The Roving Activist’s Blog

We have great news about the Community Choice Act. There will be a hearing in Washington, DC before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday, January 16, 2007! Of course, those of us from Rochester will be down in our usual large numbers (we’ll be bringing two busloads) with bells on our toes, wheels, etc. I will keep you posted on events, and will have some videos up on You Tube.

I have confirmed four more meetings with state legislators for Legislative Day in Albany on January 28th. We will be meeting with Senators James Alesi and Catharine Young, and Assemblymembers David Koon and Susan John. I am looking forward to these meetings, and will keep you abreast on other meetings as we are able to schedule them.

We have another co-sponsor of the Community Choice Act in the House:

Rep. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] 12/17/07

She is my former representative, as I used to live in DC. I worked with her on other local issues. She is very nice. Kudos to the DC folks for getting her signed on!

Yesterday, I learned that one of our young ADAPT members, Eric Roybal, of Denver, passed away on Friday, December 14, 2007. He was 18 years old. Eric, and his older brother, Andrew were members of a rap group called D-4 Dub. I’m not into rap, but they wrote a song for ADAPT called “Free Our People”, that is really good. Eric was a quiet kind of guy, a bit shy, but he was fearless, had a heart of gold, and was a great musician.

Eric had Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, and so does Andrew, but they were ordinary teenagers, who were taken in by their aunt, so that they could live at home, rather than an institution. Eric and his brother both won awards for their service to their community through their disability activism. They wrote and performed rap music, speaking of themselves, their fears, their love for their neighborhood, their city, and ordinary things that teenagers go through. They were proud and excited to be a part of ADAPT. Eric told me that with ADAPT, he felt like he was “doing something good for civil rights, like Martin Luther King”.

I know that Andrew is really going through it now. He and Eric were so close. They were best friends, and when you saw one, you usually saw the other. I still hope to see him in Washington, DC this April for the ADAPT gathering, and 25th anniversary. I am hoping that as he goes through the mourning process, he will come to realize that one way to carry on his brother’s memory will be to keep music and ADAPT in his life.

Rest in Peace Eric!

Remember the story that I posted some months ago about the man who walked into a local hospital here in Rochester, and raped a woman who is paralyzed? Here is the update on what happened to him. This was in the Democrat and Chronicle, our local newspaper. I can’t believe that he got off so easy!

Man admits to sexual abuse of hospital patient

Michael Zeigler
Staff writer

(December 13, 2007) — A man who had been banned twice from Strong Memorial Hospital admitted today that he walked into the hospital without permission and sexually abused a paralyzed patient.

Edward C. Ewanow, 50, pleaded guilty to the felonies of second-degree burglary and first-degree sexual assault in exchange for a prison term of 4 1/2 years and five years of supervision by parole authorities after his release.

State Supreme Court Justice John J. Ark accepted the plea over the objection of the prosecution, which said Ewanow deserves a prison term of at least seven years.

“This defendant is an absolute menace to society,” said Assistant District Attorney Stefanie Guido.

On March 16, Ewanow donned a “Friends of Strong” smock designated for hospital volunteers to give him free access to the hospital, Guido said. He went to the room of the woman, whom he knew, and molested her as she lay helpless in her bed.

The woman is paralyzed below the waist and has been traumatized by the attack, Guido said.

After the incident, the hospital began requiring volunteers to wear identification badges.

“This incident, as traumatizing as it was, should certainly serve as an alarm bell going off in the hospitals of this community, that they should do whatever they have to do to enhance security,” Ark said.

The University of Rochester banned Ewanow from university property, including the hospital, in 1992 after six encounters with him. He was arrested for trespassing after two of those encounters.

He was arrested and banned again in 2004 after being seen roaming on hospital property.

The Community Choice Act has gained more supporters — 6 in the past week! Here they are:

Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 12/4/2007

Rep Murtha, John P. [PA-12] - 12/4/2007

Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] - 12/4/2007

Rep English, Phil [PA-3] - 12/5/2007

Rep Faleomavaega, Eni F.H. [AS] - 12/12/2007

Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 12/12/2007

Here is a list of the latest New York Supporters:

Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 11/15/2007

Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 10/25/2007

Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 10/15/2007

Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] - 10/9/2007

Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 9/6/2007

All told, New York has 8 co-sponsors, including both of our senators!

I received a number of calls from legislative staff regarding the meeting request letters  for January 28th that went out yesterday. While some said that they will check the legislator’s schedule, we do have two confirmed meetings — one with Assemblymember James Bacalles, and one with Senator Joe Robach. I’ll keep you updated.

Our Legislative Day is January 28 in Albany, but here at the Center for Disability Rights, we’re already revving up! I have written 18 letters to New York state lawmakers in my area, and the surrounding counties requesting a meeting for that day to discuss and work together on issues of concern to people with disabilities. I’ll give them a week to give them time to get their letters and to look at their faxes, especially since we’re going into Christmas, then, I’ll start following up, and setting up meetings. January is going to be busy with meetings and travelling, not to mention training our new Community Organizer. I’ll keep you abreast on what we’re doing. For now, Happy Holidays!

I found myself walking down memory lane today as I perused old copies of Incitement, ADAPT’s newsletter. That got me to thinking about Wade Blank, one of the founders of ADAPT, and of Atlantis Community, the second oldest independent living center in the country. Wade was such a neat person, and I miss him! I am blessed by having known and worked for him at Atlantis. He was my mentor. Wade’s birthday was yesterday. He would’ve been 67 years old. On that thought, the ADAPT 25th year action is April 26-May 2.