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AHEAD OF THE TIMES
Volume 22, Number 11
August, 2002 

"I AM WITH YOU. I LOVE YOU. LEAD ON."
On June 22, Justin Dart, Father of the ADA and compassionate leader for disability rights died of respiratory failure. The following is a letter that was sent to the disability rights community shortly after his death. - Editor

Dearly Beloved:

Listen to the heart of this old soldier. As with all of us the time comes when body and mind are battered and weary. But I do not go quietly into the night. I do not give up struggling to be a responsible contributor to the sacred continuum of human life. I do not give up struggling to overcome my weakness, to conform my life - and that part of my life called death - to the great values of the human dream.

Death is not a tragedy. It is not an evil from which we must escape. Death is as natural as birth. Like childbirth, death is often a time of fear and pain, but also of profound beauty, of celebration of the mystery and majesty which is life pushing its horizons toward oneness with the truth of mother universe. The days of dying carry a special responsibility. There is a great potential to communicate values in a uniquely powerful way - the person who dies demonstrating for civil rights.

Let my final actions thunder of love, solidarity, protest - of empowerment.

I adamantly protest the richest culture in the history of the world, a culture which has the obvious potential to create a golden age of science and democracy dedicated to maximizing the quality of life of every person, but which still squanders the majority of its human and physical capital on modern versions of primitive symbols of power and prestige.

I adamantly protest the richest culture in the history of the world which still incarcerates millions of humans with and without disabilities in barbaric institutions, back rooms and worse, windowless cells of oppressive perceptions, for the lack of the most elementary empowerment supports.

I call for solidarity among all who love justice, all who love life, to create a revolution that will empower every single human being to govern his or her life, to govern the society and to be fully productive of life quality for self and for all.

I do so love all the patriots of this and every nation who have fought and sacrificed to bring us to the threshold of this beautiful human dream. I do so love America the beautiful and our wild, creative, beautiful people. I do so love you, my beautiful colleagues in the disability and civil rights movement.
My relationship with Yoshiko Dart includes, but also transcends, love as the word is normally defined. She is my wife, my partner, my mentor, my leader and my inspiration to believe that the human dream can live. She is the greatest human being I ever known.

Yoshiko, beloved colleagues, I am the luckiest man in the world to have been associated with you. Thanks to you, I die free. Thanks to you, I die in the joy of struggle. Thanks to you, I die in the beautiful belief that the revolution of empowerment will go on. I love you so much. I'm with you always. Lead on! Lead on!

- Justin Dart

COOKING CLUB
"Sweet-Potato Bliss" is on the menu for this month. Join us Monday, August 5, 4:30-6:30 p.m. as Independence, Inc.'s own Pat Slick demonstrates how to make this very rich and delicious dish. You have to taste it to believe it. "Sweet-Potato Bliss" is a Vegan-friendly dish. If you plan to attend, RSVP with Ranita at 841-0333.

QUILTING/ARTS & CRAFTS GROUP
The Quilting/Arts and Crafts Group will meet Monday, August 19, 1 - 3 p.m. in the large conference room. Ms. Wanda, our wonderful craft instructor, will demonstrate how to make fun and creative items that can be used as gifts or for the home. Please feel free to bring any creative ideas or artwork that you may have to share with the group, we'd love to see them! Please note: the Quilting/Arts & Crafts group meeting schedule has changed to the third Monday only from 1 - 3 p.m. If you have any questions, please call Ranita at 841-0333.

PEER SUPPORT GROUP PIZZA AND GAME NIGHT
On Monday, August 19, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. members of the Peer Support Group will meet at Independence, Inc. for a fun evening of Godfather's pizza and games. If you have any fun games or drinks (non-alcoholic please) that you would like to bring, please do. Any questions? Call Ranita at 841-0333.

ABILITY AWARENESS PRESENTATION 
The last installment of the "Living with a Disability in a Rural Community," series of Ability Awareness presentations in Jefferson County will be held Saturday, August 10, 10:30 a.m. at Perry Lecompton High School, located on Highway 24 in Perry.

The program will consist of a panel of individuals with disabilities from rural settings who will speak about their experiences, plus service providers from Independence, Inc. and other social service agencies that serve Jefferson County. 

For more information or to request an accommodation please call Susan Mikesic at 785/841-0333 or toll-free at 1-888-824-7277, or by email at susanm@ independenceinc.org   

MUSIC SUPPORT GROUP
In August, the Music Support Group (MAGNET) will be trying out a new meeting day. This month's activity will be a percussion jam on Monday, August 26, 4:30 - 6 p.m. at Independence, Inc.

If you would like to participate in the music group, or you have some ideas and input about musical activities or events that you would like to see MAGNET be involved in, please contact Tim Cross at 841-0333.

Also, if you have drums or percussion instruments that you would like to donate, or know someone who would like to donate - all contributions are gratefully accepted.

DISABILITY & FAIR HOUSING PROJECT
The Disability and Fair Housing Project provides education and outreach on the fair housing rights of people with disabilities throughout Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Funded by a Fair Housing Initiatives Program grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the project aims to reduce housing discrimination against people with disabilities in the four-state region. 

The project offers free fair housing assistance to persons with disabilities; the housing, design, and construction industry; local government entities, and members of the general public. They provide information, technical assistance, HUD complaint referral, and workshops on the Fair Housing Amendments Act, Section 504 of the Rehab Act, and other laws protecting individuals from housing discrimination. 

If you believe you or someone you know may have experienced housing discrimination, have questions about your rights or responsibilities, or wish to schedule a free fair housing workshop, visit the project website or contact one of the toll-free hotlines.

• www.disability-fairhousingproject.org 
• Kansas: Living Independently in Northwest Kansas (LINK), Hays 
  800/569-5926 voice/TTY
• Missouri: Disability Management Consulting Group/ADA Project, Columbia
  800/949-4232 voice/TTY
• Nebraska: National MS Society, Omaha
  800/755-3959 voice - 800/833-7352 TTY 
• Iowa: Central Iowa Center for Independent Living (CICIL), Des Moines
  888/503-2287 voice - 515/243-2177 TTY

Letter to the Editor
SOME THOUGHTS ON ACCESS
Having just returned from the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) conference in our nation's capital and a sojourn along the eastern seaboard, I have been able to reflect upon how far behind some places are when it comes to the dignity of folks having disabilities. Kansans should be proud at the inclusion available for folks who use chairs. 

In Washington, DC there are poles in the middle of sidewalks, thus making it impossible for a user of a chair to maneuver along the sidewalks of DuPont Circle. The much hailed (not by this writer) subway system is dark; the signs are hidden on the backsides of poles; and elevators for those using chairs or scooters are often out of service, with no warning signs telling a rider such, making a rider retrace his/her route for no reason that a posted sign could have made unnecessary.

In Pennsylvania, the sidewalk in front of the state capitol building is too narrow for a wheelchair to pass, let alone two folks who walk! In that same city a new restaurant has opened in the "showcase" neighborhood with absolutely no access: no curb cuts and chairs and tables on the sidewalk preventing one from passing in a chair even if there had been curb cuts. A K-Mart in Hershey had a swing set along a sidewalk in front of the store preventing the passing of a person using a chair. It is simply amazing how far removed from the integrated life folks using chairs are in some places and with the consent of mayors and state officials. 
So the next time you tell someone that you are from Kansas and they mention Dorothy and Toto, you may wish to respond as I do and tell them that Dorothy and Toto at least can get around in Kansas and that they need more curb cuts and more access to dignity as we have in our "backwards" Kansas.
- Pat Slick

SIGNED SERVICES
Unity Church, 9th and Madeline in Lawrence, provides sign language interpreting of services the second Sunday of every month at 11 a.m. For more information call 841-1447.

SELF DETERMINATION TRAINING
A training on Self-Determination will be held Monday, August 26, 7 - 9 p.m. at The Arc of Douglas County, 2518 Ridge Court, Lawrence, in the cafeteria.

The focus will be "Self-Determination in Kansas" including what we have been doing to prepare for the July 1, 2003 deadline. This is the target date for offering Self-Determination training to everyone in the state of Kansas who is interested and may benefit from it.

The training is open to people with disabilities, family members, friends, service providers, teachers, and anyone else who is interested. 
If you have questions or would like more information, contact Nelda Nelson at 785/749-0121 or by e-mail at nelsonnelda@aol.com 

COMPUTER LEARNING CENTER FALL CLASS SCHEDULE IS OUT!
Boy, do we have a good list of classes this fall, including Genealogy, Stained Class, Landscape "Painting", and eBay. Plus we are again offering Computer Basics and our vocational programs: Office Assistant I and A+ Computer Repair Certification.

Class catalogs, with a complete listing of our fall classes, and applications are available at Independence, Inc. or on-line at http://independenceinc.org/forms.html 

ARO BOARD MEETINGS
The Board of Directors for Accessible Residential Options (ARO) will hold two separate meetings in August. The first meeting is on Monday, August 5, 3 p.m. at Independence, Inc. Regular agenda items will not be discussed. Instead this meeting will focus only on possible funding sources for ARO rehabilitation. 
The second meeting will be Monday, August 26, 3 p.m. also at Independence, Inc. This meeting is reserved for regular agenda items. As always tenants of ARO are encouraged to attend board meetings. ARO board members please RSVP and report agenda items a week in advance by calling Kelly at 841-0333.

PRESENTATION ON HOUSING CODES
Have you ever wondered what parts of your rental household are covered under health and safety codes? Now you can find out. Barry Walthall from the City of Lawrence will give a presentation about the city's Uniform Housing Code on Monday, August 26, 10 a.m. at Independence, Inc. about the city's Uniform Housing Code. He will discuss what items in each room of a unit must be in place for it to follow the health and safety guidelines for housing.

If a tenant's home does not comply with health and safety codes, s/he can request the landlord to repair the items. If repairs are not made tenants can call the city and request an inspection. We thank Barry Walthall for giving this presentation to help clarify what is covered by the city's codes. Anyone is invited to this discussion. If you need reasonable accommodations please call Kelly Nightengale at 841-0333 two weeks in advance. 

KANSAS CONSOLIDATED PLAN
The Kansas Department of Commerce and Housing will hold a public meeting about its Consolidated Plan on Monday August 5, 1- 3 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont. This is an opportunity to get information about state programs for housing including tax credits for housing development, housing rehabilitation programs and accessibility programs. Come give your input on what the housing needs are for Kansas and hear what programs are available throughout the state.

COMPEER NEEDS VOLUNTEERS 
The Compeer program at the Bert Nash Center is looking for volunteers to match with adults receiving services at the center. The intent is to provide a one-on-one friendship match to help decrease loneliness and social isolation. What you do together or when you do it is completely up to you. We require a minimum of four hours per month of contact time for a one year commitment. If you are over 18 and interested in learning more or becoming a volunteer, please contact Eryn Wright-VanderZwaag at 843-9192.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This month's Frequently Asked Questions come from Jennifer Schwartz, Education Advocate at Independence, Inc.

• What is the purpose of IDEA?
  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal mandate " . . . to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a Free Appropriate Public Education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living" 
• What is Special Education?
  Special education is instruction that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of children who have disabilities. This is done at no cost to the parents. Special education can include special instruction in the classroom, at home, or in other settings, whatever is determined to be the students Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
• What is the IEP?
  An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a written statement of the educational program designed to meet a child's individual needs. Every child who receives special education services must have an IEP. The IEP has two general purposes:
  • to set reasonable learning goals for the child;
  • to state the services that the school district will provide for the child.
• The Individual Education Program is both a process and a document.
  As a process, the IEP meeting brings together people who work with a student. The meeting is for the parents, the student, and the school staff to talk about the student's strengths and needs. They also set goals, resolve challenges, and develop a plan for the student's education.
  As a document, the IEP serves as a blueprint that guides the student's day-to-day instruction, support, and related services.
• What does the Education Advocate at Independence, Inc. do?
  The Education Advocate at Independence, Inc. is a resource for students with disabilities and their families. She is available to assist students and families in developing self-advocacy skills to advocate for their rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She is also available to attend meetings with students and/or families and assist in understanding the processes involved in students with disabilities receiving appropriate educational services.

For more information contact Jennifer Schwartz, Independence, Inc. Education Advocate at 785/841-0333, 1-888-824-7277 (toll-free) or by e-mail, jennifer@independenceinc.org 

NORTHEAST ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ACCESS SITE NEWS 
Assitive Technology for Kansans has been awarded an Agrability grant to serve people in Eastern Kansas who want to continue working a farm or related business. The Northeast Assistive Technology Site, located at Independence, Inc., has received one of the two grants for the entire state and Jeff Kuykendall will be providing these services.

This assistance could be anything from adapting a tractor for 'hand held' operation, a 'lift' for a combine, a ramp into a barn or perhaps computer assisitve technology solutions. It also applies to activities not traditionally viewed as farming such as plant nurseries and small-scale growers who sell their produce at a farmer's market. The goal of this new Agrability progam is to make sure anyone with a disability that wants to continue farming in rural Kansas or working in an agricultural setting can continue to do so. For more information, contact Jeff at 1-800-526-3648 or 785/841-0333.

DEW COALITION UPDATE
We want to thank everyone in the DEW Coalition for all the advocacy you carried out on the various alerts during the last legislative session. Thanks and congratulations on the victories! We make such a difference when we work together.

We are planning for the DEW coalition to continue our efforts into the next legislative session, as it is predicted that we have more work ahead of us this coming year. We would like to let you know about a new advocacy effort, REV Up, which is a national effort originated through the National Organization on Disability and is being sponsored here by the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas (SILCK) and the Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL).

We would like to encourage everyone in the DEW coalition to become a part of the REV Up Campaign. We plan to keep people up to date about candidate forums so that our group is sure to have a presence at these. We also plan to generate profiles on candidates running for office and have information on their campaign headquarters so that we can be involved with the candidates. 

From now through November we are planning to concentrate most of our efforts toward the REV Up Campaign. If you would like to be a part of this campaign and be on the email list please let us know. The upcoming elections are a way to exercise our rights and have an impact on what the next few years of political offices may look like. 

Thanks for your continued support!
Bob Mikesic and Jennifer Schwartz

It's Time to REV up!
Important Dates to Remember:

• August 5 - Advanced voting ends for primary
• August 6 - Primary ELECTION DAY
• October 21 - Books close for registration for the general election
• November 4 - Advanced voting ends
• November 5 - ELECTION DAY

Offices up for Election in Kansas:

• Governor 
• State Board of Education 
• US Senate
• Secretary of State 
• District County Commissioner 
• US Representative
• Attorney General 
• State Treasurer
• State Representatives 
• Commissioner of Insurance

For additional information on registering to vote or to be part of the REV Up Campaign contact Bob Mikesic or Jennifer Schwartz at Independence, Inc. 

785/841-0333 or 888-824-7277 (toll-free)
bobm@independenceinc.org 
jennifer@independenceinc.org 

PARENTS WITH DISABILITIES NEEDED FOR SURVEY
Through the Looking Glass is conducting a nationwide project to learn more about families in which a parent with a disability is raising a teen (11-17 years old). Although there are more than 10 million families in which one or both parents have a disability, relatively little is known about the experiences of these families.

Eligible participants are parents with disabilities who have teenagers (children 11 to 17 years of age) living at home. The parent and the teenager are both welcome to participate. Disability can involve physical, visual, systemic, hearing, cognitive, learning, developmental and mental health issues. Your teen can also fill out a survey and receive $5 in return. 

Surveys are available in a variety of formats: By mail, on-line and printable at our Website, in Spanish, over the phone, and in a version specific to Deaf parents. Deaf parents can participate in a face-to-face interview in ASL if you live in or near one of the following cities: San Francisco, Seattle, Santa Fe, Rochester, New York, Kansas City, or Washington D.C.

For more information contact Nancy Freed, MSW, Project Coordinator, at 510/848-1112 ext. 174 / Voice: 800-644-2666 / TTY: 800/804-1616 Email: tlg@lookingglass.org  or visit their website at www.lookingglass.org  for on-line information and survey.

HEIDI VAN ARNEM DISABILITY CONSUMER SURVEY
A research survey is being conducted by iCan to collect information from our community to help businesses improve their products and services for people with disabilities.

The survey, named after iCan's founder Heidi Van Arnem, is available on-line at www.ican.com/research.cfm?irs=pjksil  If you prefer, e-mail them at mailto:research@icanonline.net  and they will send you a copy you can print and return. You can also call them toll-free at 877/275-4226, and a member of their research team will read the questions to you and register your answers.

Your privacy will be protected. No personal information will be used in the report, nor will it be shared or sold.

WANTED: Electric box or oscillating fans that are broken or that you no longer want. Any brand and size accepted. If necessary, unwanted fans can be picked up. Contact Michael at 785/840-9861 or 965-3906, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Saturday.

FOR SALE: Three-wheel Rascal scooter by Electric Mobility. Built in charger. Older but runs well. $925. Leave a message and I will return your call, 913/599-6639.