Author Archives: Imp Orter4

At The Intersection of Disability and Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Myths and Misconceptions

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

By: Sharon Langer Domestic violence myths and misconceptions abound. Nearly everyone will have some form of preconception on what domestic violence actually is; why abusers abuse and why victims are victimized. In the same way as we tend to have a stereotypical picture of what domestic abuse is, we have similar pictures of what… Read More »

Amazon Smile

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

Raise your hand if you use Amazon. By: Lisa Goodman Raise your hand if you use Amazon. Now, raise your hand if you use our link to make your purchases on Amazon. Last one. Raise, your hand if you love helping by doing something you already do. As I write this I imagine some… Read More »

Stereotypes & Misconceptions about Disability

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

By: Lorinda Gonzalez “Your assumptions are your windows on the world.  Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” ― Isaac Asimov Deaf people can’t dance.  Blind people don’t like art.  People in wheelchairs can’t have sex.  These are just a few of the stereotypes and misconceptions that… Read More »

Litigation: Is Your Child A Runner?

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

Some children with autism, developmental or intellectual disabilities may wander off without any comprehension of possible danger.  This might include running off from adults at school or in the community, leaving the classroom without permission, or leaving the house when the family is not looking. While most children are drawn to water, many autistic… Read More »

He’s Got the Moves

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

By: Lisa Goodman He’s got the moves! Nyle DiMarco is without doubt a “triple threat.” His website even describes him as such,“Nyle DiMarco is an actor, model and spokesman.” No offense to whoever wrote his website, but they dropped the ball when they failed to include dancer, which makes him a quadruple threat. Currently,… Read More »

Summer Fun and Discrimination against Kids (with or without disabilities)!

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

Happy Summertime! The Summer should be a time where all kids, kids with disabilities and kids without disabilities, should be able to have fun. Discrimination about kids in the Summer is not fun, and here are some tips on how kids can avoid discrimination in the Summer.

Employment Support for People with Disabilities

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

If you are disabled and you are pursuing employment, you are not alone. You can find many agencies providing employment support that will help you reach your vocational goal. Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Centers for Independent Living Employment Networks Disability Program Navigator Initiative Disability Rights Florida The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

At The Intersection of Disability and Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

By: Sharon Langer We have renamed my column THE INTERSECTION. The column will still explore the issues of domestic violence and sexual assault but will focus on the extraordinary impact those issues have on persons with disabilities. Since the theme this month is presidential candidates and where they stand on the issue of Disability… Read More »

larry mcdowell

IS HEALTH CARE ONLY FOR THE “ABLE BODIED”?

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

People with disabilities tend to be in poorer health and to use health care at a significantly higher rate than people who do not have disabilities. Larry McDowell is not a statistic, but instead a blatant example of an issue which needs to be addressed. Equality in health care is not a benefit, but a basic right.

Lawyers drinking shots with one man looking disturbed

The Legal Profession’s Mental Health Issue is a Suppressed Epidemic

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

As a new lawyer, the emphasis is to focus on career development, and the life tenet of “Work Hard, Play Hard” is taken to heart. A balanced life is only considered for later in life, and wellness is not good for advancement to partner. Twenty years later, balance is not achieved, and anxiety as well as management of that anxiety is a way of life.

Fear should not be a barrier to full community integration

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

By: Matthew Dietz On August 18, 2015, Carl Starke, an Autistic man, was shot by three teenagers who were casing the Wal-Mart parking lot for cars to steal; they spotted Carl in the parking lot, and followed him home. They somehow noticed that he had a disability – he was marked as a “soft… Read More »

KARL HUNT – SUPERHERO OF FAIR HOUSING

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

Karl Hunt- SUPERHERO of Fair Housing. Karl stood up for his rights and held firm despite the hardship in doing so. He paved the way for many other persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities to live in their homes, and not to get bullied or evicted because of their disabilities.

Deaf Woman Denied Career Choice at Keiser University

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

Katy Daniel-Rivera would like the opportunity to succeed in her chosen career and earn a license to be a Radiologic Technologist. With appropriate auxiliary aids and services, a person who is Deaf can perform any job. To deny a person that opportunity is discrimination.

Autistic Man Fired from Cargill because of stereotypes about Diabetes

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

People with diabetes face unfair stereotypes and discrimination at work, at school, and elsewhere in their lives

Welcome to The Magic City! Miami, Florida — on Wheels

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

Tropical weather, palm trees on every corner, and delicious Cuban coffee. Welcome to Miami! The city whose heart beats to the sounds of a Latin drum, where beaches and nightlife never end.

Facts on Domestic violence and the workplace

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

By Sharon Langer On average, four or five women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends each day and women experience two million incidents of intimate partner violence each year. It only makes sense that domestic violence spills over into the workplace. It can be in-person harassment or phone calls, absenteeism because of injuries… Read More »

Asset Building for Individuals with Disabilities

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

Public benefit programs for people with disabilities, especially Supplemental Security Income (SSI), are not aimed at increasing assets and independence for people with disabilities as a result individuals with disabilities often have very limited income and few, if any, assets. The intent of asset building initiatives is that as individuals develop assets, they will… Read More »

Resource for Employees with Disabilities – ASKJAN.ORG

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

  By: Lisa Goodman Have you ever had any questions about workplace accommodations or the Americans with Disability Act (ADA)? Some of those questions might include: What accommodations could you, as an employee, ask for/be entitled to at your job What accommodations should I ask for given my Disability? What accommodations are you as… Read More »

It’s not my fault – protections for autistic persons under the Fair Housing Act

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

At Disability Independence Group, we focus on providing people on the autism spectrum the tools needed to advocate for themselves. The availability to live where one chooses is a cornerstone of community integration and self-determination for a person with any disability. The relatively simple act of disability disclosure, when necessary, and request for accommodation is a free tool to ensure housing opportunity.

The Key to my Independence

By Disability Independence Group, Inc. |

In my life, I define independent living simply as living my life my way. I knew at a young age that I wanted to move out of my parent’s home and get my own place. My goal was not to always depend on my mother to provide me care, but instead to live independently by finding a way to acquire long-term care coverage that would pay for personal care assistants to help me on a daily basis.