MANIFESTO NUMBER 13

INSTITUTE ON DISABILITY CULTURE MANIFESTO 

March 2000                                  Number 13

MANIFESTO  
(a written statement publicly declaring issues, views or motives of
its issuer--Webster).  

I.   LETTERS, I WRITE LETTERS  
II.  RESPONSES TO MANIFESTO NUMBER TWELVE
III. ARTISTS WHO ARE ENTREPRENEURS WITH          
     DISABILITIES and IV. MANIFESTING THE WEB 
V.  ANNOUNCEMENTS
VI. REPRODUCING THE MANIFESTO
VII. GETTING ON AND OFF THIS LIST

To get off this list, follow the instructions in PART VII.

MANIFESTOS archives:  http://www.dimenet.com/disculture/

I.  LETTERS, I WRITE LETTERS

     As long as I can remember I've been a letter writer.  When I
get angry, frustrated, or ecstatic I've felt a need to share, rebel, or
fight through a letter.  In recent weeks, I wrote a letter that feels
appropriate to share here.  

                   ANOTHER TRAVEL LETTER

     I have been contemplating this meeting quite often over the
past few days since receiving your first notice about it.  My first
instinct was to write you a letter of resignation simply stating that
the days are over when my body can make this kind of a trip.  But
the more I have thought about my issues the more I have come to
believe they may be systemic ones and should be considered for
the entire project, as well as future ones.
     In order for me to attend this one day meeting this is what I
would have to do:  Get up around 6 or 7 in the morning, do my
morning routine (which is considerably less than many others); then
drive from my New Mexico home to the El Paso airport, which is 56
miles (1 hour) away to catch a flight that leaves around 8 or 9 in the
morning.  If I travel with a Personal Assistant (PA), then this entire
schedule needs to include them as well.  I probably would want a
PA, because then I won't have to carry my heavy battery charger or
any carry-on luggage.  I'll have help in airports and at the hotel.  I
might also not be the one driving to the airport.  
     Once on the plane, if everything has gone smoothly I then
look forward to a several hour flight to wherever I lay over.  If I have
at least an hour-and-a-half layover then I should get my power chair
back.  But if I don't, then I probably won't, depending on which
airline, airport, and the people there.  If I don't have my power chair,
then all the pitfalls of using an airport manual chair come into play. 
But let's assume all goes well, I have a smooth layover, get my
power chair, get on the next flight, which leaves on time, and then
head for my destination.  I arrive sometime between 4 and 6 in the
afternoon, and then head for power wheelchair accessible
transportation, which I hope is there, and then to the hotel where I
hope the accessible room is adequate for my needs, which it
should be since it's been arranged by experts.  By now, it's between
5 and 8 and I'm probably very hungry.  I get something to eat and
then rest for an 8 or 9 in the morning all day meeting.  I stay that
night and then begin the whole travel routine again, the next
morning.
     I get home sometime between 2 and 7, Mountain time, which
is now 4 to 9, body time, depending on all the vagaries of travel
already touched on.  I'm exhausted, but happy, because I just
returned from a good meeting where a lot was accomplished.
     This is how I would have viewed such a meeting several
years ago.  But, today I think what am I doing to my body!?  I know
when someone who doesn't know me looks at me they see the
power wheelchair and assume that mobility is my greatest
disability.  But that's not true.  Far more impairing are chronic pain
and fatigue.  When I travel this is exacerbated by several factors. 
First, and foremost, is does everything go as scheduled?  Often this
is not the case,  Even if it does, the fact that the cause of my
disability is a metabolic one means that not eating regularly
because of travel tends to increase both the pain and fatigue. 
Traveling tends to mean sitting up all day, whereas at home I'm
usually lying down as much if not more than I am sitting up.  More
increased pain and fatigue.
     Over the past few days when I've thought about this meeting
I've realized that for an eight-hour meeting, which I would like to
attend, I will be traveling approximately 16-22 hours, if all goes well. 
Even if everything runs like clockwork, it doesn't end there.  I'll be
exhausted and it will take me at least one day, maybe two, of rest,
to get over the exhaustion.  By then I'll be behind on everything
that's piled up while I traveled.  For this one day meeting, it will
probably take me 3-4 at home days to feel like I did before I
traveled.
     As I stated in the beginning, I thought I would just write to
you and say that my body no longer allows me to do such travel
and I would resign from the project. 
     But the more I thought about my situation, I wondered about
others.  How about those with cognitive disabilities? or psychiatric
disabilities? or people who take 3-4 hours to get up in the morning
or go to bed at night?  Do they have some of the same issues with
this kind of travel that I do?  I know I'm not the only one with pain
and fatigue.  How do others feel about this?      
--Steven E. Brown

II.  RESPONSES TO MANIFESTO NUMBER TWELVE

     This section is SO well written! You are getting better all the
time. I love to get the Manifesto.
Warmly,  
David Roche

     Your opening piece reminded me of my days in the anti-war
movement (such as they were). By the early '70's, leaders were
preaching the need for 'New Blood' (although, considering the
context, they probably used a different phrase). In watching the
Civil Rights movement in the '60's through now, it seems very
similar. Very few in any movement actually want new blood/new
ideas; they want new people who agree with them. What often
happens in any movement is that, as a new generation emerges
and assumes leadership, the movement itself changes: in direction,
focus, methods; sometimes in intent.
     It has seemed to me that the more revolutionary the
movement (as judged by those moving and those being moved),
the greater the generational changes. You can't stop it, you can
rarely shape it. You can accept it, and try to keep learning, and
maybe push it a little your way. And you can remember that
revolutions are often cannabalistic of their leaders 
     I always enjoy your insights.
--Harlan McKay

     instead of "disabled" [what ain't we able to do?], how about
"adapters" or "modifiers" [mods, for short]?
--Frank Moore

Steve,
     As one of the dinosaur's, your editorial hit home with me in
many ways.  You put down some interesting thoughts, from several
angles.  Thanks for sharing them.
--Pamela K. Walker

III. ARTISTS WHO ARE ENTREPRENEURS WITH          
     DISABILITIES and 
IV. MANIFESTING THE WEB 

     Those of you who know me know I love T-shirts.  Shorts and
T-shirts would be all I'd ever wear if the weather always
cooperated.  I'd heard about this guy in Ohio who had a T-shirt
catalog called the Nth Degree, but I'd never seen it until I attended
a conference last fall.  Not only is the catalog great, but I met new
friends in proprietor Dan Wilkins and his mom, Patt.  And I
restocked my closet.  Along the way I learned that T-shirts are
Dan's way of promoting his philosophies of life.  The Nth Degree
website is not yet complete, but it's well worth a gander.  And
following it's address are some of Dan's thoughts on life.--Steven E.
Brown

http://www.thenthdegree.com/WEB/index.html

     The Nth Degree is about turning light bulbs on. We are about
helping folks to recognize that there is no such thing as "Us and
Them," just one big "Us". We're about increasing awareness and
understanding; as much about the celebration of our individuality
and our differences, as the search for common ground: the search
for shared truths, interests, histories, goals, fears. 
     This catalog is about focusing on a bigger picture, about
believing in one's self and cause. What can we bring to the table of
our community?  What's our story and how can its telling enlighten
that community?
     Finally, The Nth Degree is about feeding our sense of
humor: that vital and most intimate connection with the child within.
Laughter is the elixir of life and the universal language. Shared, it
levels walls; opens minds, assuages fear. Being able to laugh at
ourselves, our professions, our fears, our culture with its "norms"
and expectations, is like taking the kid to work with you. Well,
maybe not that...but it is like having an invisible button running
directly to a brain pump that puts negative karma on the now
o'clock train out of Dodge. For more on our philosophy (and for a
cool message from a dog) give "A Dog's Contribution" a read. 

     Recently, Time Magazine released its editor's choices for the
most influential individuals of the past century. As we enter this new
millennium, I cannot help but reflect on their results and what they 
mean to me; what they say to all of us. Given what we know from
history or personal experience, we acknowledge that these people
were extraordinary in their clarity and vision; their view of what was
and what could be, and worthy of the honor bestowed. Still, as with
all stories, there is more to this one than meets the eye. There is a
perspective unfamiliar to many, one currently being overlooked by
our society, and it is this:  
     The second most influential person of the last century,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was a wheelchair user. As President of
the United States, he played a vital role in bringing the Second
World War to an end, and he provided the opportunity for millions of
Americans, a blend of many cultures, to return to work; to a life
dignified by contribution.  He did this at a time in our history when
oppression toward disability culture and all that it represented was
so great that even he, a changer of worlds, was compelled to keep
his disability a secret.  And Number One?
     According to editors of Time Magazine, the Most Influential
Person of the 20th Century was a Patent Clerk from Switzerland,
believed to have grown up with a Learning Disability.  Albert
Einstein had difficulty with numbers. He disliked mathematics early
on.
     And what of Stephen Hawking? A chair user whose mind is
literally light years ahead of the most of us; riding the cosmic wave
of a currently expanding universe. Where would we be as a society,
as a human community, without the sheer electricity of Edison and
Graham Bell, the passion of Beethoven, the depth and colour of
Monet and Matisse, the imagination of Milton, Keats and Shelley,
the vision of Keller and Curie and the poetic footwork of Christy
Brown. The list is endless.  Our history as a society, as a whole, is
steeped with contribution from its disability culture. I, and many of
you belong to this culture; this group of people sharing common or
similar experiences, beliefs and concerns, history, language, and
oppression.  Yes, our disability culture, like so many minority
groups, continues to be misunderstood, marginalized, patronized
and pitied, exploited and excluded from so much that our world; our
community has to offer. And we have so much yet to contribute.
As we say good bye to a century filled with war and violence; with
hatred and fear and the resultant bigotry and discrimination that has
kept us apart, let us listen to each other's stories, acknowledge and
celebrate each other's differences and embrace our commonalities.
We owe it those who made and those who may yet make a
difference to think and act inclusively in our schools and
businesses, in employment, housing and medicine. We owe it to
ourselves as a community.  As I sit here in my chair, gently rocking
my one year old to sleep, I can tell you that living with a disability is
not a detriment. It is not a tragedy. It simply affords a unique
perspective. When people ask me "What kind of chair is that that
Stephen Hawking sits in?", I am quick to remind them it is the same
chair Sir Isaac Newton sat in so many years ago.
Copyright 2000 by Dan Wilkins

V.  ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEW DISCUSSION GROUP FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES

     In observance of Black History Awareness Month, On A Roll
Radio is launching a new e-mail discussion group targeted to
African Americans with Disabilities.  "The objective of this group is
to give African Americans with disabilities a forum to discuss unique
issues we face," says On A Roll Host Greg Smith.   "I want to do
what I can to facilitate more involvement of blacks with disabilities
in the disability movement.  I hope the group can work on
promoting an understanding of disability culture the African
American community, and make connections with black leaders
and the black media."   Please forward this message to anyone you
know who may be interested in participating in this dialogue.  To
subscribe to the group, send e-mail to
BlackDisabled-subscribe@onelist.com.


SURVIVORS ART FOUNDATION NOMINATED FOR
COMPUTERWORLD SMITHSONIAN AWARD

     Washington, D.C. (February 1, 2000)---Survivors Art
Foundation's Internet Art Gallery will become part of the Permanent
Research Collection on Information Technology at the
Smithsonian's National Museum of American History on Monday,
April 3rd when the 2000 Information Technology Innovation
Collection is formally presented to the Institution.
     "The Laureates in this year's Collection are utilizing new
information age tools to extend the benefits of technology to
society," said Dan Morrow, Executive Director of the
Computerworld Smithsonian Awards Program. 
     Nominated by Norio Niwa, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Epson America, Inc. , in the Media, Arts & Entertainment
category, Survivors Art Foundation's work is part of a collection that
includes over 440 of the year's most innovative applications of
technology from 38 states and 21 countries.
     At Survivors Art Foundation, an internet art gallery providing
free space for trauma-survivors with mental or physical disabilities
to display and sell their artwork, poetry, and music. A central
resource offering information on agencies to aid in healing,
increase self-esteem, employment skills, and reduce isolation.
"The primary source material submitted by Survivors Art
Foundation will enrich the National Museum of American History's
growing collection on the history of information technology, and
contribute significantly to the museum's on-going efforts to
chronicle the Information Age," said Spencer R. Crew, Director of
the National Museum of American History. The museum is part of
the Smithsonian Institution, founded in 1846, which is a complex of
16 museums, 7 research facilities and the National Zoo.
     Case Studies from the 2000 Computerworld Smithsonian
Collection will be available at http://innovate.si.edu, the official
Internet Site of the Computerworld Smithsonian Program, where
the entire collection is available to scholars, researchers and the
general public worldwide.
     Each year, the Computerworld Smithsonian Chairmen's
Committee nominates individuals who use information technology
to improve society for inclusion in the Smithsonian's National
Museum of American History's IT Innovation Collection. Founded in
1988, the Computerworld Smithsonian Program searches for and
recognizes individuals who have demonstrated vision and
leadership as they strive to use information technology in innovative
ways across ten categories: Business and Related Services;
Education and Academia; Environment, Energy and Agriculture;
Finance, Insurance and Real Estate; Government and Non-Profit
Organizations; Manufacturing; Media, Arts and Entertainment;
Medicine; Science; and Transportation. For further information
please contact: Shahaeda Abbas/Simone Ross Computerworld
Smithsonian Awards 617.357.1977, Valeska Hilbig/Melinda
Machado National Museum of American History 202.357.3129
     Candyce Brokaw, Executive Director
     Survivors Art Foundation
     P.O. Box 383, Westhampton, NY 11977
     email: safe@survivorsartfoundation.org
     URL: http://www.survivorsartfoundation.org
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

Establishment of Advisory Committee

AGENCY: National Council on Disability (NCD).
SUMMARY:  This notice announces the establishment of NCD's
Youth Advisory Committee.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mark S. Quigley, Public Affairs
Specialist, National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street NW, Suite
1050, Washington, DC 20004-1107; 202-272-2004 (voice),
202-272-2074 (TTY), 202-272-2022 (fax), mquigley@ncd.gov
(e-mail).

Agency Mission

     The National Council on Disability is an independent federal
agency composed of 15 members appointed by the President of
the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Its overall
purpose is to promote policies, programs, practices, and
procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all people with
disabilities, regardless of the nature of severity of the disability; and
to empower people with disabilities to achieve economic
self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and
integration into all aspects of society. 
     
     Youth Advisory Committee

     The purpose of NCD's Youth Advisory Committee is to
provide input into NCD activities consistent with the values and
goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
     This committee is necessary to provide advice and
recommendations to NCD on disability issues.
     We are seeking a balanced, culturally diverse membership
representing a variety of disabling conditions and from across the
United States. One member will be chosen from each of the 10
federal regions.
     Region I states include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
     Region II states include New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico,
and the Virgin Islands.
     Region III states include Delaware, District of Columbia,
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
     Region IV states include Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and
Tennessee.
     Region V states include Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
     Region VI states include Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, and Texas.
     Region VII states include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and
Nebraska.
     Region VIII states include Colorado, Montana, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.
     Region IX states include Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii,
and Nevada.
     Region X states include Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on February 2, 2000.
Ethel D. Briggs,
Executive Director

AMPUTATION ONLINE MAGAZINE TOPS 100,000 READER
MARK

Contact: Ian Gregson
Phone (604) 320-1914
igregson@amputee-online.com

     Vancouver, BC, Wednesday, February 9, 2000 - GB
Communications announces that  the readership for its online
publication "Amputation Online magazine" has topped the 100,000
mark.
     Amputation Online magazine is a publication dedicated to
bring the latest news and information related to limb loss and
amputation. Subject matter ranges from the latest in prosthetic
devices, landmine clearance, cancer and diabetes and a unique
form of humour.
     Amputation Online magazine forms part of the web site at 
http://www.amputee-online.com Other sites include "The Amputee
Shopping Mall" and the "Amputee WEB Site". The site at
http://www.amputee-online.com receives over 200 visitors per day.
     The site was originally created in 1994 as a personal site in
order to help amputees and people with limb loss. Since that time
the site has undergone significant development and is now visited
1000's of times every week. The site operates in conjunction with
the SJU Amputee Mailing list, based out of St Johns University in
New York.
     The online magazine is published by GB Communications, a
Vancouver BC, company owned and operated by Ian Gregson. Mr
Gregson has been an above knee amputee since 1978. He is a
Communications graduate of Simon Fraser University and has
written numerous articles and books on the subject of disability.
     There are approximately 60,000,000 people with a disability
in Canada and the United States.
     Amputation Online magazine can be seen at
http://amputee-online.com/amputation
     Other amputee related sites can be seen at
http://amputee-online.com
     For more information on Amputation Online magazine
including advertising rates contact igregson@amputee-online.com

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS TO A SPECIAL ISSUE OF 
DISABILITY STUDIES QUARTERLY.

Call for Papers: Hidden Disabilities, Disability Studies
Quarterly.  Publication Date: Summer 2000.  Guest Editor: Lynn
Schlesinger, Ph.D., Plattsburgh State University of New York.
Manuscripts are due no later than April 1, 2000.
     The term "hidden disabilities" can refer both to disabilities
that are relatively invisible, as well as to disabilities that we may
choose to hide.  The editor is interested in submissions that explore
either or both aspects of "hidden disabilities", as well as
submissions that reflect Disability Studies'
multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary nature.
     Possible topics include but are not limited to:
     Politics and Policies: What "counts" as evidence of disability
in social policies, in disability rights organizations, in disability
studies?
     Hidden disabilities and Everyday Life: experiences of
living with a hidden disability; pressures to hide and/or disclose;
comparisons between relatively visible and invisible disabilities. 
Links between the personal and the social/historical/political.
     Dualisms and Disability:  Are the dualisms that have often 
been used to describe and compare aspects of disability 
(form/function, visible/invisible, congenital/acquired, etc.) 
meaningful and useful?  IF so, how and for whom?  If not, why
not?
     Disability Culture and Hidden Disabilities -- How do we
share what we cannot see?  What are the bases for developing
common cultural experiences?

     Send submissions no later than April 1, 2000 to: Lynn
Schlesinger, Ph.D., Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice,
Plattsburgh State University of New York, 101 Broad St.,
Plattsburgh, NY 12901.  Phone: 518-564-3004.  Fax:
518-564-3333. Email: Lynn.Schlesinger@Plattsburgh.edu
          Instructions to Special Editors and Contributors from
DSQ's Editor, David Pfeiffer
     Every article published in the Quarterly is reviewed by
the editor, the special editor, and/or the book review editor. 
Although not technically a refereed publication, scholarly and
professional standards are expected from the authors.
     Please submit all material in IBM compatible format in
ASCII either on a 5 1/4" or a 3 1/2" disk.  Do not use footnotes on
the page or any imbedded notes because they will not print
correctly.  All notes (if used) must be endnotes.  If "References" are
provided, all citations in the list must be included in the notes or the
text.  Any citation not included will be deleted.  If a "Bibliography" is
provided (which includes all references), it can contain material not
cited in the text or the notes.  Any appropriate and clear form of
citation can be used.  However, it must be consistent throughout
the material. 
     Gender specific pronouns should be avoided unless
appropriate.  The form "people with disabilities" or something
similar must be used.  Do not use contractions or slang unless
it is in the original text which is being quoted.  Corrections of
grammar and syntax will be done, but every effort will be made to
keep the original wording.
     Work previously published must be so noted with a complete
citation.  If a copyright was obtained on the previously published
work, written permission from the copyright holder must be
included.  Previously published work is not encouraged.
     While there is no page limitation on individual contributions,
authors should discuss the number of pages with the issue editor. 
The overall issue length is dependent upon funding.
     Contributors who are not subscribers are encouraged to
subscribe.  The managing editor will provide a copy of an issue in
which a non-subscriber's material appeared. 
     Authors are responsible for meeting these guidelines.
     Special editors are responsible for enforcing these
guidelines.  The editor's decision in these matters is final, but the
editor is very grateful to all contributors and special editors
for their hard work. 
     Lynn Schlesinger, Ph.D
     Assistant Professor
     Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice
     Plattsburgh State University of New York
     101 Broad St.
     Plattsburgh, NY 12901
     518-564-3004 (work)
     518-564-3333 (fax)
     518-562-3431 (home)

PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS--2000
[Ed. note:  I'm not promoting anyone for President, at least not yet,
and would be happy to print other platforms about disability, but this
is the only one I've seen so far.--Steven E. Brown]

Bill Bradley on People with Disabilities
     
     Thank you for contacting my campaign.  Not enough
Americans take the time to write expressing their concerns about
the future of our nation.  I hope this note will begin to answer some
of your questions.  We may not agree on every issue, but my policy
positions will always be honest and forthright.
     Today more than ever before, the test of presidential
leadership is the willingness to confront tough challenges.  Our
country must elect a president who can be trusted to do just that,
and who trusts the American people to do their part in return.  We
hear again and again that we live in times of unprecedented
economic prosperity.  And that is certainly true for many, though not
everyone, in our society.  Yet good times haven't erased the
serious problems that plague our children, our system of health
care, and the civic underpinnings of our society.  Nor do they spare
our leaders the burden of rising to new and complex demands
abroad. 
     Rising to the big challenges facing our country is the central
message of my campaign, and America is paying attention.  I've
staked my campaign on a standard of leadership that is equal to
our country's potential.  I am honored by the palpable momentum
that is building behind me. The overwhelming public support my
campaign has already received shows that I can win the
Democratic nomination and then go on to win the presidency next
November.
     I am not going to rely on poll-tested phrases as a substitute
for my own convictions.  Instead, I will tell people what I believe and
where I think the country should go.  I owe it to all Americans to be
candid-out of respect for their ability to deal with the complexity and
uncertainty of life-in a way that allows our children to have a better
future than we do today.
     As the campaign progresses, I urge you to follow my 
campaign on our website at http://www.billbradley.com, where you
can obtain regular updates on campaign activities, statements on
the issues, and information on how to get involved and make a
contribution.  I appreciate your interest and the time you have taken
to contact me, and hope I can count on your support.

Sincerely,
Bill Bradley
     
BILL BRADLEY ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

     Bill Bradley understands the courage and needs of people
who live with disabilities.  
     His father had calcified arthritis of the spine.  Bradley knows
from his father that people with disabilities are productive workers
and loving family members. And he knows that there is no issue
more important to people with disabilities than good health care.
     Bill Bradley has traveled the country and listened to America.
He has heard countless stories from people who lack adequate
health insurance. 44 million Americans live without it altogether -
73% of whom are employed. In a time of unprecedented prosperity,
this is unacceptable.    
     To help these Americans and to improve the quality of health
care for all Americans, Bradley has offered a bold health plan that
will provide affordable access to all Americans and that will
guarantee that all children have health care and people with
disabilities new benefits and choices.
     *Today, Medicaid is the principal source of health care for
seven million people with disabilities. Bradley protects and expands
all the benefits of Medicaid, even as his proposal puts an end to the
current segregated and unequal health care system.  
     *All Americans will have access to the same health plans
currently available to federal employees, members of Congress,
and the President and Vice-President. People with disabilities who
rely on Medicaid would receive care through mainstream systems,
which will be funded through a special needs pool. They will also
have a choice of doctors.  
     *Nearly five million disabled people rely on Medicare.
Bradley improves Medicare with two new benefits that will advance
the quality of life for the disabled and their family members. One is
a prescription drug benefit that will be true insurance against the
high costs of drugs that those with chronic disabilities face. The
second is a set of home and community services that will allow
many of the Medicare disabled to stay in their homes and not be
forced into residential care.
     Bill Bradley champions the progress our nation has made in
improving the quality of lives of the people with disabilities. Bradley
assures people with disabilities of their health care and will continue
to push hard for new access and new opportunities for all
Americas. 
     Bradley's Record Fighting for Americans with Disabilities
     *As a U.S. Senator, Bill Bradley co-sponsored the 1989
Americans with Disabilities Act, which established a clear and
comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of
disability.
     *He also co-sponsored the Civil Rights Restoration Act,
which sought to restore protections for people with disabilities,
women, minorities and the elderly whose rights had been narrowed
by a 1984 Supreme Court decision, Grove City College v. Bell.
     *He fought to amend the Social Security Act to provide a
program of comprehensive community-based long-term care
services for people with disabilities.
     *He sought to amend the Social Security Act to provide a
new disability retirement benefit for those who are unable to work
because they are disabled.
     For updates on the issues, please visit us at
http://www.billbradley.com/  
Bill Bradley for President, 395 Pleasant Valley Way,
West Orange, New Jersey  07052
Paid for and authorized by Bill Bradley for President.
Produced in-house.  Labor donated.
Issues Department
Bill Bradley For President
395 Pleasant Valley Way
West Orange, NJ  07052
973-731-2100 phone
973-731-9231 fax
issues@billbradley.com

CREATIVE CAPITAL TO BEGIN ACCEPTING NEW
APPLICATIONS IN SEPTEMBER

     Creative Capital, the new national organization supporting
visual artists who are pursuing innovative approaches to form
and/or content in the visual, performing, and media arts, will be
accepting  applications again in September 2000.
     The list of Year 2000 Awarded Artists is now available on
Creative Capital's web site at http://www.creative-capital.org
Approximately 43 grants were awarded to New York state based
artists;  and 31 grants to artists in other areas of the country.  (with
California receiving 11 - the second largest amount after NY) The
foundation received 1,810 applications.
     Among the artists receiving grants this year are:
     EMERGING ART
Patrick Clancy (Kansas City, MO) for THE WRITING MACHINE ON
     THE WEB   
Prema Murthy (Brooklyn, NY) for BINDI.NET
Helen Thorington (Staten Island, NY) for ADRIFT

     MEDIA
Barbara Hammer (New York, NY) for RESISTING PARADISE
Scott Saunders (New York, NY) for THE TECHNICAL WRITER
Kim Tran (Los Angeles, CA) for THE BLINDNESS SERIES
     PERFORMANCE
Jane Comfort (New York, NY) for ASPHALT YARDS
(in collaboration with Toshi Reagon and Carl Hancock Rux)
Amelia Rudolph (Oakland, CA) for CROSSING
Jarrad Powell (New York, NY) for KALI
     VISUAL ARTS
Erika Blumenfeld (Santa Fe, NM) for LIGHT LEAKS
Chris Doyle (Brooklyn, NY) for LEAP
Wendy Jacob (Cambridge, MA) THE SQUEEZE CHAIR PROJECT
     Creative Capital will work closely with its funded artists to
provide audience development, marketing and other forms of
assistance tailored to individual projects.  Artists will, in return,
share a portion of their proceeds with Creative Capital, enabling the
fund to support more artists in the future.  for more information, visit
http://www.creative-capital.org

HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

     (Washington, DC  -- February 18, 2000)  The President's
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities announces
three scholarship competitions open to postsecondary students
with disabilities for the 2000-2001 academic year.
     Two competitions are open to candidates with disabilities
seeking financial assistance for undergraduate study at a four-year
college or university.  NIKE, Inc. will sponsor one $2,500
scholarship for an individual majoring in sports or recreation
management, sports marketing, sports medicine or
sports/recreation retail.  Nordstrom, Inc. will sponsor five $2,000
scholarships for individuals majoring in business.  The application
deadline for both competitions is May 11, 2000.
     The third competition is open to female candidates with
disabilities seeking financial assistance for graduate study.  The
ELA Foundation will sponsor one or two $2,000 scholarships for
individuals who seek to change the face of disability on the planet in
their life work.  The application deadline is May 25, 2000.
     To be eligible for these scholarships, applicants must be
United States citizens.  Awards are contingent upon acceptance to,
or continuation in, accredited colleges and universities in the United
States.  More information and application materials may be
downloaded from the Internet at two sites: Visit the President's
Committee's Web site at http://www.pcepd.gov and click the
"Scholarships" link on the home page.  Or, visit FastWeb at
http://www.fastweb.com establish a student profile and follow the
prompts.
     The President's Committee on Employment of People with
Disabilities is a small federal agency based in Washington, DC. 
The Committee's mission is to communicate, coordinate and
promote public and private efforts to enhance the employment of
people with disabilities.  The Committee provides information,
training and technical assistance to America's business leaders,
organized labor, rehabilitation and service providers, advocacy
organizations, families and individuals with disabilities.  It also
operates the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), a toll-free
information service on workplace accommodations and the
employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
Additional information about the President's Committee is available
on the Internet at http://www.pcepd.gov
     Jennifer Kaplan
     Media Relations Specialist
     President's Committee on Employment of People with
     Disabilities
     (202) 376-6200, Ext. 53 (Voice Phone)
     (202) 376-6205 (TTY Phone)
     (202) 376-6859 (Fax)

EWIRE

     Welcome to eWire, the online newsletter from SpineWire,
the Internet news and information gateway for the spinal cord
community. Please visit us at http://www.spinewire.com
     We thank you for making SpineWire a vital and trustworthy
resource for the disability community.  Feel free to forward eWire to
your friends.
     If you do not wish to continue receiving eWire, drop an
e-mail note to editor@spinewire.com and say no thanks. Or, go to
the homepage, enter your e-mail address and check the box
unsubscribe.
     Greetings one and all.  
     We have some news to share. LifeWire, the parent company
of SpineWire, has joined a Silicon Valley dot com group called
CanDo. 
     Here's the press release: 
http://www2.spinewire.com/cgi-bin/templates/contents.html
     What does this alliance mean for you, the people who have
created the SpineWire community? The answer won't be obvious
for a few weeks but you will see a wider, deeper SpineWire that
resides within a much wider and deeper CanDo. 
     It is important from the outset to note: SpineWire will not
fundamentally change. The team that produces SpineWire is
exactly the same. Mark Pinney, who founded LifeWire, is now CEO
of CanDo.com. Dr. Wise Young, another LifeWire founder, will
continue to write about research and host the world's foremost 
spinal cord injury Research Forums. Our team of writers and Forum
moderators will be the same. And, for what it's worth, I am the
same (except for facing a much bigger plate with many more
servings on it).
     The Community Forums will not change. There will be more
Forums to choose from but they will continue to be whatever you
the community make them. 
     To oversimplify things: If you think of SpineWire as a distinct
nation - a bustling culture of people, resources and services for
those concerned with spinal-related disabilities, then think of CanDo
as a virtual globe - full of interactive communities and solutions for
people anywhere in the world concerned with any type of chronic
health issue. 
     Sounds grandiose? We don't think so. We have the
resources to do this, and have a tremendous team in New York,
Los Angeles and San Francisco -- plus contributors from around
the world -- to do the job. We are motivated to be THE destination
website for people with disabilities, and for those who care for 
them.     
     Eventually the mother web site will be called CanDo.com. It
will be a fascinating place with full coverage in areas including
vision, hearing, learning differences, cognitive disabilities,
caregivers, etc. We will open broad channels to cover specific
health conditions but beyond that we will offer solutions-based
channels in areas including home modification, travel, employment,
alternative medicine, advocacy and sexuality.
     Plus, in response to many requests from the community,
CanDo will offer products online. We'll fill you in on this as the
e-commerce area emerges. 
     We entered this alliance after much deliberation. But it's the
right thing for us to do. The choice, in the end, was easy. To truly
live up to our vision of empowering the communities we serve, we
had to grow. 
     Our team is now bigger, faster, stronger. 
     The beneficiaries will be all of you. Thanks for
understanding. 
     And don't worry. This is going to be a lot of fun. 
     All best, 
     Sam Maddox, editor
     Smaddox@CanDo.com

VI. REPRODUCING THE MANIFESTO

     The material in the MANIFESTO is written and produced by
the Institute on Disability Culture.  No one else takes the credit or
the blame unless their name is attached to something within the
MANIFESTO.  We produce it online because that's where its most
cost-effective and can reach the greatest number of people.  If you
should happen to want a print copy, please send $5.00 for Shipping
and Handling costs and we'll send you paper.
     All material in the MANIFESTO is open to reproduction.
None of it is copyrighted.  We only ask that you give credit where
credit is due.  If something you reproduce is the product of the
Institute on Disability Culture, please credit as follows:

Author's name
Institute on Disability Culture
2260 Sunrise Point Rd.
Las Cruces, NM 88011
SBrown8912@aol.com
http://www.dimenet.com/disculture/
PROMOTING DISABILITY PRIDE

VIII.  GETTING ON AND OFF THIS LIST

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following message to majordomo@tripil.com

unsubscribe disculture

     If you or someone you know wants to subscribe do the same
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     If you want to respond to this newsletter, send messages to:
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END OF MANIFESTO NUMBER  13