ACCESSABILITY SUMMIT TRANSCRIPTION
“CREATIVE STEPS TOWARD A UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR AN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT”
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS
DAVIDSON AUDITORIUM
SPONSORED BY:
THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
THE OFFICE OF STUDENT ACCESSABILITY
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS………..…………………………………. PAGE 3
ARTIST STUDIO TOUR: DESMOND BLAIR.…………………….…………....PAGE 6
“SELF-ADVOCACY AND EMPOWERMENT”.………………………..…….. PAGE 11
PANEL DISCUSSION………………………………………………………….. PAGE 34
“AN OVERVIEW OF TEXAS ACCESS LAW”...……………………...……… PAGE 77
“WEB ACCESSABILITY & OUTREACH”………………………………….... PAGE 99
“CALL TO ACTION: A COMMON VISION FOR THE FUTURE”…….…… PAGE 113
WRAP-UP AND Q&A……………………………..…………………………. PAGE 128
6
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
GEORGE FAIR
INTRODUCTION
PAUL WATSON
FACILITATOR
GEORGE FAIR: PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS SO WE CAN BEGIN THE PROGRAM. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS GEORGE FAIR. I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT UT DALLAS. WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE AND IT'S A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO START OUR PROGRAM. THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE OFFICE OF STUDENT ACCESSABILITY, THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES, IS ADDRESSING THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DIVERSITY CHALLENGES FOR THE COMMUNITY WITH DISABILITIES.
TODAY YOU WILL HEAR FROM PROFESSIONALS FROM THE COMMUNITY, FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS AND CAREGIVERS WHO ARE INVITED TO ATTEND UT DALLAS' FIRST ACCESSABILITY SUMMIT. DISCUSSIONS, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES WILL ENCOMPASS ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS IN TEXAS AS WELL AS AT UT DALLAS, BEST PRACTICES AND THE NEED FOR THE ADOPTION OF EQUAL ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSITY. OUR GOALS ARE TO CREATE FURTHER AWARENESS FOR AFFECTED INDIVIDUALS AND EDUCATIONAL ENTITIES ALIKE AND TO CREATE A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS AND THE ADMINISTRATION AT UT DALLAS. OUR LARGER GOAL IS TO CHANGE ATTITUDES, TO CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIALOGUE AND TO PLACE ACCESSIBILITY IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR DECISIONS AT UT DALLAS AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING OUR FACILITATOR FOR TODAY'S PROGRAM, MR. PAUL WATSON. PAUL IS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL VOLUNTEERS OF MY POSSIBILITIES AND WAS ABLE TO GET SEVERAL DONATIONS AND SERVICES AND MATERIALS FOR THE REMODELING OF THE CENTER. PAUL PERSONALLY SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS PAINTING AND REPAIRING ALL THE WALLS, PLUMBING, INSTALLED A DISHWASHER AND DISPOSAL. PAUL IS MARRIED AND TOGETHER HE AND HIS WIFE HAVE A DAUGHTER WITH AUTISM. PAUL IS A PROFESSIONAL AND DEPARTMENT HEAD AT UT DALLAS AND STATES THAT HE HAS PERSONAL PRIDE IN UPHOLDING THE UNIVERSITY'S ETHICS AND TAKES HIS PERSONAL, LEGAL, FIDUCIARY DUTIES PERSONALLY, PRIDING HIMSELF TO GET ALONG WITH ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE. FOR THE UNIVERSITY, PAUL HAS A LEGAL FIDUCIARY DUTY AS PROCUREMENT OFFICER TO PRESENT THE UNIVERSITY AND THE PUBLIC TO ENSURE A FAIR USE OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY FOR MINORITIES. IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO INTRODUCE HIM.
PAUL WATSON: GOOD MORNING, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DR. FAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING TODAY. THIS HAS BEEN VERY FUN AND EXCITING FOR US TO ORGANIZE THIS EVENT. I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK ROSIE PETERSON OVER IN THE CORNER, THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SHE BRAINSTORMED THIS ORIGINAL IDEA AND MY OFFICE STARTED WORKING RECENTLY WITH HER OFFICE ON MINORITY PURCHASING AND OUR HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS PROGRAM. THE IDEA CAME UP FOR THE SUMMIT AND I IMMEDIATELY VOLUNTEERED AS SOON AS I HEARD ABOUT IT. DIVERSITY AND HELPING PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEAR TO MY HEART. I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO IS 28 YEARS OLD WHO HAS AUTISM AND SO I HAVE HAD A FAIRLY GOOD CAREER IN DEALING WITH THIS. PERSONALLY, I RECENTLY LOST 50% OF MY HEARING AND HAD TO GET HEARING AIDS SO AS I’M GROWING AND GETTING OLDER, I’M A LITTLE LESS ACCESSIBLE. I HAD A BROKEN FOOT LAST YEAR AFTER A MOTORCYCLE CRASH AND LEARNED WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GET AROUND CAMPUS ON CRUTCHES. [I ALSO LEARNED] HOW ACCESSIBLE OUR CAMPUS IS. WE WORK A LOT WITH ACCESSIBILITY PHYSICALLY ON THE CAMPUS, WHICH IS HARD ON A CAMPUS GROWING AS FAST AS THIS ONE HAS BEEN. WE JUST DECIDED IT WOULD BE FUN TO PUT TOGETHER THIS CONFERENCE, THE FIRST ONE FOR THE UNIVERSITY AND PROBABLY ONE OF MANY TO COME, WITH THE GOAL OF GETTING EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND DISCUSSING THE TOPIC AND TALKING ABOUT CURRENT EVENTS.
TO KICK OFF, WE HAVE A LITTLE VIDEO WE WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU. IT'S AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY ON YOUTUBE. A STUDENT USED TO BE HERE AT UT DALLAS, DESMOND BLAIR AND AFTER THE VIDEO; WE'LL HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION. DESMOND IS SUPPOSED TO BE ON OUR PANEL TODAY SO YOU WILL GET TO HEAR FROM HIM, SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'LL WATCH THIS.
STUDIO VIDEO TOUR: DESMOND BLAIR
STUDIO VIDEO TOUR LINK
VIDEO: I’M DESMOND BLAIR, I’M AN ARTIST IN DALLAS AND I WAS BORN WITHOUT HANDS. I'M A PROJECT MANAGER HERE AT UT DALLAS. I GUESS SOME LIMITATIONS I AM FACED WITH WITHOUT HAVING HANDS, I CAN'T TIE A TIE AND I HAVE YET TO DRIVE A STICK. I'M NOT SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE TIE, THE STICK THING I WANT TO LEARN BUT THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE I LIKE CARS. IN TERMS OF MY ART WORK, I ACTUALLY DID HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE LEVEL OF PRECISION I WAS ABLE TO GET IN HIGH SCHOOL. SOME OF THE GUYS WHO MAKE PROSTHETICS FOR TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE HOSPITAL, THEY MADE A TABLE FOR ME THAT HAD ELECTROMAGNETICS IN IT. THAT WORKED IN HIGH SCHOOL BUT JUST LIKE WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, WITHOUT ME HAVING HANDS, I WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO MASTER BEING ABLE TO DO THAT OR GET THAT LEVEL OF PRECISION WITHOUT USING ANY UTENSILS AT ALL. SO IT'S JUST BEEN A MATTER OF CONSTANTLY PRACTICING, PRACTICING, PRACTICING. ALTHOUGH I HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PROGRESS, THAT LEVEL OF MASTERY COMES AFTER PUTTING THE HOURS IN OVER AND OVER. I'LL GIVE IT A FEW MORE YEARS.
THE REASON I GOT STARTED WITH ART PERIOD IS BECAUSE, ONE, I USED TO COLOR. MY MOTHER WOULD GIVE ME COLORING BOOKS AND HAVE ME COLOR. I TRIED USING MY MOUTH, FEET AND EVENTUALLY I JUST FIGURED OUT HOW TO USE BOTH OF MY HANDS. I LOVED CARTOONS WHEN I WAS A KID. I WAS INFATUATED WITH THEM AND IT WAS MORE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY MADE THEM, HOW THEY WORK AND FROM THERE THAT GOT ME INTO ART. I WANTED TO CREATE MY OWN CARTOONS, HAVE MY OWN COMIC BOOKS, AND MAKE UP MY OWN STORIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THROUGH A 2D MEDIUM. YOU HAVE TO LEARN ANATOMY, LEARN HOW TO PAINT, SKETCH AND OTHER THINGS AND THAT WAS THE INITIAL STARTING POINT THAT SPRING BOARDED ME INTO THIS ENTIRE GROUND. WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE SPACE THAT I WORK IN IS TYPICALLY ITS QUIET HERE. I COME IN HERE ON WEEKENDS OR AFTER I GET OFF WORK, I CAN TURN MY MUSIC ON, TURN MY HEADPHONES ON AND IT GETS YOU AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE REST OF THE WORLD. SO I CAN JUST COME OVER HERE, CLEAR MY HEAD AND CREATE AT THE SAME TIME. AND JUST REALLY RELAX AND ZONE IN TO WHAT IT IS I’M DOING.
ONE THING I WISH I HAD ACCESS TO, I WISH THERE WAS A BED HERE BECAUSE HONESTLY, I WORK IN THE STUDIO. I ENVISION HAVING A HOUSE WHERE THERE'S JUST A BIG, OPEN STUDIO, I CAN GO UPSTAIRS, CRASH FOR A LITTLE BIT AND COME BACK DOWN AND JUST KIND OF GET TO WORK BECAUSE SOMETIMES MY INSPIRATION DOESN'T COME AFTER 5:00 P.M. WHEN I GOT OFF WORK. SOMETIMES IT'S AT 1:00 A.M. AND I THINK THAT'S HOW CREATIVITY WORKS. AND EVEN JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT INITIAL THOUGHT OUT OF YOUR HEAD, IDEALLY I WOULD LIKE TO FUSE BOTH SPACES SO I COULD DO THAT. I THINK WHAT I TEND TO DRAW FROM ARE A LOT OF TECHNIQUES THAT DIGITAL PAINTERS USE BUT I USE THEM WITH OIL PAINTS, WHICH PROBABLY MAKES NO SENSE. BUT I THINK IT'S THE FUSING OF THOSE MINDSETS, ADAPTING WHAT I LEARN WORKS IN A DIGITAL MEDIUM AND THEN REPRODUCING THAT IN A TRADITIONAL WAY. EVEN WITH THE WAY I THINK, IN TERMS OF HOW I’M GOING TO LAYER MY PAINT, BLEND MY PAINT, THE BRUSHES I USE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK OVERLAPS WITH THE TECHNIQUES THAT DIGITAL PAINTERS USE. IT'S PROBABILITY BECAUSE I DO TRADITIONAL STUFF BUT I ALSO DO DIGITAL STUFF. I DO THE TRADITIONAL STUFF BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING LONG LASTING ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE WE'RE ENGULFED IN SO MUCH DIGITAL AROUND US, EVERYTHING IS CHANGING, BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING AUTHENTIC, HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN TOUCH, IT STILL HAS A VALUE TO IT. THE STAKES ARE HIGHER, THERE'S NO UNDO BUTTON. A LOT OF TIMES, AND THIS IS PART OF THE REASON I USE OILS, BECAUSE I LIKE TO THINK MY WAY THROUGH A PIECE AS I’M WORKING ON IT. A LOT OF TIMES YOU RUN INTO THOSE SPOTS IN A PAINTING WHERE IT'S LIKE I GOT ONE TIME TO DO THIS AND IF I DON'T NAIL IT AND GET IT RIGHT ON THIS ONE TIME, YOU KNOW, IT WILL THROW THE WHOLE PIECE OFF.
WHAT I WANT TO DO EVENTUALLY, I GUESS MY ULTIMATE GOAL, SHORT TERM, IS TO PRODUCE ENOUGH ART WORK WHERE I CAN DO MY OWN SHOW SO MAYBE HAVE MY VERY FIRST GALLERY OPENING. LONG TERM, OVERALL, ANOTHER REASON I REALLY GOT BACK INTO PAINTING IS BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE ISSUES I HAVE RUN INTO HAVING A DISABILITY, ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU FINISH SCHOOL LOOKING FOR A JOB, YOU TELL PEOPLE YOU CAN DO ALL THESE FABULOUS THINGS AND THEY SAY ‘I DON'T SEE IT’. ‘BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE HANDS SO HOW DO YOU EVEN USE A COMPUTER?’ AND SO PART OF THE REASON I PAINT AND WILL CONTINUE TO PAINT AND WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER AT PAINTING IS JUST TO PROVE THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAS A DISABILITY OR PEOPLE CALL IT A DISABILITY, BORN DIFFERENT, DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE LIMITED IN WHAT THEY CAN DO. IT'S KIND OF WHAT DRIVES ME, TO CONTINUE PRODUCING AS MUCH WORK AS POSSIBLE BUT NOT JUST CRANKING WORK OUT, BUT TO GET BETTER AND BETTER WITH EACH PIECE. I KNOW THERE WILL BE SOMEBODY COMING ALONG BEHIND ME THAT WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE SAME THINGS AND IF THE PATHWAY HAS BEEN KIND OF LIKE, OKAY, WE DON'T JUST WRITE PEOPLE OFF BECAUSE THEY'RE MISSING FINGERS OR THINGS LIKE THAT OR THEY MAY HAVE A LIMB AMPUTATED. I THINK I CAN REST EASIER KNOWING THAT I MADE SOME KIND OF IMPACT, I MADE SOMEBODY ELSE'S LIFE A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
PAUL WATSON: LET ME GIVE YOU A BIO ON DESMOND. HE ENDED UP WITH A PERFECT JOB FOR HIS ABILITIES. HE'S AN IT PROJECT MANAGER AT SCOTTISH RITE HOSPITAL SO THAT FITS. HE ATTENDED UTD FROM
2003-2009, GRADUATED IN MAY 2007 WITH A BACHELOR’S IN ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY. AFTER WORKING AS A GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND TEACHER, HE DECIDED TO PURSUE HIS MASTERS AND GRADUATED IN 2009, CONTINUED AS A LECTURER AT UTD AND AFTER GRADUATION BEGAN WORKING WITH DR. MARJORIE ZIELKE ON THE FIRST PERSON CULTURAL TRAINER AND BAYLOR GLIMPSE PROJECTS AS A PROJECT MANAGER. DURING HIS YEARS WORKING FOR UT DALLAS, BLAIR WAS RECOGNIZED AS FOX 4’S HOMETOWN HERO IN 2010, FEATURED IN A CHANNEL 11 NEWS STORY IN 2011, AND IN 2013 HE WAS FEATURED IN A NATIONAL NEWS STORY BY ABC’S JASON WHITLEY.
I THINK THAT REALLY EXEMPLIFIES A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT PEOPLE. IT'S NOT A DISABILITY, IT'S JUST DIFFERENCES. WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT IN OUR OWN WAY. WE ALL HAVE OUR ONLY SPECIAL WAY OF DOING STUFF. ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED EARLY ON IN DEALING WITH MY DAUGHTER WITH AUTISM, WHEN I FIRST STARTED GOING TO CONFERENCES, THE PSYCHOLOGIST WOULD SAY ALL THESE LITTLE TICKS THAT YOUR DAUGHTER HAS, WE ALL HAVE, IT'S JUST EXAGGERATED IN HER CASE. I CAN TELL YOU I SEE LITTLE BITS OF AUTISM IN A LOT OF PROFESSORS I DEAL WITH AT UTD ON OCCASION. IT'S A MATTER OF ATTITUDE, IT'S NOT A DISABILITY, IT'S JUST A DIFFERENCE AND HOW DO YOU HELP PEOPLE, ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE IN ALL STYLES AND METHODS TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
“SELF-ADVOCACY AND EMPOWERMENT”
MICHAEL THOMAS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
PAUL WATSON
FACILITATOR
PAUL WATSON: WHEN WE HAD OUR FIRST BRAINSTORMING SESSION ON WHO WE WERE GOING TO HAVE COME SPEAK, I IMMEDIATELY THREW OUT THE NAME OF MICHAEL THOMAS. MICHAEL THOMAS HAS BEEN THE BEST WE HAVE FOUND IN MY POSSIBILITIES. HE'S YOUNG AND DYNAMIC AND A GREAT POWER HOUSE, A GREAT ASSET FOR US. MICHAEL THOMAS IS THE DIRECTOR OF MY POSSIBILITIES. HE'S GOING TO SPEAK ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-ADVOCACY. HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT INDIVIDUALS MAY FACE WITH TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES. MY POSSIBILITIES IS A PROGRAM FOR ADULTS WITH COGNITIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LIFELONG LEARNING WITHIN A STRUCTURED, SAFE, NURTURING ENVIRONMENT HELPING INDIVIDUALS DEVELOP THEIRS INTERESTS, SKILLS, AND GOALS. MY POSSIBILITIES CORROBORATES WITH HIPSTERS, WHICH IS OUR NICKNAME FOR HUGELY IMPORTANT PEOPLE, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHILE ALSO ENCOURAGING COMMUNITY SUPPORT. I WOULD LIKE TO PAUSE HERE AND RECOGNIZE CHARMAINE, AND THOSE WHO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY POSSIBILITIES, PLEASE STAND UP. (APPLAUSE)
WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR HIPSTERS HERE IN THE AUDIENCE, BY THE WAY, A COUPLE OF OUR STAFF TEACHERS AS WELL. YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT MY POSSIBILITIES BUT IT'S A PRETTY AMAZING ORGANIZATION. CHARMAINE AND TWO OTHER MOTHERS SENT OUT AN E-MAIL SAYING THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING OUT THERE FOR OUR KIDS ONCE THEY GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GO TO WORK OR SCHOOL. THEY HAD SPECIAL NEEDS SO THEY FORMED THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION AND MY WIFE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THIS AND I WAS LIKE YEAH, RIGHT, I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE. YOU ATTEND THE FIRST SESSION AND SEE IF IT'S ANY GOOD. SHE WENT AND SAID PAUL, THIS IS DIFFERENT. THESE WOMEN ARE POWER HOUSES. IT'S NOT AN IF IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN; IT'S WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I WENT TO THE FIRST MEETING, CHARMAINE GOT UP AND STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS AND THE OTHER WOMEN AND THEY SAID THEY NEED SOMEBODY TO HELP DONATE THINGS TO THE NEW BUILDING. THEY FOUND A PLACE TO RENT BUT IT WAS PRETTY MUCH TRASHED OUT AND SOMEHOW MY HAND WAS UP AND I WAS LIKE WHO DID THAT? I DIDN'T WANT TO VOLUNTEER AND NEXT THING I KNOW, I’M SENDING OUT AN E-MAIL TO PEOPLE WHO I HAVE DONE BUSINESS WITH OVER THE YEARS AND SUDDENLY WE HAD IT FOLKS AND FLOOR FOLKS AND ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE, PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS WHO ALL DONATED TO HELP MY POSSIBILITIES OPEN THEIR DOORS AND AN INTERESTING THING WAS EVERY SINGLE CONTRACTOR WHO RESPONDED TO ME HAD A MOTHER WHO WAS A SPECIAL ED TEACHER OR SOMEBODY IN THEIR FAMILY WHO HAD A DISABILITY OF SOME FORM SO EVERYBODY HAS A CONNECTION AND THEY ALL GAVE BACK AND THAT'S THE SPARK THAT WE FOUND OUT THAT WE KNEW MY POSSIBILITIES WAS SOMETHING MAGICAL, SOMETHING WAS REALLY GOING ON HERE THAT WAS AN AMAZING MOMENT. MICHAEL THOMAS IS A NATIVE TEXAN. HE GRADUATED FROM SMU. MICHAEL BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A NON-PROFIT WORKING FOR MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY IN CORPUS CHRISTI, TX. HE WAS INVOLVED IN MORE THAN $1.5 MILLION IN FUNDRAISING. HE LOCATED TO LAS VEGAS, NEVADA WHERE HE CONTINUED WORKING IN SPECIAL EVENTS AND FUND RAISING. HE WENT TO WORK FOR A NONPROFIT CALLED OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE WHICH INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH SOUNDS LIKE MY POSSIBILITIES, SEE THE LITTLE CONNECTION THERE? AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO TRAINING FOR ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE SOUTHERN NEVADA AREA. HE WORKED FOR 2 YEARS AS A SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER AND A PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FOR THE ORGANIZATION. IN 2010, HE JOINED MY POSSIBILITIES AS THE ORGANIZATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. IN THE PAST 4 YEARS THEY HAVE GONE FROM SERVING 30 FAMILIES TO 350 FAMILIES AND GROWING EXPONENTIALLY. IT'S A LEADER AND BENCHMARK FOR EDUCATING ADULTS ON COGNITIVE DISABILITIES. IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY KNOW THAT OUR HIPSTERS ARE VERY CAPABLE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND THEY HAVE EVERYONE INTENTION OF DOING SO. THE NEXT STEP IS JUST TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE. IT'S MY GREAT HONOR AND OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MICHAEL THOMAS AS YOUR NEXT SPEAKER. (APPLAUSE)