Celebrating the ADA

Want am I doing with DRAC? I had lunch today with a woman I have worked with quite a bit over the 30 some years I've been in the Salt Lake area. She's a professional with the local transit authority I was a professional the local transit authority having recently retired like all of us we're all retiring its weird. She like myself has become involved with DRAC – Disability Rights Action Community. Interestingly, Sherry, the lady used to work with the transit authority work with riders with disabilities. Sherry was the A D A compliance officer for the transit authority. And the Utah transit Authority is often target for DRAC. Interesting how things work out. Anyway, Sherry and I had lunch together to work out a plan for the ADA celebration coming up in July. DRAC is putting on the celebration supposedly. Sherry got the task of contacting her old employer to see if they would help with our celebration which I think sort of translates to see if they will provide some funding. I volunteered to work with Sherry to develop a plan to present to the transit authority. Today was the first working meeting to bring this about.

As we discussed possibilities over lunch we realized we need to find out exactly what DRAC wants to do. This is the first item for consideration does DRAC want to celebration, citywide, countywide or even statewide. What does DRAC wish to gain from such a celebration and what does DRAC offer participants from other agencies and organizations who might wish to join DRAC in this celebration. Barbara Toomer recently passed away and Barbara Toomer has traditionally been the face of DRAC not only in the Salt Lake area but even nationally as she spent a great deal of time with the national organization to bring about more accessible transportation, attendant care options in all manners of positive considerations for people with disabilities. Now that Barbara has passed DRAC will most likely be morphing into something different than it traditionally has been. I don't know how big a vacuum Barbara's passing will create. I did not envision a power struggle for DRAC's leadership but then again you never know, people are funny. I think we had a three-hour lunch which is hard to believe that we talked about a lot of stuff. Sherry crafted some great questions which I totally support being answered by DRAC leadership and group. I got some assignment and Sherry will also put in a lot more work on the list we came up with.

As we talked about the organization and the organization's direction over lunch I kept thinking to myself why am I still involved with DRAC. As Sherry and I discussed each of our histories in this town we Kept examining weaknesses of the organization and I can bring up points of anger I had experienced over the years as the organization, never maliciously but consistently undercut programs and options I was trying to develop for people with disabilities along the Wasatch front and the state of Utah. I guess I want to stay involved with the disability rights movement and sadly DRAC (in my estimation) is still the most effective tool for bringing change for people with disabilities in this area. DRAC is going to change and now more than ever DRAC needs all the help it can get. If I don't do my part than I have no reason to gripe about the results in fact if I don't stay involved I cannot gripe about the results. I'm hoping the other agencies and organizations that serve folks with disabilities step up and do their part and we can pull off a positive and painless ADA celebration.