Tag: equality

Loss of Initiative 300 Sad Day for Denver

CCDC is saddened but not surprised that the well-funded opposition to Initiative 300 prevailed in the municipal election yesterday. Initiative 300 was never intended to be a solution to homelessness..it was simply a measure to preserve basic human rights of those living with homelessness, an increasing number caused by out of control development and growing income equality. An increasing number of people experiencing homelessness are people with disabilities, but our support of this measure was about our commitment to social justice for all.

Some members of the opposition used scare tactics that focused on “othering” and making those experiencing homelessness seem somehow scary and different from the rest of us. Our experience is that people experiencing homelessness are no different than anyone else and that most of us are not too far from such an experience. CCDC hopes that the well-funded opposition that said “we can do better” will put some of the time and money into actually helping the situation. Some ideas to help include but are not limited to:

Improving conditions at homeless shelters and homeless services
Creating shelter space for people with pets, families, and those unable to tolerate large groups
Creating safe public facilities for storage and showers
Supporting innovative programs actually help people like the laundry truck run by Bayaud Enterprises
Working to require developers to have a percentage of housing available to very low and no-income people in every development including luxury housing
Working on a way to stabilize rents because the market is not handling it
Providing legal support for initiatives run by and for the community of people experiencing homelessness like the Tiny Village.
Doing some deep work and training on their own implicit bias and trying to understand the harm caused by the “othering” done during this campaign
Actually talking to members of Denver Homeless Out Loud and getting to know individuals who are forced to live on the streets on a personal level.

This is a sad moment for our city. CCDC wants to thank and honor the amazing members of Denver Homeless Out Loud for a job well done. Had this group not been so dramatically outspent the results may have been different.

Congratulations to Jared Polis and Other Winners

CCDC wishes congratulations to our new Governor Jared Polis and looks forward to working with this new administration. Our expectations of a new governor are clear and doable. We look forward to advancing the rights of people with disabilities so that we can show our capabilities as full citizens. This means a dramatic increase in the number of people with disabilities who are employed. This means a dramatic improvement in the high school graduation of students with disabilities and making sure that students go to college or some sort of vocational program. This means a government that values people with disabilities by having high expectations and providing appropriate supports. This means a government that involves us at every level…on boards, commissions, as employees in state agencies, and on the transition team. Governor-Elect Polis stated last night that his administration will be inclusive. We expect to be part of this inclusion and to have disability representation in historic proportions and stand ready to help make that happen.

CCDC congratulates all of the representatives and senators that won their seats as well and we look forward to working with all of you on these same goals.

We will be solidifying legislative priorities for the next two years soon but among them will surely be:

1) Increasing protection for renters such as statewide source of income discrimination protection and habitability laws.

2) Extending the Mediciad Buy-In for Working Adults with Disabilities to people over the age of 65 and for more than 10 days in between jobs, even if we have to use state funds. With the federal government giving the states carte blanche we should be able to get approval.

3) Getting safety protections for people living in host homes.

4) Consumer direction for all HCBS services.

5) Improving our case management systems, especially transition from institutions.

We will be focusing on money for solid transportation that has a focus on transit and affordable housing that is inclusive of everyone including those with very low income. We will be working on increased accountability around behavioral health and overall health care in the Medicaid program.

On a federal level with the Democrats having a majority in the house, we will be holding Congresswoman DeGette accountable for her promises to us to fix the Electronic Visit Verification mess and exempt consumer direction and family caregivers. We will also expect help with improved access to quality complex rehab equipment (power wheelchairs) including accountability for repairs.

While Colorado definitely went blue, this does not mean that CCDC will stop working with our Republican allies. We have always been and always will be a bipartisan organization. Our issues cross both parties. Disability does not discriminate.

CCDC was very proud of the VERY STRONG voter turnout in the disability community. Approximately 90% of our members had already voted before Monday and we are sure the rest voted Monday or Tuesday. Voting is the first step of realizing NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US.

HAPPY ADA DAY to all of you!

28 years ago today the ADA was signed into law….and we have seen changes that only dreamed at one point. When the ADA was passed into law Estrella Rowe, the daughter of Lucinda Rowe, was not even born. Please enjoy this guest blog written in honor of the anniversary by the parent of someone who continues to benefit from this incredible law that we must still protect.

CCDC is happy that a new generation of leaders, like Lucinda Rowe, are involved. Lucinda took our advocacy class, got involved as a volunteer and is now a temporary employee. Thank you, Lucinda, for writing this guest blog! We welcome others to submit pieces for this Sound Off Blog.

Happy Independence Day !!

ADA Day

Written by Lucinda Rowe
July 26, 2018

ADA Day is significant to my family but most of all to my daughter. Estrella was born prematurely weighing one pound. She was diagnosed with severe Cerebral Palsy at a month old. Continue reading “HAPPY ADA DAY to all of you!”

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