Contact:
Kim Brussell
516.465.1608
kbrussell@viscardicenter.org

NINE EXTRAORDINARY LEADERS IN THE GLOBAL DISABILITY COMMUNITY
RECEIVE THE 2013 HENRY VISCARDI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Committee chaired by Sen. Robert Dole, actress Marlee Matlin and Ambassador Luis Gallegos
honor notable figures on 80^th Anniversary of FDR inaugural.

Albertson, NY – The Viscardi Center today announced the recipients of a new international Award designed to identify and honor people living with disabilities for their work and influence on the global disability community of more than one billion people.

The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards bear the name and honors the vision of Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who was one of the world’s leading advocates for people with disabilities.

The announcement coincides with the 80^th anniversary of the inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who as a member of the disability community was among the most influential figures of the 20^th century. President Roosevelt was one of eight presidents whom Dr. Viscardi advised during his lifetime. Dr. Viscardi wore prosthetic legs and died in 2004 at the age of 91.

“I am proud to join The Viscardi Center and my fellow committee members in announcing this outstanding group of Henry Viscardi Achievement Award recipients,” said former U.S. Sen. Robert Dole, Selection Committee co-chair. “All of them are champions for people with disabilities around the world. In turn, their work, and the stories of their lives, are important and set the bar high for the next generation of innovators, activists and leaders.”

The Awards drew nominations from seven nations and cities throughout the U.S. In addition to Senator Dole, the Selection Committee was co-chaired by Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin and U.N Representative Luis Gallegos.

The recipients are:

• Laurie Ahern, President, Disability Rights International, Washington, D.C.
• Rosangela Berman Bieler, Senior Advisor on Children with Disabilities, UNICEF, New York City
• Tony Coelho, former U.S. Rep. from California, primary sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
• Lex Frieden, Professor, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Biomedical Informatics; Director of the Independent Living Research Utilization program at TIRR Memorial Hermann
• Yoav Kraiem, Chairman, National Council for Community Relations – Mental Health, Israel
• U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin, Rhode Island’s 2^nd Congressional District
• Kathleen Martinez, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.
• Patrick D. Rummerfield, Community Liaison, International Center for Spinal Cord Injury, Kennedy-Krieger Institute, Chesterfield, MO.
• Michael Ashley Stein, Executive Director, Harvard Law School Project on Disability

Read biographies here: http://www.viscardiawards.org

In addition to honoring today’s leaders and mentors for the next generation, John D. Kemp, president and CEO of Long Island-based The Viscardi Center, instituted the Awards program as a way of honoring Dr. Viscardi’s legacy and raising awareness around the issues that continue to impact people with disabilities throughout the world.

“We congratulate the nine recipients and offer our praise to them for their lifetime of work. Their dedication and accomplishments represent the vision and commitment of Dr. Viscardi and the 61-year mission of The Viscardi Center,” Kemp said. “The recipients’ collective efforts have truly transformed the world’s thinking about people with disabilities. Each of them is an example of the change that can come about when you combine ambition and dedication when facing personal and societal challenges.”

Kemp also extended special thanks to the prestigious members of the Selection Committee, including: Rohini Anand, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo; Cari Dominguez, Former Chair, U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; Col. Sherwood D. Goldberg, Esq. (Ret.), Senior Advisor for Asian Affairs, Center for Naval Analysis; Hiro Itoh, President & CEO, Abilities of Japan; Axel Leblois, president & CEO, The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTS (G3ict); Inmaculada Placencia Porrero, Deputy Head of Unit, Integration of People with Disabilities European Commission; James Sinocchi, Director, Workforce Communications, IBM; and Nina Viscardi, daughter of Dr. Henry Viscardi.

Biographies and statements from recipients follow:

Laurie Ahern is president of Disability Rights International in Washington, D.C. She overcame a psychosocial disability to become a successful journalist. She also co-found the National Empowerment Center (NEC), serving the mentally ill and their families, and has brought attention to the abuses of mentally ill children and adults in the U.S. and in other nations. She is a former vice president of the National Association of Rights, Protection and Advocacy.

“Throughout the world, children and adults with disabilities are systematically neglected at a level that could easily fit the definition of torture,” Ahern said. “I am proud to receive this honor, and I hope the awareness that is raised by the Viscardi Awards program will help the world understand that all people have the right to live dignified, meaningful lives. It is our obligation as humans to ensure this occurs.”

Rosangela Berman Bieler, originally from Brazil, is senior advisor on children with disabilities at UNICEF, and head of the organization’s new Disability Section. A quadriplegic since she was 18, she has been a disability rights advocate for more than 35 years. Throughout her career, she has identified and creatively resolved many issues which have an impact on people with disabilities. Berman Bieler has lived in the U.S. since 1995, and has worked for the World Bank, IADB and other international organizations. Her expertise on disability-related issues covers areas such as humanitarian action, HIV/AIDS, media, gender and human rights.

Berman Bieler founded the Independent Living Center in Rio de Janeiro, as well as the Inter-American Institute on Disability and Inclusive Development (IDII), which was created to promote social-economic and political inclusion in Latin America and Portuguese-speaking countries in Africa and Asia. IIDI played a key role on the development of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

“In much of the world, children with disabilities are hidden and discriminated against because of their impairments and barriers thrown in their way by society. They are often neglected or abandoned,” Berman Bieler said. “UNICEF is committed to realizing the rights of children with disabilities, like those of all children. The 2013 issue of our flagship annual report The State of the World’s Children, due in May, will focus on children with disabilities. This Viscardi Award is very timely and we hope it will continue to bring priceless visibility to this crucial issue.”

Tony Coelho is a former U.S. Rep. from California, and lead author and sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Congressman Coelho’s epilepsy diagnosis as a youth put his life on a trajectory that would have him fight for the equal rights for all Americans with disabilities.

Although he left office in 1989, he was a primary sponsor of the landmark ADA, which President George W. Bush signed into law in 1990. He also fought in subsequent years to block proposed amendments that would have weakened the law.

His work on behalf of people with disabilities did not end when he left office. President Clinton appointed him to chair the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. Among his many accomplishments, he also served as vice chair of the National Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities.

“I am honored to share the Viscardi Award with so many outstanding people who have made lasting impacts in the disabilities movement,” Coelho said. “The Americans with Disabilities Act was a milestone moment, but we are far from done. The United States must make it a priority to ratify the disabilities treaty, which would extend our leadership and give the world greater assurance that people with disabilities will no longer be mistreated or discriminated against in other nations.”

Lex Frieden is an educator, researcher, and disability rights and policy expert. He is professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health) School of Biomedical Informatics and he directs the Independent Living Research Utilization program at TIRR Memorial Hermann. He is regarded as a founder and leader of the independent living movement by people with disabilities. In 1977, he led an initiative to define and set forth a blueprint for the development of independent living programs nationwide. In 1984, President Reagan appointed him the first director of the National Council on Disability where he led the initial drafting of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Frieden sustained a spinal cord injury as a freshman in college in 1967.

“Dr. Henry Viscardi was a pioneer in the global disability movement and he remains an inspiration to so many people today.  Across the world we have made great strides regarding access and opportunity, but there is more work to be done,” Frieden said. “In the U.S. and abroad demographic realities require a focus on independent living. For example, 10,000 American baby-boomers turn 65 each day. Through the natural aging process, these people will encounter a disability, such as the loss of hearing, sight, memory, and mobility. People don’t want to go to a nursing home. They want to remain in their own homes, and through the provision of community-based long-term services and supports that should be possible.”

Yoav Kraiem is chairman of the National Council for Community Rehabilitation, Mental Health, in Israel. For more than half of his life (20 years), Kraiem has aggressively advocated for the rights of Israeli citizens with disabilities. Born with Cerebral Palsy, he led two movements to pass the Law for Inclusion and the Law for Equality – Israel’s version of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He also helped lead, and was the spokesman for, a two-month demonstration outside the Israeli Ministry of Finance. The action was seen as a pivotal moment in raising awareness and advancing meaningful change in the way individuals with disabilities are perceived and treated in Israel.

“I am honored and excited to receive the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award, which is important for the recognition it provides for the acceptance of all individuals, and of the belief in the ability of people with disabilities to be a part of the human mosaic as contributing members of society,” Kraiem said. “We are approaching the Jewish holiday of Passover, the central story of which reflects the delivery of the people of Israel from slavery and their long and difficult journey towards freedom. At this time we are obligated to remember that we were once slaves and thus, have a special responsibility to ensure that individuals and groups suppressed by societal systems be freed. My colleagues and I, from various organizations of and for people with disability, devote our lives to this goal.”

U.S. Rep. James R. Langevin (Rhode Island) is the first person with quadriplegia to serve in Congress. He chairs the bipartisan Disabilities Caucus and is leading the fight for stem cell research funding and strengthening amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act. In recent months, Langevin, who was injured as a teenager in an accidental discharge of a firearm, has been an outspoken advocate for families affected by gun violence.

“I’m humbled to be recognized in such extraordinary company and with an honor named for Dr. Viscardi, who, long before the Americans with Disabilities Act, epitomized the tremendous contributions people with disabilities can make to better our society when given the opportunity,” said Langevin. “After the accident that left me paralyzed, I was so fortunate to receive an outpouring of support from a loving family and caring community that inspired me to pursue my role in public service. I hope that the founding of these Awards will help raise awareness of the improvements that can be made in America and around the world so all people with a disability will have the same chance as I did to realize their potential.”

Kathleen Martinez is an Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor where she leads the Office of Disability Employment Policy and oversees the development of coordinated national policies that advance the employment of people with disabilities, including veterans and youth. Through Add Us In, one of her signature initiatives, she is developing models to increase the capacity of small businesses, including those in underrepresented and historically excluded communities, to successfully employ people with disabilities. Blind since birth, Martinez came to Labor with a background as an internationally recognized disability rights leader specializing in employment, asset building, independent living, international development, diversity, and gender issues. Martinez previously served as executive director of the World Institute on Disability and, as a leader with bipartisan support, was appointed to the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the State Department advisory committee on international disability policy, and the National Council on Disability.

“Receiving the Viscardi Award is an honor, and I am privileged to be in a position to advance the principles of the Department of Labor for Americans with disabilities,” Martinez said. “Employment is the game changer that is essential to ensuring the full inclusion of people with disabilities throughout our society. It is important that we are vigilant in enhancing opportunities for profitable employment, protecting work-related benefits and rights, and guaranteeing fair compensation for all members of the diverse American workforce.”

Patrick D. Rummerfield is a community liaison at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the Kennedy-Krieger Institute, and one of the innovators of the new Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) equipment. He is the first fully functional spinal cord quadriplegic having survived and thrived with paralysis following a car accident. He has worked with Dr. John McDonald and other researchers to develop FES equipment such as the robotic glove, elliptical machines and stationary bike. Rummerfield also competes in triathlons (Ironman) and marathons (155 mile foot race, Gobi March), and he set a world speed record (245 mph) for the electric vehicle. He is currently touring to promote his autobiography, “Green Bananas” the Patrick Rummerfield Story. He is donating a percentage of the proceeds to paralysis research at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at the Kennedy- Krieger Institute as well as other paralysis research programs.

“I’m very honored to be listed among prominent and influential figures in the disability movement, including Dr. Viscardi himself,” said Rummerfield. “I’ve been fortunate that the twists and turns in my life have led me to focus on work that will hopefully benefit people with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. Activity Based Restorative Therapies, such as Functional Electrical Stimulation, and ground-breaking stem cell research hold a great deal of promise for people around the world.”

Michael Ashley Stein, Ph.D. is the co-founding executive director of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability (HPOD), and one of the world’s foremost experts on disability law and rights. HPOD is a global resource offering pro bono policy and legal services and works to advance the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A wheelchair user, Dr. Stein’s research is debunking stereotypes and offering innovative legal strategies and policy ideas that are regularly published in America’s prestigious law journals. His work has taken him to Bangladesh, China, the Philippines, South Africa, Vietnam, and many other nations.

“I am extremely honored to receive an Award named for Henry Viscardi, who had a great deal of influence on improving the lives of people with disabilities,” Stein said. “Protecting the human and civil rights of persons with disabilities remains a global issue and requires systemic changes and broad collaboration to ensure that progress continues to be made.”

The Viscardi Center provides Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counseling and placement, assistive technology and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. A global leader, it employs more than 300 professionals, including experts in education, human resources and technology. Learn more at viscardicenter.org.

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Contact: Kim Brussell
kbrussell@viscardicenter.org
516.465.1608

The National Business & Disability Council Suggests Recommendations to
Policymakers and Regulators Regarding Proposed Change to Section 503 Rule

February 25, 2013 – The National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) at The Viscardi Center, whose membership includes many federal contractors, has made recommendations to policymakers and regulators related to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ (OFCCP) proposed Section 503 rules requiring federal contractors to employ as many as 7% of their workforce be people with disabilities. The recommendations addressed workplace accommodations, the role technology can play and the disclosure of one’s disability.

“While noble in its intent, the proposed policy change has caused great concern among our corporate members who seek to maintain full governmental compliance,” explained Laura M. Francis, Executive Director at the National Business & Disability Council at The Viscardi Center. “Our recommendations are intended to help policymakers and regulators find more effective ways to stimulate a substantial increase in the employment of people with disabilities at all corporate levels.”

“Many NBDC members are leaders in the diversity movement and have developed best practices for attracting and maintaining inclusive workforces,” added John D. Kemp, President and CEO of The Viscardi Center. “It is only fitting that these companies draw from their firsthand experiences and share their insight with the entities modifying and governing these employment rules. In addition, we expect the government to follow the same rules regarding hiring practices that it may be imposing upon federal contractors.”

An executive summary and overview of the NBDC’s recommendations may be found online at nbdc.com.

NBDC’s services are offered through tiered membership levels or on a consultant basis and assist businesses in developing strategies to implement, grow, measure and create solid disability programs. These include talent acquisition, advancement and retention strategies; customized training seminars and workshops; facility and IT accessibility surveys; and an information hotline for disability-related employment issues. Its initiatives to assist employers with expanding their recruiting of people with disabilities include the NBDC National Resume Database® that provides access to resume listings 24/7 and the Emerging Leaders summer internship program for college students with disabilities.

Founded by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who served as disability advisor to eight U.S. presidents and became one of the world’s leading advocates, The Viscardi Center provides Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counselingand placement, assistive technology and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. A global leader, it employs more than 300 professionals, including experts in education, human resources and technology. Learn more at viscardicenter.org

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Contact: Paul Larrabee
518.689.7246
518.491.7577 (cell)
plarrabee@corningplace.com

THE VISCARDI CENTER AWARDS COMMITTEE ANNOUNCED

Senator Bob Dole, actress Marlee Matlin and leaders from the international disability
community to select influential figures in the disability movement to be recognized.

A group of leaders in the global disability community have been empaneled to identify people of any age in the disability movement who have stood out among their peers by profoundly improving the lives of people with disabilities and are driving positive change across continents.

The prestigious inaugural Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards Selection Committee includes a diverse representation of individuals. Their charge is to identify and recognize people with disabilities who have had a profound impact on shaping attitudes, raising awareness and improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.

The Committee is co-chaired by former U.S. Senator Bob Dole, Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin and the Honorable Luis Gallegos, permanent representative of Ecuador to the United Nations in Geneva, who spearheaded the creation of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The international Awards initiative was inspired by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who wore prosthetic legs, was a leading advocate for people with disabilities globally, and served as a disability advisor to eight presidents. Dr. Viscardi died in 2004. Nominations will be accepted at viscardiawards.org through January 22, 2013.

“I thank our esteemed panelists for their continued work on behalf of all people with disabilities and for helping to shine a spotlight on leaders and influencers of our disability movement who share their commitment and passion,” said John D. Kemp, president and CEO of The Viscardi Center, a network of non-profit organizations that provides a lifespan of services that educate, employ and empower people with disabilities, based on Long Island, New York. “Their efforts will ensure that we cast a wide net and encourage nominations of extraordinary leaders with disabilities among us worldwide.”

The Selection Committee includes:

• U.S. Senator Robert J. Dole (retired), Co-Chair
• Marlee Matlin, Academy Award-winning Actress, Co-Chair
• Hon. Luis Gallegos, Ecuador’s Permanent Representative to the U.N., Co-Chair
• Rohini Anand, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo
• Cari Dominguez, Former Chair, U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Col. Sherwood D. Goldberg, Esq. (Ret.), Senior Advisor for Asian Affairs, Center for Naval Analysis
• Hiro Itoh, President & CEO, Abilities of Japan
• Axel Leblois, President & CEO, The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTS (G3ict)
• Nina Viscardi, daughter of the late Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., and member of the Henry Viscardi School Board of Trustees

The Committee is charged with selecting individuals who have:

• served as a powerful force for change and enhanced the opportunities for people with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society;
• demonstrated a vision, understanding and commitment to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities; and
• helped to lead societal transformation that is producing improved outcomes and higher expectations for the disability community.

The Awards selection process includes an important symbolic milestone as the recipients will be announced on March 4, 2013, the 80^th anniversary of the inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who as a member of the disability community was among the most influential figures of the 20^th century. Dr. Viscardi consulted with President Roosevelt on disabilities issues and collaborated with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on groundbreaking employment initiatives for people with disabilities.

Individuals of any age, with any type of disability, are eligible. Nominations will be considered from many walks of life, including but not limited to business, innovation, education, military, health care, nonprofit, entertainment, athletics, government, public service, and emerging leaders.

The Viscardi Center provides Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counseling and placement, assistive technology and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. A global leader, it employs more than 300 professionals, including experts in education, human resources and technology. Learn more at viscardicenter.org.

The post The Viscardi Center Awards Committee Announced appeared first on DiversityInc.

Contact:
Kim Brussell
kbrussell@viscardicenter.org
516.465.1608

 Summer Internship Opportunities Needed for Program That Aims to Jumpstart the
Careers of Top College Students With Disabilities

Emerging Leaders, coordinated by the National Business & Disability Council at The Viscardi Center, is a highly competitive program that places top undergraduate and graduate college students with disabilities in fulfilling summer internships nationwide. Seeking to provide these young women and men with meaningful leadership development opportunities, the National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) is asking businesses of all types and sizes to offer summer internship positions to these students.

“Since NBDC began offering the Emerging Leaders program, year after year we have more qualified applicants than we have internship positions,” explained Laura M. Francis, Executive Director at the National Business & Disability Council at The Viscardi Center, a comprehensive resource for Fortune 1000 companies seeking to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace, marketplace and supply chain. “We hope businesses change their mindset and see this as a way to bring new talent to their workforce since these students from well recognized colleges and universities across the country represent a bright, diverse, and future talent pool. Further, we believe a strong workforce is an inclusive workforce.”

The future they are indeed. According to a new report from the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics, 11-15% of undergraduate students have a disability.

“Often intelligent, young men and women with disabilities are denied the opportunities for a strong start to their career that other college students enjoy, such as internship experiences,” shared John D. Kemp, President & CEO of The Viscardi Center.

“I am a proud person with a disability who is frequently asked to share what I feel people with disabilities bring to the workplace,” continued Kemp. “I am hopeful that one day there will be no need to ask this question because employers and employees alike will already know the answer, just as they do for other protected class members such as African-Americans, women, Hispanic Americans. The answer is simple – talent to do the jobs well. The Emerging Leaders program aims to show employers just that.”

 “The quality of the young people participating in the Emerging Leaders program is unsurpassed,” said Felipe Botero, Vice President, Technology & Operations, MetLife. “These talented young people have had an opportunity to network and develop their business skills, while the company has benefited from their significant contributions.”

The intern selection process is easy. Participating businesses simply provide specific education and skill requirements. Candidate resumes are then reviewed and interviews are scheduled with qualified applicants. This process ensures that qualified, self-motivated candidates are paired with appropriate businesses.

For more information, businesses may contact Laura M. Francis at 516.465.1519 or lfrancis@viscardicenter.org and view a brief overview of the Emerging Leaders program at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wflq1IZV_8w&feature=plcp

Founded by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who served as disability advisor to eight U.S. presidents and became one of the world’s leading advocates, The Viscardi Center provides Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counseling and placement and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. A global leader, it employs more than 300 professionals, including experts in education, human resources and technology. Learn more at viscardicenter.org

The post Summer Internship Opportunities Needed for Program That Aims to Jumpstart the Careers of Top College Students With Disabilities appeared first on DiversityInc.

Contact: Kim Brussell
516.465.1608
kbrussell@viscardicenter.org

THE VISCARDI CENTER ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL AWARDS TO
HONOR MOST INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS OF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY

Senator Robert Dole and Academy Award Winning Actress Marlee Matlin to Co-Chair
Selection Committee Seeking Contemporary Leaders

The Viscardi Center today announced the creation of a unique awards program to identify and recognize exemplary leaders in the disability community who have had a profound impact on shaping attitudes, raising awareness and improving the quality of life of people with disabilities.

The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards were developed to honor the legacy and visionof the Long Island-based Center’s founder, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who himself wore prosthetic legs. As one of the world’s leading advocates for people with disabilities he served as a disability advisor to eight presidents, from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter. The recipientsof the Awards will be announced on March 4, 2013, to coincide with the 80^th anniversary of the inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who as a member of the disability community was among the most influential figures of the 20^th century.

“These awards are designed to acknowledge influential individuals with disabilities who serve as leaders, mentors and role models and aredramatically improving the lives of people in the disability community on a broad scale,” said John D. Kemp, president and CEO ofThe Viscardi Center. “We are conducting an international search forcontemporary figureswho, like Dr. Viscardi, are leading by example.”

Individuals of any age, with any type of disability, are eligible.Nominations will be considered from many walks oflife, including but not limited to business, innovation, education, military, health care, nonprofit, entertainment, athletics, government, public service, and emerging leaders. Nominations open today and may be submitted at viscardiawards.org.

A Selection Committeeconsisting of notable public figures from the U.S. and abroad who have fought for the rights of others with disabilitiesis being assembled. The committee, co-chaired byformer U.S. Senator Robert Dole and Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin, also includes Dr. Viscardi’s daughter, Nina Viscardi; Cari Dominguez, former Chair, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; RohiniAnand, Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo; Col. (ret.) Sherwood “Woody” Goldberg; and Axel Leblois, President & CEO, g3ICT, to name a few.

As a result of an injury suffered while in the U.S. Army during World War II, then2^nd Lt., Dole was left with limited use of his right arm. He served in the Senate from 1969 to 1996 and was a lead sponsor of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 that protects the rights of children and adults with disabilities. He continues to advocate on behalf of people with disabilities, appearing on the Senate flooras recently as December 4 to urge the Senate to ratify the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, which was not successful.

“I am honored to be part of The Viscardi Center’s work to identify today’s leaders in the global disability community,” Senator Dole said. “Thanks to the ground-breaking efforts of people such as Dr. Viscardi, the disability community is no longer a marginalized constituency but rather a vibrant voice for civil rights and full participation for all people. I am proud to join this effort.”

Matlin,who has been deaf since she was 18-months old, has enjoyed worldwide recognition as an actress. She is an active spokeswoman for the deaf community. “A disability is only as limiting as you let it be,” Ms. Matlin said. “Dr. Viscardi proved this over his lifetime by breaking through so many physical and social barriers. It’s an honor to be part of a team that will honor his legacy by identifying those who, today, are changing the world and attitudes.”

The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards winners will have:

• served as a powerful force for change and enhanced the opportunities for people with disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of society;
• demonstrated a vision, understanding and commitment to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities; and
• helped to lead societal transformation that is producing improved outcomes and higher expectations for the disability community.

Additional information and submission instructions may be found at www.viscardiawards.org

Nominations will be accepted until January 22, 2013.

The Viscardi Center provides Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counseling and placement, assistive technology and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. A global leader, it employs more than 300 professionals, including experts in education, human resources and technology. Learn more at viscardicenter.org.

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