The Burton Blatt Institute hosted a public forum at Syracuse University’s Lubin House in New York City on October 19th to answer this question and provide a glimpse of the future for persons with disabilities in a global society. The forum followed a celebration breakfast to honor the legacy of Burton Blatt and the 40th anniversary of the publication of Christmas in Purgatory, which sparked the deinstitutionalization movement and the development of home and community services for individuals with disabilities nationwide.
The forum was moderated by nationally recognized public policy expert Michael Morris and featured an outstanding panel of experts: Doug Biklen, Dean of the School of Education and Director of the Facilitated Communication Institute at Syracuse University; Derrick Cogburn, Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies and Director of the award-winning research lab, the Technology Enhanced Learning Communities (COTELCO) at Syracuse University; Matt Sapolin, Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities; and Berthy De La Rosa-Aponte and her husband Milton Aponte, parents and presidential appointees to the National Council on Disability and the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel.
Each panelist shared his or her unique vision and perspective on the future of a more inclusive society. Dr. Biklen, as the opening speaker, set a framework that challenged the audience to think about the end of mental retardation as a limiting and inaccurate way to define and categorize any individual. The future for educators, policymakers, and other professionals must be to presume competence and focus on individual strengths and contributions to inclusive communities. Dr. Cogburn presented on the importance of technology to make learning more accessible and recognize its power to connect people geographically dispersed worldwide in new social communities of peer support.
Commissioner Sapolin forecast the possibilities of greater civic engagement of people with disabilities to vote, hold elective office, and become a stronger voice for change. He described the evolution of more livable communities with improvements in public access and participation in the economic mainstream.
As parents of a daughter, Luz, with significant disabilities, Berthy De La Rosa-Aponte and Milton Aponte shared their expectations of a future where Luz’s business has become successful and she lives in her own home. The Apontes projected current and future need for greater activism with the political process to educate policymakers about unmet needs to truly advance social and economic freedom.
The voice of the panel was consistent and optimistic about the future. When members of the audience were invited to participate, concerns were raised about current challenges of lack of affordable housing, appropriate education and employment opportunities, and lingering and persistent concerns about public attitudes and discrimination.
“The forum put into focus current and future challenges that will shape an activist agenda for the Burton Blatt Institute,” stated BBI Executive Director Brian McLane. “We will work with Syracuse University, the city of Syracuse, and Onondaga County to become a model for the nation and the world of the possibilities of a truly inclusive community. For SU, it will become the preferred choice of students with disabilities to study and faculty with disabilities to teach. A new generation of leaders across disciplines of law, education, business, architecture, technology, communications, and the social sciences will emerge that share an understanding of the value of all persons to contribute to the social and economic vitality of livable environments that are universally designed to enhance access and use.”
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