Category: Spotlight

Celebrating NDEAM- CIL Staff Spotlight: Danielle Head

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October is nationally recognized as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, also known short as NDEAM. This year’s observance is unique in that it not only marks the 75th anniversary since NDEAM originated, but 2020 also celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); a piece of civil rights legislation signed by George H.W. Bush, that granted rights and equal opportunities to people with disabilities in the United States.

One of the numerous focuses of the act was the expansion of equal employment opportunities and full inclusion for people with disabilities. While great advances in employment equality have been made thanks to the ADA, some people with disabilities still find it difficult to secure meaningful employment. In the state of Florida alone, there are an estimated 2.67 million people who indicate that they have some sort of disability, according to a 2019 report from the Florida Chamber Foundation. This is 13.4 percent of all Floridians. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent among people with disabilities in the United States in 2019, a slight decrease from the 8 percent reported in 2018. However, people with disabilities are still twice as likely to be unemployed, compared to those without a disability.

This was the case for a young woman named Danielle Head, 35, who was not born Deaf, but after childhood complications from Rotavirus, lost her hearing. After graduating and attaining an associate degree from Seminole State College, Danielle wanted to explore the work field of graphic design and photography, with the hope to ultimately land a job. But it’s not that simple for people with disabilities in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, unemployment rates for persons with a disability were higher than those for persons without a disability, even with the same education levels. Although Danielle had a respectable amount of graphic design and photography experience, she still struggled to find fulfilling employment that utilized her skills and capabilities.

Danielle Head sitting down in graduation gown, smiling and holding diploma.
Danielle graduated from Seminole State College in May of 2018 with an A.S. in Digital Design.

“I think that it’s important that people know that people with all different types of disabilities can do so many things that a lot of jobs require. There is so much misconception about the capabilities and work ethic of people with disabilities,” said Danielle.

In November of 2018, Danielle was referred to the Center for Independent Living of Central Florida, now known as CIL, for employment services. After working closely with her case manager on things like her resume, interview skills, and the job application process, Danielle felt ready for the next step of the process, which was on the job training, or OJT. This process typically is a supervised hands-on experience at a workplace to ensure that the transition to a job after this process is smooth. Danielle inquired if her training could take place within the walls of CIL, specifically with the development department, and her request was happily accepted. Development Director, Brittany Pilcher, knew that this training opportunity could allow Danielle to utilize and grow her skills of graphic design and photography, and that is exactly what happened.

photo of Danielle Head shoulder up, wearing a blue CIL polo shirt.
Danielle Head, 35, currently works at the Center for Independent living of Central Florida (CIL).

After Danielle’s on the job training came to an end, she still found herself struggling interview after interview. She couldn’t help but feel that she was at a constant disadvantage because of her disability, and found that as an individual who is Deaf and primarily uses American Sign Language to communicate, there was a communication barrier that kept her from connecting with potential employers. At this time, an opportunity arose within the development department at CIL for a graphic design position, and Danielle was happily selected to fill that role.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 6.5 million current job openings. Many of these positions could be filled by qualified people with disabilities; yet stigmas and misconceptions keep these positions vacant and unfilled.

Danielle Head standing in front large painted mural, wearing blue drape around her neck that says "Orlando City"
Earlier this year, Danielle was selected to design a mural at Camping World Stadium for Orlando City Soccer Club. Image source: Seminole State College

“With increased education and advocacy on people with disabilities, we hope that potential employers see the true benefits of hiring people with disabilities,” said Jascinth Lawrence, Program Director at CIL.

“Our clients are eager to get into the workforce and lead independent lives; they just need the opportunity and employers who are willing to see them for their abilities,” Lawrence added.

 

Hector’s Story- Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month

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CIL Storytelling and Marketing Intern, Melissa smiling in a profile photo.

Written by Melissa Donovan

 

38 years ago, Hector Del Valle was involved in a drunk driving car accident.  He was only 17 years old and was battling a major substance abuse problem. He hit two cars and a brick wall, leaving him with a life altering Spinal Cord Injury. Hector is now in a wheelchair and is paralyzed from the chest down. 

A photocopy of an article written by Hector Del Valle. An old image of Hector is surrounded by the text of the article he wrote.
A story written by Hector and published in a NAADD (National Association on Alcohol, Drugs & Disability) newsletter. In the writing Hector talks about the lack of accessibility in drug and alcohol abuse treatment centers.
“Today almost 38 years later I could honestly tell you that this injury has impacted my life by the power I give it,” Hector said. “Sometimes it’s my chariot of entitlement thinking I have every right to abuse myself and others and other times I’m humbled by it.”

Since the accident that caused his Spinal Cord Injury, Hector has been a major advocate against drunk driving. While he lived in New Jersey, he was a part of the effort of raising the drinking age from 18 to 21, and this gave him his first job in the New Jersey department of highway safety. Later, he moved to New York and landed another job as a Minority Outreach Coordinator for an independent living center. In 1997 he moved to Orlando in pursuit of his Masters degree in Social Work at UCF. At that time he was also working at one of the biggest substance abuse programs in the area where he was a major advocate for equal access to substance abuse treatment for people with addictions and disabilities on a national level. This later led him to become involved at CIL. 

Sylvia Longmire in wheelchair (left), Hector Del Valle in wheelchair (middle), and Amanda Perla Jereczek in wheelchair (right) wearing formal attire and smiling.
Sylvia Longmire, Hector Del Valle, and Amanda Perla Jereczek at the 2018 Celebrating Independence Gala event.

Knowing that this injury has left him to be dependent on others which also places him in a vulnerable position, he has created a “medical support network” of people he knows he can trust. As a board member of CIL, he hopes to be someone who others may be able to relate to and trust.

“CIL does their best to address and to advocate those rights of people with disabilities and caregivers who take care of them,” Hector said.  “The world is changing every day, our climate is changing, we are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and we are already changing how we do health care. Hence, why we will need more individuals with SCI’s and other types of disabilities to provide mental health counseling to keep us all balanced as we navigate these world wide changes and how it’s impacting all of our communities.”

As someone who has faced the challenges that comes with a Spinal Cord Injury, Hector has some  words of advice and encouragement for anyone who may feel they can relate to him.

Hector in his electric wheelchair smiling with friends outside on a sunny bright day.
Hector with friends getting ready for the 2018 Stroll and Roll CIL fundraising event.
“Stay in motion and express yourself however you can,” Hector said. “Find your purpose for today, for tomorrow will take care of itself”

 

Christopher’s Story- Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month

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CIL Storytelling and Marketing Intern, Melissa smiling in a profile photo.

Written by Melissa Donovan

 

September was designated National SCI Awareness Month by the US Senate in an effort to raise awareness about SCI, the need for better treatments and education on prevention. According to themiamiproject.org, 17,730 new spinal cord injuries occur each year in the United States alone.

Christopher Pruitt, a current CIL Board Member, found himself as a part of that statistic when he was involved in a traumatic boating accident six years ago. This accident happened in the blink of an eye and left him with spinal cord injuries that have paralyzed him from the neck down. He relies on friends and roommates to help him with day-to-day tasks such as getting food, driving, and bathing. 

Christopher Pruitt, before his accident, standing in front of a fence smiling wearing a cowboy hat and red flannel shirt.
Christopher before his accident. Much has changed in his life but Christopher can always be seen smiling.

Before his injury, Christopher worked as an event planner. He was the person in charge of making memorable and welcoming corporate events, weddings, concerts, and more. After the accident, he realized that he was not able to perform the necessary tasks that event planning required. This was just one of the many changes that he had to make to adjust to his new life. Christopher says that his injury has placed insane limitations in his home life and the real world. Although Christopher has learned to adapt to a new version of his life, he still finds himself adapting to new changes constantly.

Christopher Pruitt in his wheelchair smiling and using a tablet.
Christopher testing our a wheelchair attachable robotic arm at UCF.
“You know life is always changing and you have to change with it and if something doesn’t work try something different,” Christopher said.

Christopher has become very passionate about working with non-profit organizations, such as CIL. After discovering about the work of CIL in the community, from a friend, Christopher knew that he wanted to get involved with the organization that shared his values and drive to better the disability community. 

“When I got the opportunity, I wanted to go ahead and jump at it and get on their board and see what I can do to help further their agenda,” Christopher said. 

Christopher has noticed that through his time with  CIL, that he has a unique understanding and real perspective on the needs and challenges of people with disabilities.

“There are tons of people out there that do not have the equipment or the access to people that can help, so I think that was one of the biggest things that drew me to CIL.”
Despite the challenges and battles, Chris finds hope with the support and love of his friends.

Although Christopher’s accident has altered his life completely in countless ways,  he realizes that he has become stronger because of it, and he hopes that people who may be going through what he went through will not be discouraged.

Christopher had the ultimate platform to tell his story on February 20, 2020- when he told a crowd of over 500 people about how his disability has not only affected him, but also how it has allowed him to think and interact with his world in a whole new perspective. He also described how important it was for him to make relationships with organizations like CIL, so that he could offer his unique perspective to better help the people that these groups serve. Ultimately, Christopher’s story resonated and touches the hearts of the competition’s attendees, as CIL won third place and $10,000.

Christopher Pruitt with CIL staff and board members holding a check for $10,000- after receiving third place at the 2020 Victory Cup Initiative competition.
Christopher with CIL staff and board members holding a check for $10,000- after receiving third place at the 2020 Victory Cup Initiative competition.
“I think that it’s very important for people to know but while people might stare at you, nobody’s really judging you, it’s more curiosity than anything else,” Christopher said.

CIL Career Camp Experience- Asia Abualsamid

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Asia Abualsamid, 17, has participated in the Center for Independent Living’s Career Camp for the past two years. The camp is a completely immersive program where high school students with disabilities can experience pre-employment skills training and get exposed to opportunities that will ultimately help them to transition to adulthood and careers. Asia originally found out about the camp after CIL gave a presentation at her school and she was interested in learning more about the program.

Due to COVID-19, this year’s summer camp was held totally virtually, to protect the health and safety of students.

One guest speaker at this year’s camp was Ms. Shakira Ellis, a representative from CenterState Bank. Her presentation focused on the basics and importance of budgeting, saving, and being aware of spending. She outlined the differences between checking and savings accounts, and the benefits of each. Not only are the students benefiting from the experience, but the employers are also learning how to connect more with all different members of the community.

Asia was excited to once again join camp and to learn new skills. “I learned how to build my resume as well as how to keep track of a budget,” Asia said. “I also learned about the importance of communication while at work,” she added.

In previous years, CIL has hosted the summer camp at Publix, offering in-person demonstrations for all  participating students. Camp members were given hands-on experience in a variety of departments within the grocery chain; from food packaging to shelf stocking. Another guest speaker during this year’s camp session was Voncara Daly, who is the Retail Staffing Specialist at a Publix located in Lakeland, Florida. Interview skills and customer service were the focuses of her virtual presentation. Rosa González, the Programs Manager of CIL and coordinator of the career camp, knows the importance of this program to these students, in addition to the opportunities that it creates for them. “This camp teaches them a lot of new skills. They learn how to advocate for themselves and how to prepare for their future employment.” Rosa said. 

Voncara Daly, Retail Staffing Specialist at a Publix located in Lakeland, talks with the students about the values instilled in Publix employees.

The camp’s benefits range from helping build a resume to finding professional clothing. The presenters are experts in their unique fields, so they can offer real-life, hands-on expertise, advice, and answers to any questions that campers throw their way. “When you have a professional giving you a private tour and presentation about their careers, the students want to listen and engage. They are so eager to learn.” Rosa said.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, camp this year was offered online in a virtual setting. While there were a handful of changes made to the structure of the program, the students learned how to adjust and to change, ultimately coming out of the summer camp session with additional learning experience. “Having our guest speakers and tours virtually gave the students practice with Zoom interviews,” Rosa said. “Before the camp, some students didn’t have experience with Zoom, and now with a lot of employers going virtual, they now know how to work the application.”

Spotlight Story: Christine Hunter

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Meet Christine,

Christine Hunter, 58, is retired and lives in her home with her husband and pets. She uses her walker or wheelchair to get around, but the stairs outside of her home were problematic and inaccessible for Christine. With steep stairs, she was worried about how to remain independent while also staying cautious about falling. After recently suffering a fall, she knew she needed some improvements and modifications to her home to stay safe and maintain her peace of mind.

Mrs. Hunter first learned about the Center for Independent Living during a brief hospital stay, when her nurses communicated and recommended that she reach out to CIL for some of the home modifications that she was looking for. When she first got in touch with CIL, she was asked some simple, preliminary questions about herself and her current living situation. The main focus of the conversation was the goals that Christine had for herself. Her main goal was simply to live more independently with less fear of going through another accident or fall; it was now CIL’s mission to help Christine meet this goal. After this initial conversation, CIL sent their friendly and knowledgeable building technicians to visit her home, assess the situation, and configure a plan of action. It was ultimately decided that CIL would be able to grant Mrs. Hunter the peace of mind that she was looking for- a new ramp at her front door to replace the dangerous steps.

Life before the ramp for Christine was dependent on her husband, who helped her use the stairs on the outside of her house. She would hold on to her husband’s arm and lean on him for support. She grasped for her independence when trying to leave her own home and was ready for some change. “My husband would have to help me down and up. He would balance me and have to put my walker at the bottom of the stairs.” Christine said. Before the ramp, the concrete stairs created a risk for falling easily since they had no hand railings for her to rely on. CIL was quick to remove Mrs. Hunter’s old, wooden stairs and replace them with an aluminum ramp; which will withstand the harsh weather conditions and last a longer time.

In just one day, Christine’s new aluminum ramp was completed. She now feels more independent and in control of her own life. The ramp was added to the front of her house so she could either use her walker, wheelchair or she could walk by herself. She described the process and installation as quick and easy. “When the workers came to my house they determined they couldn’t add the ramp to the side door, so that’s why they decided on the front door,” Christine said.

With her newly gained independence, thanks to her ramp, she is now able to complete simple tasks like walking in and out of her house as well as doing her own laundry. “It’s a lot easier with the ramp now. It’s great.”

Download a PDF version of this story!

Spotlight Story: Garry Guerrier

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Garry Guerrier moved to the United States from Haiti, facing the many challenges that come with being deaf in a new country and not knowing American Sign Language (ASL). Even though there’s a small presence of ASL in Haiti, most of its deaf population uses Haitian Sign Language (LSH), which shares very few overlaps with ASL. Despite being presented with these challenges, Gary met his case worker at CIL in 2007 with ambitious goals and immediately began working towards them. Through CIL he began learning ASL and was supplied with the tools he needed to begin his job search: writing a resume, learning about the job application process, practicing interviews, and learning job readiness skills, which would all eventually lead him to acquire a job at Disney. Even after he landed his job at Disney, CIL continued supporting him throughout his future endeavors by instructing Garry on how to manage his finances, helping him complete his income taxes, and assisting him on his journey of becoming a United States citizen, which he accomplished in November of 2019.

Even with overcoming so much within his first decade in the United States, there has been one ongoing goal that Garry has persistently chased after: being able to drive. He currently relies on friends and family for rides to CIL, and he uses public transportation to attend his job at Disney. With the help of CIL, Gary has made tremendous progress learning the driving basics, despite him being from a country with different traffic laws.

Garry Guerrier’s story is one of perseverance and dedication. With the help of CIL he hopes to officially acquire his driver’s license and continue to flourish in the place he calls home with CIL’s help.