This SPIL is not based on IL history or philosophy and I urge you to reject the plan as written.

Regressive Steps Take Power and Control from Consumers

Posted on June 22, 2016 by peeraction

By Mary Ann Robinson: (from MiSILC transcript) disabled_and_proud 1990

I am concerned about the regressive steps the CILs have taken in our state, they have taken the power, input and control away from Michigan consumers. I’m president of the national federation of the blind human service division and I’m very, very concerned about the regression that has occurred. I’ve worked in mental health field for almost 30 years and written a lot of treatment plans; we use the model that objectives need to be specific and measurable, they need to be attainable, they need to be realistic, and they need to have timelines. The State Plan for Independent Living as I’ve read it has objectives that are so general that it’s hard to even see what will be measured.

We need to put the state plan back into the hands of consumers who are disabled because we care about our rights and about our services. I think if more disabled people were in power the state would be in a much better place because we are the ones that care. From what I’ve seen, our non-disabled peers have not done a great deal to advocate for us. We need to have the power restored and returned to us and we need to be treated with the respect that we deserve. We are equal to our non-disabled peers in every way and we need to be treated with equality and respect. The direction the Michigan CILs have gone in support of the states’ SILC position on working with sheltered workshops certainly does not indicate any form of respect for people with disabilities at all. Thank you very much.

Michiganders with Disabilities Condemn State Plan for Independent Living

Posted on June 20, 2016 by peeraction

By Eleanor Canter

This Council, which is not consumer controlled, does not have the consent of the disability community to approve or implement this State Plan.

The SPIL does not in any way address the need for improved or expanded Independent Living services for Michiganders with disabilities. Consumer input was taken as required by law, but no consumer input made it into the SPIL. The reason is clear. Because Michigan’s CILs are not consumer controlled and are aggressively opposed to Independent Living philosophy, consumer input on improving Michigan’s Independent Living Program was completely ignored by the SPIL writing team, which featured the non-disabled Executive Directors from Michigan’s worst CILs.

In Muskegon, Tamera Collier and Mike Hamm openly treat consumers with contempt and extreme disrespect. People with disabilities in Muskegon have no access to the core services Disability Network West Michigan collects over one million dollars in taxpayer money annually to provide. It is fraud and no one cares because everybody’s getting paid not to care.

I specifically object to the refusal of Michigan’s CILs to provide the 5th core service. Youth transition as a core service was specifically designed by Senator Harkin to break the school-to-sheltered work pipeline. Michigan CILs are implementing the youth transition requirement by partnering directly with sheltered workshops. This partnership is funded by MRS, so everybody wins – except consumers.

The State of Michigan is leading an attack on Independent Living values and principles. Michigan’s Independent Living Program will soon be completely overtaken by vocational rehabilitation. Advocates are no longer welcome at the CILs and SILC. If we do not document and oppose what’s happening, we will lose an entire state of CILs to vocational rehabilitation and Michiganders with disabilities will continue to suffer without access to IL services, including disability-led advocacy. We cannot let this happen.

The Independent Living community has always been home to me. We will never accept CILs dominated by departments of state government, and run for the enrichment of the businesses exploiting consumers. Continue reading →

Consumers Declare Michigan SPIL The Opposite of What Independent Living Is Supposed to Be

Posted on June 20, 2016 by peeraction

By Joe Harcz

I would urge people to vote against this (SPIL), but it’s already a done deal. You know, it’s like everything else that has been going on. This SILC and our CILs operate in secret. That’s totally the opposite of what Independent Living is supposed to be about. We have my Center for Independent Living (in Flint, MI) actively recruiting people to work in sheltered work and then saying that is integrated competitive employment. My Center for Independent Living actively denies people with disabilities including yours truly access to their meetings, which are supposed to be open to the public including people with disabilities. We’ve got a secret Government going around here. We’ve got Federal and state money going around a merry go round with no accountability and absolutely no transparency. This is the absolute worst State Plan for Independent Living I’ve ever seen. There are no real measures in here. There are total vagaries. It was hatched up in the dark. Continue reading →

Harm and the Well-Intended Ableist

Posted on May 28, 2016 by peeraction

By Darma Canter

While we listened to 3 of Disability Network West Michigan – Newaygo staff members talk about their work, I heard some things that were interesting and very encouraging about supporting disability rights in court and independent living. We just got the highlights but I’m open to acknowledging good work.

Disability Network West Michigan Open Meeting Notice for the May 23 Board Meeting says "public input welcome" As the Board and audience were mingling, DNWM staff member Ada Linderman approached me and said, “You’re doing so much harm.” She exhaled and continued, “You’re not the disability community.”

I tried to ease into a conversation but she was moving quickly away. I guess Ada and I disagree about what is more harmful to the disability community: consumers speaking for ourselves and our disabled peers, or non-disabled program professionals (with good intentions) assuming they know what people with disabilities need and taking public dollars to give it to them with or without their consent. Continue reading →

Muskegon Celebrates First Disability Pride Day by Placing the Voices of the Disability Community Front and Center

Posted on May 8, 2016 by peeraction

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On, May 6, 2016, Peer Action Alliance hosted Muskegon’s first Rally for Disability Pride in Alcoa Square in Downtown Muskegon. About 50 people attended throughout the morning to hear speeches from local advocates and politicians; learn about the priorities of the local disability community; and enjoy free music and cupcakes while building community.

Handout of the local disability community’s top advocacy priorities

Terry Sabo, Chair of the Muskegon County Commission kicked off the Rally by presenting a Proclamation unanimously adopted by the Commission declaring May 6 Disability Pride Day! The proclamation reads:

In Recognition of the many and varied contributions of disabled citizens and residents of Muskegon, the County joins you in celebrating Disability Pride Day 2016.

Twenty-five years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we see a more a physically accessible environment but there is much more work ahead to build a socially and economically inclusive community. Muskegon County supports the independence and self-determination of people with disabilities and is honored to proclaim this May 6, 2016, Disability Pride Day.

We applaud today as an opportunity to revel in the disability community’s quest for identity and autonomy, and an opportunity to re-imagine a minority group’s relationship to the larger society. We can build a diverse and inclusive future based on the knowledge our communities are ‘stronger together’.

Advocates Darma Canter, Frank Minor, Steven Santo, and Eleanor Canter spoke about the need to reform our Center for Independent Living, drastically increase accessible housing, and the need to invest power and authority in individuals with disabilities. Representatives from the Lemonade Stand spoke about their organization and the amazing work they do as an organization run by and for people with disabilities in Muskegon. Additionally, several members of the audience took the stage to speak about the need for disability pride and an event like this.

Many elected officials were in attendance and addressed the crowd. After Terry Sabo presented the Disability Pride Day Proclamation, Sean Mullally (Muskegon Community College Board of Trustees and candidate for the Michigan House) spoke about the importance of voter registration and engagement.

Marcia Hovey-Wright (State Representative) said that she has a family member with a disability and understands the need for accessibility. Mary Valentine (Chair of the Muskegon Democratic Party) invited advocates to attend their meetings to present on our advocacy priorities. County Commissioner Jeff Lohman and City Commissioner Ken Johnson were also in attendance.

Music was provided by Heather Dean and Keith England, whose performance featured “We Shall Not Be Moved,” “This Land Is your Land,” and “Keep on the Sunny Side”.

We are very thankful to everyone who attended and contributed to this event. Together, we will build a strong and vibrant disability community in Muskegon!

MARO Calls for Solution-Focused Agenda: Disability Community Responds

Posted on May 8, 2016 by peeraction

On May 6, Todd Culver, Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Rehabilitation Organizations (MARO), issued a condescending and paternalistic statement aimed at the disability community aptly titled “Controlling Our Own Story”.

After stating that he does not intend to “dignify” us with a response, Mr. Culver characterizes our advocacy as “cynical and snarky” and urges his audience to disregard the voices of Michiganders with disabilities. Ironically, he then makes a plea for a “solution-focused agenda”.

Therefore, we present:

A Solution-Focused Agenda for MARO Members

Remove Yourself from Michigan’s Independent Living Program

Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are not rehabilitation organizations! The Independent Living Program belongs to the disability community. MARO and its members have no business interfering in Michigan’s Independent Living Program. Four Michigan Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and our Association are supporting subminimum wages and sheltered work through membership in MARO. Several CILs are partnering with the subminimum wage employers you represent. This absurd alliance is shocking to the Independent Living community and must be ended immediately.

Stop Lobbying in Favor of Subminimum Wages

When you spend time and resources telling “legislators and policy makers, business and community leaders” how unproductive your workers are; how they could never succeed in integrated employment at equal wages; and how you provide “dignity” through subminimum wage employment, you literally devalue our community. If you have to use ableism to justify your behavior, it’s time to rethink what you’re doing, not double down on the disrespect that got you into this mess in the first place. If you want to solve the problem, try treating us with respect – in the workplace, in policy discussions, in public and in private.

Stop Paying Subminimum Wages

When you are violating someone’s civil rights, the first step is to stop that specific behavior. It’s pretty simple. Stop paying subminimum wages and expanding sheltered (segregated) workshops. Not when you figure out a new way to exploit us; not when the state gets sued for violating the ADA – now.

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