ADALive!

Transcript and resources are available at https://www.adalive.org/episode94

Indigenous people - Native Americans or Alaska Natives - make up nearly two percent of the U. S. population, and many have more than one ethnic identity. Indigenous people experience greater health problems with lower life expectancy, higher rates of substance abuse, and a suicide rate 2.5 times greater than the rest of the United States. Economic barriers and poor access to medical care, and cultural differences result in a higher prevalence of mental health conditions for Indigenous people.

In this episode of ADA Live!, we welcome Dr. Hilary Weaver, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Professor, University at Buffalo. Dr. Weaver is Lakota Sioux by birth. She will be interviewed by Olivia Gawehnidi Porter, an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation, student, and advocate for better mental health care in Indigenous nations. Their discussion will feature Dr. Weaver’s work understanding Indigenous teachings, how she is destigmatizing or removing the negative view that is often a part of Western ideas about disabilities, using traditional teachings of compassion and acceptance, and the importance of accepting people who are different.

For resources, transcripts, and more information visit: https://www.adalive.org/episode93

The “graying” of America is continuing at an accelerated pace. In the past 10 years, there has been a staggering 35% increase in the total number of people in the United States aged 65 and over, now at 52.4 million people. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the over-65 population will be 77 million by the year 2035 – when, for the first time, the number of older people will be larger than the number of children under age 18.

For many of us, aging means daily living can become more difficult. Aging also increases the likelihood of acquiring a disability and the likely result that more people will be eligible for protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Plan to join us for this thought-provoking episode of ADA Live! in recognition of May as Older Americans Month. Our guest, Nick Nyberg, Programs & Planning Division Chief with the Alabama Department of Senior Services, will discuss the Older Americans Act of 1965 and its impact on the services and supports for older people, what these supports can be, and much more.

For more information, resources, and transcript visit http://disabilityrightstoday.org/episodes/gil-v-winn-dixie-11th-circuit-decision-on-web-access-and-the-ada/

On April 7, 2021, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Gil v. Winn-Dixie that websites operated by businesses are not “places of public accommodation” under Title III of the ADA. Gil’s inability to access the Winn-Dixie website, due to his blindness, therefore, was not in violation of the ADA. In the court’s opinion, the company’s website, without a point of sale, did not present an “intangible barrier” to Gil’s shopping for goods and services at Winn-Dixie’s physical stores.

Please join us for this special edition of ADA Live! when Mark Riccobono, President, National Federation of the Blind, Howard Rosenblum CEO of National Association of the Deaf, Bruce Sexton, JD, plaintiff in National Federation of the Blind v. Target, and Peter Blanck, Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University discuss the impact of this decision.

Disclaimer Note: The personal opinions expressed by guest speakers in this episode should not be understood as an endorsement by the ADA National Network, the Southeast ADA Center, or Syracuse University.

The roots of agriculture run deep in our country, from large farms to community gardens, and it’s vital to the quality of our lives. We do not often think about how the ADA applies to large farms, community gardens, or neighborhood farmer’s markets. With spring around the corner, many of us are ready to be outside and get into the dirt by clearing, tilling, and planting.

In this episode of ADA Live! we’ll be digging into the topic of the ADA, accessible farming and gardening with our guest, Paul Jones, Manager of the Breaking New Ground (BNG) Resource Center and the National AgrAbility Project located at Purdue University. Please join us as we learn about the important work of AgrAbility, accessible agriculture, and any ADA requirements.

More information and transcript at https://www.adalive.org/episode91

The Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System is on the front line in defending the personal and civil rights of people with disabilities. P&As empower and ensure individuals with disabilities have the right to make choices, contribute to society, and live independently. They guard against abuse, advocate for basic human rights, and ensure access and accountability in health care, education, employment, housing, transportation, voting rights, and within the juvenile and criminal justice systems.

P&As are represented at the national level by the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), an organization established by Congress to protect the rights of people with disabilities.

On this episode of ADA Live! our guest will be Curt Decker, founder and Executive Director of the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). Mr. Decker will discuss the history of the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) System, some important legislation they have supported, current projects, and how this advocacy system works to protect the rights of people with disabilities.

More information, resources, and transcript available at: https://www.adalive.org/episode90

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted people with disabilities. by causing crisis situations in many aspects of our lives, including medical care, education, mental health, and the loss of caregivers and support networks. In order to fight the pandemic, government agencies and private companies are often using technology to keep track of how public and private behavior is affecting the spread of the virus. Historically, people with disabilities, minority populations and the LGBTIQ+ community are often the least protected from this type of public monitoring and data overreach.

The Social Science Research Council (SSRC), as well as the MacArthur and Ford Foundations established the Just Tech COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants to understand the effects of COVID-19 on society and the role of technology in responding to COVID-19.

In this episode our guests will be two recipients of these grant awards, Dr. Paul Harpur of the University of Queensland (Australia) and International Distinguished Fellow at the Burton Blatt Institute; and Dr. Peter Blanck, University Professor and Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. Our guest list will also include their colleagues, Lydia X. Z. Brown and Ridhi Shetty of the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) to discuss critical questions and provide a framework for tech solutions to pressing issues such as online education and public health policy.

Captioning and resources available at: https://www.adalive.org/episode89

From robots making food deliveries to drones aiding in search and rescue missions, to self-driving cars, automation and technology are changing the way we live. According to experts in the field, “automation shifts responsibility from humans and lets intelligent machines take control” (Mumm, H., 2019). This shift in automation has begun to alter the way we live; and its impacts on society are yet to be seen.

With an eye to the future, in May of 2019 Syracuse University started the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute (ASPI). The goal of the ASPI is keeping technology from outpacing policy in the quickly growing field of autonomous systems and technology.

Please join us for the next episode of ADA Live! when our guest, Syracuse University Associate Professor Dr. Krista Kennedy and as host, our Burton Blatt Institute colleague Diane Wiener, discuss the exciting work of the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute (ASPI), the importance of “human/machine collaboration” and the opportunities and challenges autonomous systems hold for persons with disabilities.

For resources, transcript, and captioning visit https://www.adalive.org/episode88 he United Nations (UN) recognizes December 3rd as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). In 2020, the theme for this global celebration is "a day for all” – which reflects a growing understanding that disability is part of the human condition and nearly everyone will experience disability at some point in life.

Looking at disability rights around the world, we see that, few countries have truly addressed the lack of equality for people with disabilities in public spaces and also for older people, children, and caregivers. Public streets and sidewalks include barriers to full access and inclusion because of policies, laws and attitudes that ignore the needs and rights for people with disabilities.

This episode of ADA Live! features the Inclusive Public Space Project, an exciting international research project that investigates the inequality caused by inaccessible streets and sidewalks in local communities. Please join us in a discussion of this important work with our guests, Anna Lawson, Professor of Law at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom and Peter Blanck, JD, PhD, University Professor and Chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University.

Transcript and Resources available at https://www.adalive.org/episode87

This year has been remarkable in terms of celebrating the employment of persons with disabilities. This year 2020 includes important milestones - the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); the 75th year of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) with the theme: ‘Increasing Access and Opportunity’; and the 100th anniversary of the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program.

November 2020 is also the 82nd anniversary of Veterans Day. According to the data from the most recent national census and from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 18.2 million veterans in the United States and, of those, 4.7 million, or 25 percent, had a service-connected disability.

Join us for this informative episode that focuses a lens on employment and Veterans with our guests Dr. Larry Logue and Dr. Peter Blanck of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University. Our guests will also share insights from their research “Win Pensions and Live in Idleness” Disability and Employment Among Union Army Veterans Before the Accommodation Principle, which investigates recently available data on the life course and the circumstances of Union army recruits’ compared to their civilian peers.

For more information, resources, and transcript visit https://www.adalive.org/episode86

For the past 100 years, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) under the guidance of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) has enabled people with disabilities to overcome barriers to accessing, maintaining, or returning to employment.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is critical given that the employment of persons with disabilities remains very low when compared to those without a disability. In 2019, only 19% of persons with a disability were in the workforce, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Join us as we celebrate 100 years of VR with our special guest, the Commissioner of the RSA, Mark Schultz. Discover how VR has changed over the years and gain insight into challenging opportunities for the future.