Circa 2005 What’s funny about being a little person? Plenty! Can you really find comedy using a wheelchair? You bet! A standup comedy showcase for comedians with disabilities? Absolutely! Welcome to the Sixth Annual Norman G. Brooks Standup Comedy Showcase, presented by the Media Access Office (a program of the California Employment Development Department) ... Read more
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Jane Pauley Issue
Harriet M C Bryde Johnson — Civil Rights Activist
Circa 2005 America has a long tradition of law based on a reasonable person standard—what would a reasonable person do in a given situation? But what if society’s norm is wrong? What if reasonable people still retain prejudice or remain ignorant of the facts? Could that ever happen? Reasonable people once believed a woman ... Read more
Coming Of Age — Statewide Independent Living Councils
Circa 2005 Independence is a quality virtually inherent to American citizens. In fact, most would say the right to independence has been cherished in our country since the nation’s conception. It was perhaps the motivation initiating our drive for freedom and social justice in the first place. However, while the term independence is often ... Read more
Bipolar Disorder — Important Information
Circa 2005 Previously referred to as manic-depressive disorder, bipolar disorder affects about one out of every 100 people. It is a major risk for suicide, it has a high correlation with other physical and mental illnesses, and its economic impact on affected individuals and their families can be severe. While manic (highly energized, very ... Read more
Jane Pauley — Being True To Herself
Circa 2005 The past three decades saw the wedding, divorce and death of Princess Diana; military victories and defeats; the impeachment of an American president; the rise of cellular phones and personal electronic devices; and the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. These were decades of huge triumphs, like the ... Read more
Life Rolls ON — Surfer Jesse Billauer
Circa 2005 It was just another day at the beach. Jesse Billauer, a California native about to launch his professional surfing career, was surfing with a couple of friends at one of their local spots before school. Billauer casually caught a wave and pulled into the tube, with the crest of the wave rising ... Read more
Butterfly Power — Native American Healing
Circa 2005 As a scientist and health educator, I have focused on disability research and the value of nonWestern methodologies such as Native American healing. As I have delved further into more holistic philosophies, I’ve begun to reflect on my own experiences surrounding disability and those of people close to me, and how these ... Read more
Michael Rogers — A Journey Of Self-Discovery
Circa 2005 At a critical juncture in Michael Rogers’ life, his disabilities caused him to question whether he wanted to go on. He had endured his K-12 years in an educational system that had placed him in separate special education classes, and when he finally graduated from high school he felt stupid, useless and ... Read more
Employment — Building Healthy Relationships
Circa 2005 Alison, a 35-year-old account manager, cringed every time she had to ask her boss for anything. Whether it was a question about her work or a request for an extra vacation day, she would become fearful. Though her boss rarely came across as anything but even-tempered, Alison continually anticipated he would become ... Read more
Americans With Disabilities Act — 15 Years
Circa 2005 As President George Herbert Walker Bush lifted the pen after signing his name, the 41st president looked across the south lawn of the White House and saw thousands of men and women legally set free. When the ink dried on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), for the first time people with ... Read more
Senator Harkin — Setting Our People Free
Circa 2005 SETTING OUR PEOPLE FREE Dear ABILITY Readers, This year celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Authoring the ADA and shepherding its passage was one of the proudest achievements of my career in Congress. When we passed the ADA, we set four great national goals for individuals with ... Read more
Headlines — Ms Cruise, Breast Cancer & Court Ruling
Circa 2005 MS CRUISE CELEBRITY CRUISE’S MILLENNIUM Recently more than 200 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from 30 states boarded Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium at Port Everglades for the 4th annual MSF Cruise for a Cause, an innovative educational and motivational program at sea hosted by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation (MSF). Many brought care partners, ... Read more
Humor Therapy — What’s Up Doc?
Circa 2005 Well, it’s that time of the decade again. Time to go to the doctor. Incidentally, this is never my choice, but my wife’s. For reasons beyond my comprehension, my wife, at least for now, wants me to live as long as she does. I guess nagging the cat won’t be as fulfilling. ... Read more
Letter From The Editor — The Ada & Mental Health
Circa 2005 Dear Readers, This year celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law by the elder President Bush in July of 1990. In 2001 President George W. Bush unveiled the New Freedom Initiative, with the goal to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to learn and ... Read more
