Theo Braddy: Vision for NCIL Under His Leadership

Welcome to Disability Matters with your host Joyce Bender.

All comments, views, and opinions expressed on the show are solely those of the host, guest, and callers. Now the host of Disability Matters, here's Joyce Bender.

Hi everyone, and welcome to the show, to those of you in the United States and around the world. And before I talk to my friends around the world, I am live at the Disability:IN 2023 conference in Orlando, Florida, at this beautiful JW Marriott Hotel. And it is— let's see now— 22— 2,260 people, something like that, are here. Can you believe it? It's sold out. So, you know, Next year, it's in Las Vegas. That's disabilityin.org. And you know what I love about this group? They used to be called the USBLN, and they had to do a name change. And I thought, oh Lord, don't let them do like differently something, as Judy Uman would say, or, uh, differently abled or anything of that nature. Don't let them do that. And they didn't. It's called Disability In. And while I'm here, David talking about having pride in who you are and talking about your disability, which I think that is so awesome that they are doing that. Uh, but a special shout out to several of my friends who are here fighting the fight. Of course, Jill Houghton, the executive director. Phillip De Vlieger, who's the head of the— over the disability-owned business enterprise, all of them everywhere in the world. And I guess what, I am the very first DOBE. I am the first certified disability-owned business enterprise, and now there are almost 600. Can you believe that? Businesses owned by people with disabilities. I mean, it's so, so awesome. And to Kathleen Castore, who's so wonderful. But I also have to have a shout out to Colleen Maschia from Pfizer, who is— and Christy, who is there. They're going to be on my radio show. Wow, what giants they are in the disability community. They are awesome. And Nedra Dixon. Nedra. From Accenture. She is just the queen. She's phenomenal. So a special shout out to them. And last but far from least, that great entertainer, Lachi. You know, Lachi, Lachi is blind and she's a phenomenal vocalist and she's performing Wednesday night. But you can go back and you can hear her on one of my radio shows. L-A-C-H-I, Lachi. She's phenomenal. Well, about my listeners around the world. Hey, from China to Australia. We have countries with listeners. I wanna tell you how much it means to me that you are all listening, and especially in Brazil with Richard Roberts. Look out, Richard. I've been talking to companies here that have operations in Brazil, so you better be ready for me when I get there. And Ganyangcho in South Korea, These are both with the State Department, the people that I'm talking about, and Cheryl Harris, who is at the State Department in DC, who I first met when I did a live show for Tunisia and Libya, and my good friend in Kazakhstan, Benjamin. A special shout out to all of you and to someone Theo knows well, and that is Yoshiko. Yoshiko, I gotta tell you all something. Guess what? I have a Disability Pride tree in my office. See, I keep from Christmas the whole year, I have a tree in my office. I mean, a regular-sized tree, not a little tree. And I decorate it for the different holidays. I thought, I'm gonna be one of the first people. I'm gonna have a Disability Pride tree. And Yoshiko, yes, I ordered the hat, the Justin Dart hat, and it is the treetop. I'm going to send you a picture. Then I have all these disability rights leaders, uh, on, on the tree, you know, pictures of them on the tree. So anyway, is that awesome? And hi, Mark, thank you once again for continuing to be such a great sponsor. Well, I'm going to tell you, we almost didn't get this speaker today. Theo Braddy, who's the Executive Director of the National Council on Independent Living, because where I am is peanuts compared to where he is right now as we are speaking. Yes, he's at the White House, and he took time to talk to all of you around the world. I'm lucky he didn't bump me out there. Theo, welcome to the show.

Thank you, Joyce. Thank you so much. Uh, can you hear me okay?

I do.

I hear you very well. Awesome. Awesome. I wasn't sure if I was gonna make it. Uh, I, I, I just to let you know how important this interview is. I left the Vice President and I left Secretary Buttigieg, uh, in the middle of their speaking to come here. Um, and, and so I'm excited. I just did not want to let you down. I know we had a problem before. And so I was going to make this one. So here I am.

Does that show you what he's like? All you listeners around the world and the United States, are you hearing? He's there now. He's there now at the White House for Celebrating Disability Pride Month. And he stepped out to be on this show. That's what he's like, a man of his word. Although I have to say that That's great competition I have there, Theo. White House, that is great competition. Well, Theo, you are known nationally and now internationally as a great disability rights leader. Theo is in this phenomenal new role as the executive director of NCL, such a prestigious National Disability Rights Organization. And he— you actually, in your past, you've been appointed to positions by two governors, uh, and you went also— you were also selected by Senator Casey— I had to think about that— in 2022 as one of four Black leaders in Pennsylvania who has demonstrated power and persistency in overcoming challenges and help make a change in the state of Pennsylvania, and also acknowledged on the Senate floor at the congressional hearing. But guess what? Now I will have to add the White House. It's like, what are we now, our little state of Pennsylvania? Now I have to add— and he's been frequently to the White House, so I guess I moved that up on my introduction here, but he graduated from Temple University. He also has a BSW from Edinburgh, and where he served as an adjunct professor, and now he is the new executive director, and we have him with us. So, Theo, you know what they're talking about here? They're saying everyone needs— with a disability needs to tell their story, or if you have a child with a disability, or heart or whatever it is. You need to tell your story to really see change. So with you, let's start with your story from childhood on. I know you were an athlete, but I know that football, that changed your life forever. And then you went on to all these great things. So let's hear your story, Theo.

We all got this story, Joyce Bender, you know that. Yeah, we all do, I know. That brings us into this whole world of disability. And my story started in Georgia. I'm originally from Watley, Georgia, right? And we was dirt poor. When I say that, I mean you could look through the floor and see the dirt, right? So I grew up very poor, but I always wanted to play football and basketball. So my whole life was about sports. But at age 15, I broke my neck. I was trying to make a tackle and I slipped. And as I was catching my balance, I still made impact and it broke my neck at the C4, C5 level. And I became paralyzed. And I often tell people, because they know Christopher Reed, his injury, what level that is by seeing him. So I was at that same level, C4, C5. And that opened up a whole nother world for me, right? I came back home. I was from a single mother household, and my mother didn't know what to do. And back in 1975, the only option for me and a lot of other people was to go into a nursing home, right? And so my mother checked me into a nursing home at age 15, and I spent about a year. In that nursing home. And trust me when I say this, then I'm going to say it again, that nursing home is no place for anyone. And, but luckily my sister wanted me not to be in that situation, right? And she brought me up here. She paid for a plane ticket and they gathered their monies together and they flew me up to Pennsylvania thinking I would get better rehab. And so that's where my life in Pennsylvania started. And so that's my beginning story, right? And what catapulted me into this life.

Go ahead. Yeah, I just want to say one thing and then you can continue on. I want to say, well, first of all, thank God for your sister because we all know, I call those homes or facilities prisons because people with disabilities get sent there and other people, and then it's terrible. Uh, but anyway, go ahead. What made you decide though that you wanted to be an advocate?

Well, I often share this. What happened was when I came up here, I went into this place, they called it Elizabethtown Hospital for crippled children at the time.— it's now a college, but it was then, it was called Elizabethtown Hospital for Crippled Children in Pennsylvania. And I was there when I was, you know, I think I was around maybe 16, around that time. And I wanted to stay up past 6 o'clock, and they wasn't having it. So they got two big old orderlies to force me into bed, right? And again, I'm a teenager. Just because you have a disability don't mean you're not going to have your teenage ways, right? And so I was rebellious and I wanted to stay up. And they physically forced me into bed. And that was my first indication that people with disabilities don't have choice. People with disabilities can just be forced into situations and there's nothing they can do about it. And I came out of that with this belief that I was going to be a fighter. And that I was never going to give up. And that's something I try to teach my kids. You just got to never give up, never give up, never give up. And that's the mentality, that mindset I had after coming out of that. And I believe that was the beginning of my advocacy, Joyce.

Wow. That's— what a story and what— how that happens. It does. It happens to people with disabilities. I wanted to ask you, when you first— after you had your accident, people that you were friends with or people you knew, how did they treat you after?

Good question. Good question. I went back to school. I tried to go back to school, right? But I had to drop out because when I went back and they had to carry me on the bus, you know, and I had to experience all of that. And they set me in this room, a quadriplegic, they set me in the corner and I sat there and no one talked to me the whole time. Not even the teacher.

Oh my God.

And that was the first day. Not even the teacher? That was the first day and the last day I ever went to school. I did not go back. It was so traumatic to me, I did not go back. And I cried and I told my mom I just couldn't go. I wasn't going to go through that humiliation anymore. And I think that was one of the reasons why I had to go into the nursing home, because she had to do something with me. And— but I was not going back to that school. And so my question— to answer your question there is, out of all of those kids— and I was a very popular kid, I really was, I was an athlete— and only one person that I have over the years ever remained in contact with me. And we are still friends to this day. And he was my best friend and he hung in there with me. But everybody else, I lost completely connection with, never really saw again.

So sad. So sad. You know, I live with epilepsy, as you know, and there are young people that, like, if someone sees them at school have a seizure, they don't want to be around them. Some of this has not changed, sadly. Now, how did you get educated while you were in that nursing home?

Well, that nursing home was an education, I tell you, because all I heard was older people screaming throughout the night, right? I can still, if I really sit here and think about it, I could probably conjure up that scream because it was just people in pain, right? And here I am, 15, 16 years old, listening to that as I try to sleep. And it went on all night. And that was just a horrible period of time. I'm not going to even try to dress that up at all. That was a horrible, miserable part of my life that caused me a lot of nightmares. And— but I came out of that. And again, like you said, I do appreciate and I thank my sister to this day for doing that for me because Where would I be if she would have not got me out of that nursing home, right? I know people who get institutionalized and they feel that their only option is that nursing home. And that's why it's so important for us to try to change this institutional bias that keeps coming back to us over America. And we can talk about that later, but it is so important for people to recognize that. And I don't even know why We still have those, other than the fact it's all about money, but that's another interview. Uh, uh, uh, because every, every legislator I asked, you know, do you want to live in a nursing home? I, I haven't got an answer yes yet. All right, but yet they still exist.

Oh yeah, they exist all right. Um, then how did you go to school? Did you go to school when you come back to Pennsylvania? How did you get your high school diploma?

Yep, good question. After I left and came back in, my sister flew me up here. And while I was at this place, Elizabethtown Hospital, Kids for Children, when those two big orders put me in the bed, there was a pleasant part of it because I had a therapeutic recreational therapist there and he challenged me to get my GED. And I wasn't interested in it. But he stayed with me and I did it and I got it. And I will tell you to this day, you don't get nowhere in this world without good people, right? And everybody always talk about you pull yourself up by your bootstraps. That's a lie, right? There are people out there that help you along the way. And if you are, willing to see those individuals, they are there. And that person helped me get my GED, and I'll be forever grateful for that because that was one of the things that I didn't think I was able to do it, and he convinced me I could.

Wow. I always tell people, in your life you will meet someone one person, if you could make a decision, a decision that will change their life for the good or the bad. I am— and you're— that guy was one of those people.

Yeah, that is a great—

he was.

Well, what—

and that's— that started me along my way. I'm sorry, go ahead.

And then you went on to school. You went on to school, then you went to, uh, college, two different colleges. You graduated from Temple and then you went to Edinburgh. And you know, isn't it sad that Edinburgh does not have that service they used to have? Oh my goodness, they would have like an, like an apartment almost that you stayed in with your own personal attendant. Oh, that's so sad that they don't have that anymore because so many people that enabled them to be able to go to school.

Oh my goodness, yes, Joyce. I went through that and I know so many other people who went through that. That was a devastating decision for them to stop that because that really has helped— that model really helped a lot of people who are doing wonderful things even to this day, came out through— came through Edinburgh University. A bunch of disability leaders came through that period of time and are doing extraordinary things even to this day. And for that to end like it did, that was really an injustice. So I agree with you.

That really was. Yep. Okay, well, now a lot of people have a disability. But not all of them decide, I'm going to have a life working in advocacy and policy. And, and you went full force into this area. How did that happen? Like, how did you end up getting first Nickel, Pennsylvania, and now, as I said, here you are talking to me from the White House? Ah, just think, from that nursing home to the White House. How about that for a story?

From nursing home to White House. That's a crazy story.

From not being able to do anything after 6 o'clock to the White House. I mean, yeah, wow. Such a— for young people with disabilities listening to this show, this just shows you it is possible.

People may tell you life Life is possible. It's filled with possibilities. And again, I say you can't get anywhere in this world without other good people, right? I didn't pull myself up by my bootstraps. There was a lot of people who helped me along the way, right? And the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation is one of those organizations, right? I don't believe I would be here today if I did not get support through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Who paid for a lot of my schooling and my undergraduate school. That's how I was able to afford it, right, through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. I wouldn't have been able to afford it. But, you know, as long as I did the work, as long as I was willing to get good grades, they kept supporting me, right? And once I realized that learning was all about how much work you put into it. I'm not the smartest guy in the room, I never was, but I do the work, all right? And so some students, they don't even have to study. They just know the stuff. Me, on the other hand, I got to do the work. I got to do the hard work of reading and studying. And so I just put the work in, Joyce Bender, right? I believe it might take me longer to learn something, but I put the work in. And so that was the secret to my education. It might've took me a little bit longer than some of the smarter students, but nobody was not going to outwork me. And once I realized that, you know, a bunch of doors opened for me. I was just willing to do the work. I often say this, something that Kevin Hart always says, everybody want to be famous, but nobody want to do the work. And so, uh, that's what I say to anybody.

Yeah, that is, that is true though. That is true. That's like, uh, that— I don't follow golf, but the famous player of old, Gary Player, he said some woman went up to him one day and she was watching him hit golf balls, you know, off the green, and she said, I'd give anything to swing it I wish I could hit a golf ball like you. And he said, yeah, you'd give anything if you could just do it like me now, but not the hitting 500 golf balls till your hand bleeds for years and years. You know, people just don't wake up and here they are. One day, Phil wakes up and there he is. I mean, you put your hard work into it. You made it happen.

You did.

Yeah, yeah, I agree you.

Yeah, a lot of people help you, but you got to put in— you got to put in the work. People are not going to help you if they see you're not going to put in the work, right?

That's right.

And, and so when people saw that, all of my professors, all of my professors, they knew it took me a little bit longer to, to learn stuff and so forth, but they saw that I was willing to do the work. So they spent that extra time with me. And that's what— that really is the key to a lot of successes is just, are you willing to do the work? Are you willing to do the work when nobody else is willing to do it, right? Are you going to work when everybody else is taking vacation? When I was in undergraduate school, I never went home. Through the summer, I never went home. I stayed and took extra credit. Credits while I was— when everybody else was going home for summer vacation, I was in the classroom. And that kind of work ethic can get you a long ways.

Yeah, yep. You are so giving great advice to young and adults listening to this show with disabilities. I always tell them, it isn't just going to happen. It isn't just going to help it happen, but as I said, you need help along the way. But then you're so right what you said, if you don't do it, they're not going to help you again.

And this is, and this is another thing, Joyce, is that when you do the work and you are prepared, when that opportunity comes, you're ready for it. When an opportunity comes, you can't start getting ready. You got to be ready by doing all the work and being prepared. So when that opportunity opportunity comes and the door opens, uh, you know, you could— you can step right into it. And that's what happened with me. Even right now with, with Nickel and with all the stuff that I'm doing, I was ready for it, right? Because I had put in the work. So when the opportunity presented itself, why not, right?

And thank goodness you did. Well, Theo, Um, how did you get to the Independent Living Center in Pennsylvania and then go to Nickel? How did that all happen?

Well, that's a crazy story. Uh, uh, when I came out of Temple University with my master's degree, um, uh, I knew nothing about independent living. I was just looking for a job, right? And so an opportunity came up where I could volunteer on this organization. It was a coalition of people who was writing the grant for Pennsylvania. This was way early, 1988, right? And they was getting together to write this grant for a center for independent living in Pennsylvania. And I was just straight out of graduate school. And so I recognized that volunteerism was the key to getting employment, so I volunteered. And while they was organizing and writing the proposal, once it got awarded, the president of that coalition saw my commitment to work, asked me would I be willing to apply for the position. And I, again, I knew nothing about running a Center for Independent Living. Right? But I went through the process of that interview. All I had was my master's degree. And that willingness to do the work, she saw it, and she hired me. And I got that job back in 1989 of February. And all she gave me was a key and an empty third floor, right? They had got this facility on the third floor, and they gave me a key. And she told me— her name was Martha. Instagram, she told me, start a center, right? That's all she told me. And so I, I, I got, I got that key, Joyce, and, and I started researching. And I researched and I came up with the name of Ed Roberts. I came up with the name of Justin Dart. I came up with the name of Mark, uh, uh, Maggie Shreve, right? And I flew all of those guys in and spent time with them, right? Especially Ed Roberts. I spent 2 weeks with him. And he just showed me the ropes, right? And it was new for him at the time too. And he was just telling me, and I sat there and I listened. And he talked to me about, you know, being your own best advocate, right? And he talked to me about, doing the work and learning, you know, and sometimes we don't know when we are with somebody how great they will be, right? I didn't know what Ed Roberts was going to turn into in the history books. I really didn't. And if I did, I probably would have spent more time and I would have listened a little bit more, and I certainly would have took more pictures. But we don't know that when we're with somebody at the time. And I was with Ed and I was with Justin and I was with Maggie Shreve. And I just spoke to Maggie Shreve a couple of months ago and she's still around. And those people poured a lot into me, Joyce, and got me really into independent living and what that meant and how empowering fighting a system that was not designed for people with disabilities. And what you had to do to make that happen. And when I got that, I did my own thing with it. I put my own personality to it. And that's how it all kicked off. That's how I started that Center for Independent Living that was an empty floor. And I hired everybody, and I took it from $199,000. And by the time I left, it was around $10 million. And so, uh, it was, it was a nice ride. I did that for 31 years.

Wow, wow, look at you now. That is a great story. Well, you learned from the best. You learned from the best with, uh, the people you just said that you talked to. You learned from the best.

Yeah, and I, and I mean this, Joyce, you didn't know— you don't know when you're with the best when you're with the best.

Yeah, well, you were. Well, hey everyone, it's time for our news break, and I know you're going to be excited when I tell you that our famous anchor that we've missed so much, Perry Jude Radesik, is back with us. Oh my God, am I glad she's back. Perry, I'm so glad you're back. Joyce Bender, we are ready for the news from you.

Oh great, it feels great to be back. And, uh, I mean, it's Pennsylvania Day on your show, so, uh, it's just terrific to hear. It's Pennsylvania Day. But Joyce, this is also, uh, this great timing, uh, that Theo's on because, um, The National Council on Disability announced the date and time of their next quarterly meeting. So the council is going to meet in person in D.C. on July 12th and the 13th. So that's tomorrow and Thursday. But if you can't get to D.C. or you're not in D.C., the council is going to livestream their meeting over Zoom. The meeting is going to run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. And something very special, the Council's also going to have their own celebration of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. So this is very exciting. There's a separate registration for the ADA celebration on Eventbrite. The Council meeting, as I said, will be available over Zoom, so anyone can join this meeting or use the telephone number associated with Zoom. Registration's not required, but the National Council on Disability certainly asks you to register so they know who's around. They've also arranged for ASL and CART for the meeting. Now, really important at this meeting, the council's gonna have multiple panels that are going to focus on health disparities for people with disabilities. And not only will there be experts in the field of disability, but they're also going to have the presidents of the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association. So this is a, a really great opportunity to hear from our experts and from the presidents of these medical associations and dental associations about health disparity. The agenda's been released. Where do you get this information? Go to disabilityrightsPA.org. That's disabilityrightsPA.org. Click on today's advocacy matters segment on the home page. That's where you'll find all the information. So, you know, advocacy matters. There's always an opportunity for public comment at the end of their meetings, so tune in for the National Council on Disabilities. You'll hear Theo at that meeting and also join their ADA celebration, Joyce.

Oh, that is— I want to tell you, Perry, I'm not kidding you, my listeners missed you. So now I have you back. I'm not letting you go again. I'm going to have to pre-record you ahead of time. Well, hey, well, thanks, Joyce. Thank you so much.

I missed your show.

Well, we missed you, but we have you back now. Um, and by the way, Harry Jude is one of your fans, just so you know.

Oh no, I'm her fan. I'm her fan.

And like you said, I am.

Yeah, yeah. Uh, like she said, I'm a member of that National Disability Council, and I'll be there. And I love the work that the council is doing. And so if you can make it to there, come, please do. If not Uh, definitely tune in.

All right, that's good. Hey, thanks Perry, and we will talk to you again next week.

Bye-bye.

Take care, Joyce. Theo, we'll talk to you later.

Bye-bye.

Theo, Perry's done my news break for over 5 years.

Oh, I did not know. I did not know that.

Yes, forever. She always brings right on target news. For all of our listeners. And she just— she is just so, um, just so awesome.

Yeah, she is awesome. Awesome lady.

Yeah. Yep. You know, when you were talking about the nursing home, I— way, way back, do you remember when Bill Krisner was the head of the Three Rivers Center for Independent Living in Pittsburgh? And then Sarnie, Linda Dickerson, my late friend Linda Dickerson, had Mr. Sarnie on the board. And their big initiative that Linda and Mr. Sarnie specifically wanted was getting people out of nursing homes. And a lot of times when I talk— people with disabilities, I'm sorry, people with disabilities out of nursing homes. And a lot of times when I talk to people, They can't believe when I tell them, you know, there are also young people and young adults with disabilities that have ended up in a nursing home. And they're just shocked when I tell them that. But I, first of all, you know it from your own life. But even still today, doesn't that go on even still today, Theo?

Yeah. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. I can talk about the National Council, just like you just mentioned, the National Council on Disability did a report, and one of those reports indicated that the significant amount of people in nursing homes are just over 30 years old. Wow. Those are the majority of people in nursing homes. 30 years old, right? Why would a 30-year-old person need a nursing home? Obviously, those individuals have disabilities, right? And they too feel that their only options are, because there's no housing, there's no infrastructure for people with disabilities, they are— and this institutional bias that is created to almost force people to be in nursing homes or go into institutions like that. And not even to mention how many people we lost during the pandemic. in regard to, uh, how that was, uh, all played out. Uh, it was a significant amount of people with disabilities, uh, uh, that also died in nursing homes, and that report indicated that as well. Um, nursing homes are no place for anyone, for, for sure. But why would a person 30 years old or so feel that that's their only solution. We got to do something about America and the institutional bias. And yes, we're working on it, but I'm telling you right now, it is creeping its way back in. And if we as advocates don't pay attention to it, it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

You know, that is Really, really sad. I mean, it's so terrible. It's tragic. It really is. Because what you were saying, you know, during COVID and the pandemic, oh, so many people, as you know, were just killed in all these— so many people died in nursing homes. And there is— when there's an emergency that happens, so often the person gets sent to a nursing home, a person with disability, like a flood or a hurricane. So Theo, how can we do something about that? Like, what can we do?

It's— we are creating a lot of reports, the National Council on Disability, and putting it out. They did a report on home and community-based services. So the best thing you can do now is is what we're doing at NCL right now in regard to we are supporting two major bills right now, the HBCS bill, the Home and Community-Based Services Act, and also the Better Care Better Job Act. Both of those were introduced by Senator Casey, and both of those acts deals with community living and getting people and changing the institutional bias to a community bias. And unfortunately, even with the ADA, even with Olmstead, even with Money Follows the Person, we still have an institutional bias. And so we gotta change that. And we're working very hard to get those two legislation passed. And so that's one of the two major things you can do right now is to talk to your congressman, talk to them about the HBCUs, Act as well as the Better Care, Better Jobs Act and push those through legislation. I think we got a good chance of getting those passed. And that is going to create a significant amount of money in regard to community living. And not only that, it also going to provide some monies toward increasing direct care workers' salaries. And I'm talking about attendant care. And a lot of people don't know this, but right now, people with disabilities who rely on attendant care, it's in a crisis, right? It was really in a crisis during the pandemic and it hasn't recovered. There are just no direct care workers out there.

All right?

And agencies are closing their doors because they can't stay afloat.

Well, what are we doing? I mean, what do people do? People— I know about this from, as you know, Bender Consulting Services, the company I own. It's a for-profit company that focuses on the employment of people with disabilities. Well, they work from home because we started remote work. And one of my employees has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. It was terrible what we went through to get him someone to come, you know, personal attendant. What the heck? What do you think's happening to people, for example, in poor areas? What— I guess if they don't have a family, they'll end up in a nursing home. That's what'll happen, right?

Right, right. That's why it's important. So get involved with NCLIL. Get involved with the National Council on Independent Living. We are advocating. If you can, come to the rally on the 26th in D.C. because we are marching. We're having a rally right in front of the hotel, and we're marching towards the Capitol, and we are asking for those two acts. And we're going to be meeting with legislators And we're going to be talking to them face-to-face in regard to how these two major acts need to be put in place in order to keep people out of nursing homes and into the community living with support services. Because everybody that live in a nursing home— and I want to say that again— everybody that live in a nursing home, those monies can follow them into their community, and they can live at their home with right support services. It's just we got to change and fight this mindset that comes from the institutional lobbyists, right? It's all about money, right? Nursing homes exist because money. They making money off of people, right, by keeping them there. They make money off of it. And unfortunately, Medicaid plays a role with that because that money is going to those providers and those businesses. And people are suffering. People are dying in institutions. We said that for years, and only through this pandemic did they realize that we was right and all those places was, was a haven for abuse, neglect, and disease. And what bothered me a lot, Joyce Bender, we found this out through that nurse— through the National Council on Disability reports is that they realized in prisons that they could not put those prisoners in congregate settings because the COVID would spread. They knew that, but they still allow people from hospitals, they direct them right back into the nursing home. So they protected the prisons, but when it came to people with disabilities, And nursing homes, they didn't care. They just put them all back in there so they could get, uh, contract COVID. And, and, and that blew my mind. But that's how America feel about older folks and people with disabilities. They devalue them. And so they place these individuals in these out-of-way institutions, out of sight, out of mind, because that's where that comes from., right? And all kinds of abuse occurs and people die. Now they investigating, they're looking at all these things, but it's too late. We lost a lot of people, right? And if we don't keep a watchful eye right now, and if we don't fight for this, it'll slowly come back. So contact NICKL, get more information about what we're doing so you are educated enough to speak to your legislators, and let's get these two, uh, acts passed.

Yeah. Hey, by the way, if you want to make a donation to NCIL, which I hope you will, do you just go to ncil.org? Is that what you do, Theo?

Yes, yes, yes.

Go to ncil.org. Donate. And you know, you're hearing all this, and if you're sitting there saying, that's terrible, oh my God, is that horrible? Yeah, well, people can't make a difference like Theo without resources. So make a donation, join NICL, be a member. And if you're in D.C., what time is the walk?

It started at 9:30 right in front of the, uh, Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. We're going to have speakers, and hopefully we're going to have Senator Casey there to kick it off. And then we're just going to march to the Capitol. And once we get there, we got an organized, orchestrated way of meeting with different legislators. And the most important thing, though, Joyce, is this: America needs to see that people with disabilities are— that they exist. They got to see those individuals in numbers, right? And we are so busy and fighting amongst ourselves and not coming together. That's why I think the challenge is for us to come together and stop working and walk— operating in these different little silos, because discrimination and oppression hit home to all of these marginalized groups, right? And so We got to recognize that we got to have this unified voice, but we got to really come together and show that we can do these things in greater numbers. You know, legislation is not going to pass just by a handful of people being out there, right? You might bring the attention, you know, but when we get thousands and thousands of people out there marching on the Capitol and and meeting with legislators, things will happen. And I think good things would happen. And they would know, just like we did with the ADA, just like we did with Section 504— do we have that? It was a lot of people pushing for that. We got to get back to that.

We got to get back to it is right. We do. Well, it's time for What's Going On at Bender, and I think we've got Scott on hold, Mr. Scott Hammerstrom. Are you there with us, our manager at the Bender Leadership Academy?

Joyce, I sure am. Thank you so much for having me on. And Theo, what an informative show. It's been a great show so far, and I'm glad to be on.

Well, guess what, Scott? He's at the White House. Did you hear that part?

I mean, I did hear that. How exciting.

That is—

that's awesome. I'm gonna, I'm gonna be telling Vice, the Vice President, hey, I got Theo to talk to me. So there. So Scott, what news do you have for us today?

Well, I know it is, uh, July, Joyce, and it is summer, but that doesn't stop Bender Leadership Academy because we have some classes going on. Um, we have We have a work readiness program that we have during the summer. We have 2 classes going on at 2 different high schools, and next week is their graduation on July 20th. So I am fortunate enough I get to go to both classes to hand out our graduation certificate to all the students because they have been doing very hard work for the last 3 or 4 weeks, and they will get to graduate next week. They got to learn about, you know, about what resumes are and about interviewing. They get to do a vision board. We go over like what colors are parachutes from for teens. And so these students have been absolutely amazing, and I cannot wait to celebrate with them their big success of graduating from one of our programs.

Oh, that is so— and I mean, And—

oh, I would say, and that same day we are kicking off our Digital Access at Work class on July 20th, and that is teaching our young students with disabilities who have an interest to learn about digital accessibility, accessibility on websites or documents and all those different things. They get to learn about that, and after they graduate that from that program, they get to move forward if they are interested with our partner AudioEye, and they can continue on their training. And at that point, they are going to get paid for taking classes and then be able to do some, some work after that. So we are very excited about that. But if there are any young students out there who are interested, please contact us or go to our website because we have some, a few more spots open.

All right. Oh, that's great. And I encourage you, go to benderleadership.org and you can read all about the great work where we're helping high school students with disabilities prepare for the world of work and fight bullying and not be ashamed that they are living with a disability, including a mental health disability. Hey, Scott, thank you so much for calling in.

Oh, you're quite welcome. Have a wonderful day, everyone.

Okay, take care. So, Theo, I mean, wow, you have accomplished so much, really, you have, in your life. So I have to ask you this question: who is your role model? Like, what, what has given you the strength to do all this? Who, who has inspired you?

Oh, wow. Um, You know, I have to go back to Ed Roberts, right, and Justin Dart, and Maga Shreve. Those are the people who mentored me, and those are the people I rely on for my foundation and what I do and so forth. But in regard to present day, I seek a lot of admiration from my church. My pastor, you know. And so I have learned a lot from watching and listening to what my church does and then people in my community does and do on a day-to-day basis. And I try to do the same thing. I believe, you know, one of the persons that I have always admired was Robert Kennedy. And And one of the things I always learned from that is those individuals who have a lot are obligated to give a lot, right? And so I believe— and a lot of people look at me and they don't think I have a lot, but I got a lot. I got a lot. And so I make it a point to give a lot because I believe I've been blessed in that way. And so I just give back. And I believe I was put on this world to do that. So someone like Senator Casey, right, Senator Casey Jr., I believe, and I love that guy because he's genuine, right? He really do work—

Oh, he is, he is.

—on behalf of people who are marginalized. And that's kind of, you know, person I want to be, right? So I model myself the same way because, you know, there are a lot of people out there that don't have a voice. They just don't have a voice. And so people who have power and influence, who have a voice, they got to speak on behalf of those who don't have that voice, right? And so I've been, fortunate in my life to be elevated to the place where I can speak on behalf of those individuals who are not in my position. And I think Senator Casey does the same thing, right? And so when you are in a place where you got some influence, you better use that, right? Because you're not always going to have it.

Oh, how true is that. Give and it shall be given. Unto you. And, and that is monetary and just giving back of yourself. You know, if you don't do that, you're not worth being here. Now I'm going to tell you, Theo, we're getting ready to end, end the show, but what a great show with you on Disability Pride Month, right directly from the White House.

So yeah, that's a first.

Yeah, that is a first, Theo. And in the words— we always have a quote to end the show, and today that quote is, "Lead on!" Amen. I know Yoshiko's hearing me. "Lead on!" said the great Justin Dart. This is Joyce Joyce Bender, America's Voice, Where Disability Matters, at voiceamerica.com. And before I go, I have to mention two things. One, Maria Towne is at this event, the CEO of AAPD, and she too, she too is leading on, fighting the fight. And last but not least, in the words of Mary Brocker, Remember, choose joy.

Voice America would like to thank you for tuning in. Please join us next Tuesday at 11 AM Pacific time and 2 PM Eastern time for another installment of Disability Matters, right here on the Voice America Variety Channel.

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