Claims of nepotism and employee union contract violations at the Minnesota State Academies for the Deaf and the Blind are prompting reviews at the Faribault schools. The academies’ board of directors decided August 8 to review policies on nepotism and out-of-state travel, according to the Faribault Daily News.
Other issues are also receiving scrutiny. Those include the academies’ relationships with outside organizations, practices when working with employee unions, out-of-state travel practices and the academies’ own organizational chart. The reviews are based on an investigation and report by an outside law firm.
At the board meeting, board members made it clear that they were not looking to fire MSA Superintendent Terry Wilding over the incident.
“Obviously we need to learn from our mistakes," Board Chair Katie Wanberg said. "This is unique. A lastminute situation caused this. But how do we improve?"
The board chose to assign some training to him and review a number of policies over the next six months, according to the Daily News. They also agreed to have the superintendent give monthly updates on his training at board meetings during this timeframe, and meet with union leaders to discuss policy and procedure.
Wilding, in the report, indicated that he feels that he has been targeted.
The board has been reviewing a report based on a series of actions in summer 2023, when Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD) students and other youth attended a summer camp in South Dakota. In November 2023, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) asked Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A. to conduct an investigation into allegations of misconduct involving an employee of MSA. The St. Paul law firm specializes in school law. The report produced by Ratwick, Roszak & Maloney is almost 50 pages long.
During the summer of 2023, Tyrel Wilding was assigned to drive students from the MSAD campus to Camp UBU. The camp is for a camp for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in South Dakota.
The camp was founded in Sioux Falls in 2021 and serves students in second through eighth grades. The camp’s website indicates that Camp UBU was founded to meet growing demand for such camping experiences in the Upper Midwest.
Tyrel Wilding is Terry Wilding’s son. Allegations were raised against Terry Wilding, specifically, that
MSAD To page 5
Meet many worthy nominees for our Access Pres s awards
Our November 1 Access Press awards event and celebration will be here before you know it. Mark your calendars and plan to attend, as space will be limited. We’ll be celebrating at Metropolitan State University’s campus in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.
The evening’s highlight will be the presentation of the Charlie Smith Award and the Tim Benjamin Award. Both awards provide valued recognition for those who serve Minnesotans with disabilities.
One award honors Charlie Smith, Jr., the founder and first editor of Access Press The second award celebrates the life and
COVID-19 cases summer spike may continue into fall
As summer drew to a close, cases of COVID-19 were on the rise in Minnesota. It’s part of a concerning trend seen in many places around the United States.
As of mid-August, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 25 states, declining or likely declining in five states, and are stable or uncertain in 17 states.
Minnesota and North and South Dakota are states where cases are on the rise. Iowa was seen as a state where cases are “likely growing.”
No data was available for Wisconsin.
According to the CDC, the United States is in the midst of a significant C OVID-19 wave, with viral activity levels in wastewater the highest they’ve been for a summer surge since July 2022, according to the CDC’s wastewater dashboard.
achievements of Tim Benjamin, who succeeded Smith as Access Press executive director/editor and served for many years. Benjamin died in 2022.
Nominations for the 2024 awards have closed. The event committee and Access Press Board are pleased to announced that they have a very strong field of candidates to choose from. Candidates include individuals and organizations. Learn more about the field of candidates for each award, and get event details in stories starting on page 7. Happy reading! Jane McClure, Editor
The Arc Minnesota's leader Page 12
Remembering a pioneer Page 2
Learn about human rights Page 4
Suicide line update Page 6
AuSM Award Page 13
The wastewater measurement of national viral activity in wastewater rose to 8.82 on August 10 – falling shy of a peak of 9.56 in July 2022. The CDC said the most recent data is incomplete and may change. Before the rate started rising again in May, it was at 1.36. Federal and state officials use other statistics to track COVID-19 trends, including hospital admissions and death reports.
A COVID-19 wave is experienced every summer, due to a variety of factors including travel and large-scale events. The CDC is reporting that the highest levels of the virus tracked via wastewater are seen in the western United States region.
Also, it’s noted that the wave of illness is rising sooner than in past years. In 2023 the summer wave was seen in late August and early September. This year’s wave began earlier. Health officials will also be looking at trends once school starts.
As of the end of July, the CDC’s dashboard shows about four people are being
hospitalized for COVID for every 100,000 people in a given area. That is up from a low in May of about one COVID hospitalization for every 100,000 people. The May rate was the lowest level since the pandemic began. That all being said, health officials don’t track the coronavirus as closely as was done during the federal public health emergency. Data obtained from wastewater sampling is the best trend indicator now. But health officials have noted in national media reports that factors can in turn impact wastewater and measurements taken from that source, such as how much water flows through a sewer system. Another wrinkle is how the various variants are tracked. This summer the FLiRT variant was the newest health threat. In June the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered vaccine manufacturers to look at changes to vaccines for this fall, so that vaccines could COVID To page 5
2004 Charlie Smith Award winner Rick Cardenas is shown with former Metropolitan Council Member Rich Kramer.
EDITORIAL
Remember our pioneers and don’t take our rights for granted
It is a different world. Older people sometimes make that remark to younger ones. Those of us who live with disabilities can say that with authority when we look at the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and what has changed over 34 years.
If you are in your mid-40s or older, you may remember what life was like before the federal act was passed in 1990. Some of us remember when our schools were not accessible. Classmates with mobility issues had to be carried up and down the stairs, or have their class options limited.
We didn’t have curb cuts or door paddles. Travel anywhere meant having help. Many of us just stayed home.
Having a good paying job was a pipe dream for many. Some of us dealt with potential employers who saw a disability and quickly shut a door. Or we had previous employers freely share what should have been confidential data about a disability to a prospective employer, getting another door shut. Some of us had disabilities, including mental health, that were exploited. Selfdisclosure was unheard of.
No one talked about civil rights. No one talked about discrimination. Some people even came out and said, this is not for you. It didn’t matter what “this” was – we could not have it.
The question comes up: Why didn’t you take legal action when these things happened to you? Yes, we had some legal protections before the ADA. But in many cases our protections were all too often bypassed. And if you could find an attorney, how could a lowincome person with a disability pay for help? Most of us could not do so.
While salute those who work to preserve the history of the pre-ADA lived experiences. That work is so important. And while we appreciate those who have captured the history of those who led the fight, we also ask: who is going to lead the fight going forward?
And even if a person could hire legal help, making a case without the ADA was so much harder.
The quest for the ADA began decades before 1990, when the first challenges were made to societal barriers. Parents and family members, advocates, early groups and the first independent living movement supporters got the ball rolling. Many took their cues from other civil rights movements, with protests, sit-ins and other acts of civil disobedience.
With decades of work behind it, getting the ADA passed into law was huge. The ADA specifically prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation,
HISTORY NOTE
public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government' programs and services. It has changed countless lives.
Yes, we have a come a long way from the pre-ADA days. Many doors have been literally and figuratively opened to us. But the recent death of pioneering access advocate Margot Imdieke Cross reminds us that we still have quite the distance to go. Imdieke Cross was honored to attend the signing of the ADA in 1990. She herself in interviews talked frankly about boarding buses by lifting herself and “rumping it” up the steps, and asking someone else to carry
her wheelchair. She would take roundabout routes to get to alleys to cross streets before curb cuts were installed.
She acknowledged the gains under the ADA, while telling us all that we still had a ways to go. An issue she called out in recent interviews is that of employment. More work is needed there in the interest of disability and equity.
Margot may be gone. But she is still right.
Her death reminds us that we are losing the countless community members who remember those pre-ADA days. We are losing the people who fought for our rights for so long.
Writer Alex Hailey was known for saying that every time an older person dies, it’s like a library is burning. We have lost too many of our human “libraries” of disability history.
We salute those who work to preserve the history of the pre-ADA lived experiences. That work is so important.
And while we appreciate those who have captured the history of those who led the fight, we also ask: who is going to lead the fight going forward?
We could all too easily lose what has been gained. That has happened in some places. It could happen with challenges in leadership, changes in societal attitudes and with unfavorable court rulings.
Who will our next leaders be? Some of us at the Disability Pride fest in July noted that younger people take our gains for granted. They see no need to protest and fight for what they have.
If all of us who live with disability are not vigilant about our rights, it will be a different world yet again – and not a good world for us. Don’t take the gains and sacrifices others made for granted.
The struggle for special education resources is nothing new
Open enrollment for public schools and a wide area of other choices mean that students don’t have to attend school in their home communities. That wasn’t always the case.
Sixty years ago, anyone wanting to switch public school districts in Minnesota had to move to that particular community. School districts had huge disparities in resources. The disparities were a concern raised by one of Minnesota’s special education pioneers, Evelyn Deno.
She worked on state and federal policies concerning the education of children with disabilities. In the late 1950s, Deno was involved in writing Minnesota’s first special education law. She and others developed the “cascade of services” model of special education. The model continues to be central to federal and state special education laws. Evelyn Dreier Deno was born in 1911 in Wisconsin. She finished high school at age 16,
advancing to the La Crosse Teachers’ College, now University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. She initially worked as a nursery and elementary school teacher. She continued her education at the University of Minnesota, receiving a PhD in child psychology in 1958.
Deno became the first director of special education for Minneapolis Public Schools. She was a popular public speaker in the days of women’s club luncheons and service club events.
By 1964, Deno was sounding the alarm.
“The Minneapolis school district is under an ‘inequitable tax burden’ because it has more than its share of handicapped children,” she said.
Deno was interviewed for a meeting of the Minnesota Association for the Brain Injured, to be held at the American Hardware Mutual Insurance company auditorium.
She told a reporter that although Minneapolis schools enrolled 10 percent of
the state’s public school students, the schools educated more than 60 percent of Minnesota’s deaf students, more than half of students classified as “crippled” and almost 50 percent of the state’s students with visual disabilities.
“Rural educators,” she said, “advise parents of handicapped children to move to Minneapolis and enroll their children in Minneapolis public schools.” While Deno said that Minneapolis school leaders were happy to educate all, the district needed more state resources. She was especially concerned that not all Minneapolis children with brain injuries were receiving the services they needed.
At that time, the state’s Advisory Board on Handicapped, Gifted and Exceptional Children recommended that the legislature increase state aid to cover two-thirds of teacher costs.
It was Deno’s hope that more money would
be found for school districts to provide better quality special education, and to provide more prenatal care for women to reduce the number of children born with birth defects.
In 1966, Deno became director of the Psychoeducational Center at the University of Minnesota. She also served as a professor in educational psychology.
She retired in 1971 to care for husband, John as he battled Parkinson’s’ disease. Deno kept her hands in the fight for special education but also focused on individual rights for senior health care and treatment. She died in 2005 at age 94.
As school bells across the state ring this month, we remember her work.
The History Note is a monthly column produced in cooperation with the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities. Past History Notes and other disability history may be found at www.mnddc.org
EDITORIAL: Editorial submissions and news releases on topics of interest to persons with disabilities, or persons serving those with disabilities, are welcomed. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Editorial material and advertising do not necessarily reflect the view of the editor/publisher of Access Press.
DEADLINE: 15th of each month.
CIRCULATION/DISTRIBUTION: Distributed the 1st of each month through more than 200 locations statewide. Approximately 750 copies are mailed to individuals, including political, business, institutional and civic leaders.
SUBSCRIPTION: Free and accessible to anyone in MInnesota, visit www.accesspress.org to subscribe. ABOUT ACCESS PRESS: A monthly newspaper published for persons with disabilities by Access Press, Ltd.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Access Press, PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St. Paul, MN 55104-8006
INQUIRIES AND ADDRESS CHANGES should be directed to: Access Press, PO Box 40006, Industrial Station, St.
Automatic absentee ballot status provides a key option for disabled voters
Imagine the power of 1,001,956 people with disabilities voting in Minnesota. That’s a message the advocacy group REV Up! is delivering as members work to get the word out about voting in the November 5 general election.
Many people who live with disabilities cannot easily get to the polls on election day. Now Minnesota has provided these voters with a new option.
One key law change took effect June 1 affecting anyone using an absentee ballot. Minnesota long had a two-step process for voters seeking absentee status to cast a ballot.
A voter would ask for and receive an absentee ballot application and return the signed document back to an election official. A ballot is then sent to the voter, who fills it out, and again returns it to an election official. This was done for every election. It could be confusing for voters.
The Minnesota Legislature changed the law to make the absentee voting process less confusing. The changes are expected to make absentee voting processes easier for election officials.
The changes were approved in 2023. Minnesota voters can now sign up just once to be automatically sent an absentee ballot before every election. All eligible voters can choose to join the permanent absentee voter list by checking the box on the interactive
voter registration application.
The online and paper applications can be found at mnvotes.gov/register.
An absentee ballot allows a voter to vote by mail in the 46 days before an election.
Since 2014, no excuse absentee voting has been available to all Minnesota voters and that permission extends to the permanent
absentee list. No reason needs to be provided to receive an absentee ballot.
The option to vote absentee for an individual election or a series of them is still available to Minnesota voters by completing an absentee ballot application at mnvotes.gov/absentee.
Voters can choose to leave the permanent absentee voter list by written request to
Ballot marking machines provide an accessible election option
Voting on election day is something many people don’t want to miss out on. It’s an important experience, especially for firsttime voters. Voters with disabilities can utilize different options when voting.
Voters can bring someone to assist with voting. Almost anyone can be an assistant or helper, except for someone’s employer or union representative. Assistants cannot influence how someone vote or mark the ballot for them if the voter cannot communicate to them who chosen candidates are.
Voters can also ask a head election judge to assign two judges to help. Curbside voting is another option at the polls, for someone who cannot easily get out of a motor vehicle.
One important means of assistance is with use of accessible voting marches or ballot marking systems. The only polling places in Minnesota not required to have ballot marking machines are townships with fewer than 500 registered voters.
The machines have many advantages, and have greatly evolved in design. The machines also provide an option for someone who cannot use a pen. Voters with visual disabilities also can easily vote via machine.
Each machine has a screen that displays the ballot in large print or with a highcontrast background. The machines also read the ballot to voters through headphones.
Voters in Minnesota who use ballot
Get Medicare and Medicaid benefits in a $0 plan
No monthly premium. No copays for covered medical, prescription drugs and dental.
Plus, more than 30 extra benefits like these*
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Call 877-778-7898 (TTY 711) to find out if you’re eligible. Oct. 1 to March 31: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, seven days a week; April 1 to Sept. 30: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.
marking machines use four different types of ballot markers, depending on where they live.
All machines allow candidate selections by touching the screen or using Braille keys. All will read the ballot to voters through headphones. All allow screens to be turned off for privacy.
All four print the voter’s choices on the ballot. Screens can be turned off for privacy and ballot choices printed.
OmniBallot is used in the following Minnesota counties: Anoka, Becker, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Clay, Cook, Douglas, Goodhue, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Jackson,
To page 4
their county elections office. Voters will be removed from the list if an absentee ballot is returned as undeliverable, if the county receives notice of their death, or if their voter status changes to “challenged” or “inactive.”
Eight other states – including Arizona, Montana, and Virginia - and Washington D.C. allow all voters to join a permanent absentee/ mail ballot list. Eleven additional states allow voters with permanent disabilities to join a permanent absentee/mail ballot list.
When voting absentee, read the instructions carefully so that a ballot will count. The voter will need a witness when voting and complete the ballot. The witness can be either a registered Minnesota voter or a notary. Return the ballot and forms right away so that votes count by the day of the election.
Voters can apply for absentee ballots online or by mail. Ballots can be tracked online through the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office, to make sure the ballots are counted.
To request an application in an alternative format such as Braille, please call 1-877-6008683.
Absentee ballots can be returned via mail, dropped off in person or dropped off via an agent before election day.
Go to https://www.sos.state.mn.us/electionsvoting/get-involved/voter-outreach-materials/ to learn more about absentee voting and other voting rules.
To learn more about REV UP MN voter education events, go to page 15
*Available
Voters don't have to go to the polls. Consider seeking permanent absentee ballots for elections going forward.
BALLOT MACHINES
FROM OUR COMMUNITY
Civil rights protections combat pervasive, persistent discrimination
by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights 2024 marks the 57th anniversary of one of the strongest civil rights laws in the country – the Minnesota Human Rights Act! While we take a moment to celebrate, we also know that discrimination is pervasive and persistent.
That’s why we’re focused on using the full power of the Minnesota Human Rights Act to build a world where everyone can lead lives full of dignity and joy, free from discrimination.
Learn about four ways we’re working to eliminate discrimination in Minnesota.
1. Investigating discrimination
Over the past year, state officials have investigated a wide array of cases. Some cases centered on disability-based discrimination. Through this work, we made sure that Minnesotans know what they can do to prevent and address discrimination.
Why they’re important: These cases send a strong message about the importance of preventing discrimination by having strong anti-discrimination policies, enforcing those
BALLOT MACHINES
From page 3
Kanabec, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Lyon, Lincoln, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Mower, Nicollet, Nobles, Pennington, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Redwood, Rice, Rock, Roseau, St. Louis (partial), Stearns, Swift, Todd, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan, Wilkin and Wright counties.
ImageCast Evolution is used in the following Minnesota counties: Aitkin, Crow Wing, Dakota, Mahnomen, Scott and Sherburne counties.
Verity TouchWriter is used in the following Minnesota counties: Big Stone, Chisago and Ramsey counties
AutoMARK is used in the following Minnesota counties:Beltrami, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Grant, Houston, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Marshall, Murray, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pope, Red Lake, Renville, Sibley, St. Louis(partial),Steele, Stevens, Traverse,
MSAD
From page 1
he circumvented the applicable collective bargaining agreement and procedures in assigning his son the duty of driving MSAD students to and from the camp. Additionally, it was alleged that Tyrel Wilding was compensated for driving MSAD students to the camp. Another MSA employee who also drove to the camp was initially not compensated.
The superintendent’s actions in assigning his son to drive the students to and from the camp were claimed to be a circumvention of the applicable collective bargaining agreement and procedures. The union involved is the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).
Another claim that was investigated as that the superintendent approved the use of MSA resources to transport MSAD and non-MSAD students to the camp, even though MSAD is not affiliated with the camp. The report indicates what while the state academies routinely provide transportation to and from their activities, transportation isn’t provided to nonaffiliated activities and programs.
The Daily News reported that AFSCME Council 5 Local 607 Field Representative Matt Slinger was among the only union representatives at the MSA Board meeting. “So, our contract language, we have 21 days from the time that we know that the contract is violated to file a grievance,” Singer said. “This was kept under wraps until that contract language was expired. So therefore, we could not pursue it. We're thankful that this investigation happened. So that way, there was some repercussions to that contract violation that did occur, that was kept from us.”
According to notes from his interview with the investigator, Terry Wilding was determined to secure transportation to the camp because he wanted to foster positive relationships between MSA families and possibly attract students during a time of low enrollment.
The union-negotiated contract states that
policies, and training on those policies.
2. Spreading the word about new laws
This year, important new laws went into effect. We did a lot of outreach and education about the pay history law and other new changes to the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Minnesotans deserve strong laws that prevent discrimination.
Pay history: This new law prohibits employers from asking about or considering an applicant’s past or current pay during the hiring process. If you’ve been asked about your past pay while applying for a job, please contact us.
Definition of disability is more inclusive: Minnesotans with intermittent health conditions like diabetes or epilepsy, or who have cancer in remission, will now have protections from disability discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. Learn more about this and other changes.
3. The road to transformational change with the City of Minneapolis and MPD
Transformational change requires continuous learning and doesn’t take place overnight. That’s why we continue to work
Wadena, Washington, Winona and Yellow Medicine counties. AutoMark is one of the ballot marking systems that has been around the longest. Counties can provide information about each system. Each precinct is supposed to have a judge who can assist
with the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Police Department, community members, and the monitoring team.
Why it’s important: Minneapolis community members deserve to be treated with humanity. The court enforceable agreement provides the framework for lawful, non-discriminatory policing, reduces unnecessary dangers for officers, and results in better public safety for Minneapolis.
Monitoring team in place: Effective Law Enforcement for All will support and hold the City and MPD accountable to address race-based policing by strengthening public safety.
4. Centering the customer experience
Whether you’re a business applying for a workforce certificate, someone reporting discrimination, or a business or a landlord responding to a charge of discrimination, we want to make sure you have a smooth experience. That’s why we’re finding ways to improve how everyone interacts with us.
Why it’s important: When we focus on the customer experience, we put the needs of
with a marking system. Voters can also search for manufacturers’ websites or look on YouTube for instructiona l videos.
“pick-up hours” or extra work opportunities, should be offered to all relevant employees and awarded based on seniority among the pool of interested workers. Wilding gave the job to his son. He admitted this was a mistake.
“Clearly, the process of planning that trip was not organized well,” Wilding said at the meeting. “There was a lot of last-minute planning and some assumptions made that led to this problem … My son was involved, trying to be helpful, but it did create a perception that I was micromanaging and trying to find a driver.”
Wilding said he requested another employee take the lead on compensating his son, due to the conflict of interest. However, a second driver in a second vehicle was not compensated until sometime later, which the investigation asserted in its conclusion.
“Ultimately, Tyrel Wilding was
Minnesotans at the center.
Catch up:
Investigating discrimination: Using feedback from individuals who reported discrimination to us, we have made it easier to easily schedule time with an investigator during the initial intake process. This has already resulted in decreasing the time it takes for someone to move through this process.
Contractor portal: Using feedback from businesses, we are in the initial stages of developing a portal for contractors to submit information for their Workforce and Equal Pay Certificates to improve their experience. Launching in 2025!
Plain language: We’re making updates to our website, forms, and applications to make sure Minnesotans can easily read, understand, and use them.
With the Discrimination Helpline, we want to hear from Minnesotans who believe they experienced discrimination.
Learn more at https://mn.gov/mdhr/
compensated and another MSA employee involved in facilitating the transportation to Camp UBU, albeit not as the driver of the MSAD Suburban, was not compensated,” the report stated.
Tyrel Wilding has sine resigned from the state academies. The Daily News quoted a report from the Brookings, South Dakota Sheriff’s Office indicating that Tyrel Wilding brought marijuana to the camp. The substance was found In a backpack he left in a maintenance shed. Charges against him were dropped in October 2023. This information is not in the state investigative report. It’s not clear if the marijuana was transported in the state vehicle.
This story was compiled by Editor Jane McClure with information from the Faribault Daily News and the state report.
AutoMARK
Verity TouchWriter
ImageCast Evolution
OmniBallot
FROM OUR COMMUNITY
He's new and wants to hear your ideas, Minneapolis residents
by Guthrie Bayard
I’m Guthrie Bayard, the City of Minneapolis’ first community specialist for people with disabilities. Before joining the city recently, I spent my entire career working in the disability justice field. In my new role, I help Minneapolis to be a more inclusive and accessible city for people of all abilities, but it’s not a job I do alone.
Since the mid-1970s, community members with disabilities have also given input about city services, projects and programs as part of the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities (MACOPD). The city is looking for new volunteers to serve with MACOPD. The fall recruitment cycle opens from September 1 and ends September 30. As an advisory committee, MACOPD serves primarily to advise the city’s elected
by Jane McClure
When I edited St. Paul neighborhood newspapers years ago, it was common to get phone calls that went like this:
“We’re trying to schedule a community meeting. When does the paper come out?”
I’d let the caller know our publication and distribution dates. Soon a call would come back. Maybe I’d get a hand-delivered news release, informing me of an upcoming meeting. Or the fax machine phone would ring, then start clicking with a document. The meeting was scheduled after the papers were distributed throughout the community.
That scenario isn’t meant to be today’s bit of community journalism nostalgia. It’s a reflection on how times have changed.
Readers still rely on newspapers to bring them important news and information. But readers also need information beyond what a monthly, weekly, twice-weekly or twicemonthly newspaper can provide.
News websites offer the chance to get the word out about events in a more timely manner than a print calendar can provide. We can offer a diversity of events for readers to choose from, including classes, performances, rallies, fundraising walks and runs, golf
COVID
From page 1
better combat the newer variants.
What’s been a frustration for many people is that the newest COVID-19 vaccine was not available as of mid-August. Many places including pharmacies no longer have vaccines available. Social media groups for people seeking vaccines have been filled with complaints about not being able to get the latest shots.
The FDA initially advised the manufacturers of the licensed and authorized COVID-19 vaccines that the COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 Formula) for use in the United States beginning in fall 2024 should be monovalent JN.1 vaccines. Based on the most current available data, along with the recent rise in cases of COVID-19 in areas of the country, the agency has further determined that the preferred JN.1-lineage for the COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 Formula) is the KP.2 strain, if feasible. This change
tournaments and so much more. We can allow links to websites for more information.
Access Press offer the opportunity to allow online postings about events. We do ask that the events not be business-related, to promote a sale or a product. That is, you cannot share your Presidents’ Day Sale. But if the president of XYZ Disability Partners is speaking at your annual conference, that is an events item.
We also ask that anyone posting an event list the disability accommodations offered. Those are mandatory for posts on www.
accesspress.org
Access Press in this issue makes a change in how it shares events. The changes were reviewed by our Access Press Editorial Committee and the full board. Our longtime Enjoy! and Opportunities calendars are no more, replaced with Take Note!
Take Note! will feature four or five events a month in print. We’ll mix it up to give many organizations a turn.
We’ve tracked some recent trends with the move to more online information. Here’s what we found:
• We hear from fewer disability service organizations wanting events printed in the paper. This trend reflects a lot of things
is intended to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 Formula) more closely match circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains. The FDA has communicated this change to the manufacturers of the licensed and authorized COVID-19 vaccines. The agency does not anticipate that a change to KP.2 will delay the availability of the vaccines for the United States.
So how should people stay safe? The best advice is familiar advice; mask up in public especially in crowds. Avoid people who are sick. Wash hands frequently. Stay home if you become ill and ask your care provider about Paxlovid if it can help with recovery. Access Press recently provided extended coverage of COVID-19 through a Minnesota Department of Health grant. Read past articles on our website at www.accesspress.org
Read more at https://www.cdc.gov/cfa-modeling-andforecasting/rt-estimates/index.html https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/ coronavirus/stats/case.html
policymakers, including the mayor, and give input to city staff. It’s a vital space for meaningful and educational dialogue to occur between residents and the city.
Many amazing disability justice advocates have served on MACOPD over the years. Some of the projects they advised on include the city’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Action and Transition plans, the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan, public parks and recreation facilities, and numerous pedestrian and transit-related projects.
Most recently, the committee advised on the new Nicollet redevelopment project, held a budget workshop with the mayor and city finance staff, and helped convene a listening session on the importance of mental health services at the developing South Minneapolis
Community Safety Center. The committee has changed the way city staff and their project partners talk about the nature and importance of accessibility. Consulting the committee is a critical step in the planning of any project impacting the public. It helps the city meet its legal obligations and strengthen its commitment to greater transparency and inclusivity. As a public institution, this is how things should be.
Minneapolis is looking for new volunteers to serve with MACOPD. Learn on the Minneapolis Advisory Committee on People with Disabilities webpage. You can also check out other openings on city boards, commissions, and advisory committees. You can also reach out to me directly with questions at guthrie.byard@minneapolismn.gov
that have happened. One is that many of our past contributors now share only on their websites and social media outlets, and use print media less.
• Another trend we see is that fewer of our community organizations having in-house staff to handle communications. Relying on outside agencies and contractors in some cases has led to a disconnect with Access Press.
• A third trend is that as fewer organizations submit items to us to publish, we are seen as unfairly favoring certain organizations. I’ve often said that we journalists are as good as what we get. When we don’t hear from longtime contributors, it affects all of us.
Then there are changes in the world of news media. More community papers have dropped or greatly scaled back events listings. Why?
Compiling events calendars takes time. In many cases we editors are having to use hyperlinks to get web addresses for print readers, instead of getting a press release with the URL in place.
We also get press releases that are very long, or that don’t fit our writing style and need to be heavily edited. That takes time away from other tasks.
And in some cases, editors contend that by dropping free events, more event organizers will buy advertising. That is not our motive at Access Press. But we do have some suggestions. Use the opportunity to share events online, on our website.
Consider joining our Access Press Directory as a way to reach community members and support us at the same time. It’s a great and inexpensive resource for arts groups. Consider budgeting to advertise a larger or annual event with us, in print, online or in both places.
Thanks for your understanding as we make this change. We hope it serves readers better in the long run. Contact me at jane@ accesspress.org or at 651-644-2133 ext. 1 if there are questions.
Jane McClure is editor at Access Press.
The Art of Disability Justice Now
Inspired by the principles of the Disability Justice Movement, this exhibition centers individuals who have historically been marginalized from the Disability Rights Movement: BIPOC, queer, trans, and immigrant disabled people. Learn more at mnhs.info/apjustice Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd St., Minneapolis, MN 55401
Guthrie Bayard
988 suicide, crisis helpline marks second year of service in nation
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has expanded services and continued to answer millions of calls, texts and chats from people experiencing mental health or substance use crises since its launch on July 16, 2022.
The agency heads for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provided an update on the service marking its second anniversary. HHS has invested nearly $1.5 billion into 988 as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s comprehensive strategy to address the nation’s mental health and substance use crises.
On July 16, 2022, the U.S. transitioned to 988 as a new, easy-to-remember way for anyone needing support to reach a trained crisis counselor at any time, day or night. More than 200 contact centers across the country provide support through 988. Significant investments in 988 at all levels have helped states, territories, and tribes to hire crisis counselors for improved local response, ensure national backup and expand services.
“Thanks to unprecedented federal funding provided by the Biden-Harris Administration, we’re connecting more people to help than ever before,” said HHS
Secretary Xavier Becerra. “We’re connecting them faster and with more personalized services, which are critical for helping people in crisis. We know that 988 is saving lives and helping millions of people. I hope anyone who feels alone, or that they are without options, knows that 988 is there to help.”
Since 988’s launch in July 2022, counselors answered more than 10 million calls, texts, and chats from people looking for help with suicidal thoughts and mental health and substance use-related crises. Of the 10 million contacts answered in the past two years, 1.7 million were texts – with 988 answering 51 percent more texts in the past 12 months than the year before.
Almost 1.2 million of the 988 calls were answered by the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL)
through 988’s Press 1 option, That is one of the ways veterans, service members and their families can reach the VCL.
Considering the full range of VCL services, veterans and their supporters have reached VCL through phone, online chat, and text over 2 million times since July 2022.
In 2023, 988 added Spanish text and chat, specialized services for LGBTQI+ youth and young adults , and videophone for American Sign Language (ASL) users. Since the expansions of services, 988 counselors
have answered about 20,000 Spanishlanguage chats and texts; more than 475,000 LGBTQI+ youth and young adult texts, calls, and chats; and about 20,000 videophone contacts in ASL.
Later this year, georouting technology is expected to help improve cell phone users’ connectivity to local services, by routing
this year, so that callers can be connected to centers that are better equipped to provide nearby resources and services.
“This milestone shines a light on the need for vital behavioral health services across the country. From implementing the easy-to-remember 3-digit code, to requiring text-to-988, to reporting outages, the FCC’s efforts have advanced 988 as a valuable place to seek help, no matter who you are or where you live,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “That’s why our continued efforts to improve 988 are so important. Next up is a georouting solution that will make it possible for callers in crisis to get help near where they are, instead of just based on the area code of their device. This will protect privacy while also ensuring that those who reach out to 988 can get connected to a local crisis center when and where they need it. This is critical for students away from family and friends, those who have recently relocated, and anyone who has a number that does not correlate with where they are when they need assistance in crisis.”
HHS’s $1.5 billion investment into 988 includes funding from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and supports the President’s Unity Agenda to address the mental health crisis. Much of that investment has gone directly to states, territories, and tribes to hire crisis counselors and improve local response, totaling nearly $370 million in grants that were awarded in fiscal years 2022 and 2023. More than $200 million in additional grants will be awarded in fiscal year 2024 to support states, territories and tribes as they continue to build out local capacity for crisis services and connect with more people in need.
Federal funding has also been used to bolster the national backup system so that anyone, no matter where they live, can reach a caring, trained counselor for help. The national backup network ensures that all contacts to 988 are able to be answered, regardless of a state’s local capacity, as long
Charlie Smith was an innovator in the disability community. With his father William A. Smith, he founded Access Press in 1991. Founders, for purposes of the award nominations, are defined as people who created something that didn’t exist before. Their creation is highlighted as benefiting the disability community in Minnesota.
Meet the nominees for the 2024 Charlie Smith Founders Award, listed in alphabetical order.
As a pastor at North Como Presbyterian Church, Rev. Bebe Baldwin started a disability committee. She then recruited other churches’ members to form the Presbytery Disability Concerns Ministry (DCM) in 1986. She was a key part of the ministry until 2020.
She also served on the leadership team of Presbyterians For Disability Concerns for many years, transitioning to a consultant role on disability issues.
The DCM provides consultative and educational services to congregations of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities Area (PTCA). The ministry assists pastors and church leaders in dealing with a person with a specific disability and offers educational programs at Presbytery meetings to acquaint clergy and other church leaders with disability issues. It cooperates with other faith group events and provides leadership to the Presbyterian Church (USA) on those issues.
The DCM has operated for almost 40 years. It has helped many congregations make facilities more accessible, develop programs to better serve disabled members and staff, and find ways to enable disabled members to use their gifts and talents.
It is recognized as the most effective
Access Press Awards
disability group in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and serves as a consultant on a denominational basis.
The DCM led the PTCA in developing and adopting a policy to guide the PTCA and its congregations as they minister to persons with disabilities.
In the PTCA, Baldwin has been the face of disability ministry. From the beginning she has kept the vision as to what the church can and should do in disability ministry.
With her leadership the educational and advocacy programs in churches have led to increased awareness of disability issues to church members, who then spread the word through other contacts. She led the DCM in partnering with secular disability advocacy groups to get their messages and programs into churches.
With Baldwin’s vision and leadership, DCM provides a place where persons with disabilities can develop their leadership gifts which they can then use in other areas of their lives.
As person who has been legally blind since she founded DCM, Baldwin has been an inspiration and example for others with disabilities. Before the ministry was established, few Presbyterian churches were very active in meeting needs of persons with disabilities. In fact, inaction and inaccessibility caused those with disabilities to have little to no church involvement.
The experience of Presbyterian churches and others is that there must be a catalyst for change to take place. Without the encouragement advocacy and education of Bebe Baldwin and DCM, it is not likely that PTCA churches would be as welcoming and supportive as they have become.
During the ministry’s existence, the PTCA had several major budget and staff reductions. Many committees and areas of ministry were discontinued or greatly reduced. DCM was marked for reduction or elimination several times. But through the efforts of Baldwin and the supporters she rallied, DCM continues. Without her work there would be no DCM.
For most of its existence, any discussion of the DCM began with discussion of the vision and ongoing work of Baldwin. In 2014 the DCM made a detailed report to the PTCA as a part of a review of its ministry. While the leadership of DCM has changed, that report provides a summary of the ministry’s history and efforts to improve the faith lives of church members with disabilities. still provides a good picture of its current work. And that work in large part is a reflection of the work of Bebe Baldwin.
Katie Lindenfelser, Cresent Cove
Katie Lindenfelser is the founder of Crescent Cove, the first and only children's
respite and hospice home in Minnesota. Crescent Cove provides care and support to children with shortened life expectancies, and to their families who love them.
Lindenfelser is a trained music therapist who saw an unmet need while providing music therapy to children in Minnesota. While working in Twin Cities hospitals, she saw families who were told by doctors that there were no more treatment options for their child. Families were told to prepare for their child's end of life.
The families, already devastated by news, were even more distraught to learn that the only options for a place for their child to die was in a hospital room or at their own home. The latter is often not an appropriate place due to other young siblings in the home, or due to challenging family dynamics. Lindenfelser then went to Australia to finish her master’s degree, where she worked as a music therapist at a pediatric respite and hospice home. There she witnessed the joy and comfort that can surround a child in their last days, and she was determined to start the first home of this kind in Minnesota.
Lindenfelser came back to Minnesota and started the nonprofit that would become Crescent Cove in 2010. She connected with families of children with complex medical conditions, who were stretched emotionally, physically, and spiritually by providing 24/7 medical care to their children.
She brought together a caring community of advocates and experts who helped her work on legislative changes, so that hospice licensure could apply to hospice homes for children and young adults. The changes were passed by the 2016 Minnesota Legislature.
Lindenfelser visited children's hospices in the U.K. and Canada to inform her work. After extensive community building and fundraising, the organization purchased what was once an adult hospice and transformed it into Crescent Cove.
After eight years of organizing, lobbying
and fundraising, Crescent Cove opened its doors in 2018, serving families of children with shortened life expectancies. True to her vision, the home is a place of joy and comfort to children during respite stays, and a sacred space for endof-life care. Crescent Cove has served more than 400 families in six years of operation. None of its work would be possible without Lindenfelser's tireless commitment to her vision.
There are currently four children's respite and hospice homes in the U.S. Crescent Cove was the third to open its doors. Throughout the years of working to make her vision a reality, Lindenfelser was often told “that won't work” or “families don't need a home like that.” Those comments came from people who did not know the path walked by families of children with complex disabilities and life-limiting conditions. Funders said they would donate to the home once it opened, but not before.
Lindenfelser was masterful at explaining her vision to others and asking them to give their talent in real estate law, advocacy, healthcare policy, and more, and eventually all the elements came together in 2018.
In 2023, Crescent Cove provided 764 nights of respite and end-of-life care, and welcomed 41 new families to its services. Many more families seek respite care each month but cannot be accommodated. The words of those grateful for such a home have silenced the skeptics. Families who never imagined they’d need such services for their children are grateful that Crescent Cove exists.
Barb Smith, Work Incentives Connection
Barb Smith founded and nurtured the Work Incentives Connection, now celebrating its 25th anniversary. It is an innovative resource for Minnesotans with disabilities. Smith spent the first half of her
Rev. Bebe Baldwin
Katie Lindenfelser
CHARLIE SMITH NOMINEES
Barb Smith
Access Press Awards
Friday, November 1 • Metro State University
Meet the nominees for the Tim Benjamin Sustainers Award
Tim Benjamin was a sustainer in the disability community. He led Access Press for 20 years, moving it forward and expanding its voice and reach. He did this work during a period that saw the decline of print news in many sectors and many locations, helping Access Press overcome trends for print media.
Sustainers, for purposes of the award, are defined as people or organizations leading the way to foster the growth of programs or services that have benefited the disability community in Minnesota.
Meet the nominees for the 2024 Tim Benjamin Sustainers Award, listed in alphabetical order.
Larissa Beck, Senior Director of Program Services at Reach for Resources
Driven by her passion to empower individuals, Beck has built strong relationships with businesses, other providers, statewide organizations including the Association of Residential Resources (ARRM), Arc Minnesota and many legislators, making sure they understand people have the option, and should have the opportunity, to live, work and play in their communities. This work includes ensuring that people
Because of her work, Beck was asked to be the representative on a subminimum wage task force in Minnesota on behalf of the state association, ARRM. She has worked to inform senators, representatives, and the governor about the benefits of employment supports and ending subminimum practices throughout Minnesota. In addition, Beck has actively participated in several committees, including ARRM’s
Service Innovation Committee, ARRM’s Unit-Based Services Committee, Minnesota Coalition for Disability Wage Justice, and the Minnesota APSE Public Policy Committee. Beck has been involved with Minnesota APSE for three years and last year was nominated to serve on the National APSE Board.
Beck has pushed the ball forward with inclusion and equitable employment for people with disabilities within the state of Minnesota and nationally. She has been a staunch advocate of eliminating subminimum wage so people are paid fairly for the work they do. She has contributed to this work in various capacities through her involvement with the Minnesota Subminimum Wage Council, Minnesota APSE, and the National APSE Board. Additionally, she has presented at regional and national conferences and continues to train staff and community members on Employment First and subminimum wage issues
Beck has a unique talent for bringing people with different backgrounds and lived experiences together to facilitate productive, healthy, and equitable conversations about ending subminimum wage and employment first. The topic can be a difficult one to discuss and work to change.
She works to inform and educate the community in an accessible way, sparking interest and passion toward an issue that many individuals are uninformed about or feel disconnected from. Without Beck’s efforts, many voices would be excluded from the narrative surrounding the elimination of subminimum wage and employment first.
Beck has been with Reach for Resources for 15 years. Currently, she is senior director of program services, overseeing the mental health, counseling, community living services, adaptive recreation, and waiver case management departments.
Beck has been a part of Reach for Resources since July 2009, when she started as a Community Living Specialist after earning her master’s degree in ethnic studies from Minnesota State UniversityMankato. While in college, she developed a passion for working with those with disabilities while volunteering for Special Olympics. Through her time at Reach for Resources, she has become the director of the Community Living Department, where she oversees the In-Home Services and Employment Support Services. Beck is involved in ARRM, is on the Association of People Supporting Employment Board of Directors, and has been Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) certified in Employment Services for People with Disabilities.
Her passion for ensuring individuals with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to live, work, and play in their community shines through in everything she does. With the person being supported as her top priority, she ensures that the supports align with their needs and desires for a fulfilling life and proactively searches for opportunities to strengthen and develop to the organization’s programming. Beck is a mover and shaker and the community is lucky to have her advocating full-force on behalf of the people who benefit from equitable employment.
Guild, Inc.
Guild, Inc. provides an array of services and resources for individuals experiencing mental illness and/or long-term homelessness, ranging from mental health crisis services to street outreach. Services are provided across Minnesota.
Guild’s roots go back to the 1970s. The Hastings State Hospital had closed. The Guild of Catholic Women, a volunteer organization, stepped forward to provide housing for individuals leaving the hospital. The individuals would have had no place to go otherwise. Volunteers had to mobilize quickly to help.
In 1990, the Guild of Catholic Women created Guild Incorporated. Guild Inc. was spun off as a separate, not-for-profit organization that continues to continue the services that were originally offered by the volunteer group.
Many changes were made over the years to how and where people are served, as needs and understanding of mental illness and homelessness have changed. What has not changed is that compassionate people who are ready to serve in the community can still be found at Guild.
Because mental illness and homelessness looks different for everyone, a teambased approach is used to deliver per-
son-centered care.
From mental health crisis services to street outreach, its staff is ready to help in some of the toughest situations.
One change over the years is where services are provided. Many services are mobile, meaning that help can be provided when and where needed.
Most people don’t want to talk about mental illness or know how to approach the growing homeless population. These topics can be difficult, nuanced and even troubling to talk about. But, Guild is on a mission to change that because these issues affect everyone. Guild works toward destigmatizing mental health and homelessness at all levels.
Guild serves its communities by providing quality, cost-effective services for those living with mental illness or experiencing long-term homelessness. Its services aim to prevent homelessness, unemployment, the use of high-cost emergency room and hospitalization services, and involvement in the criminal justice system. Those outcomes are significant social issues that emerge when individuals with mental illness go without the treatment and services they need to heal and stabilize.
Guild empowers change by engaging and putting individuals at the center of their own recovery. They provide a wide spectrum of services because they know that mental illness and homelessness look different for everyone, and they believe that every client is worthy of shelter, connection, and stability. They also recognize that systems built on racial inequity and social injustice significantly impact the lives of the people they serve and result in health care disparities and social determinants of health.
Its strong partnerships include ongoing work with the Minnesota Department of
Larissa Beck
Guild, Inc.
TIM BENJAMIN NOMINEES To page 10
career at Tasks Unlimited, a supported employment, housing and recovery program for people living with mental illness. She recognized that people with disabilities often limited their work due to fears of losing needed public benefits. There was no central source of information. Red tape prevented them from accessing the work incentives that did exist.
In 1993, Smith initiated the Minnesota Work Incentives Coalition. With no dedicated funding, the coalition began working with the Social Security Administration and other benefit providers to offer training sessions on Social Security, Medical Assistance and other work incentive topics.
A few years later, she worked with members of the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities to promote work incentives legislation at the state and federal levels. Working behind the scenes, Smith provided technical assistance on legislative language that was eventually incorporated into Minnesota’s Medical Assistance for Employed Persons with Disabilities (MAEPD) program.
In late 1998, Minnesota was one of only 12 states chosen to receive three-year grants, designed to remove barriers to employment for people with disabilities. Smith was hired by Vocational Rehabilitation Services to lead Minnesota’s grant project. While other states addressed barriers that Minnesota had already tackled, she had the vision to use Minnesota’s project funds to help people make informed decisions about work and benefits. Without her foresight, Minnesota would likely have gone in a different direction.
Instead, she led the creation of the Work Incentives Connection. She hired and trained staff who shared her dedication to the mission and who were detail-oriented. She and her staff held meetings throughout Minnesota to ask those affected how the connection could best be of assistance.
In designing the Work Incentives
Connection, she emphasized quality, accuracy and the need to make complex information easily understandable. Under Smith’s leadership, the Work Incentives Connection developed a range of services for people with all types of disabilities. These included: a statewide information and referral hotline; comprehensive benefits analysis reports with personalized information about work and benefits; and statewide outreach and training. She set up a cooperative system to verify benefits with the Social Security Administration, county financial workers, housing and other providers, so individuals could be assured of receiving tailored information, based on their unique situations. Thanks to her vision and expertise, Minnesotans with all types of disabilities can access the tools they need to ensure they’ll be better off when they work. Long before others, Barb Smith recognized a barrier that was preventing people with disabilities from going to work and achieving their full potential. She had the skills and tenacity to build an organization to address that gap.
She steered the Work Incentives Connection from its origins as a temporary government project to an independent nonprofit. Later, she led the connection’s transition to a program of Goodwill/Easter Seals of Minnesota where it continues today. Had it not been for her persistence, creativity and dedication, the connection would likely have disappeared after the initial, threeyear grant. Without her vision, it might never have existed at all.
Smith retired in December of 2018, but made sure the Work Incentives Connection had highly qualified staff and systems in place. In 2024, the Work Incentives Connection is celebrating its 25th anniversary. It is poised to continue changing people’s lives well into the future
Liza Robson, Constellation Coffee
Constellation Coffee is a dreamturned-reality for Liza Robson. She wanted to create opportunities for people with differing abilities to find success in meaningful employment.
As the parent of a son on the autism
spectrum, Robson saw a need in the community for a work environment that removed the barriers to meaningful employment that are faced all too often by people like her son.
Tucked into the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce building on Galaxie Avenue, the little coffee shop serves great coffee and exudes a sense of calm. Much thought was put into the design, from the soft couch and fireplace just outside the entrance, to the quiet tables and chairs inside the shop. But there are features to serve workers and clients with disabilities.
Constellation Coffee has no pipedin music as Robson knows this can be a distraction for people with autism spectrum disorders and other disabilities.
Understanding that accessibility is often a challenge for people with physical disabilities, Robson successfully petitioned the City of Apple Valley to allow for a drive-through window. She did this at a time when drive-up windows have been discouraged in other cities.
With the workers, Robson and manager Carrie Wetzler work hard to ensure that each employee has what they need to be successful in employment. An example is a special chair for one employee when working at the cash register, to ease his chronic back pain.
Employees wear navy blue T-shirts and khaki pants. The back of the T-shirts includes the words, "caring, capable, community" which is exactly what
patrons find when they enter the coffee shop. Posted around the store are little signs reminding patrons to be patient, kind, encouraging, understanding, and grateful. The result is a positive working environment for employees, and a relaxing environment for customers. Robson is a lifelong resident of the Apple Valley area. She has volunteered with many organizations including the annual Matt Fischer Boy Scout breakfast that raises money for North Star Scouting. The breakfast was held at Constellation Coffee this year. Robson's efforts are not for selfrecognition. She has said many times that Constellation Coffee is not a moneymaking venture for her. It is instead an opportunity to help people in the community, disabled and non-disabled alike. With Constellation Coffee, she hopes to create a bridge between people with disabilities and the community at large. She wants to educate the community about people with special needs because she knows that a lot of people are not exposed in meaningful ways to people who are different from themselves.
People are people, and Constellation Coffee is one way to bring the community together and help remove obstacles to people with disabilities in the workplace and beyond.
Without Robson's tenacity, this coffee shop and its unique opportunities for people with disabilities would not exist. She tirelessly petitioned the city for permits and worked daily with the many contractors involved to create this beautiful space. She spent many days (and nights) in the shop during its construction overseeing the progress in spite of construction delays and the like. Her concern for her son, Matty, and for so many people in the community who have faced similar struggles, led her to push this project forward.
Her time investment and her passion for the disability community made this happen. When parents see their children working at Constellation Coffee with smiles on their faces, they know Robson’s work was time well-spent. They are grateful beyond measure.
Liza Robson
Human Services, Mental Health Legislative Network and many other allies. These relationships give the organization a seat at the table where it can advocate for policy change at the local and state levels.
Giving voice to clients and connection in the communities allows Guild to dispel myths and create understanding.
For many people, working is about more than earning money. Guild’s employment services promote work as part of the recovery process.
Guild served 2,185 clients and provided 480 services daily in 2023. The services included mental health care, housing support, and employment placement.
The unfortunate reality is that most people don’t want to talk about mental illness or don’t know how to approach the growing homeless population. Guild’s team is filled with compassionate people who are ready to serve in our communities and understand how to deliver person-centered care.
Paul Pranghofer, adapted sports pioneer
Paul Pranghofer has been a longtime advocate for sporting activities for people with disabilities. He was one of the originators of adapted sports that eventually became a part of the Minnesota State High School League’s supported activities.
He has been instrumental in the establishment and growth of adapted athletics over a 55-year career.
His involvement and leadership has had a valuable impact on thousands of students and adults, opening up opportunities for them to participate in sports and activities that many thought would ever be possible.
Pranghofer is a sought-after public speaker, talking to a wide array of groups about the importance of adapted sports and about his life experiences.
The Golden Valley resident was born without arms. One of his legs is shorter than the other.
He graduated from Minneapolis John Marshall High School in 1972. Marshall, which is now closed, was one of the first high schools in the region to focus on how students with disabilities could be more active and engaged in their schools. That included adapted sports. Some of the state’s first prep sports team were from the Minneapolis Public Schools.
Pranghofer earned an associate degree in computer programing from Control Data Institute. He then worked as a software developer for many years. He has also worked in customer service.
He and his wife Maureen met as 10-yearolds at Camp Courage near Maple Lake. He impressed her with his skills in a contest where campers ate cereal. Their story is one of commitment and facing odds together.
The Pranghofers are active church members and community volunteers.
When he and Maureen once considered a move, neighbors pitched in and made their home accessible, to keep the wellliked couple in the community. Neighbors donated thousands of hours so the couple could stay and lead lives that are independent.
He is best known for his work with the Minnesota State High School League.
He has been a league-registered sports official for 30 years. He was active in the Minnesota Adapted Athletics Association for 30 years.
Pranghofer has been involved in adapted athletics including soccer, floor hockey and softball. He has officiated in 87 Minnesota State High School League state tournaments. For 28 years, he has served as an official and board member for the adapted sports organization. We Love to Play.
In 2024 at the boys’ state basketball tournament, Pranghofer was presented with the Minnesota State High School League’s Officials Distinguished Service Award. The award is given to officials who show commitment and excellence to the officials' programs that support the member schools.
Along with serving student-athletes of the high school league member schools, he has dedicated himself to community service, providing introduction to various sports to underserved youth in other parts of the world. Pranghofer has made 17 missionary trips to Haiti, Slovakia and Liberia connecting with disabled youth in those countries and demonstrating what they are capable of doing if they put in the effort.
There is no doubt that the adapted sports would not have happened is not for the persistence and commitment of Pranghofer and others in making sure that students with disabilities deserved and had the right to participate in sports as representatives of their schools. His belief that he and others, although limited by a disability, are athletes in their own right and that they could compete at a high level if given the opportunity.
Valerie Shirley, Minnesota Deaf Muslim Community
Valerie Shirley is the executive director and a founder of the Minnesota Deaf Muslim Community (MDMC). MNDC provides culturally competent services to the Deaf Muslim community, including ASL language services and life skills training.
Shirley deserves this nomination to honor her many years of dedication and service to a cause, to provide culturally competent service to the deaf Muslim community, the BIPOC community, and to persons living with multiple diagnosis. In doing so, she provides a wonderful service to others who do not understand the needs of the community.
Shirley learned American Sign Language (ASL) after she became the parent of a son who has been deaf since suffering a stroke as an infant. Not only did she learn to sign, but she became a certified ASL interpreter and a teacher of ASL. Deaf community needs were soon something Shirley became all too aware of.
She started Minnesota Deaf Muslims to meet a community need, She provides services to those who need them, regardless of whether anyone has the ability to pay for such services. She has worked hard to make her organization sustainable for years to come.
During the tight times, she has taken on additional jobs to cover the bills. During the good times she has worked to obtain grant funding and donations.
Shirley’s work in serving college students was a highlight of her nomination, with emphasis placed on her work with college students with hearing disabilities. There is a specific need not just for interpretive services but for services that can be effective and culturally appropriate for the deaf, BIPOC and Muslim communities. Those factors create complex needs that Shriley has been able to handle.
Having a spotlight on Shirley teaches the community about the specific needs
of many cultural groups with disabilities, not just the specific needs of the deaf community.
Shirley makes sure that the services are appropriate to a specific culture and appropriate to the disability. For example, she has expertise in working with people who are deaf and neurodiverse. English is a phonetic language, difficult to learn for people who are deaf, even more difficult if complicated by a learning disability.
Shirley is able to draw on a broad base of experiences in her work,. She has led MDMC for almost a decade. Before that she had several years’ experienced as a teacher of deaf and hard of hearing students, in the St. Paul, Eden Prairie and West St. PaulMendota Heights-Eagan district. She also taught ASL in the Edina Public Schools.
MDMC not only provides interpreting service, it also trains more people to enter this profession.
Shirley’s work and commitment to deaf students fills a key need, as well as a gap in education. It’s not clear who if anyone would meet such a unique need. She is providing services to a community that may not have had effective services, or perhaps any services.
In 2021 the St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation honored Shirley for her work bringing resources to the deaf BIPOC community with a Facing Race award, honoring her efforts to combat institutional racism.
Shirley once said, “I have learned that you can’t fight the whole system and come out on top. But you can start a small system of your own that gives opportunities and helps provide resources to those who are left out. Those who are most isolated have the least resources, and MDMC is here to uplift them.”
Debbie Tillman, Normandale Community College
Normandale Community College (NCC) opened in 1968. Because its buildings were accessible and interconnected, it attracted students with mobility issues. A foundation grant later enabled NCC to add services for students with hearing and visual disabilities.
These services were part of the Independent Learning Center, which also offered such services as tutoring, makeup testing and GED testing. The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) led to more students with disabilities attending NCC. By 2001 the program was serving about 200 students.
Debbie Tillman joined NCC in 2001, making the move from the Bloomington Public Schools. She serves as director of the Office of Students with Disabilities and as academic support services director. Under her leadership the program now serves about 1,000 students each year with about 500 students being new each year.
Tillman’s job has had many changes over the years, as the understanding and needs of the disability community have changed. While the office continues to serve students with vision, hearing and mobility issues, the majority of students served now have a mental health diagnosis. This has not only led to significant changes in the services offered by but a major shift in how the staff relate to faculty and other college staff as they work with and advocate for students with disabilities.
The Office of Students with Disabilities serves several communities. First is the community of students. Tillman has created a safe place where students can share their concerns with trusted staff and with fellow students who may have similar concerns.
A second community is the faculty. The students are enrolled in all programs, so all faculty will have them in classes. Even after 25 years of ADA, there are still some who view these students as not being college material. Tillman is engaged in an ongoing program of education with faculty and serving as an advocate for students.
A third community is that of other staff. The same concerns that some faculty have may be shared by staff in such areas as admissions, financial aid and counseling. Again, Tillman plays an advocacy role.
A fourth community is made up of parents. Parents may have questions about how their child will adjust to college; what programs to pursue and questions about how the disability will be accommodated at NCC. Here again Tillman devotes much time to education and advocacy. Her work with parent help spread the word about the program and increase its stature and the stature of Normandale.
The Office of Students with Disabilities and its services predated Tillman’s tenure by many years. But in her 23 years of leadership she has been the major force in its ability to expand to serve the increased student demand and the expanding number of students with changing disabilities. She has done this work with professionalism and integrity.
Here is an excerpt from a biography of Tillman: “During her tenure at the college, she has found great joy developing a strength-based, collaborative and supportive team to better support students, the campus community. and the profession. She grew through many experiences in her 23 years both in and out of the Office of Students with Disabilities, including adding additional staff, construction projects, the integration of a custom internally-developed database, becoming the Title IX Pregnant and Parenting Deputy, and supervising other departments such as the Tutoring Center, TRIO/Student support services, and serving as the IX Coordinator.”
Anita Boucher, Jenni Floria, Sofia Hylen, Jane Larson, Jim Muckenhim, Dawn Marie Nelmark,
Ockwig, Manley Olson.
Paul Pranghofer
Valerie Shirley
Debbie Tilllman
Bonuses are announced for Minnesota direct support professionals
More than 200,000 long-term care workers may qualify for bonuses of up to $1,000 from the state of Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) announced the bonuses.
Direct support professionals are workers who support people with disabilities, aging Minnesotans and children with autism. They are sometimes known as personal care assistants, nursing home workers or other titles. Direct support professionals help people bathe, shower, get in or out of chairs, use the bathroom, eat and perform other daily activities.
With $84 million approved in 2023, the Minnesota Care Force Incentive Program recognizes the essential work of direct support professionals. Funds will go to organizations that will pay bonuses to eligible employees in early 2025.
“These payments recognize our direct support workforce and how much we
Rainbow Health woes continue
Rainbow Health, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit group that abruptly halted operations in July, has told the state Attorney General’s Office that it intends to dissolve, with a $334,000 hole in its finances.
In a filing, Rainbow Health listed assets of just over $566,000 and debts and liabilities of about $900,000.
The nonprofit was a health and social service agency focused on helping people with HIV as well as members of the state’s LGBTQ community. Former union workers have been pushing for Rainbow Health to provide a final month’s worth of pay plus compensation for unused PTO.
Besides the $347,000 in accounts receivable, Rainbow Health listed $219,000 in bank/investment fund accounts.
The largest debt listed was about $400,000 for “30-day notice to unionized employees,” the filing states, plus another $139,000 in accounts payable. The overall accounting for liabilities “is still in flux as staff are working to close down the organization,” according to the notice.
Rainbow Health estimates dissolution costs of about $195,000, including about $80,000 for preparation of final returns and audits.
The agency said the estimate for overall dissolution costs “is a moving target.”
Rainbow Health shut down abruptly in midJuly. In its closure announcement on social media, management said the organization had “insurmountable financial challenges.”
Clients, many of whom are disabled, were left scrambling for options.
Officials at the Minnesota Department of Human Services said the agency had open grants and partnerships with Rainbow. The state’s first act was to help with urgent services like medications and rental assistance. Much of that work and funding has been transferred to the Aliveness Project, another Twin Cities HIV services organization.
The Minneapolis City Council recently transferred nearly $2 million of federal funding from Rainbow to the Aliveness Project. It went toward rent payments and utility bills for 90 former Rainbow Health clients.
(Source: Star Tribune, Minnesota Public Radio) Settlement to aid inmates
A legal settlement means that Minnesota prison inmates with hearing loss will get the same critical messaging that hearing prisoners get over the facilities’ public address systems.
The settlement agreement between MidMinnesota Legal Aid’s Minnesota Disability Law Center and the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC). The center represented two inmates of the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Stillwater, one deaf and one hard of hearing, who were missing critical announcements they needed for everyday living and for their long-term health needs.
One of the men, Jamie Richardson, has been at Stillwater since 2002 as part of a life sentence. DOC had provided him some accessibility accommodations but had turned down requests for other accommodations. As a result, he was denied access to oral announcements, telephone service and the opportunity to learn American Sign Language (ASL).
The DOC’s oral announcements — about such things as lunch, classes, medication, lockdown and exercise — are essential to everyday functioning at Stillwater, said Disability Law
value their work,” said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. “We’re grateful the legislature and Gov. Tim Walz created this fund to help address one of our major workforce challenges.”
State officials have a set process for the bonuses. Employers may submit applications for the Minnesota Care Force Incentive Program between August 15 and September 30. The next step is that DHS will contact provider organizations that qualify later this year. Exact amounts of individual bonuses will depend on how many applications the state receives. The bonuses could be as high as $1,000 per direct support professional.
For more information: Minnesota Care Force Incentive Portal or https://pcgus.jotform. com/team/mncareforce/portal.
(Source: Minnesota Department of Human Services)
Center attorney Sonja Dunnwald Peterson. Denying him access to those announcements was a violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act, she said.
According to Peterson, the prison system dictates when inmates line up at the front of their cells to be counted, eat and get medication. Inmates can be disciplined if they miss calls to do so. It can also be dangerous for an inmate to be outside his cell during lockdown, a jam he could find himself in if he doesn’t hear the lockdown announcement.
Richardson also alleged that when he reported the problems, he was threatened by a prison program director, who intimated that he was unlikely to get prison jobs he wanted if he continued to complain.
The other inmate, Timothy Allen Lake, has been deaf since birth. The Stillwater prison provided him with some accessibility accommodations for his disability, but Lake repeatedly requested additional accommodations, similar to those requested by Richardson, that went unfilled.
Another problem was that accommodations for deaf inmates were often faulty or illmaintained — when they were used at all.
Before the suit was filed, the DOC, under the urging of Legal Aid, provided pagers to help corrections staff communicate with prisoners such as Richardson, but that proved insufficient when it came to light that staff weren’t using the pagers. That revelation was one of the final factors that triggered the lawsuit.
The Disability Law Center was part of a previous lawsuit, in 2018, that addressed similar circumstances. The DOC, attorneys said in regard to Richardson and Lake, failed to maintain the TTY it provides in “operable working condition” as required by ADA regulations and the terms of a settlement reached in the previous suit.
The settlement agreement on behalf of Richardson and Lake, reached after rounds of mediation, requires the DOC to issue a new policy stating that pages must be made immediately after the P.A. announcement, except in the case of an emergency. It also requires prison administrators to circulate a memo to the Stillwater correction officers about the policy, and to detail protocols for training staff, investigating complaints and taking disciplinary action in case staff fails to follow the new policies.
The Minnesota DOC will also pay Legal Aid $66,000 in attorney fees.
(Source: Minnesota Lawyer)
Study results released
The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities has announced the findings from the newest phase of its intersectionality study, focusing on youth perspectives and the promise of One Minnesota.
The pilot study was completed in July 2024 and included 261 young Minnesotans ages 13-22. This quantitative and qualitative study divided respondents into four groups by race and ethnicity and disability status. The control group was made up of 176 individuals without disabilities, and there were 85 respondents with disabilities. These groups were then broken down into white (70 percent) and BIPOC groups (30 percent), which closely matches the diversity of the general population of young Minnesotans.
BIPOC teens and young adults without disabilities experience twice as many incidences
of discrimination, reporting dissatisfaction with the way there are treated 12 percent of the time, as compared to white youth without disabilities who reported dissatisfaction at a rate of 6 percent. Minnesota teens and young adults with disabilities experience more than twice as many incidences of discrimination, the study revealed a 19 percent dissatisfaction rate as compared to youth without disabilities who reported dissatisfaction 9 percent of the time. The relative amounts of reported discrimination experiences were highest among young white Minnesotans with disabilities, at 26 percent.
A discrimination index was reported for each of the four groups. Young people without disabilities scored 56 while BIPOC without disabilities scored 107. The discrimination indices were notably higher for young people with disabilities. White youth with disabilities scored 158 and BIPOC with disabilities scored 142.
When respondents with disabilities go into the community they describe feeling misunderstood, excluded and frustrated, while young people without disabilities say they feel at ease, confident and accepted.
Stories were also gathered about specific areas where young Minnesotans felt excluded. These areas include social exclusion, workplace discrimination, healthcare discrimination, and inadequate support services.
Learn more at https://mn.gov/mnddc/ (Source: Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities)
Plaza improvements needed Rochester’s Peace Plaza’s improvements were unveiled as part of the city’s $19.4 million Heart of the City project. While the plaza has many attractive features, concerns have been raised that it is not as accessible as it should be.
Disability advocates have expressed concerns about mobility issues on the plaza ever since it reopened to the public in 2022. They point to wheelchairs and walkers getting stuck in the raised letterings on pavers that make up a poetry installation by artist Ann Hamilton. And increasingly, they point out bricks on the plaza that have begun to shift and sink — creating tripping hazards for the mobility-impaired.
But mostly, they question why in a city that draws more than 1 million health care visitors
annually — many of them using crutches, canes and walkers — more consideration wasn’t given to individuals with accessibility challenges. City officials have begun exploring potential solutions to addressing concerns with the pavers, from grinding down raised letters that exceed the 1/16-inch threshold, to testing the soil to find out why pavers on portions of the plaza are settling.
Josh Johnsen, Rochester’s strategic initiatives director, said the goal is to not only to correct the issues within the plaza, but also to find ways to mitigate potential challenges down the road.
“We can’t ignore the feedback that people would like a larger, clear walking space where the heaviest traffic is occurring in the plaza,” Johnsen said. “We have a sensitive population that comes to Rochester, and we need to be mindful of their accessibility needs.”
Public art was a key priority for city and Destination Medical Center (DMC) leaders when designing the latest iteration of Peace Plaza, so much so that $3 million was spent to bring in renowned artists To ensure ADA compliance, city and DMC officials said they brought in people with various mobility challenges to test out the surface on a prototype in the basement of the Rochester Art Center. The experience led to the determination that the raised letterings should be no more than 1/16 of an inch above the surface.
Rochester Mayor Kim Norton, who as a member of the DMC Corporation Board approved the final design, said she was assured at the time that the installation would not be an issue. But within months of its opening in 2022, social media threads began to fill up with hundreds of comments about the hazard of the raised letterings.
Since then, Norton said she has heard from at least a couple of people who have fallen on the plaza as a result of the uneven surfaces. She said the goal moving forward is to find solutions for addressing concerns related to mobility — such as grinding down uneven letters — while also ensuring that art remains a central component of the plaza experience. Some say that the bigger issue is the settling of the pavers, which at various points has resulted in sinking, shifting and dislocated bricks. The problem has led the city to put up signs warning of uneven surfaces.
(Source: Star Tribune)
South St. Paul's Townsend is one of nine Arts Midwest honorees
Arts Midwest has announced the nine winners of the 2024 Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities. The award, designed to support accessibility in the arts and celebrate the exceptional work of disabled Midwestern visual artists, has received an incredible response from the artistic community. More than 300 artists applied to receive funds. A panel of seven reviewers narrowed the pool to nine finalists from across the Midwest. Each recipient will receive $3,000 to support their artistic journey, with no restrictions on how they choose to use this funding.
The lone Minnesotan selected is visual artist Virginia Townsend of South St. Paul. Townsend wrote, “My work is disability- and femme-centric non-objective abstract art. My goals are to explore my experiences of mental health unit hospitalizations, being “high need” according to Hennepin County, and navigating group homes and other facilities as a woman with trauma. My goal is to challenge the idea that topics related to women need to be represented by literal depictions of femme bodies, often sexualized. Using non-representational scenes I level uneven power dynamics between those with disability and those without. My goal is for no one to have an advantage when viewing my work, so viewers of class or economic status differences can interpret the images
The Arc Minnesota welcomes new leader
The Arc Minnesota's Board of Directors has appointed Naveh Eldar as its new chief executive officer or CEO, effective September 3. Eldar brings a wealth of experience in leading and improving human services. His background includes roles in case management, residential counseling and supervising day programs. Most recently, he introduced a new model of supported employment in Tennessee as the Director of IDD Programs for BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Eldar's commitment to human and civil rights aligns perfectly with Arc Minnesota’s mission to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across Minnesota.
“The Arc Minnesota Board is excited to welcome Naveh Eldar as our new CEO,” said Poppy Sundquist, co-chair of the Arc Minnesota Board of Directors.
Maren Christenson Hofer, board co-chair, added, “We warmly welcome Naveh Eldar to the Arc Minnesota, and look forward to his leadership as we move into the Arc’s next chapter of removing barriers and increasing access for people with IDD and their families throughout Minnesota.”
In his new role, Eldar will guide Arc Minnesota with leadership, vision, and strategic direction to ensure that we continue providing the essential services our community relies on. He shares Arc Minnesota’s dedication to ensuring that everyone has the right to work, love, travel, live independently and pursue their goals with self-determination.
The Ranch is fundraising focus
Members of the 1980 United States Olympic “Miracle on Ice” hockey team gathered for their fourth annual fundraising golf tournament in Prior Lake this summer to raise money for “The Ranch.” Before teammate Mark Pavelich’s death, he
in equally meaningful ways. This helps people less defensive and more open-minded when talking about historically stigmatized subjects, like mental illness and behavioral disorders. My work expresses these goals
wanted to start the Ranch to provide mental health care in Central Minnesota for those in need of assistance. He wanted the facility to help former athletes and others in need of care.
The Ranch had its official ribbon cutting about one year ago in Sauk Centre.
In the time since, they’ve welcomed folks from across the United States and Canada for various therapies. One offering is horse therapy.
There’s a statue of Olympian and Minnesotan Mark Pavelich as visitors enter the grounds.
Pavelich got the big assist on the gamewinning goal by Mike Eruzione against the Soviets, on the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic team.
Pavelich played hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota North Stars, New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks.
Years later, in 2021, Pavelich died by suicide.
Pavelich’s family said he had a goal to assist those struggling with mental health.
“Hopefully, if we can help somebody else, it would mean so much to him,” said Jean Pavelich Gevik, his sister.
Pavelich’s former hockey teammates from the Iron Range, Olympics, and NHL have turned out to make the dream to build the facility into a reality.
Learn more at https:// theranchteammatesforlife.org/
Accessible resort opens doors
Sean and Jill Leary are building North of North, a three-cabin resort on 11 acres of raw land at 12265 State Highway 1, 10 miles east of Ely, from scratch.
The first cabin just opened for guests. The other two were near completion. The resort is surrounded by the Superior National Forest wilderness and is approximately a
by setting the scene for novel and solutionfocused conversations. The way I paint is using repeating patterns, neon colors, and weaving layers to demonstrate immediacy and complexity higher need disabled people
mile from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. North of North is perhaps unique in the Northland woods for being built, from the ground up, to be fully accessible for many people with disabilities. Sean Leary has used a wheelchair for more than two decades, so developing an accessible resort was important to their family.
Their small resort was built using idea to build a small resort using accessible design principles, inside and outside. Even the saunas are wheelchair-accessible.
Sean is an environmental consultant and Jill is a Spanish teacher. They and their family live in Minneapolis. He has used a wheelchair since a motor vehicle accident at age 18. He adapted his outdoor pursuits, and met Jill when she was a canoe trip guide. The St. Cloud natives married in 2010.
The resort is a for-profit venture with an affiliated nonprofit, Adaptive Wilderness Within Reach. The nonprofit recently received $16,000 from the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation to buy accessible kayaks and build an accessible kayak launch at the end of their unusually long boardwalk/dock, which is also fully accessible. Canoes and kayaks can be rented. More activities and offerings are planned for the future.
To learn more about the resort, go to
face with their services and the difficulty large systems have providing truly personcentered care.”
Other winners are Serena Elston (Chicago, Illinois), Emily Wilson Gillespie (Bloomington, Indiana), Lindsey RowHeyveld (Decorah, Iowa), Charlie Reynolds (Dexter, Michigan), Danielle Billing (Enderlin, North Dakota), Heather Moore (Columbus, Ohio), Mark Hansen (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) and Carly “Car” Reigger (Madison, Wisconsin)
“The best part of this process, without a doubt, has been getting to see all the incredible artwork submitted alongside the applications,” said John Kaiser, grants manager and accessibility co-coordinator at Arts Midwest. “I don’t envy the panels job of selecting just one artists per state when there are so many worthy of recognition.”
Established in 2022, the Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities is supported by the James Edward Scherbarth and Paul Francis Mosley Giving Fund. The award was created in honor of the late James Edward Scherbarth, an award-winning visual artist, visual arts teacher, and advocate of arts access who lived and worked in Minnesota. Scherbarth believed that creativity lives in everyone. He dedicated his career to helping people express themselves through the visual arts.
Arts Midwest is located in Minneapolis.
northofnorthresort.com. To learn more about the nonprofit, go to awwr.org.
Accord acquires wellness center
Social services provider Accord has announced the acquisition of Edges Wellness Center LLC, a mental health and wellness services organization located in Minneapolis. The strategic acquisition is intended to expand service capacity and enhance the quality of support provided to communities in the region, particularly the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
"We are thrilled to welcome Edges Wellness Center into the Accord family," said Rita Wiersma, Accord CEO. "This acquisition represents a powerful partnership that will enhance our ability to serve our communities with high-quality, inclusive support. Together, we are stronger and better equipped to make a positive impact."
The acquisition of Edges Wellness Center marks a significant step forward for Accord. Edges Wellness Center will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Accord, retaining its brand identity while benefiting from Accord’s leadership and administrative expertise. Accord and Edges Wellness Center share a deep commitment to inclusivity, affirming and culturally attuned care, and high standards of service. Both organizations will continue to actively engage with LGBTQIA2S+ communities to ensure their needs are met and their voices heard.
Accord leaders intend to have minimal disruptions to the services provided by Edges Wellness Center. Mark Reese will continue to serve as clinical director, ensuring continuity of care, while Alex Iantaffi has chosen to pursue new professional directions. An Executive Director will be appointed in the future.
Virginia Townsend explores mental health issues through art.
Naveh Eldar
North of North cabin
ARTS MIDWEST
Emerick honored with AuSM’s Jean Bender Changemaker Award
Joyner Emerick is the 2024 recipient of the Jean Bender Changemaker Award, presented during the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM) 2024 annual meeting this summer.
Emerick is an AuSM board member and the first openly-autistic member of the Minneapolis Public Schools School Board.
Emerick’s leadership was instrumental in getting Autism Acceptance Month and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month added to the Minneapolis Public Schools’ calendar. Her advocacy on ableism and disability rights has included testimony in congressional hearings that led to recent legislation introducing anti-ableism training to Minnesota educators.
The award is the second such award presented by AuSM. Bender in 2023 was presented with the inaugural Jean Bender Changemaker Award. She stepped down from AuSM’s board last year after a decade of leadership.
“I want to call out Joyner’s incredible bravery in speaking out not just on behalf of autistic people, but of all marginalized populations, every disability—Black, Indigenous, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrant families, and more. If there is someone whose back is against the
Nousaine championed access in North Country
John Nousaine was a champion of disability rights advocacy and access in the DuluthSuperior region. Nousaine died this summer while diving at a shipwreck in Lake Superior off Isle Royale National Park. He was 70 years old and lived in Superior, Wisconsin.
Nousaine was the retired director of North Country Independent Living, now known as indigo. He was known for pushing for many initiatives including accessible sidewalks, transportation, assistive technology, managed care and a federal work-at-home program. He was involved with passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and was present at the ceremonial signing in Washington, D.C. in 1990.
A native of New York Mills, Nousaine lost a leg in a construction accident at the age of 24. He served as director of North Country Independent Living for decades, retiring
REGIONAL NEWS
From page 11
Board members are sought
Applications are open for people interested in serving on the executive board of Minnesota’s state-operated behavioral health care system.
Known as Direct Care and Treatment, or DCT, the system serves more than 12,000 patients and clients each year at psychiatric hospitals and other inpatient mental health facilities, substance-use disorder treatment facilities, special care dental clinics and group homes for people with disabilities.
Currently part of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), DCT will become a separate state agency on July 1, 2025. A ninemember executive board and a chief executive officer will oversee the new agency.
Gov, Tim Walz will appoint six board members. The panel will also include the commissioner of DHS and two non-voting members, one appointed by the Association of Minnesota Counties and one jointly appointed by labor unions representing DCT staff.
The Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office is managing the application process. For more information about the open board seats and qualifications for each position, or to apply, visit the office’s Boards and Commissions webpage or https://commissionsandappointments. sos.state.mn.us/Agency/Details/362.
Children need to get vaccines
The school year starts in Sepotember for many Minnesota families. Physicians are concerned about children being undervaccinated.
There is currently a global outbreak of measles, with 34 cases reported in Minnesota. There have been more than 500 cases of
wall, or who is affected by systems our society has in place, Joyner is there working on their behalf—and listening to them, first,” said Bender.
Last year, Emerick joined the Minnesota Department of Education’s first-ever Disability Inclusion Advisory Work Group, which has begun state-level groundwork toward developing further guidance for the state. Emerick also introduced a resolution to the Minneapolis School Board to form the Special Education Community Work Group. They continue to lead MPS in its partnership with Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCCR) to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately affects students of color.
Ellie Wilson, AuSM executive director, said that presenting the award as a surprise was “a bit of an autistic party foul.” Wilson emphasized the organization’s gratitude for Emerick’s work.
Emerick in turn thanked Bender for her guidance and help in developing a voice as a parent advocate. “Jean has touched my life in helping me grow my advocacy for my own autistic child, who has a high level of support needs, and communicates differently from the way that I do. I needed to learn how to be an advocate for him in my family, and out in the world, in every space that he goes, and will access in his lifetime,” said Emerick. “It’s
f In Memoriam f
in 2019. During his tenure he pushed for numerous programs and legislation that supported people with disabilities in the region and nation. He was a leading advocate for independent living.
He was a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Duluth. Nousaine was given the Citizen of the Year Award for the City of Superior in 2019.
He loved the outdoors and enjoyed sharing outdoors experiences with other people with disabilities. H was a skier, swimmer, scuba diver, ice fisherman and boat captain. He traveled to Florida, the Bahamas and went on a safari.
Nousaine is survived by family members and friends. Two celebrations of life are being planned, one in the Twin Ports and one in his hometown of New York Mills.
Uden fought for choices
Nancy Uden was a well-known advocate for medical aid in dying for all Minnesotans.
whooping cough so far this year. Minnesota is also experiencing a summertime COVID-19 surge, with cases on the rise following Fourth of July celebrations. The Minnesota State Fair was also a factor.
“We always look for a little surge in our friends called viruses after the Great Minnesota Get-Together because we are in close contact, and there’s just a lot being shared, Dr. Abe Jacob, a pediatrician with M Health Fairview, told MPR News.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, vaccine hesitancy has gone up and vaccination rates for young children have dropped.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, 73.4 percent of 6-year-olds and 40.5 percent of 13-year-olds were up-to-date on all recommended vaccines.
For the 2019-20 school year, 92.6 percent of kindergartners had their MMR, or measles, mumps and rubella, vaccine. That rate dipped to 87.1 percent for 2023-24.
Before the measles vaccine became available in 1963, some 3 to 4 million Americans were infected annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2000, measles was considered eliminated, but case numbers have started to creep back up.
“Diseases like measles have made a comeback because of low immunization rates. We thought we had these diseases beat years ago,“ Minnesota Medical Association President Dr. Laurel Ries said in a recent statement.
Nearly all of the 34 Minnesota cases this year were in unvaccinated children, Jacob said.
“When you see one child with measles, you really never want to see it again,” Jacob added. “They have high fevers, they’re often hospitalized, a horrible rash, they’re really sick. And I think I would never want it for my own kids. I certainly wouldn’t want it for the patients that I care for.”
Jacob said it’s not too late to get kids their
She died in July without the end-of-life option she had championed. She was 73 and lived in Corcoran.
Uden provided a powerful voice for medical aid in dying legislation in Minnesota, most recently during the 2024 session. She provided testimony and did media interviews with 36 electrodes attached to her scalp, part of a medical device she hoped could prolong her life.
"I'm not afraid of death, but I am afraid of how I will die," Uden said in legislative testimony. She hoped for a pill that would end her life before her suffering became worse.
Born Nancy Anne Ek in New Mexico, Uden lived many places while growing up. Her life was hard at times.
She was married and divorced twice before meeting and marrying her third husband, Jim Uden. She described him as her soul mate.
She graduated from Metro State University and had a successful career in human resources with several companies,
shots before school starts.
The FDA approved an updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, designed to better target variants in circulation. While it doesn’t always prevent disease, the vaccine helps reduce the severity of illness and the risk of long-COVID and avoid hospitalization and death.
“I think, especially with kids and being in those school environments and classrooms and the risk of bringing it home and spreading it then to more vulnerable adults, it’s definitely worth getting the COVID booster,” Jacob said.
Further, the Biden administration is again offering households four free COVID tests, which will be available at the end of September. Go to https://aspr.hhs.gov/covid-19/ test/Pages/default.aspx
(Source: Minnesota Public Radio)
Truancy is focus
Student truancy has been a growing problem in Minnesota schools, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Truancy issues involving students with disabilities have been especially concerning as these students sometimes have an array of reasons for not attending school. By missing school, the students miss out on needed supports and services.
This summer the Minnesota Legislature’s Student Attendance and Truancy Legislative Study Group began holding in-person meetings. Established through bipartisan legislation championed by State Representative Heather Keeler (DFL - Moorhead), the legislative study group has a bipartisan, bicameral mission to address attendance in Minnesota’s schools and ensure all students have the tools to succeed.
“Coming from my school liaison background, I’m honored to help lead this conversation and start creating a path to solutions for our students,” said Keeler, who REGIONAL NEWS To page 15
through Jean’s tireless support in helping me do right by my own child that I have learned the skills that I am now honored to take out into our community, and hope to help to impact the experience of other kids and their families.”
Emerick is a proud product and graduate of Minneapolis Public Schools - Hale/Field, Anthony and South High. They grew up on the city’ South Side and now lives on the North Side. Emerick is autistic and has two autistic children.
Emerick has served on the Marcy Arts Magnet School Site Council, the Minneapolis Public Schools Special Education Advisory Council, Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board and many other boards, commissions and committees. Emerick has worked for decades as a community organizer, working with at-risk youth and people who are homeless. Emerick was elected to the Minneapolis School Board in 2022, as an at-large member. Their campaign focus included literacy and neurodivergent development. Their election was historic in that there are fewer than a dozen known transgender or nonbinary school board members in the nation.
co-owned a consulting firm, taught courses in human resources and mentored many fellow professionals. She retired as a vice president at Great Clips Corporation in 2016. She funded a scholarship at Metro State, for single mothers. She was a single parent and working full-time when she earned her degree. Uden is survived by her husband, three daughters and their families, three siblings and their families, and other family members and friends. A celebration of life for family and friends will be 1-3 p.m. Saturday, September 21 at the Plymouth Community Center, 14800 34th Ave. N., Plymouth.
Joyner Emerick
RADIO TALKING BOOK
New books premiering in September
The sampling published monthly in Access Press doesn’t represent the full array of programming. Listen to RTB’s live or archived programs online at www.mnssb.org/rtb, and learn more about programs.
Radio Talking Book is not just for listeners with visual disabilities. Anyone with difficulty reading or turning pages can enjoy the service.
Hear programming on a hand-held mobile device, for either iOS or Android. Visit the Apple App Store for iOS, or Google Play for Android, and download the Minnesota Radio Talking Book app.
Missed a book broadcast? Access it for one week following its original broadcast in the online weekly program archive.
For help accessing the archive, contact Ronnie Washington at 651-539-1424 or SSB. Equipment@state.mn.us.
If the book’s broadcast is no longer available in the archive, contact staff librarian Molly McGilp at 651.539.1422 or Molly. McGilp@state.mn.us
Books broadcast on the Minnesota Radio Talking Book Network are available for loan through the Minnesota Braille and Talking Book Library in Faribault. The catalog is at www.mnbtbl.org. Call 800-722-0550, MonFri, 9 am - 4 pm CST.
For updates, go to the Facebook site Minnesota Radio Talking Book.
Audio information about the daily book listings is on the National Federation for the Blind (NFB) Newsline. Register for NFB Newsline by calling 651-539-1424. The NFBNEWSLINE service provides access to more than 500 magazines and newspapers. To learn more, visit www.nfb.org/programsservices/nfb-newsline
612-5627803
Staff welcomes any feedback or suggestions. Contact Joseph Papke at 651539-2316 or joseph.papke@state.mn.us Chautauqua*
Monday – Friday 6 a.m.
Humanly Possible, nonfiction by Sarah Bakewell, 2023. An exploration of 700 years of writers, thinkers, scientists, and artists, all trying to understand what it means to be human. Read by Jim Tarbox. 17 broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 9.
Past is Prologue*
Monday – Friday 11 a.m.
Christendom, nonfiction by Peter Heather, 2022. A major reinterpretation of the religious superstate that came to define both Europe and Christianity itself, by one of our foremost medieval historians. Read by William Heisley. 30 broadcasts; begins Thu, Sept. 26.
Bookworm*
Monday – Friday 12 p.m.
A Song Over Miskwaa Rapids, fiction by Linda LeGarde Grover, 2023. A 50-yearold mystery converges with a present-day struggle over family, land, and history. Read by John Schmidt. Five broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 16.
The Little Liar, fiction by Mitch Albom, 2023. A captivating allegory about evil, lies, and forgiveness set in the Holocaust and its aftermath. Read by Carol McPherson. Nine broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 23.
The Writer’s Voice*
Monday – Friday 1 p.m.
My Life in the Purple Kingdom, nonfiction by BrownMark, 2020. Mark Brown’s journey from teenager working at a 7-11 to touring the world in Prince’s band. Read by Nathan Hunter. Five broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 2.
Chita, nonfiction by Chita Rivera, 2023. The wildly entertaining memoir of the legendary Chita Rivera – a multi–Tony Award winner, Kennedy Center honoree and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Read by Jill Wolf. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 9.
Necessary Trouble, nonfiction by Drew Gilpin Faust, 2023. A memoir of coming of age in a conservative Southern family in postwar America. Read by Holly Sylvester. 11 broadcasts; begins Tue, Sept. 24.
Choice Reading*
Monday – Friday 2 p.m.
Power & Light, fiction by Will Weaver, 2023. A historical novel of profound poetical depth and moral power about a Norwegian family in North Dakota. Read by Carol McPherson. 12 broadcasts; begins Thu, Sept. 12.
All the Little Bird Hearts, fiction by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow, 2023. A poetic debut which masterfully intertwines themes of familial
love, friendship, class, prejudice and trauma with psychological acuity and wit.
Read by Pat Muir. 11 broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 30. – L
Afternoon Report*
Monday – Friday 4 p.m.
The Anxious Generation, nonfiction by Jonathan Haidt, 2024. An essential investigation into the collapse of youth mental health—and a plan for a healthier, freer childhood. Read by Yelva Lynfield. 15 broadcasts; begins Wed, Sept. 4.
Extremely Hardcore, nonfiction by Zoë Schiffer, 2024. A well-researched report on Twitter's calamitous year. Read by Pat Ocken. Nine broadcasts; begins Wed, Sept. 25. – L
Night Journey*
Monday –Friday 7 p.m.
The Enchanters, fiction by James Ellroy, 2023. A novel that goes straight to the tragic heart of 1962 Hollywood with a wild riff on the Marilyn Monroe death myth in an astonishing, behind-the-headlines crime epic. Read by Stuart Holland. 20 broadcasts; begins Wed, Sept. 4. – L
Off the Shelf*
Monday – Friday 8 p.m.
America Fantastica, fiction by Tim O’Brien, 2023. A brilliant and rollicking odyssey, in which a bank robbery sparks a satirical romp through a country plagued by deceit. Read by Jack Rossmann. 15 broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 9.
The Late Americans, fiction by Brandon Taylor, 2023. A loose circle of lovers and friends encounter, confront and provoke one another in a volatile year of self-discovery in Iowa City. Read by Peter Danbury. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 30. – L, S, V Potpourri*
Monday – Friday 9 p.m.
Win Every Argument, nonfiction by Mehdi Hasan, 2023. A guide to how anyone can communicate with confidence, rise above the tit for tats on social media, and triumph in a successful and productive debate in the real world. Read by Stevie Ray. 10 broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 16.
How to Know a Person, nonfiction by David Brooks, 2023. A practical, heartfelt guide to the art of truly knowing another person in order to foster deeper connections at home,
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All times listed are Central Standard Time. Abbreviations V – violent content R –racial epithets L – strong language S –sexual situation G – gory descriptions
at work, and throughout our lives. Read by Michele Potts. Nine broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 30. – L
Good Night Owl
Monday – Friday 10 p.m.
Titanium Noir, fiction by Nick Harkaway, 2023. The story of a detective investigating the murder of a Titan, one of society’s most powerful, medically-enhanced elites. Read by Julia Brown. Nine broadcasts; begins Tue, Sept. 24. – L, V
RTB After Hours*
Monday – Friday 11 p.m.
The Rope Artist (rebroadcast), fiction by Fuminori Nakamura, 2023. The aftermath of the murder of a bondage teacher reveals the darkest corners of the human mind in this chilling new mystery from the master of Japanese literary noir. Read by Stuart Holland. Eight broadcasts; begins Mon, Sept. 9. – L, S, V
Full Moon Over Freedom, fiction by Angelina M. Lopez, 2023. Gillian Armstead-Bancroft— Pride of the East Side and once-perfect wife, and mother—is going to spend her summer getting good at being bad. Read by Jodi Lindskog. 12 broadcasts; begins Thu, Sept. 19. – L, S
Weekend Program Books
Your Personal World, 1 p.m. Sat, presents The Good Enough Job by Simone Stolzoff, read by Yelva Lynfield.
For the Younger Set, 11 a.m. Sun, presents This Boy by Ilene Cooper, read by Eileen Barratt; followed by Silent Unseen by Amanda McCrina, read by John Gunter. – L Poetic Reflections, noon Sun, presents The Hurting Kind by Ada Limon, read by Mary Knatterud; followed by The Echo Chamber by Michael Bazzett, read by Jim Ahrens. The Great North, 4 p.m. Sun, presents Closing Time by Bill Lindeke and Andy Sturdevant, read by Rick Seime.
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Walk for mental health
The annual NAMIWalks event is 11 a.m.3 p.m. Sat, Sept. 28 at Minnehaha Park, 4801 S Minnehaha Dr., Mpls. The day includes a walk, resource fair, healthy snacks and other activities. NAMIWalks is about people who think nothing of giving everything - their time, their stories, their heartfelt dedication to the cause: Mental health for all. There is no registration fee. This is an inclusive community event. Participants can walk as individual or teams and can help raise funds. FFI: https://namimn.org/namimn-events/ namiwalks/
Step Up for Down Syndrome
Two fundraising walks are planned for the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota (DSAMn), Sun, Sept. 15 at Wade Park in Duluth and another Sun, Sept. 22 at Como Park in St. Paul. DSAMn's signature fundraising and community building events. The event is a kickoff to Down Syndrome
Awareness Month. Each year, nearly 5,000 people join in St. Paul and 500 in Duluth to celebrate the DSAMn community, to raise awareness about issues facing individuals with Down syndrome, and to raise funds to further the DSAMn mission. Everyone is invited and registration is accessible to all at just $7 per walker. FFI: https://dsamn.org/ about-us/blog/step-up-2024
Can Do Canines Woofaroo
Four-legged friends and their people can attend the Can Doo Woofaroo, Can Do Canines’ annual celebration of its work.
The event is 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sat, Sept, 14 at the Can Do Canines campus, 9440 Science Center Drive, New Hope. The fundraising walk starts at 11 a.m. Celebrate the amazing partnerships of assistance dogs and the people who need them.
The outdoor, family-fun event includes a one-mile fundraising walk, live music, a dog costume contest, an assistance dog demonstration, dog-centric vendors and
Forums and events promote voting
Several REV UP MN events are planned in September. Go to https://arcminnesota. org/public-policy/revup-voter-educationevents/ for the latest information.
Some highlights are:
6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 5: Voter forum on disability and LGBTQ+ issues in partnership with OutFront Minnesota, the Arc Minnesota and Rev UP MN. Part one of a two part series. The event is a discussion about the intersectionality of disability and LGBTQ+ issues and the importance of voting. ASL provided. Registration: https:// arcminnesota.zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZclf-yhrD0iH9xCR34x2aEmXwFvOYcrRh8S Disability Voting Rights Week is September 9-15. Help get the word out. Go to the Facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/REVUPMN
A Google Drive has everything needed to help promote the week including flyers and social media graphics: https:// drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y1jTz3JVapf8ldAvxNbJ5lNKc9HJ94Y
Disability Voting Rights Week Events:
6-8 p.m. Monday, September 9: West Central Region Disability Voting Rights Week (DVRW) at Moorhead Public Library. Details: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/ urn:aaid:sc:va6c2:2316dc35-b8d3-49eb81e1-5d0915b02b26
September 18 and October 2, 6:307:30 p.m. West Central Arc Voting Series. https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/ urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:2cf6efac-05d7-4603-
REGIONAL NEWS
From page 13
chairs the legislative study group. “Our group is made up of legislators from across the political spectrum with various experiences in education, because that’s what’s needed to tackle this issue that impacts schools throughout Minnesota. Adults coming together to find solutions with kids at the heart of our process is what our students deserve. We’re all stakeholders when it comes to improving education in our state, and I invite everyone interested to help guide our work.”
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6-7:15 p.m. Tuesday, September 10: The 2024 Elections, Voting and Accessibility for People with Disabilities. Sponsored by Rev UP MN. Presented by Chad Wilson of the Disability Law Center. ASL provided. Zoom registration: https://arcminnesota. zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvd-ppzMjEtcg3t0tHeK5PWyuiCGGKDgv
4-7 p.m. Wednesday, September 11: Accessible Voting Open House. Minneapolis Central Library. Demonstration of ballot marking machines by the Hennepin County Elections Office. People are welcome to stop by anytime for a demonstration and practice voting with the OmniBallot and ExpressVote machines. Contact Mathew.Langland@ hennepin.us with questions.
much more. FFI: https://candocanines.org/ get-involved/woofaroo/ Editor’s note: The longtime Opportunities and Enjoy! calendars are now Take Note! Access Press will be listing fewer calendar items in print and encouraging more to be
Made in the Shade
The annual Made in the Shade 5K Walk, Run and Roll is 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sat, Sept. 21 at Thomas Beach, Bde Maka Ska 3700 Thomas Ave S., Mpls. Hosted by Shayla Reaves, WCCO-TV anchor. Seven disability service organizations raise funds and have fun at this event. There is still time to get pledges and get ready to walk, run or roll and raise money for a disability service organization. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. with check-in, a 10 a.m. program and a warmup for the walk. The shotgun start is at 10:30 a.m., with a post-event lunch at celebration at 11 a.m. FFI: https://www.facebook.com/ madeintheshade5k/
posted online. Online options include our free events calendar. Ways to post an event can be found at www.accesspress.org, under the listings tab. Or consider an online ad to get the word out. Information can be obtained by emailing ads@accesspress.org
6-7 p.m. Wednesday, September 11: Voter Education Webinar. The Arc Minnesota Midstate Region. No registration required. Zoom link: https://arcminnesota. zoom.us/j/85785844583?pwd=3aObF8yEYy YXBb94CSmbmUHx1GNdy9.1
5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 12. Voter Education and Candidate Forum. Sponsored by The Arc Minnesota Southeast Region, Region 10 Quality Council, Self-Advocates Minnesota (SAM) and Rev UP MN. Location: Boundless Playspace and Activity Center, 3825 Superior Drive NW, Rochester. Schedule: 5:30-6 p.m. voter education, 6:15-7:30 p.m. candidate engagement (24A, 24B, 25A,25B)
The study group will analyze issues related to student attendance and truancy, evaluate possible improvements, and identify any statutory changes needed to implement recommendations, culminating in a report due to the legislature by the end of this year.
“It is a pleasure to work with Representative Keeler and my House and Senate colleagues as we work toward bipartisan, common sense solutions to address the attendance and truancy crisis in Minnesota,” said Rep. Ben Bakeberg (R - Jordan). “Thank you to all of the stakeholders who engaged and we look forward to getting stakeholders input from across Minnesota.”
As the study group continues to meet,
**Pizza will be served at 5:30 p.m. for voter education
**Additional refreshments will be offered at 6:15 p.m. for candidate engagement. Flyer for the event: https://acrobat.adobe. com/id/urn:aaid:sc:va6c2:5ed3d579-71b04654-b749-720b839b9f88
10:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, September 21. Voter Education Training Workshop. Sponsored by the Arc Minnesota Southwest Region, 501 S 2nd St., Mankato. Training is geared toward self-advocates, focusing on questions such as: where to find trustworthy information? What will be on my ballot? How do I fill out a ballot? Who represents me? Light
stakeholders - students, parents, social workers, coaches, those who run after school programs and others - are encouraged to engage in the process.
“It is a win for kids that Rep. Keeler is chairing the Student Attendance and Truancy Legislative Study Group,” said Matt Shaver, Policy Director for EdAllies. “I am confident that her leadership will result in a bipartisan effort to dig deep into the root causes for why students are missing so much learning
refreshments will be served. RSVP to Reanna 952-683-7974 or reannamilbrett@ arcminnesota.org
5-7 p.m. Tuesday, September 24. Participate in the Reach for Resources Advocacy Fair & Picnic, a community event focused on voter engagement, advocacy, and supporting individuals with disabilities. This event will take place at the Plymouth Community Center, Banquet Room, 14800 34th Ave N, Plymouth. Picnic meal served. Vendors are able to have tables at this event by registering here: https://bit.ly/Reach_Advocacy_Fair_ Vendor_Sign-up
time, and her collaborative mindset will help coordinate efforts between families, schools, counties, and the state to identify workable solutions that will make a significant impact on increasing student attendance. Rep. Keeler is clearly dedicated to getting this right for kids, is a joy to partner with, and I look forward to supporting the work of this committee moving forward.
(Source: Minnesota Legislature)
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