Your monthly news & updates
|
|
“All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only human. He wasn’t a dog.” – Charles M Schulz
At Thanksgiving, we should be thankful for what we have, and share with those who are not so blessed. As Teddy Roosevelt stated, “Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.”
|
|
|
DIG in the News!
11/15/18 - Can caretakers be charged admission to businesses while caring for patients?
|
|
Can Greyhounds Be Emotional Support Animals?
|
On November 6
th
, Florida overwhelmingly approved of Amendment 13, which banned dog racing in the state. Voters approved Amendment 13 by 69 percent, clearing the 60 percent threshold necessary for approval. Thousands of greyhounds will need to be adopted! Florida Greyhound Association estimates reach 8,000 racing dogs in Florida, with another 7,000 puppies at breeding farms. While the need is not immediate, greyhound racing will be phased out within a 26-month timeline-- by Dec. 31, 2020.
|
|
|
Radical Partners- Looking at the Intersection of Disability and Civic Engagement
|
Radical Partners
is a social impact accelerator that identifies issues that matter most to the future of our city. They work to 1) accelerate the work of leaders tackling those issues head-on and 2) mobilize innovators, investors, and leaders with the community at large to collectively learn about issues and generate solutions together.
I first heard about
Radical Partners two years ago. I was at a Children’s Trust event and everyone was talking about the “10 days of connection” event that was going to happen in Miami. I was intrigued and excited. I wanted to know more and become involved. I found out the Radical Partners was working to coordinate this event so I reached out directly to them. We I called them, they were excited, energetic and eager to learn as much as they could about our organization, what we did, and did we want to participate in the event. So, I asked them the questions that I ask every organization, “so will the events be accessible? And how are you including people with disabilities?”
They had the best answers, they told me that they wanted to include everyone and what did they need to do to make this happen. This was the beginning of our friendship and partnership.
|
|
|
Join one of our new committees.
Standing committees:
-Communication
-Planning
-Organizational
Next meeting December 7, 2018, at 10:30 am
email Debbie for more information at:
|
|
|
Out and About with DIG
Supper Social Club
December 3, 2018
13th Annual Regional Child Welfare Conference
December 6, 2018
REV up Florida!
Telephonic Meeting
December 7, 2018, 10:30am
|
|
|
|
Thank you for everyone that supported us!
We had 22 donations and raised $3,260
|
|
Debbie and Sharon at the PACE Luncheon
|
|
November Supper Social Club.
|
|
Debbie with the Radical Partners team at Give Miami Day at the CIC.
|
|
The holidays are here and unfortunately, there is always a spike in incidents of Domestic Violence, yet the calls for help are usually lower than other times of the year. The holidays make people want to connect and maintain normalcy. A victim might try to get through the holidays for their family, and their children and parents. For everyone, there’s different times they feel are right times for them to seek help.
While it is easy to understand why someone would want to wait out the holidays and make a fresh start at the New Year, it can be dangerous to prolong a stay in a violent home. No matter when victims decide to seek help, it’s often a difficult transition, experts say and when a victim tells an abuser they’re leaving, or serves them with divorce or separation documents, this can also prompt violent behavior.
|
|
|
Lucille's Wall
Animals in the news-
|
Woolsey Fire in California
Wildfires raged in different parts of California. Residents were forced to evacuate and hundreds of animals have died and countless more have been displaced. Luckily hundreds of animals have been rescued including-dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, ducks and even a tortoise. Our thoughts and prayers are with California right now. Thoughts and prayers are not enough, please do what you can to help my brothers and sisters! (picture: A house near the Woolsey Fire. by: Matthew Simmons / Getty Images)
|
Greyhound racing ban in Florida
During the election, Florida voters voted to ban greyhound racing in Florida. Unfortunately, the ban is not immediate but the industry will be shuttered by January 2021. That means thousands of greyhounds will be looking for their forever homes. Adopt don’t Shop! (picture: Some of the Greyhounds that will be available for adoption in the upcoming years. Photo by Alamy.)
|
|
|
 |
DIG Facebook Page - General DIG information
|
|
|
|
Deaf Alice Facebook Page - Issues related to the Deaf Community
|
|
|
|
|
Kids Crusaders Facebook Page - Issues related to medically fragile and medically complex children and their families
|
|
|
|
Animal Partners Facebook Page - Issues related to service animals and emotional support animals
|
|
|
|
Benefits from SSA for People with Disabilities
The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs are the largest of several Federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by the Social Security Administration and only individuals who have a disability and meet medical criteria may qualify for benefits under either program.
Resources:
|
|
|
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” – Nelson Mandela
I used to be afraid of the dark. As a child, I wouldn’t be able to go to sleep without the light on in the hallway just outside my bedroom door. I carried that fear of the dark with me to adulthood. I never liked sleeping with all of the lights out. I came to realize as I grew older that it wasn’t the dark that I feared so much as it was the unknown. Not knowing what was in front of me at any moment was terrifying.
After my injury, I was in the hospital for so long, the nurses came to know me very well. They knew I liked to have the bathroom light on at night, so they were sure to leave it on each time they left my room. Or they would leave the door to my room half open so the light from the main hallway would shine through. At some point, though, I stopped needing the light. I couldn’t tell you exactly when it was. But I started to tell them they could close the door all the way. They didn’t need to leave the bathroom light on. The dark wasn’t so scary to me anymore. I guess after all of the pain and all of the surgeries I experienced after my fall, being in the dark didn’t seem so bad…in comparison. The unknown was not as scary as it once had been.
|
|
|
The wallet card is a tool for young adults or adults to use when they come into contact with law enforcement; either a a victim, a witness, or as a potential suspect.
The wallet card will help to clarify any interaction with law enforcement so that the behavior of the person with a disability is not misinterpreted as suspicious or as criminal behavior.
The Wallet Card Project is a collaboration with DIG, CGPD, and UM-NSU CARD.
|
|
|
Lorinda will be back next month
|
|
|
We Never Talk about the Losses
|
There has been much in the news lately about the mental health of attorneys and the stresses of practicing law. This is especially true for attorneys who have a litigation practice and for those of us who work with vulnerable populations. I have spent nearly my entire career working with vulnerable populations. I love my work and I love knowing that I am helping people every day in small ways and big ways. What I never talk about, however, are the losses. I lose, not as often as I win, but I do lose and when I lose it has devastating consequences that I carry with me. Even when I do everything correctly, I lose. This year I have had some unexpected losses that I am struggling to understand. For the first time, in a long time, I am feeling burned out and overwhelmed and I believe it stems from these losses. I did everything right. I was prepared, I was organized, I was motivated, I was excited, my clients were prepared, but I lost. I take full responsibility for the losses. I have lost before. I have lost big before. I once had a case dismissed – after years of litigation – and thousands of dollars spent – because the judge did not like the facts of the case. I have been out litigated. I once lost a criminal case because the defense attorney (a public defender) was just better than me and convinced the jury that I had not proven my case. I have picked bad juries. I once put a doctor on a jury and he turned the entire panel against my client arguing that everyone is too litigious. I have missed deadlines, and had clients lie to me and settled cases that probably should have been litigated. I am human. So I ask myself, why now am I struggling to understand these losses.
|
|
|
Join us for dinner and conversation at California Pizza Kitchen in Coral Gables.
December 3, 2018
|
|
|
|
Are you coming to the December Supper Social Club?
|
|
|
LOCATION
California Pizza Kitchen, 300 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL 33134
DATE AND TIME
12/03/18
6:30pm -
12/03/18
8:30pm
Supper Social Club.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Watch out for our new training program called Dragonfly.
Coming Soon.
|
|
|
In a nutshell, Your Upward Journey: It is Easier Than You Think!, is a three-part project (book, self-help seminars and merchandise sale). I intend to promote the book through self-help seminars and sale of merchandise, such a mugs, journals, etc.
|
|
|
Disability Independence Group | Phone:
305-669-2822
| Fax:
304-442-4181
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
