Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks 2016 tour of “Twelfth Night", with ASL, & Audio-described performances

The Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks project , and the Chicago Park District has announced the 2016 Schedule with 14 performances, with once again including six American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted performances, and for the first time one Audio-described and ASL Duo-interpreted Performance ( I would believe if their is a enough turn out, in future years more performances would be included).

The Chicago Park District’s 'Night Out in the Parks' and the 2016 Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks performances of “Twelfth Night” will premiere at Navy Pier on Thursday, July 14 and Friday, July 15 at 6:30 p.m.

YouTube published by chicagoshakes2009 on May 24, 2016



ASL Duo-interpreted performances

• Saturday, July 23 at 6:30 p.m. Loyola Park (1230 W. Greenleaf Ave.)
• Wednesday, July 27 at 6:30 p.m. Gage Park (2411 W. 55th St.)
• Friday, July 29 at 6:30 p.m. Washington Park (5531 S. Russell Dr.)
• Sunday, August 7 at 4:00 p.m. Welles Park (2333 W. Sunnyside Ave.)
• Friday, August 12 at 6:30 p.m. Humboldt Park (1301 N. Sacramento Ave.)
• Sunday, August 14 at 4:00 p.m. Ping Tom Memorial Park (1700 S. Wentworth Ave.)

Audio-described performances

• Saturday, August 13 at 6:30 p.m. Eckhart Park (1330 W. Chicago Ave.)
• Sunday, August 14 at 4:00 p.m. Ping Tom Memorial Park (1700 S. Wentworth Ave.)

Chicago Park District 2016 schedule is:

• Sunday, July 17 at Steelworkers Park; 
• Tuesday, July 19 and Wednesday, July 20 at Ridge Park;
• Thursday, July 21 at Tuley Park;
• Friday, July 22 and Saturday, July 23 at Loyola Park; 
• Sunday, July 24 at Garfield Park Conservatory; 
• Wednesday, July 27 at Gage Park;
• Thursday, July 28 at Kelvyn Park; 
• Friday, July 29 at Washington Park; 
• Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31 at Frank J. Wilson Park;
• Wednesday, August 3 at Marquette Park; 
• Thursday, August 4 at Piotrowski Park; 
• Friday, August 5 at Dvorak Park; 
• Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7 at Welles Park;
• Tuesday, August 9 at Columbus Park; 
• Wednesday, August 10 at Hamilton Park; 
• Thursday, August 11 and Friday, August 12 at Humboldt Park; 
• Saturday, August 13 at Eckhart Park; 
• Sunday, August 14 at Ping Tom Memorial Park. 

Rain or Shine, the 75 minute performances are Tuesday through Saturday and begin at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday performances begin at 4:00 p.m. (Garfield Park Conservatory performance on July 24 will begin at 3:00 p.m.).

For more information on the wonderful Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks, visit www.chicagoshakes.com/parks.

Twitter

FREE #ASL & #AudioDescribed performances of Chicago #ShakesintheParks–All Across the City. All Summer Long. www.chicagoshakes.com/parks

Chicago’s favorite #FREE summer tradition #ShakesintheParks returns with #ASL & #AudioDescribed performances! www.chicagoshakes.com/parks

13th Annual Chicago Disability Pride Parade July 23, 2016: Continuing the drive #Inclusion Matters

The Annual Disability Pride Parade in Chicago is on Saturday, July 23, 2016.  This is the thirteenth Chicago Parade. Each year brings together a diverse cross section of community members, supporters, and allies under a common banner of disability pride.

YouTube video uploaded by criticalends on May 7, 2010

{The film weaves 'on the street' interviews with verite footage of the 6th Annual Disability Pride Parade in 2009 to convey human experiences that promote the belief that disability is a natural part of human diversity and can take pride in its heritage and culture.}

For more information on the Disability Pride Parade in Chicago, Q & A, and much more, Visit:

http://www.disabilityprideparade.org/

For Public Transportation options visit CTA: http://www.transitchicago.com/

For Paratransit Service visit: http://www.pacebus.com/sub/paratransit/

Chicago Area Workshops on Intellectual Disabilities – July 11-12, 2016

from a Press Release on June 8, 2016.

Several practitioner-oriented workshops will be held on July 11-12 at the Swissotel Chicago under the aegis of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD), which is holding its 2016 annual conference on July 8-10 at the Swissotel Chicago (www.aadmd.org):

• On Monday, July 11th and Tuesday, July 12th, the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia (NTG) will hold a two-day workshop on Dementia Capable Care of Adults with ID & Dementia, covering a range of topics critical to staff who are engaged in supporting adults with intellectual disability affected by dementia. For more information and registration, go to http://aadmd.org/ntg/schedule and click on ‘Register Online’. The workshop offers 16 contact hours and is reasonably priced. The workshop leaders are Kathryn Pears and Kathy Service, both of the NTG.
• 
  
• Also, the IASSIDD (International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities) Academy is offering 7 half-day workshops on Monday, July 11th on a number of topics related to physical and mental health care issues and practices with persons with intellectual disability. Specific workshops include: Supporting People with Developmental Disabilities during Hospitalization and Transitions; Reducing Adverse Drug Reactions in Adults with Down Syndrome; HealthMatters™ Program Initiative: Supporting a Community of Health and Wellness for People with Disabilities; Improving Caregiver Health: A Culturally Sensitive Approach to Providing Support to Caregivers of Children and Adults with IDD; Substance and Medication Abuse in People with IDD; Enhancing Quality of Life in IDD: Going Beyond Health-Related Quality of Life; and Using PIVOT as a Model for Reducing Caregiver Stress and Burden. Certificates of attendance for 3.0 education hours are available and the price is very reasonable. For workshop information, presenters, costs, and online registration visit http://aadmd.org/iassidd-workshops

AccessChicago 2016 Chicago Disability Expo July 13th

AccessChicago will be held Wednesday,

July 13th, 2016

Time: 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

                                                NAVY PIER, FESTIVAL HALL A 

Hosted by Chicago Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), AccessChicago expo promotes Chicago’s wide range of accessible venues, products, and services.

AccessChicago is the perfect event for people with disabilities of all ages!

• Test products and connect with community organizations to learn about available disability-related social services
• Participate in various adaptive sports and recreational opportunities

AccessChicago is FREE and open to the public!
July 13th, 2016

Chicago's Navy Pier
Time: 10:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

For more information, visit:
http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mopd/provdrs/accesschicago.html

Perhaps you've been wondering what there is to do at AccessChicago?  Scales & Tales Traveling Petting Zoo Moving Mountains Accessible Climbing Wall Gardening Workshops by Envision Bingo Cooking Matters Cooking Demos ITA Therapeutic Art Workshops I See Music LLC Musical performance Comedy by Laura Hugg Judo, Fishing, Golf, sponsored by the Chicago Park District An Arts and Culture section An Accessible Transportation and Travel area Movie Showing, Finding Nemo  WIPA Seminar Accessible Indoor Rowing Competitions sponsored by Chicago Indoor Rowing Championships Lekotek Play Area Momento Photo Booth Raffle Prizes (be sure to fill out your raffle ticket(s) and put it in the box of the prize you would like the chance to win)

A Free Trolley Car is available at Navy Pier, from the front of the pier to Festival Hall A where AccessChicago is being held. Please watch for directional signage along the East side of the Pier. If you're getting dropped off, all drop offs and pick ups are at Riva's Restaurant turnaround.

For Public Transportation information:
CTA Trip Planner: http://www.transitchicago.com/planatrip/
PACE ADA Paratransit Service Directory: http://www.pacebus.com/sub/paratransit/sd_ada_paratransit.asp

Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities

121 N. LaSalle Street
Room 104
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312.744.7050
TTY: 312.744.4964

Young woman with a disability, also a St. Jude's cancer patient sues airport and TSA after bloody checkpoint scuffle

Hannah Cohen 19 year old with a disability, who is partially blind, deaf and paralyzed set off a medal detector at an airport in Memphis. Scared and confused the 19-year-old special needs girl was reluctant to let TSA agents physically examine her. The mother of the girl, Shirley Cohen, said she tried to explain the agents the reason for her daughter's behavior and reluctance. “She's trying to get away from them but in the next instant, one of them had her down on the ground and hit her head on the floor. There was blood everywhere,” said Cohen

# # #

JULY 1, 2016, BY TRIBUNE MEDIA WIRE
MEMPHIS, Tenn. ---Bloodied and bruised, Hannah Cohen was led from Memphis International Airport in handcuffs last year.

The 19-year old was headed home to Chattanooga on June 30, 2015 after treatment for a brain tumor at St. Jude Hospital.

It's a trip her family has made for 17 years.

This time, an unarmed Hannah set off the metal detector at a security checkpoint

“They wanted to do further scanning, she was reluctant, she didn't understand what they were about to do," her mother Shirley Cohen said.

Cohen told us she tried to tell TSA agents her daughter is partially deaf, blind in one eye, paralyzed, and easily confused, but said she was kept at a distance by police.

“She's trying to get away from them but in the next instant, one of them had her down on the ground and hit her head on the floor. There was blood everywhere,” said Cohen.

Hannah was arrested and booked, and on the night she should have been celebrating the end of her treatment, she was locked up.

“Here we were with no where to go, not even a toothbrush, our bags had gone to Chattanooga,” said Cohen.

Authorities later threw out the charges, but the family filed a lawsuit against the Memphis Airport, Airport Police, and the Transportation Security Administration.

None of them would comment citing the suit, but Sari Koshetz of TSA released a statement that said, “Passengers can call ahead of time to learn more about the screening process for their particular needs or medical situation.”

Cohen said after all the help here, she can't believe it ended like this.

“She's 19 but she'll always be my baby. We've been through so much.”


A Memphis International Airport security video shows the June 30, 2015 confrontation between security personnel and Hannah Cohen, a St. Jude Children's Research Hospital patient, that led Cohen to file a federal lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, an alarm went off when Hannah went through the security screening. She was described as being impaired from radiation treatment and the removal of a brain tumor. The aggressive cancer treatment left the teen with limited ability to talk, walk, stand, see and hear.

"(She) became disoriented and confused by the warning alarm and the actions of the personnel manning the security checkpoint to try to search her person because of her disability. The security personnel failed to recognize that she was confused because of her obvious disability and was unable to cooperate with the search," the lawsuit said.

You can read the lawsuit HERE

State of Illinois fails a "moral test of government”

Thank all of our readers for sharing the following editorial as posted by saukvalley.com. A real insight into so many of  Illinois disability community daily lives experience ....

Illinois spends far less per capita on disability services than other Midwestern states. The stopgap budget isn’t expected to help much.

opinion By the Sauk Valley (.com) Media Editorial Board | June 1, 2016
During the past fiscal year, Illinoisans were at the mercy of a state budget impasse that disrupted institutions, programs and lives.

For the past decade, however, the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been chronically neglected by those in power.

The consequences of that neglect make it more and more difficult for area agencies to serve the needs of people who, as the late Sen. Hubert Humphrey once said, are in “the shadows of life.”

The Sauk Valley Media Editorial Board spent an enlightening hour this week with Jeff Stauter, chief executive officer of Kreider Services of Dixon, and Brion Brooks, executive director of the Village of Progress of Oregon.

Kreider and Village of Progress continue to serve hundreds of area clients, even though “we haven’t seen any new money in a decade,” Stauter said. Kreider also supervises 30 group homes in three counties.

The underfunding has led to wages for agency employees that aren’t competitive enough to attract sufficient workers willing to undergo the required training and do the required work, which includes personal care (toileting) for clients.

Programs, such as respite care, have been cut at Kreider. Support for people with autism has been reduced.

As Brooks noted, “The underfunding has a lot of ramifications not from just understaffing but for the dignity of individuals.”

Both agencies have tapped their foundations for financial help, but that support goes only so far.

These private, not-for-profit agencies would like to see additional state funding so that wages can be raised and vacancies filled in their workforces.

They would also like sufficient funding so that the state’s “waiting list” of people with disabilities who need help, now numbering about 27,000, could be reduced.

Stauter and Brooks expressed concern that a stopgap budget likely would not solve the problems they face.

Stauter said such a budget would only be kicking the can down the road again, “which is what we’ve done since [Gov.] George Ryan was in office.” Ryan’s term ended in 2003.

Brooks said the average spending for disability services in Midwestern states is $133 per capita. Illinois, however, spends only $44 per capita.

How do state leaders get away with spending so little on persons with disabilities?

“I think it’s an invisible community, for the most part,” Brooks said.

Many people with disabilities are not able to have a voice in the debate. They are out of sight, and therefore out of mind for many politicians – even as, with more programs closing and more people with disabilities on the street, they likely will have more problems with law enforcement.

Stauter put it bluntly: “We just don’t see any light at the end of the tunnel.”

Sen. Humphrey said the “moral test of government” centers on how it treats children, the elderly, and “the sick, the needy and the handicapped.”

In Illinois, our government clearly is failing the test.

And it will continue to do so until the public demands otherwise.

http://www.saukvalley.com/2016/06/29/editorial-illinois-fails-a-moral-test/a7sdmsv/

26th Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the ADA Anniversary Celebration - July 26, 2016

Celebrate the 26th Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on the ADA Anniversary - July 26, 2016. In the past 26 years so much has been accomplished and part of everyday life for all Americans, but their is still much more to be accomplished. But in the month of July, and especially the 26th, let's all take some time to celebrate the last civil rights law passed in the United States.

Celebration Dance gif

Please reach out to local disability organizations, groups, etc. in your area, or do a online search you can discover ways to celebrate the 26th ADA Anniversary - July 26. Below we are sharing some information and ideas for this wonderful celebration.

As always the people with the ADA National Network have shared with all of us some wonderful ideas, which we share below.

This Toolkit is a project of the ADA National Network and its ten regional ADA Centers across the United States that provide information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Themes for June 2016

Countdown to ADA 26th Anniversary - July 26

• Monthly ADA Themes
• Ideas and Suggestions for ADA Anniversary
• Search ADA Publications & Training on ADA National Network
• Timeline of the ADA
• Overview of the ADA
• Add your ADA Anniversary Events to ADA National Network

The ADA National Network and its ten regional ADA Centers located throughout the United States are your comprehensive "one-stop" resource for information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Contact your ADA Center in the ADA National Network at 1-800-949-4232 or visit www.adata.org

As other ADA 26th Anniversary information is available, and shared we will update this post!

ADA Checklist for Polling Places update for 2016

The U.S. Department of Justice released an updated technical assistance publication on polling place accessibility for voters with disabilities. The publication, “ADA Checklist for Polling Places” includes a survey to guide election officials in evaluating the accessibility of facilities used or being considered for use as polling places.

This 25-page document is an updated technical assistance publication on polling place accessibility for voters with disabilities. The publication includes information about key areas of a facility that must be accessible to voters with mobility or vision disabilities, options for low-cost temporary measures for removing barriers, and a survey to guide election officials in evaluating the accessibility of facilities used or being considered for use as polling places. (2016)

ADA Checklist for Polling Places (HTML) | (PDF)

A Mom talks after 8yr old son with disability is only one not invited to classmate's birthday

When Jennifer Kiss-Engele's little boy was the only kid in his class not invited to a classmate's birthday party, she thought she knew why: because he has Down syndrome.

Thank You to NBC's Today Show for reporting this story, by Melissa McGlensey on June 29, 2016
So Kiss-Engele, from Langley, British Columbia, Canada, wrote an open letter on Facebook  (please Read) explaining how the slight felt for her and her son, Sawyer, who is 8.

"I know it's not because he's mean, you couldn't meet a happier child," Kiss-Engele wrote in the letter, which has since gone viral with thousands of likes and shares.

"I know it's not because he's not fun, he has a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh. I know it's not because your child and him don't get along, he's brought up your child's name on several occasions.

"The only reason why you decided it was OK to not invite my son to your child's birthday party is because he has Down syndrome."

Sawyer was the only kid in the class of 23 kids excluded from the birthday celebration, wrote Kiss-Engele, who didn't return messages from TODAY seeking comment.

But rather than sounding off on the classmate or the parents, the wounded mom-of-three focused on the positive influence her son has had on other kids, saying he's taught them compassion and understanding.

She only wished he'd received the same in return.

"People with Down Syndrome want the same things that you and I want," she wrote. "They want to have close relationships, they want to feel love, they want to contribute, they want to have meaningful lives, and they want to go to birthday parties.

"It may be more difficult at times to understand my child. But the laughter and love that you share doesn't need interpretation," she said.

She also said she felt an "obligation" to educate people about Down syndrome "and how they are more like you than different."

"Please know that I am here to talk if you would like… I recognize that we all make mistakes and at the end of the day, I think we both could have done better."

Her heartfelt plea eventually reached the child's parents.

And on Sunday, Kiss-Engele's post was updated to say there was a happy ending — the parents spoke to their child about Sawyer and then created a special invitation just for him.

"I'm really proud that my letter has reached so many people because it's not just this birthday party and it's not just Sawyer," Kiss-Engele wrote.

Her hope was that other parents who read her letter would consider sending that "extra invitation" to their own events.

"There are so many kids with special needs (and without of course) that just don't make the cut. I think as parents we all need to do a better job of fostering these relationships, myself included."

http://www.today.com/parents/mom-opens-after-son-disability-only-one-not-invited-classmate-t100375

The ADA in 2016 from Disability.gov team

Pres. George H. W. Bush signs the ADA on July 26, 1990

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrates its 26th anniversary on July 26, 2016. For some, 26 years may seem like a long time, but the truth is 1990 isn’t so far in the past. The ADA improves the lives of people with disabilities by protecting their rights to have access to employment, public entities, transportation, public accommodations and commercial facilities, telecommunications and more. It helps people with disabilities compete equally for employment and receive the accommodations and protection they need to work. In public and commercial spaces, the ADA requires accessible features and technologies, such as curb cuts and closed captioning.

The achievement of the ADA was accomplished through hours of planning, organizing and hard work by the disability community. As the ADA was being voted on, disability rights activists gathered together, some crawling up the steps of Capitol Hill without their crutches or wheelchairs. The image of disabled activists of all ages, races and genders proudly making their way up the steps where their rights were being determined moved the nation. This demonstration, called the “Capitol crawl,” helped result in the passing of the ADA.

The ADA from A to Z
Disability.gov will recognize this landmark milestone on social media next month. Starting July 1, we will be launching “26 Days of the ADA: A to Z” on Twitter. Every day we will post a fact related to the ADA corresponding to each letter of the alphabet – don’t forget to follow us and retweet. We will also be featuring ADA related content on Facebook and Disability.Blog. Visit Disability.gov and subscribe to our site for updates, as well as the Disability Connection newsletter, to celebrate with us!

Find More Information on Disability.gov
Learn about disability rights, laws and history on Disability.gov. Read Disability.gov’s Guide to Disability Rights Laws to learn more about the ADA’s history, what the law covers and other disability rights laws. The guide provides this information in an easy-to-read format. Find more information about disability rights, from your rights on the job to your voting rights, by visiting Disability.gov.

above article shared from a post by the Disability.gov Team on June 29, 2016

https://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2016/06/29/the-ada-in-2016/

For More from Disability.gov, visit: https://www.disability.gov/