One of the hallmarks of being liberals is our capacity to extend beyond our own set of experiences, and to show empathy and understanding for others around us. What conservatives derisively dismiss as “political correctness,” we consider to be basic respect. So it’s no surprise to see a gaping void between the ways that both parties treat people with disabilities. Donald Trump thinks it’s funny to outright mock people with disabilities. Democrats, on the other hand, have strongly committed to not just strengthening government protections and allowances for the disabled, but also featuring strong and inspiring voices like that of Anastasia Somoza, Democratic convention superstar, who was gracious enough to join us for this Five Questions feature.
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1. Unlike politicians and artists on stage, you aren't a professional speaker. Yet your performance was a highlight of a convention full of highlights. You were amazing and delightful! How did it feel to be up on that stage, knowing that millions of people were watching? What has the post-convention reaction been like?
I was honored and extraordinarily excited to be on the convention stage! It was exhilarating, surreal and incredibly nerve-racking all at once! The post-convention reaction has been mind blowing!! I am humbled and immeasurably grateful for the overwhelmingly positive response I have received! And I can't say enough about how important it was to include the voices of people with disabilities on that stage which goes a long way in the right direction with regard to engaging and including us in the political process. If you look at the extent to which issues that affect disabled Americans were highlighted in the Democratic Party platform in addition to our participation in the convention itself, it was our most accessible and inclusive convention to date!
2. How did you meet Hillary Clinton? You talked a little bit about that, but it would be great to hear the full story.
Well, the full story would be pages and pages long so here are a few more details and highlights:
We first met when I was nine years old. I had been invited to the White House to participate in a nationally televised town hall meeting entitled: President [Bill] Clinton Answering Children's Questions.
After asking President Clinton to help integrate my twin sister Alba into a mainstream public classroom, Peter Jennings introduced me to Hillary as I was rolling through the hallways of the White House. She knelt down beside my chair, held my hand, picked up a photograph I had of my siblings and we began chatting about family! We went on to talk about Socks their cat (who Chelsea had just introduced us to during the televised broadcast). She explained that Socks was given his name because he was all black except for his white paws! This is the first of countless happy memories I have of Hillary and me.
Two more memories take me back to the year 2000. I was 16 years old and Hillary was running in the New York Senate race against Rick Lazio when she excitedly, proudly and (I remember thinking very bravely) insisted on pushing me in my manual wheelchair along the St. Pats For All annual inclusive St. Patrick's Day parade route, held in Queens, New York. At the time, broad-based inclusion and support for the rights of people with disabilities as well as those who identified as LGBTQ was rare, if not nonexistent. Despite being heckled by some onlookers along with several attempts to spit at us while we rolled and marched, Hillary kept going!!
The others were the stories and laughter we shared during her Senate swearing in ceremony and celebration. I described how excited I had been to receive a surprise phone call during the White House years!
3. Sometimes it’s hard for people to understand the ways that government can improve people’s lives. Can you walk us through the ways the Americans with Disability Act helps you on a day-to-day basis?
For me personally, one of the important aspects of the ADA is the right for reasonable accommodations in the workplace. This might mean accessible restrooms, assistive technology, computer programs, desk height and of course accessible entrance points to the workplace. The anti-discrimination clause based on type of disability in the workplace, transportation improvements especially the subway system, and the opportunity for students with disabilities to have access to accommodations in the general education classroom, adaptive equipment, computer technology, access to higher education and exam accommodations. There are of course many more, but too extensive to list here.
4. Beyond the ADA, what are the top three things government could propose and enforce that would help the greatest number of Americans with disabilities?
Concrete assistance to families caring for a disabled or chronically ill child/family member at home, starting from birth throughout their life. Families often have to give up their own jobs to do this with no financial assistance.
Create a fast path for qualified people with disabilities to employment in government and private enterprises. Employment of young people with disabilities in private industry through tax incentive programs. Create guidelines for a more inclusive workforce targeting people with disabilities.
Hold school districts accountable for implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs) through withholding of Federal funds for consistently delinquent offenders. Fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities with Education Act (IDEA) at the federal and state level to facilitate implementation of students IEP's.
5. How much does someone like Donald Trump (and the people who laugh at his crass jokes) set back efforts to win full acceptance and respect for people with disabilities?
The progress people with disabilities and our allies have made will never be undone. However, I wholeheartedly believe that we are not at the point where disability is seen as an inherent part of the human experience and that things like accessibility, education, and opportunities to enter the workforce for our community are still some time away from being social norms. Societal perceptions and attitudes can be influenced and sometimes shaped in an instant but often take far longer to shift or change. Therefore I worry most about undoing the damage Trump has already done, as well as preventing the seeds of fear and misunderstanding around disability from taking root in the hearts and minds of children, teens, and young adults.