Friday, June 28, 2024

ABLE SC, June Youth Newsletter

June Youth Newsletter

Group of excited youth with a purple color overlay. The text reads, Your Life. Be an Advocate. Be a Leader. Be Involved.

Editorial

Rio's Bill Passes in SC- Is This a Win for the Autistic Community?

By Grace Trumpower

The South Carolina Senate recently passed H. 4956, also known as Rio’s Bill. This law allows the Department of Motor Vehicles to distribute license plates that identify passengers as autistic or neurodivergent. The license plates look very similar to a standard license plate, except they feature the logo of an organization called Just Bee (An image of the logo is provided above, with a description). Just Bee trains people and businesses to be more autism-friendly. The organization was founded by Layla Luna, parent of a nonspeaking autistic teenager named Rio. Luna has “fought” for Rio’s Bill to be passed and for the plates to feature her self-founded organization’s logo. Luna claims that the Just Bee logo is “well-accepted” by the autistic community as a symbol for autism but that’s not accurate.

The Just Bee logo is not commonly recognized and, like the infamous puzzle piece, was designed and decided on without the input of autistic people. The symbol itself is not important, but her claim shows a lack of awareness of and respect for Autistic culture and imagery, such as the infinity symbol. The Autistic community uses a rainbow infinity symbol to represent neurodiversity, due to the infinite variation of human minds and a gold infinity symbol to represent autism specifically. Gold was chosen because the chemical symbol for gold is Au.

She also claims to be “a voice for the voiceless'', but Autistic people can speak for themselves, including people who are nonspeaking. Nonspeaking people can use alternative communication devices, typing, pointing, gestures, and behavior to communicate. There are plenty of nonspeaking self-advocates.

We, as disabled people, are not voiceless or helpless, and we do not need people without disabilities to articulate our thoughts and needs for us.

The disability community coined the motto “nothing about us without us” because we know what is best for us. We know what it means to live with our disability. We know what information is important for nondisabled people to know. Sensitivity training that is created and implemented by nondisabled parents is often inaccurate and can even include recommendations that are harmful to people with disabilities. License plates and disability registries that disclose our disabilities to a likely uninformed public are among that group.

Disability disclosure is a personal choice and registries take away that choice. If a parent or caregiver signs up their disabled family member while they are still a child, that disclosure will follow them through adulthood and is difficult to remove. Some registries are associated with crime information databases, which managers use to conduct background checks; thus outing the autistic person to their potential employers, which may result in hiring discrimination. A license plate is also very visible and knowing that a car contains a person with a disability may make that person more vulnerable to crime.

There is also no research or data to suggest that registries or license plates like these improve police interactions with autistic people.

Special license plates do not fulfill law enforcement officers’ obligations to people with disabilities. Simply knowing someone has a disability does not mean that they will be appropriately accommodated. Law enforcement may have limited, outdated, or stigmatizing views about autism. For example, there is the stereotype that autism meltdowns are equivalent to violent tantrums and that force is necessary to subdue the person. Many parents have called the police for help with a meltdown and the autistic person has been hurt or even killed.

The truth is that meltdowns are neurological crises that are caused by emotional or sensory overwhelm. Rio had a meltdown during his mother’s traffic stop and said that the police officer refused to acknowledge his needs, but simply knowing that he had autism wouldn’t have changed the outcome if the officer knew nothing about autism.

Police training allows police officers to improve their interactions with autistic people without requiring the person to disclose their disability. However, police training is not standardized throughout the country and is often led by parents who are not officially certified or culturally informed. The ideal solution would be to have a systematized, disability-led, and ongoing training program for law enforcement beginning in the academy and continuing throughout a person’s career. It must also be intersectional. These poor interactions with law enforcement reveal a much deeper issue of racism and ableism. Police should receive training that addresses their explicit and implicit biases against autistic people, especially autistic people of color. There should be a focus on de-escalation and conflict management, not on power and control.

There is a lot of work to be done when it comes to police interactions with autistic people, but we must work to find solutions that respect disabled people's right to dignity and privacy.

To learn more about Rio’s bill and your rights as a disabled person when interacting with the police, please click the buttons below.

Rio's Bill Video

Interacting With Police If You Have a Disability

Spotlight

This month's spotlight is Holden Roberts. He is a former Equip Leader and is currently a Youth Independent Living Specialist. We are spotlighting Holden because he recently became involved with the Barbara Stone Foundation, an organization dedicated to people with disabilities. The Barbara Stone Foundation funds Greenville CAN. Greenville CAN is a training program where young adults with disabilities are connected with a mentor, working together to create a presentation. At the end of the program, they deliver a speech called a CAN Talk, which Holden describes as being “like a TED Talk, only specific to Greenville…and for people with disabilities.” Holden is only in the orientation stage of the process, but he is already loving it. He says it has improved his communication skills, and he is making progress towards his goal of being able to speak in front of a crowd.

The theme of Holden’s presentation is Protecting Yourself from Online Scams. Holden shared that scams are becoming more complex, with entire companies that are dedicated to setting up voice calls with potential victims. Holden says that speaking directly to someone makes the victim more comfortable and more likely to give money. Holden says that, as an autistic man, he feels that autistic people are more likely to be targeted. He says “We tend to take things at face value…and it makes us more vulnerable,” and he shared a personal story about almost getting involved with a scammer. CAN Talks is powerful because it allows people with disabilities to talk about their lived experiences in order to help the community.

Holden will be presenting his first speech on October 22. Wish him luck as he prepares!

If you are interested in attending the presentation, or to learn more about Greenville CAN or CAN Talks, visit the website by clicking on the button below.

CAN Talks Website

Able SC Youth Events

Virtual Reality on 6/29 with SC-CATER

Another VR-Lab will be held at the end of this month on June 29th with SC-CATER in Columbia from 10 am to 1 pm for all Equip consumers!

Learn about high-tech robots, adaptive tech, VR headsets, and video games – there's something for everyone! We've got you covered with accessible controllers catering to all gaming enthusiasts, ensuring an inclusive and epic experience on the Xbox!

Click the button below to register.

Hope to see you there!!

This program is funded by the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council.

Equip SC CATER Registration

Summer Series is Here!

Youth who have registered can look forward to hearing from partners in the community and learning about transportation options, cooking skills, medical advocacy, and social skills!

Youth will also get an exclusive tour of the Disability Caravan touring the southeast.

Keep an eye on our social media for pictures of this awesome event!

Youth Resources & Updates

Two smartphones floating beside each other. The silver iPhone has a map on display, the directions are for a ‘Apple Fifth Avenue’. The other iPhone is a picture of a couple walking and above it in a green banner it says ‘Walk Signal’ in white lettering

OKO App

The OKO app is a revolutionary tool designed to enhance accessibility and safety for pedestrians, particularly those with visual impairments or disabilities. Leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, OKO transforms the pedestrian experience by providing real-time audible feedback and guidance at crosswalks and pedestrian signals.

Using the OKO app is simple and intuitive. Once installed on a mobile device, users can activate the app when approaching a crosswalk. Through the device's camera, OKO's AI algorithms instantly recognize and interpret the pedestrian signal, whether it's a walk sign, a flashing hand, or a countdown timer.

As the user stands at the crosswalk, OKO provides clear, spoken instructions, informing them of the current signal status and guiding them on when it's safe to cross. This real-time feedback ensures that individuals have the information they need to navigate intersections confidently and safely.

Moreover, OKO goes beyond simply relaying signal information. It also assists users in orienting themselves towards the direction of the pedestrian light, helping them align properly with the crosswalk and ensuring a smooth and efficient crossing experience.

With OKO, accessibility is not just a feature—it's a fundamental aspect of urban mobility. By empowering pedestrians with essential information and guidance, OKO promotes independence, inclusivity, and confidence in navigating city streets. Whether it's for daily commutes, leisurely strolls, or running errands, OKO transforms the pedestrian landscape, making it safer and more accessible for everyone.

Learn About the OKO App

Assistive Technology Resources

Email Pendleton Place

Pendleton Place Housing Opportunity

Pendleton Place, a charity that provides support for foster youth and underprivileged youth in Greenville, has launched a new program called Project HOMES. HOMES stands for Housing, Opportunities, Means, Engagement, and Support. It is available for youth ages 12-21 and their caregivers, who may be at risk for homelessness. Project HOMES provides case management, connection to resources, and cash assistance for youth, and it also provides holistic approaches to emotional wellness for the whole family, such as family mediation, caregiver enrichment classes, and kinship caregiver support.

Referrals to Project HOMES can be made by calling 864.467.3650, by emailing the address below, dropping by in person, or through the Pendleton Place website.

Supreme Court Asked To Consider Whether Parents Can Record IEP Meetings

The U.S. Supreme Court is being asked to take up a case centering on whether parents have the right to record meetings with their child's school district about special education services.

The case, Pitta v. Medeiros, originated after a 2022 IEP meeting with the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District in Massachusetts that was held via Google Meet.

The core of the dispute centers around disagreements regarding the adequacy, appropriateness, or implementation of the IEP. This might include:

The content of the IEP: Whether the IEP appropriately addresses the student’s needs.
Delivery of services: Whether the services outlined in the IEP are being delivered as specified.
Procedural compliance: Whether the school district followed proper procedures during the IEP process.

This case shows the ongoing difficulties and legal issues in making sure students with disabilities get the right education and services that they are entitled to under the law. It highlights the need to follow the rules of IDEA, especially as more education happens online.

For further details on the specific arguments, court findings, and implications of this case, reviewing the court’s opinion and related legal documents would provide comprehensive insights.

To read more about this issue, and more issues like this one click the button below!

Read the Article!

Partner and National Events

South Carolina K12 Digital Accessibility Boot Camp

The South Carolina Assistive Technology Program (SCATP) and the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is hosting the South Carolina K12 Digital Accessibility Boot Camp on July 16-18, at SCETV, 1401 George Rogers Blvd., Columbia, South Carolina 29201. The boot camp is for all school district educators and staff. The training is free. Participants must register to attend. Lunch will be provided all 3 days.