when sue asked me to speak about building a better community I started to
building a better community I started to
building a better community I started to think back about in our lives and before
think back about in our lives and before
think back about in our lives and before people who did build a better community
people who did build a better community
people who did build a better community certainly people who created things who
certainly people who created things who
certainly people who created things who came up with solutions to things were
came up with solutions to things were
came up with solutions to things were all people who made the human race a
all people who made the human race a
all people who made the human race a better community when I started to think
better community when I started to think
better community when I started to think about people who overcame who who made
about people who overcame who who made
about people who overcame who who made these contributions to our community all
these contributions to our community all
these contributions to our community all of them had something in common and that
of them had something in common and that
of them had something in common and that is they all had to overcome obstacles
is they all had to overcome obstacles
is they all had to overcome obstacles it’s funny that sue played the this last
it’s funny that sue played the this last
it’s funny that sue played the this last TED talk right before me because the
TED talk right before me because the
TED talk right before me because the person was blind and the one person who
person was blind and the one person who
person was blind and the one person who I thought of first was Helen Keller here
I thought of first was Helen Keller here
I thought of first was Helen Keller here was a person who had multiple obstacles
was a person who had multiple obstacles
was a person who had multiple obstacles to overcome and yet through her and
to overcome and yet through her and
to overcome and yet through her and through her teacher they came up with
through her teacher they came up with
through her teacher they came up with forms of communications that had never
forms of communications that had never
forms of communications that had never been thought of before she really used
been thought of before she really used
been thought of before she really used her abilities to overcome all of her
her abilities to overcome all of her
her abilities to overcome all of her disabilities and in researching Helen
disabilities and in researching Helen
disabilities and in researching Helen Keller an inspirational quote that is
Keller an inspirational quote that is
Keller an inspirational quote that is attributed to her is the highest result
attributed to her is the highest result
attributed to her is the highest result of Education is tolerance so I’d like to
of Education is tolerance so I’d like to
of Education is tolerance so I’d like to take this opportunity to educate you on
take this opportunity to educate you on
take this opportunity to educate you on how tolerance can help us build a better
how tolerance can help us build a better
how tolerance can help us build a better community and just what is tolerance one
community and just what is tolerance one
community and just what is tolerance one of the definitions that I found of
of the definitions that I found of
of the definitions that I found of tolerance is it’s it’s being patient
tolerance is it’s it’s being patient
tolerance is it’s it’s being patient understanding and accepting of anything
understanding and accepting of anything
understanding and accepting of anything that is different I’m sure Helen Keller
that is different I’m sure Helen Keller
that is different I’m sure Helen Keller was labeled as being different other
was labeled as being different other
was labeled as being different other people who I started thinking about who
people who I started thinking about who
people who I started thinking about who were probably Labor labeled different
were probably Labor labeled different
were probably Labor labeled different was Albert Einstein Albert was labeled
was Albert Einstein Albert was labeled
was Albert Einstein Albert was labeled as dull and dyslectic and I bet of
as dull and dyslectic and I bet of
as dull and dyslectic and I bet of today’s psycho therapists and
today’s psycho therapists and
today’s psycho therapists and psychiatrists were to label him they
psychiatrists were to label him they
psychiatrists were to label him they would probably say he’s on the autism
would probably say he’s on the autism
would probably say he’s on the autism spectrum or even of having schizophrenia
spectrum or even of having schizophrenia
spectrum or even of having schizophrenia he didn’t speak
he didn’t speak
he didn’t speak until he was four years old his parents
until he was four years old his parents
until he was four years old his parents had him tested because they were worried
had him tested because they were worried
had him tested because they were worried he had a lifelong weakness in language
he had a lifelong weakness in language
he had a lifelong weakness in language skills but despite that deficiency he
skills but despite that deficiency he
skills but despite that deficiency he used this ability and understanding
used this ability and understanding
used this ability and understanding science to look at physics in ways that
science to look at physics in ways that
science to look at physics in ways that no one ever had before and discovered
no one ever had before and discovered
no one ever had before and discovered the theory of relativity another one of
the theory of relativity another one of
the theory of relativity another one of famous people who I look at as an
famous people who I look at as an
famous people who I look at as an inspiration is John Forbes Nash jr. he
inspiration is John Forbes Nash jr. he
inspiration is John Forbes Nash jr. he won the Nobel Mobil Prize for economics
won the Nobel Mobil Prize for economics
won the Nobel Mobil Prize for economics and science in 1994 he was a
and science in 1994 he was a
and science in 1994 he was a mathematician whose fundamental
mathematician whose fundamental
mathematician whose fundamental contributions to theory geometry and
contributions to theory geometry and
contributions to theory geometry and equations are found in complex systems
equations are found in complex systems
equations are found in complex systems of our everyday lives
of our everyday lives
of our everyday lives all this was achieved despite the fact
all this was achieved despite the fact
all this was achieved despite the fact that in 1959 he began showing clear
that in 1959 he began showing clear
that in 1959 he began showing clear signs of mental illness
signs of mental illness
signs of mental illness spending several years at psychiatric
spending several years at psychiatric
spending several years at psychiatric hospitals being treated for paranoid
hospitals being treated for paranoid
hospitals being treated for paranoid schizophrenia his struggles with his
schizophrenia his struggles with his
schizophrenia his struggles with his illness and recovery became the basis
illness and recovery became the basis
illness and recovery became the basis for a biography a beautiful mind which
for a biography a beautiful mind which
for a biography a beautiful mind which also became a movie I recommend if you
also became a movie I recommend if you
also became a movie I recommend if you can to watch it it’s a story of
can to watch it it’s a story of
can to watch it it’s a story of struggles of abilities to rise over the
struggles of abilities to rise over the
struggles of abilities to rise over the disabilities so how can we use tolerance
disabilities so how can we use tolerance
disabilities so how can we use tolerance to build our community first there has
to build our community first there has
to build our community first there has to be awareness of obstacles there are
to be awareness of obstacles there are
to be awareness of obstacles there are many awareness days and months that we
many awareness days and months that we
many awareness days and months that we celebrate and October happens to be the
celebrate and October happens to be the
celebrate and October happens to be the National Disability Employment Awareness
National Disability Employment Awareness
National Disability Employment Awareness Month this is a national campaign dating
Month this is a national campaign dating
Month this is a national campaign dating back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law
back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law
back to 1945 when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week of October
declaring the first week of October
declaring the first week of October national employ the physically
national employ the physically
national employ the physically handicapped week prior to 1945 employers
handicapped week prior to 1945 employers
handicapped week prior to 1945 employers were unaware of obstacles in their
were unaware of obstacles in their
were unaware of obstacles in their workplaces accommodations were few and
workplaces accommodations were few and
workplaces accommodations were few and far in between
far in between
far in between in 1962 the word physically was removed
in 1962 the word physically was removed
in 1962 the word physically was removed to acknowledge the employment needs and
to acknowledge the employment needs and
to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all
contributions of individuals with all
contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities in 1988 Congress
types of disabilities in 1988 Congress
types of disabilities in 1988 Congress expanded the week to include the entire
expanded the week to include the entire
expanded the week to include the entire month of October and changed it to the
month of October and changed it to the
month of October and changed it to the names that we celebrate today National
names that we celebrate today National
names that we celebrate today National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month and the theme for this year is inclusion
and the theme for this year is inclusion
and the theme for this year is inclusion drives innovation what kind of changes
drives innovation what kind of changes
drives innovation what kind of changes did we see as a result of these laws it
did we see as a result of these laws it
did we see as a result of these laws it revolutionized building codes and
revolutionized building codes and
revolutionized building codes and transformed engineering of everyday
transformed engineering of everyday
transformed engineering of everyday items I can remember growing up in my
items I can remember growing up in my
items I can remember growing up in my home and in the buildings and the stores
home and in the buildings and the stores
home and in the buildings and the stores that we’d go to everyone had round
that we’d go to everyone had round
that we’d go to everyone had round doorknobs they were made of glass they
doorknobs they were made of glass they
doorknobs they were made of glass they were made of wood I can remember coming
were made of wood I can remember coming
were made of wood I can remember coming home from a shopping trip with my mother
home from a shopping trip with my mother
home from a shopping trip with my mother withholding grocery bags she’d be
withholding grocery bags she’d be
withholding grocery bags she’d be fumbling for her key we put it in the
fumbling for her key we put it in the
fumbling for her key we put it in the door but that round knob our hands were
door but that round knob our hands were
door but that round knob our hands were fold we just couldn’t in turn that knob
fold we just couldn’t in turn that knob
fold we just couldn’t in turn that knob and opening-round knobs is not just
and opening-round knobs is not just
and opening-round knobs is not just difficult for people with grocery bags
difficult for people with grocery bags
difficult for people with grocery bags in their hands it’s difficult for people
in their hands it’s difficult for people
in their hands it’s difficult for people with a physical disability and it might
with a physical disability and it might
with a physical disability and it might even be difficult for elderly so out of
even be difficult for elderly so out of
even be difficult for elderly so out of the awareness of round doorknobs and the
the awareness of round doorknobs and the
the awareness of round doorknobs and the difficulty it could be the door lever
difficulty it could be the door lever
difficulty it could be the door lever what’s created you know you just hit it
what’s created you know you just hit it
what’s created you know you just hit it with your elbow there’s the ease of
with your elbow there’s the ease of
with your elbow there’s the ease of opening you can have grocery bags in
opening you can have grocery bags in
opening you can have grocery bags in your hand and still open that door so
your hand and still open that door so
your hand and still open that door so this innovation of the door lever not
this innovation of the door lever not
this innovation of the door lever not only gained us accessibility for certain
only gained us accessibility for certain
only gained us accessibility for certain groups I had them in my own house it’s
groups I had them in my own house it’s
groups I had them in my own house it’s easier for me to so everyone can benefit
easier for me to so everyone can benefit
easier for me to so everyone can benefit from innovations the name change in law
from innovations the name change in law
from innovations the name change in law in 1962 was also very significant so
in 1962 was also very significant so
in 1962 was also very significant so while physical obstacles were being
while physical obstacles were being
while physical obstacles were being identified and solutions were being
identified and solutions were being
identified and solutions were being created including Braille signs ramps
created including Braille signs ramps
created including Braille signs ramps door levers how were other obstacles
door levers how were other obstacles
door levers how were other obstacles that are not as apparent as physical
that are not as apparent as physical
that are not as apparent as physical ones
ones
ones being identified people who have a
being identified people who have a
being identified people who have a mental health diagnosis or an
mental health diagnosis or an
mental health diagnosis or an intellectual and developmental diagnosis
intellectual and developmental diagnosis
intellectual and developmental diagnosis their obstacles aren’t as transparent
their obstacles aren’t as transparent
their obstacles aren’t as transparent how does the community include their
how does the community include their
how does the community include their special needs in employment historically
special needs in employment historically
special needs in employment historically people with an intellectually or
people with an intellectually or
people with an intellectually or developmentally disability didn’t work
developmentally disability didn’t work
developmentally disability didn’t work in the community but rather they went to
in the community but rather they went to
in the community but rather they went to a sheltered workshop there they would do
a sheltered workshop there they would do
a sheltered workshop there they would do assembling and packaging getting piece
assembling and packaging getting piece
assembling and packaging getting piece repay and the facilities were really
repay and the facilities were really
repay and the facilities were really segregated from the community for a
segregated from the community for a
segregated from the community for a day-to-day workforce they never really
day-to-day workforce they never really
day-to-day workforce they never really came in contact with someone who didn’t
came in contact with someone who didn’t
came in contact with someone who didn’t have a disability
have a disability
have a disability Nancy Thaler is our current deputy
Nancy Thaler is our current deputy
Nancy Thaler is our current deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania office of
secretary of the Pennsylvania office of
secretary of the Pennsylvania office of developmental programs she says people
developmental programs she says people
developmental programs she says people have proven over and over again that
have proven over and over again that
have proven over and over again that those with disabilities can be more
those with disabilities can be more
those with disabilities can be more involved and integrated the bar gets
involved and integrated the bar gets
involved and integrated the bar gets raised as to what integration is people
raised as to what integration is people
raised as to what integration is people meet expectations and exceed them over
meet expectations and exceed them over
meet expectations and exceed them over and over again we can all witness how
and over again we can all witness how
and over again we can all witness how the National Disability Employment
the National Disability Employment
the National Disability Employment Awareness theme for this year
Awareness theme for this year
Awareness theme for this year inclusion drives innovation it’s
inclusion drives innovation it’s
inclusion drives innovation it’s happening right here at the Eastern
happening right here at the Eastern
happening right here at the Eastern Monroe Public Library fifteen years ago
Monroe Public Library fifteen years ago
Monroe Public Library fifteen years ago the library had discussions about
the library had discussions about
the library had discussions about expanding the footprint of the building
expanding the footprint of the building
expanding the footprint of the building the boy had talked about a coffee shop
the boy had talked about a coffee shop
the boy had talked about a coffee shop to the expansion fitzmorris had
to the expansion fitzmorris had
to the expansion fitzmorris had submitted a proposal to run the coffee
submitted a proposal to run the coffee
submitted a proposal to run the coffee shop and to hire people with
shop and to hire people with
shop and to hire people with disabilities to run it that expansion
disabilities to run it that expansion
disabilities to run it that expansion didn’t happen but fast forward to last
didn’t happen but fast forward to last
didn’t happen but fast forward to last year this time the library had plans to
year this time the library had plans to
year this time the library had plans to renovate and repurpose the current space
renovate and repurpose the current space
renovate and repurpose the current space which would include a coffee shop the
which would include a coffee shop the
which would include a coffee shop the original proposal was dusted off and a
original proposal was dusted off and a
original proposal was dusted off and a partnership between the library and
partnership between the library and
partnership between the library and fitzmorris was created the library cafe
fitzmorris was created the library cafe
fitzmorris was created the library cafe as we have named the coffee shop
as we have named the coffee shop
as we have named the coffee shop we’ll be an integrated employment
we’ll be an integrated employment
we’ll be an integrated employment setting for people with and without
setting for people with and without
setting for people with and without disabilities will be serving hot and
disabilities will be serving hot and
disabilities will be serving hot and cold drinks and snacks we held a job
cold drinks and snacks we held a job
cold drinks and snacks we held a job fair about two weeks ago the excitement
fair about two weeks ago the excitement
fair about two weeks ago the excitement of individuals who came and applied was
of individuals who came and applied was
of individuals who came and applied was electric for many this will be their
electric for many this will be their
electric for many this will be their first integrated job many applicants
first integrated job many applicants
first integrated job many applicants spoke of what this job would mean to
spoke of what this job would mean to
spoke of what this job would mean to them a chance to serve coffee to the
them a chance to serve coffee to the
them a chance to serve coffee to the people a chance to meet and talk to
people a chance to meet and talk to
people a chance to meet and talk to customers have meaningful work and get
customers have meaningful work and get
customers have meaningful work and get paid to be valued just like many
paid to be valued just like many
paid to be valued just like many non-disabled folks do everyday will be
non-disabled folks do everyday will be
non-disabled folks do everyday will be opening very soon I hope that all of you
opening very soon I hope that all of you
opening very soon I hope that all of you will come in and get a coffee and a
will come in and get a coffee and a
will come in and get a coffee and a snack and if it just takes a little
snack and if it just takes a little
snack and if it just takes a little longer for that person who’s been
longer for that person who’s been
longer for that person who’s been waiting on you behind the counter to
waiting on you behind the counter to
waiting on you behind the counter to make your change it takes them it may
make your change it takes them it may
make your change it takes them it may take a little longer than perhaps when
take a little longer than perhaps when
take a little longer than perhaps when you’re at the grocery store I’d like you
you’re at the grocery store I’d like you
you’re at the grocery store I’d like you to remember one word and that word is
to remember one word and that word is
to remember one word and that word is tolerance here’s your opportunity to be
tolerance here’s your opportunity to be
tolerance here’s your opportunity to be a part of inclusion in your community
a part of inclusion in your community
a part of inclusion in your community and witness how all of us can benefit
and witness how all of us can benefit
and witness how all of us can benefit from the abilities of others because to
from the abilities of others because to
from the abilities of others because to our cafe staff it’s more than just a cup
our cafe staff it’s more than just a cup
our cafe staff it’s more than just a cup of coffee it’s an opportunity to be a
of coffee it’s an opportunity to be a
of coffee it’s an opportunity to be a part of the community where diversity is
part of the community where diversity is
part of the community where diversity is accepted and appreciated thank you
”
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