We have been having a busy summer at DIG. Our interns are learning about all aspects of our work. They have gone on a GO Connect adventure, helped with a wallet card training, and conducted a usability review of our organization. We have been training both in person and virtually. As you will read in our newsletter we have been helping with the new mobility initiative in Miami-Dade County. As we celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the signing of the ADA we are working to make sure that people with disabilities have multiple voting options that are accessible and that the candidates understand the issues that are important for our community.

On July 14, 2022, the U.S. District Court Judge, Brian J. Davis, found that it states a cause of action under the Fair Housing Act when a Black person is singled out, harassed, and penalized by a homeowner’s association for flying a Black Lives Matter flag.

On October 16, 2020, Mr. Antoine Mickle flew his “Black Lives Matter” flag on a flagpole attached to the eave by the entrance of his home. Soon thereafter, on October 20th, Mr. Mickle received a letter and an email from the property manager on behalf of the homeowner’s association advising him that Michle’s flag was a “sign” in violation of the rules of the HOA and was a nuisance. The letter included the definition of a nuisance, which meant a “noxious or offensive” activity or an annoyance. At the same time Mr. Mickle flew his flag, a plethora of white residents of the homeowner’s association flew flags that expressed other viewpoints, such as Trump 2020 flags, Trump Train flags, “Blue lives” matter flags.

Black Lives Matter is a social and political movement arising the murder of unarmed Persons of Color by law enforcement and the need to bring light to and stop this injustice. “Blue Lives Matter” is a movement developed in reaction to the Black Lives Matter Movement. Mr. Mickle decided to hang his “Black Lives Matter” flag because this flag represented his being and history as a Black, African American man, and represented those, who were like him, who lives were not deemed worthy. For Mr. Mickle, the Black Lives Matter movement and flag is more than just political speech, but a symbol of personhood. It represents generations of Black Men and Women whose lives were deemed worthless by police, the press and society, and then killed without consequence. To Mr. Mickle, his life is represented by that flag, as well as the lives of Michael Brown, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, as well as James Earl Cheney, Addie Mae Collins, and Emmett Till.

However, “Blue Lives” matter was developed in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Hanging the “Blue Lives Matter” flag represents the perception that there is a war against law enforcement, and, in Florida, legislators have even attempted to make it a hate crime to attack law enforcement. While the management of the homeowner’s association knew that Mr. Mickle was a Black man, and by hanging his flag, he was expressing his views as a Black man, white residents flew their Blue Lives Matters flags and Trump flags and were not penalized. The association threatened further action to enforce their rules against Mr. Mickle if he did not remove his Black Lives Matter flag from his home within twenty-four (24) hours.

The decision from Judge Davis, finding that the actions of the association in penalizing a person in their use and enjoyment of their home for expressing a race-based viewpoint, when other viewpoints are permitted, violates the Fair Housing Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1866 entitling a person who is Black to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property without discrimination. The reasoning in this case not only applies to issues regarding race, but also can be used to penalize hateful conduct from a housing provider based upon sexual orientation, national origin or other protected categories

Attorneys Ben Crump and Matt Dietz released the following statement: “This case is going to send a clear message to the River Point Community Association and other discriminatory housing associations around the country that this kind of harassment will not be tolerated. Policies of housing communities cannot, and should not, smother the voices of Black residents when other non-Black residents are permitted to advocate for other causes. We applaud Antoine for bravely facing injustice and refusing to take down a flag that symbolizes the ongoing battle for equality, which can be seen explicitly here. We expect that this case will have an outsized and positive impact, protecting the freedom of expression for marginalized groups in the sanctity of their homes.”

Click here to read the order

Miami-Dade County is working on an initiative to engage residents in the process of bringing new mobility technologies to our community. 

New mobility technology includes such innovations as delivery robots, autonomous shuttles, micro transit, and e-scooters. Miami-Dade County is piloting these new solutions, focusing on how they could be used to improve accessibility and mobility equity throughout the County. 

DIG is excited to work with the new mobility team and include the disability perspective in this project.

Click here to watch a recording of the virtual community event that happened on May 24, 2022. At this meeting, community members and stakeholders provided input on mobility options in Miami-Dade County.

If you have thoughts on mobility technologies in Miami-Dade County, you can take a 10-minute survey and share your input and ideas on how new mobility technology can serve our community.

One of the projects DIG is reviewing is the GO Connect pilot project.

Click here to read a blog post about the community liaisons experience using the GO Connect App.

Matt took two of his clients and one of the DIG summer interns on an adventure this week. They met at the Douglas Street Metrorail Station and used the GO Connect App to do a roundtrip ride to get a cup of coffee at Starbucks. For the trip, they used the accessibility features in the app and tested how it would work for people with disabilities. The ride was very difficult, and they have many suggestions to make the App more user friendly and accessible for people with disabilities. DIG will be sharing all of our suggestions and thoughts with the new mobility team to make sure that people with disabilities can have this option available to them and that is seamless and user friendly.

Communities are stronger when locals are civically engaged. This year, Miami-Dade County residents will vote for several county commissioners. Together in partnership with many nonprofits and friends, The Miami Foundation will host “Our Miami: The People’s Forums” to get to know the candidates who seek to lead our region into the future. These forums will prioritize big issues facing our county this election year including transportation, affordable housing, urban development, sea level water rise, climate change, and more. Join in and spread the word so community members can become more informed and engaged in shaping the future of Greater Miami. 

Thank you to our collaborators for co-building these forums with us: Ayiti Community Trust, Catalyst Miami, The CLEO Institute, Dade Heritage Trust, Disability Independence Group, Engage Miami, Miami Homes For All, Miami Waterkeeper, Parks Foundation of Miami Dade, Radical Partners, Transit Alliance, as well as Telemundo, Miami Herald, and NBC6.

DISTRICT 6

JULY 26

Miami, Hialeah, Coral Gables, Miami Springs, & West Miami

Moderator: Gloria Ordaz, Telemundo

REGISTER NOW

Accessibility options available: Spanish to English language interpretation & Spanish Sign Language interpretation.

DISTRICT 2

JULY 28

Miami, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Opa-Locka, & Golden Glades

Moderator: Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald

REGISTER NOW

Accessibility options available: English to Spanish language interpretation, English to Kreyòl language interpretation, & American Sign Language interpretation.

DISTRICT 8

AUG. 2

Cutler Bay, Homestead, & Palmetto Bay

Moderator: Nancy Ancrum, Miami Herald

REGISTER NOW

Accessibility options available: English to Spanish language interpretation & American Sign Language interpretation.

DISTRICT 10

AUG. 4

Kendall, Westchester, & Fontainebleau

Moderator: Jackie Nespral, NBC6

REGISTER NOW

Accessibility options available: English to Spanish language interpretation & American Sign Language interpretation.

DISTRICT 12 (This event is tentative)

AUG. 9*

Doral, Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Medley, & Sweetwater

Moderator: Gloria Ordaz, Telemundo

*Tentative

REGISTER NOW

Accessibility options available: Spanish to English language interpretation & Spanish Sign Language interpretation.

“Every misconception is a poison. There are no harmless misconceptions.” – Leo Tolstoy

When I began rehabilitation after suffering a spinal cord injury and hydrocephalus, I never wanted my family members to record my progress or even take any pictures of me. I was, honestly, ashamed of my “new normal” and I thought I would never want a record of what happened or even how much progress I had made since my fall. I soon began to realize that, not only recording, but also sharing my rehab journey, would inspire others, and, more importantly, help motivate me at the same time. Posting my wheelchair journey and my first standing, then walking videos, on my social media help me document my milestones, and now I look back proudly at how far I have come. It makes me even more grateful for where I am now. Even sharing my struggles helped me tremendously. It wasn’t always pretty…in fact, sometimes it was downright difficult to watch. Learning to get around in my wheelchair, transfer in and out of the car from my chair, breaking down the wheelchair and putting it in the car from the front seat. Then, venturing out in my chair, to restaurants and to events. I was navigating an entirely new life that was rolling, instead of walking, and getting used to that was a huge adjustment.

I then started writing articles for the Disability Independence Group newsletters, which helped my healing process in enormous ways. Writing down what I was going through, as a person now living with a disability, allowed me to share many parts of my new life that many wouldn’t even consider. And that, in turn, helped me maneuver through this new way of living. 

A lot of positive comments followed on my posts. Whether it was on my videos, my photos, or even the articles I wrote and shared on my social media. While almost all of the comments were positive, some were not-so-nice. While I would hope the commenters had good intentions, I couldn’t help but be affected and often offended by some of their posts. One comment recently stood out to me. Someone who read one of my recent articles said, “Too pretty to suffer.” This wasn’t the first time I had heard something like this. When I first started going out in my wheelchair, I would get similar comments, “You’re too pretty to be in that chair!” Or similar comments people would make to my husband, “She looks so good!” They were shocked that I could look good and be a wheelchair user. I brushed a lot of it off as people not knowing what to say. But this latest comment, “Too pretty to suffer,” just prompted me to wonder …. What does disability look like?

There seems to be a huge misconception about those of us living with disabilities. People tend to be shocked to see us out, and often times, amazed to see us, God forbid, looking good. From the comments and remarks I’ve received since my injury, it seems most people associate someone living with a disability as being weak, frail, and therefore unappealing. I’ve learned over the past eight years that the reality is, in fact, just the opposite. We have been through so much, that the strength we’ve acquired through that journey shines through, and that is the most appealing thing I could ever think of.

Seeing people like Chelsie Hill, the founder of the Rolletes Dance Troup; Steph Aiello, a quadriplegic makeup artist; Andrea Dalzell, “The Seated Nurse”; and Garrison Redd, para-powerlifter for team USA, and so many more, all killing it in life, in their wheelchairs, and sharing their journeys, helped me early on in my recovery to battle those misconceptions others had about me and truly helped me become more and more confident and, yes, proud of living my new life with a disability.

That’s what disability looks like to me. Strong, successful and beautiful. In any shape or form. Whether you’re rolling or walking. Whether you use a walker or a cane or crutches. These are the types of images I think we should be focusing on, sharing and making the “norm” of what people living with disabilities actually look like. It shouldn’t take us actually suffering from a life changing trauma to recognize how beautiful living with a disability can be.

988 is now active across the United States.

988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (now known as the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) and is now active across the United States.

When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary.

This new, shorter phone number will make it easier for people to remember and access mental health crisis services.

(Please note, the previous 1-800-273-TALK (8255) number will continue to function indefinitely.)

Click below to learn more about 988.

LEARN MORE

Hurricane General Tips for those with Disabilities

• Create a support network/attempt to maintain contact with those who can assist you. Keep a container list in a watertight container in your emergency kit.
• Inform support network where emergency supplies are kept. May want to give someone in your support network a key to your house/apartment.
• Know where key facilities are located from your place of refuge.
• Wear medical alert tags or bracelets
• Make note of the best way to communicate with you in the case of an emergency
• Keep model information on medical devices you have secure and note who provided it such as Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurances.



Blind/Low Vision

• Marking emergency supplies with Braille labels or large print.
• Keep list of emergency supplies on portable flash drive/or make an audio file that is safe and accessible.
• Keep a Braille or deaf-blind communications device in your emergency supply kit.

Deaf/Hard of Hearing

• Keep a weather radio with text display/A flashing alert. Keep with extra batteries.
• Keep extra hearing aid devices/batteries for these devices.
• Keep pen/paper in a water-proof container in case you need to communicate with someone who does not know sign language.

Mobility Disabilities

• If you are using a power wheelchair, have a lightweight manual chair available as a back-up. Show support network how to operate a wheelchair.
• Know the size/weight of the wheelchair and whether the wheelchair is compressible for transportation.
• Keep extra seat cushion if you use one.

Service Animals

Include extra water, identification tags, and supplies for the service animal in your emergency kit.

Prescription Refills

• Under Section 4(G) of the Governor’s Executive Order (EO), pharmacists can dispense up to 30-day emergency prescription refills of maintenance medication to people who reside in the area covered under the emergency order and to emergency personnel who have been activated by their state and local agency but do not reside in an area or county covered by the emergency order.
• This refill does not apply to Schedule II medications.
• This is in accordance with Section 465.0275. F.S. 

The ADA was signed on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W Bush.

March of 1990 – There was a Group of Disability Rights activists that staged the capital crawl; in which disabled right activists pulled themselves up all 100 steps of the capital. There were about 1,000 demonstrators. This protest came to fruition because advocates doubted the commitment Congress had to the bill when the process came to a halt in the House of Representatives, despite widespread bipartisan support for the bill in the American public. The reason for the delay was concern about the effect the ADA would have on small businesses. Some argued that the proposed changes would pose too big a burden on local economies and that these places lacked the budget to universally update mass transit to accommodate wheelchairs. Senator Gordon J. Humphrey serves as an example of a lawmaker who expressed these concerns.

On March 12, 1990, activists from across the country organized this protest and went to Washington D.C to do the Capital Crawl. Bob Kafka (A protestor from Austin Texas) told reporters “Too often disabled people are seen as objects of charity or pity. We’re here to change that image. And we’re here to send a message to the President and to Congress that this bill needs to be passed with no weakening amendments.” About 100 protestors returned the day after to enter the capital once again to protest, this time making their way into the Capitol rotunda. A Capitol Police Officer was unaware on how to handle the situation and announced to the demonstrators they were to be charged with unlawful entry.

The demonstrators threw themselves on the ground while others bound their wheelchairs together with chains. The Capitol police, dressed fully in riot gear, had to use chain cutters to break the links and strap individuals to their wheelchairs. They then had to carry each protestor out of the Capitol one at a time in a process that took around two hours. Soon after, on March 13, the ADA was placed on the Congressional Agenda.

By July 1990, the ADA was approved by both the Senate and the House. In the Senate the bill passed 91-6. In the House it passed 377-28.

Senator Tom Harkin was a prominent supporter of the ADA and made his comments in American Sign Language in honor of his deaf brother. “Today, Congress opens the doors to all Americans with disabilities. Today we say no to ignorance, no to fear and no to prejudice.”

Bush quoted saying “Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down”.

I told a new acquaintance recently that I work at the intersection of abuse and disability they asked me, “why do victims stay?”.

It is a complicated answer, but I decided to share with you in this month’s column what I have learned are only some of the barriers to leaving.

I want to start by reminding you that we know from countless studies, that most times abusers go to extremes to prevent victims from leaving them and that if you leave you have triggered the most dangerous time in the process.  Studies have found that even threats of separation can lead to increased abuse or even death.  Victims in violent relationships know their abuser best and fully know the extent to which that abuser will go to make sure they have and can maintain control over them. That fear is very real, especially if they try to leave and are unsuccessful. Many times, family and friends are unsupportive. Financial circumstances are a real and significant barrier to many. Many times, these relationships are a mix of good times and abuse and there is that hope, that the good times will return.

In addition to the above there are societal barriers that have impact on that decision to stay or leave. Here are some to think about:

• Fear of losing custody of your children and your joint assets (this still happens even today)
• Loss of your standard of living for you and your children
• The belief that you should “save” your marriage at all costs and preserve the “family”
• Some religious practices that stress avoiding divorce
• The knowledge that abuses still occur even after restraining orders are entered, so why seek them
• Greater public awareness of the lack of affordable housing and fear of leaving your home for a temporary shelter and then having nowhere to go
• Societal factors that still tell women they are responsible for everything that happens in their home, and they must make relationships work

So, if you wonder “why do they stay” I hope I have given you some things to think about. 

DIG is honored to be hosting a summer fellow and MaryGrace is an outstanding intern.

The Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation is the formalization of mentoring efforts its co-founders, John Kozyak and Detra Shaw-Wilder, have been making for more than 30 years. They started focusing on matching Black law students at the University of Miami with Judges and lawyers as mentors. They quickly expanded to the law schools throughout Florida and quickly recognized all minority law students benefit when paired with a judge or a lawyer. KMMF collaborates with several other voluntary bar associations and sections of The Florida Bar to help Black, Hispanic, Women, Asian-Pacific, Muslim, LGBQT+ and other minority students find a helpful mentor.

MaryGrace Longoria  

Florida International University College of Law, Class of 2023 

Charles Bray Summer Fellow 

MaryGrace Longoria is a second-year student at Florida International University College of Law. Prior to law school, MaryGrace built a successful career in education advocacy, working with parents and teachers to organize and seek transformational changes for their students. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado with a degree in Philosophy of Law & Society. Inspired by her organizing work to learn more, MaryGrace went on to earn a master’s degree from her alma mater in Education Foundations, Policy and Practice.

MaryGrace is a member of the FIU College of Law Moot Court Team, serves on various student organization executive boards, and has made the Dean’s List every semester. As a 1L, she interned with Coast to Coast Legal Aid, and as a 2L, worked as a law clerk with Legal Services of Greater Miami, and currently interns at Disability Independence Group. In every role, she has served indigent clients and assisted them with various disability appeals and other public health issues. MaryGrace is passionate about civil rights litigation and the intersection at which advocacy and social justice coalesce in defending our most disenfranchised communities. 

Charles Bray generously selected MaryGrace as a fellowship recipient for the summer of 2022.

As a Kozyak Minority Mentoring Foundation Summer Fellow, MaryGrace will work at Disability Independence Group, supporting their mission to expand opportunities for participation, education, employment and acceptance of Persons with Disabilities through advocacy, litigation, education, and training. 

Employment support for people with disabilities

If you are disabled and you are pursuing employment, you are not alone. You can find many agencies providing employment support to help you to reach your vocational goal.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

Is a federal-state program that helps people who have physical or mental disabilities get or keep a job. VR is committed to helping people with disabilities find meaningful careers.

Examples of VR Services:

• Medical and Psychological Assessment
• Vocational Evaluation and Planning
• Career Counseling and Guidance
• Training and Education After High School
• Job-Site Assessment and Accommodations
• Job Placement
• Job Coaching
• On-the-Job Training
• Supported Employment
• Assistive Technology and Devices
• Time-Limited Medical and/or Psychological Treatment

For more information visit Vocational Rehabilitation website http://www.rehabworks.org/

Centers for Independent Living

Services are provided to maximize the leadership, empowerment, independence and productivity of individuals with disabilities. The services are intended to lead to the integration and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities into mainstream American society. A CIL is a consumer-controlled, not-for-profit local organization which provides at least four core independent living services. There are 16 CILs in Florida. To find a CIL close to you. Visit http://www.ilru.org/projects/cil-net/cil-center-and-association-directory-results/FL

Employment Networks 

Employment networks are available to provide vocational training, job readiness training, resume writing classes, and other vocational services to SSDI and SSI beneficiaries. Some ENs specialize in providing services only to people with specific disabilities (such as developmental disabilities), while others serve all beneficiaries irrespective of the nature of their disabilities. Some ENs are businesses that rely on the EN system as a means to employ people with disabilities for their own businesses. These ENs are alternatives to the state departments of vocational rehabilitation. For a list of ENs doing business in your area, see http://www.chooseworkttw.net/findhelp/

Disability Program Navigator Initiative

The Disability Program Navigator Initiative helps CareerSource Florida centers improve employability and increase career opportunities available to job seekers with disabilities

Major Objectives of the Disability Program Navigator Initiative

• Increase employment and self-sufficiency for social security beneficiaries and individuals with disabilities, and help individuals understand how earnings may affect their social security benefits and other support programs.
• Create systemic change to transform the culture of how CareerSource Florida centers serve customers with disabilities.
•  Facilitate linkages to the employer community so individuals with disabilities may access programs and services. For more information please visit Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiative - CareerSource Southwest Florida

Other Important Resources:

Disability Rights Florida: advocates for SSA beneficiaries pursuing employment

Services to Individuals

•  Information and referrals
• Self-advocacy support
• Technical assistance
• Investigations into complaints of abuse, neglect, and rights violations
• Dispute resolution support
• Negotiation and mediation support
•  Advocacy services

For more information check their website http://www.disabilityrightsflorida.org/

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

JAN is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Working toward practical solutions that benefit both employer and employee, JAN helps people with disabilities enhance their employability, and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace. Check their website https://askjan.org/links/about.htm

The wallet card is a tool to be used by a teenager or an adult with a disability.

Currently, we have developed cards for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or intellectual disabilities. 

We have finished our new caregiver card.

You can start ordering them online on our website.

Check out our new Facebook page for The Wallet Card Project.

The City of Miami Parks and Recreation and The Miami Police Department worked with DIG on the wallet card project. The Camp Shriver students loved getting to meet Officer Moreno and Officer Rojas and practice how to safely use their new wallet cards. #walletcard

The August 23, 2022, Primary and November 8, 2022, General Elections are fast approaching. Miami-Dade County is informing the public that Miami-Dade County now offers voters with a qualified disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) the option to receive an accessible vote by mail ballot by email. This may further allow voters to cast their ballot independently without the assistance of another person.

How?

• This is a PDF fillable form that will need to be filled in, printed, signed and returned to us.

• Or, the voter can go to https://miamidade.electionsfl.org/vrservices/mbrs# and follow the instructions.

Then What?

• Once the request has been processed, voters will receive an email with a link to the accessible ballot. https://sites.omniballot.us/12086/app/home

 

Voters are required to print your selections from the site and return the ballot by mail. Voters participating in the program will still receive a paper Vote-by-Mail packet. The paper ballot sent with this Vote-by-Mail packet, will serve as a back-up to their electronic ballot, if the voter should have an issue in printing their electronic ballot or envelope.

*NOTE: Requesting the accessible ballot will prompt the paper and electronic portions to be sent to the voter.

Either way, the voter is required to enclose their ballot in the certificate envelope, sign it, and return to the Supervisor of Elections Office by no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day.

The voter CANNOT electronically return their ballot to the Elections Office, under Florida State Law. The voter can have somebody of their choosing return their Vote-by-Mail Ballot to the Elections Office or drop off at a Secure Intake Station at any Early Voting Site.

Community Partners, please contact the Miami-Dade County Election’s Department at soedade@miamidade.gov or 305.499.8509 with any questions you might have regarding this program.

Voters who have questions should email votebymail@miamidade.gov or call 305.499.8444.

Access The Vote Florida (ATVFL) is a state chapter of AAPD’s REVUP Campaign. REV UP stands for: Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!

We will be meeting by Zoom every Friday at 11am. The first Friday of the month will be a full chapter meeting and the other weeks will be committee meetings.

Email Olivia at oliviab@drflorida.org to get on our mailing list.

Read the latest blog post by one of our members, Marilyn Baldwin.



The chapter is a statewide coalition of organizations and self-advocates that are working to raise awareness about issues that impact persons with disabilities, encourage people with disabilities to participate in the voting process, and educate elected officials on issues important to persons with disabilities.

The video below was created as a virtual presentation for the 2021 Family Cafe.

The video will explain who ATVFL is, what we have done so far, and what we plan to do in the future.

The presentation will encourage self-advocates to join and become involved.

This Supper Social Club is on hold until it is safe to meeting in person again.

However, if you are looking for something fun to do, you should check out My Squad.

A new program sponsored by the City of Coral Gables.

You can text (305) 978-1196 (text preferred) for more information.

July 29, 2022, Sticky Messy Science and Karaoke

August 31, 2022, Fishing and Trash Art

September 28, 2022, Movie in the Park

Tickets are $5.00 and available at www.playgables.com.

Select “Event Calendar” if accessing from a cellphone, the dates will be stacked vertically, keep scrolling down to the date of the event.