Photographer and advocate, Lily Bandak, and her colleague, San Diego State University professor and administrator Caren Sax, recently spoke with ABILITY’s Lia Martirosyan and Chet Cooper about ringing the link between travel, education, photography and disability into focus. Chet Cooper: Tell us about your photography background. Lily Bandak: My family is from Bethlehem in ... Read more
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Jennifer Esposito Issue
Articles in the Jennifer Esposito Issue; Senator Harkin — Freedom to Choose; Ashley Fiolek — Marvelous; Humor — Hieroglyphics, Algebra & Philosophy; Geri Jewell — Prescribing LOL; Brandon — Stutter: My Change Agent; Travel — Destinations for All; China — A Life of Nuclear Proportions; Long Haul Paul — MotoMedicine; Lily Bandak — A Clear Focus; 3D — Printing with Purpose; Special Olympics — Health Training; Crisis, Conflict… — Bangladesh Excerpt; Jennifer Esposito — #Celiac; Audio Description — Joel Snyder, PhD; EARN — Defining Disability; ABILITY’s Crossword Puzzle; Events and Conferences.
Freedom to Choose
FULFILLING THE PROMISE OF COMMUNITY LIVING Dear ABILITY readers, At a recent roundtable of the Senate HELP Committee, Emmanuel Smith described the challenges he faced growing up in Iowa with brittle bone disease. All his life, he feared that if he were to incur an injury, it would limit his independence and force him ... Read more
Marvelous
Since April I have been involved in a top-secret project, but now I can finally talk about it. A couple of years ago I received an award from a woman’s stunt show group for my Red Bull commercial. To pick up the trophy, I went out to California, attended one of their stunt workshops, ... Read more
Prescribing LOL
Has a doctor ever given you a prescription for laughter? No? Too bad, because laughter may very well be the most non-toxic, life-altering drug we can get! It doesn’t matter what’s ailing us, whether it be cancer, diabetes, cerebral palsy, high blood pressure, or arthritis—laughter can help all those conditions. Not to mention other ... Read more
Hieroglyphics, Algebra & Philosophy
The Egyptians were one of the first great civilizations to arise along the Nile River. These tanned people wore diaper-like outfits and drove around in compact chariots. Their big claim to fame was constructing giant pyramids so they could store dead pharaohs wrapped from head-to-toe in adhesive tape. They must have been extremely big ... Read more
BRANDON—Stutter: My Change Agent
I was born with a speech impediment. Ideas flourish in my mind, but they just don’t transfer smoothly through my vocal chords like other people. Having this stuttering disability subjected me to a cloud of hopelessness for a large portion of my life. I thought my dreams would never come to fruition, that I ... Read more
Destinations for All
The tourism industry successfully reached one billion international travelers in 2012. While this represents strong growth, there are still great challenges for the approximately 15 percent of travelers who have a disability and need accessible transportation. Without this, they lack the ability to enjoy the full range of tourist destinations. This lack of accommodation ... Read more
A Life of Nuclear Proportions
This time, it was an earth-shattering bang. The glass window behind me shattered to the ground. I felt the whole building shake and my body grew wobbly. I quickly rushed to the front door, pulled down the switch at the lab…” -Forbidden Youth by Shijie Wei The soul-stirring scenes depicted in Forbidden Youth, a ... Read more
MotoMedicine
\ I’ve got a prescription in my pocket I bet most people around here would kill for.” I was invited to the Americade Motorcycle Rally in Lake George, NY, to present a few seminars. Everybody thought my script was for medical marijuana! And they guessed wrong! My presentation, MotoMedicine: Riding for Medicinal Purposes explores ... Read more
3D — Printing with Purpose
3D Printing is a process by which a digital file becomes a physical object. Anyone can make anything, it is a plastic renaissance. A combination of factors, such as the incredible cost reduction of 3D printing and the availability of free user-friendly design software, have led to the formation of open-source design communities, turning ... Read more
SPECIAL OLYMPICS —Health Training
The 2014 Special Olympics USA Games recently attracted 3,500 athletes from throughout the country to a week-long celebration of the human spirit in locations throughout New Jersey. The events’ participants helped shatter perceptions about what people with intellectual disabilities can do. After four years of training, planning and preparing, the athletes competed to win ... Read more
CRISIS, CONFLICT…—Bangladesh Excerp
People with disabilities are among the most adversely affected during conflict situations or when natural disasters strike. They experience higher mortality rates, have fewer available resources and less access to help, especially in refugee camps, as well as in post-disaster environments. Already subject to severe discrimination in many societies, people with disabilities are often ... Read more
AUDIO DESCRIPTION —Joel Synder, PhD
AUDIO DESCRIPTION WHAT IS IT? Audio Description (AD) makes the visual images of theater, media and visual art accessible for people who are blind or have low vision. Using words that are succinct, vivid, and imaginative (via the use of similes or comparisons), describers convey the visual image that is either inaccessible or only ... Read more
Defining Disability
It’s critical that employers understand the diversity and prevalence of disability, as well as what it means—practically and legally—in order to ensure an inclusive workplace for all. For many, the word “disability” conjures images of individuals who use wheelchairs or who are blind or deaf. But according to a 2011 World Health Organization report, ... Read more
Jennifer Esposito — #Celiac
Jennifer Esposito made a name for herself with her TV and film work, including “I Still Know What You Did Last Summer”, “Crash” and “Blue Bloods”. But in recent months, she’s switched reels to launch her latest passion: Her gluten free bakery, Jennifer’s Way, in New York City. There, she creates delicious breads, cookies ... Read more
