By Darma Canter

After two years of advocating within Michigan’s publicly-funded local and state Independent Living program, I should have been more prepared for the new President, his loose interpretation of history, as well as facts in general, and his presumption of authority. I should have seen the government moving away from the people and public service, and investing power and authority in the service of corporate entities. Still, every day since January 20, I wake up to the unexpected, shocking new reality.

I have spent a lot of time, too much time, thinking in the last three months. What is the role of government? What is the fundamental nature of democracy? How are units of government, their programs, policies, practices connected to the people? What is my role and responsibility in a democracy, and what responsibilities does the government have to citizens, to tax payers, and to me?

What is the people’s business? How does the public hold its government accountable to act in the public’s interest? These questions are surprisingly hard to answer. The 2016 election results seem to indicate not everyone agrees on the answers – or even the questions themselves.  Continue reading →

“Creaming” is a term coined by Ed Roberts, the Father of the Independent Living Movement. Roberts was famously told by vocational rehabilitation (the agency responsible for helping people with disabilities find employment) that he was “too disabled” to work. In response to this blatant discrimination, Ed Roberts started a revolution. He created the first Center for Independent Living, which sparked a nation-wide movement. In Independent Living, people with significant disabilities (consumers) have complete control over the decisions that affect their lives, including the management of Centers for Independent Living – community-based organizations that advance the rights of people with disabilities. Years later, Ed Roberts was appointed Director if California vocational rehabilitation – the very agency that had declared him unemployable.  Continue reading →

Click an image to enlarge.  Continue reading →

The Michigan Association of Rehabilitation Organizations (MARO) submitted testimony to the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council on April 1, 2016. We must correct untrue and ableist statements made by MARO Executive Director Todd Culver, who wields a great deal of influence over the lives of Michiganders with disabilities by publicly representing the interests of the businesses exploiting us and by actively lobbying in support of sheltered work and subminimum wages.

Let’s unpack!

MARO Statement: In a manufacturing environment, when a productivity level is not consistent with assigned unit labor costs, it is simply not sustainable as a business practice – this is true for workers with and without disabilities.

Reality Check: Yes, the businesses you represent employ a model that relies on exploitation of the disability community and it is not sustainable. Why is that the disability community’s problem? MARO members have made themselves filthy rich off the backs of our people. We will not put our civil rights on hold for your continued enrichment at our expense.  Continue reading →

There’s a big problem with Michigan’s new Executive Order on Employment First. Someone allowed the Michigan Association of Rehabilitation Organizations (MARO) to edit the Employment First principles. Unsurprisingly, they took that opportunity to rewrite the principles to legitimize sheltered, segregated work and subminimum wages – the very practices Employment First was meant to eradicate.

MARO counts on us being unable to understand the jargon they use to exploit our community, so it’s very important that we analyze the language they use to keep us poor and dependent.

Let’s unpack exactly what went wrong when subminimum wage employers were allowed to usurp the voice of the disability community by editing the Employment First principles.  Continue reading →