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P Charlie Smith 1953-2001 — Page 6
Inside Breast Health Access— p. 3 Chemicals in the Environment— p. 12
May 10, 2001
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“I used to want the words ‘She tried’ on my tombstone. Now I want ‘She did it.’” — Katherine Dunham
Non-profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Mpls. MN Permit No. 4766
Volume 12, Number 5
SOURCES
RESOURCES
May 10, 2001
CANCER TAKES CHARLIE SMITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY LOSES A HERO by Lolly Lijewski
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Charlie Smith, 1953-2001
t’s hard to know where to begin the daunting task of describing the many facets of Charlie Smith and what he meant to the disability community. He was an entrepreneur and the founder of Access Press; he held the position of Editor and Publisher for more than ten years. He was a passionate and committed advocate and activist, he was a mentor and a role model. He was a loving brother and uncle, and a devoted friend. He was a sports fan. He loved reggae music, good blues, Kentucky Fried Chicken, White Castle
State Agencies To Reorganize: What Effect On Disability Programs? by Jeff Nygaard
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n an attempt to address Minnesota’s labor shortage, the State Legislature is considering several bills that would reorganize some key state agencies that are geared toward employment issues.
for Citizens With Disabilities (CCD), the ramifications of various proposals were raised. The ensuing discussion revealed deep differences of opinion at both the philosophical and practical levels.
As we go to press, legislative proposals are under consideration that would eliminate the Department of Economic Security (DES), raising the question of what will happen to the programs serving people with disabilities which are currently housed in that agency. Under these proposals, DES programs such as vocational rehabilitation, independent living, extended employment, and state services for the blind would end up in a new location in state government. Exactly where that new location should be is the subject of heated discussion among advocates for people with disabilities.
Barb Yates, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Children, Families, and Learning, made it clear to CCD members that the initiative to reorganize the agencies had come from the Governor’s office. She reminded those present that, while any reorganization will certainly affect people with disabilities, that was not the focus of the Governor’s initiative. “We’re looking at workforce development, and the fact that we don’t have enough workers in Minnesota,” she stated.
On April 11th, in a special meeting of the Consortium
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“Disability Ghetto” or Increased Influence? Perhaps the deepest disagreement at the April 11th meeting – echoes of which
are being heard throughout the community, including in this month’s Disability Culture column on page 5 – focused on the relative merits of integration versus separation. Would it be better to create a “super agency” which would bring all the programs and services for people with disabilities together under one roof? Or would it be better to spread the various programs among existing agencies, including some new agencies that are under discussion by the Governor’s office and the Legislature? On the one hand, advocates of a “super agency” point out that programs serving persons with disabilities are often overlooked when they are contained within a large agency with other programs. They see great advantage in the higher profile, influence, and focus they believe would be gained from creating a Reorganize - cont. on p. 7
hamburgers, and enjoyed a good beer every now and then. He loved warm, sunny Minnesota summer days, and being out and about, tooling around taking in the sights of the city. He enjoyed a good poker game, or a game of backgammon. He took great pleasure in keeping a saltwater aquarium and watching the brightly colored tropical fish swimming around inside it. He loved his two cats, Lizzy and Jasmine. Charlie became a quadriplegic in 1967 as a result of a diving accident at the age of 14. He fell from a diving board onto the concrete below and sustained a spinal chord injury at the C 4 and 5 level. He tried his hand at college, but found the party scene more interesting. In 1981 he entered the Residence at Courage Center for rehabilitation. After leaving Courage Center, he explored several business options, but nothing gave him the personal satisfaction he was seeking. As he moved through the adjustment process of living with a significant disability, he began looking around for a way to combine what he had learned with a desire to help others in similar situations. He looked at other minority communities and saw they had tabloid newspapers that provided a vehicle for communication, education, and information within these communities. The disability community had no such tool. In 1990, with the assistance and support of his parents, Bill and Renee Smith, he founded Access Press, the disability community newspaper. In the early days, the Access Press offices were in the basement of Charlie’s parents. His parents provided administrative, financial, and
emotional support. After his mother’s death in 1993, Charlie’s father moved from the old house to a building across the street and the Access Press offices moved with him. His father continued to provide guidance and financial support. Then in 1996 when Charlie’s father died the disability community came together to help him restructure the paper. It became a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit corporation. As a result, Charlie was able to pursue grant opportunities, and the offices were relocated to the Griggs Midway Building in the Midway area of St. Paul. Access Press grew in its importance to the community as a vehicle to educate consumers about issues such as health care, employment, housing, transit, education, and disability culture. It became a way for people with disabilities to communicate with each other. Decisionmakers learned to read Access Press to get the pulse of the community. Funders began to recognize and acknowledge its place in the disability community, and Charlie’s efforts at fund-raising began to pay off. By the time he became ill, he had built the paper to be self-sustaining through grants and advertising sales. Through it all, Charlie grew in his understanding of the issues facing people with disabilities. He developed a style of advocacy that was fierce in its passion and commitment to the civil rights of people with disabilities. His gentle, quiet power put him at the core of the heart and soul of the disability community. If decision-makers wanted to know what the community was thinking, Charlie was one of the first to be
consulted. Often the phone would ring at the Access Press office and it would be a community member wanting to talk to Charlie about an issue. He knew when to listen when it was called for and when to give help when it was needed. He considered it part of his job – as editor and as advocate – to step in personally when he thought he could make a difference. As a colleague, Charlie practiced advocacy the oldfashioned way. When an advocate would speak out and say something difficult that needed to be said, Charlie would pipe up and say, “That’s the thing…” He would continue to affirm the point that was being made. It was a level of unwavering and unconditional support that is rarely seen in the community today. When tension would build and passions arose in one of the seemingly endless meetings he attended as an advocate, Charlie would ease the tension with some sarcastic remark. His humor always made the hard work of social change move along a little smoother. As a journalist, he knew when to push hard and ask the difficult questions. While the person being asked the question may have been uncomfortable, his journalistic intuition was usually right on target. In his position as editor of Access Press, he presented the issues fairly, but was able to maintain his integrity in the way he expressed his values and opinions. Charlie cast a commanding shadow in the community. It’s likely that he, himself,
Charlie - cont. on p. 11
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