The Roving Activist’s Blog

Sorry, I just couldn’t resist that line from the movie, The Color Purple. Well, it’s not Miss Celie who’ll be doing the shaving, and it sure ain’t Mister who’s getting shaved, but somebody here is getting their head shaved!

Never fear, it isn’t me, and it’s all for a good cause. Rochester ADAPT is participating in the ADAPT Fun*Run, to raise money to keep the activism of ADAPT alive. Chris Hilderbrant sent out the challenge to our group that if we raise $5,000.00, the person who raised the most money will get to shave his head!

The festivities will begin here at 4:00, and it will be a great kick-off for our departure for Washington, DC tomorrow morning. I can’t wait to see how Chris will look with no hair.  I’ll be sure to tell you how it went!

The Community Choice Act has another co-sponsor!

Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] - 4/22/2008

I want to send shout-outs to New Castle, PA ADAPT for what they had to go through to get this guy on. Here is their story, in thier words:

April 18, 2008

Today Members of New Castle PA ADAPT took action to get a commitment from Congressman Jason Altmire (Representative PA 4th District) to sign on as a co-sponsor to Community Choice. Pennsylvania now has 13 of 19 Representatives signed on. Six more to go.

Twenty members of New Castle ADAPT stormed into Altmire’s field office located in New Castle, PA, and demanded that he sign on. His Caseworker in New Castle, James Ferruchi met us with hostility and disrespect. Four members made their way into his office and blocked both exits. At one point Altmire’s caseworker threatened to piss on Vivian LaCamara if she did not move out of the doorway. Her answer was ” I have been in a Nursing Home and I have been pissed on abused and neglected so go ahead”

He quickly backed off when he saw the commitment displayed by the ADAPTERS. It only took two hours and Altmire caved like a marshmellow in an ADAPT fire. We left his office with this e-mail and a signed Faxed letter on letterhead of his commitment to support Community Choice:

From: Komendant, Erik
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2008 1:19 PM
To: Brown, Charles
Cc: Werner, Sharon ; Butler, Mike ; Ferruchie, James; Mullen, Tess
Subject: Community Choice Act

Charles -

Can you add Congressman Altmire to the Community Choice Act (H.R. 1621)?

- Erik
—
Erik Komendant
Legislative Director
Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04)

RA’s Note: As you can see, four days later, he was signed on!

You folks are the Bomb!!!!!

Monday, April 21, 2008 was a special day for us at CDR/Rochester ADAPT! We received a visit from Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), who recently signed on to the Community Choice Act. Though she only stayed a few minutes, Bruce and I got to welcome her, and her staffer, Bobbi Wilson. We explained about the parts of the building that we were passing through on our way to the large conference room. About 50 Rochester ADAPT members and CDR staff loudly appauded as we stepped into the room. She spoke to us, and said how happy she was to be with us in our beautiful building, and how proud she was to be a co-sponsor of the Community Choice Act. She took pictures with us, and we presented her with an orange Community Choice Act NOW! T-shirt, which she held up to her front, and had her picture taken. She chatted with several of us afterwards, and took her time leaving, even though she had a plane to catch right after our visit. Since due to time constraints, she was unable to take the tour of the building, Congresswoman Slaughter wants to visit us again. That will be great!

Over all, I enjoyed her visit. She remembered me from us taking over her office in Washington, DC. She told everyone that she loved my sense of humor, and that I was her buddy. She spent lots of time with me, and I got several handshakes and a couple of hugs. She also talked with me after our meeting. From being in ADAPT, I have learned a lot about politicians, and I feel that she actually does like me, even when I was loudmouthing her in her office back in January, before she signed on to CCA. When Gene and I met with her in her Rochester office back in March, she noted that I was a bit subdued, and told her staff that I was a real firecracker, and that I was a great and passionate activist. I believe that she genuinely respects the whole Rochester crew. I am looking forward to her next visit!

Since the pictures were quite large in size, I’ll give you the links to some of them.

The Group

Anita and Louise Outside CDR

Anita Shaking Louise’s Hand

I am proud to announce that Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) will visit the Center for Disability Rights, where I work as a Systems Advocate, on Monday, April 21, 2008, at 4:00 pm. Rep. Slaughter recently signed on to the Community Choice Act.

Bruce and I will give her a tour of the building, then, we will gather in the large conference room, where Rochester ADAPT will present her with an orange Community Choice Act Now! T-shirt, and take some pictures and videos. I will post these on Monday evening.

We are really exited and honored by her visit!

Another member of the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee has signed on to the Community Choice Act!

Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] - 4/10/2008

I remember her being present and speaking at the hearing back in January.

RA’s Note: Please excuse the sloppiness of my page today. I am experimenting with new code, and can’t figure out how I got things to work without the blank images and all.

It has been a REALLY busy time for me lately. We have been working hard on getting funding from the state for Independent Living. Our CIL, Center for Disability Rights, is the second largest CIL in New York State, yet we get NO state funding, and very little federal funding. We have tried the usual stuff–mass e-mails, faxes, and calls, to no avail. We have considered protesting, and occupying the offices of the main players in Albany, but we decided to go in a new direction with our advocacy for IL funding and with pointing a finger at the people to blame. So we made a viral video to spread on YouTube. Check it out and send it to everyone you know!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=domQixfPYq4

A HUGE thank you to our script writers, directors, puppet makers, producers and our vocal talents:

Anita Cameron, Bruce Darling, Chris Hilderbrant, Zung Ho, Melinda Johnson, Terrie Lincoln, April Oakes and Chris Wood!

Additional concept contributions credits to: Sadie Gilbride and Marsha Sweet.

(The text and description is copied below)

Joe Bruno – Chris H                             Shelly Silver – Anita C

Gov. Paterson – Chris W                      Mike Nozzolio – Zung H

1199 - April O

Scene opens…

Sign says… “How NY Budget process REALLY works…”

Three men, smoke filled room…

*mumbling and muttering*

Bruno: “Dave, I’m so happy you’ve been such a team player…. It’s
really great that we are able to have everyone that matters here at the
table…

Silver: “Yup, just like the good ole days…

Paterson: “Is it smokey in here? Or is it just me?”

Bruno: “So, we all agree to borrow $250 million and build a new Racino?

Silver, Paterson (in redneck unison): “Yup”

Bruno: “It’s practically pennies. It’ll pay for itself.”

(Enter Senator Mike Nozzolio riding a white horse)

Mike: “We need funding to help people with disabilities in Ontario
County… only 300,000 dollars… practically nothing…

Silver, Bruno, Paterson: *grumble* “Sounds expensive”

Silver: “We could tax the super wealthy…

Bruno: “Shelly, ya know why that idea reminds me of your momma?
Because it’s sooooo stupid!”

Mike: “It’s less costly to serve them at home than in a nursing
facility…”

Paterson: “Ok, let’s do it…”

Mike: *bows* “Thank you, sirs. Thank you Thank you thank you.”

(Exits)

*three men mumbling, grumbling*

(Enter 1199 on a dark horse, purple shirt, yellow 1199)

Union Manager says: “We need more money in our nursing homes and
hospitals…”

Paterson: “But we need to reform healthcare… get away from
facilities”

Union Manager: “But we make political contributions…” (*cha-ching*)

Bruno: “He’s got a point there, Dave…”

Paterson: “Ok, but we need to cut back our budget…

Silver: “Let’s nix that Ontario funding…

Bruno: “Yes, that will take care of it…

Silver, Bruno, Paterson: (triumphantly) “And we’ll raise the tax on
cigarettes!”

*grumbling, mumbling*

*fade to black*

I hope that you like it. We all had fun making this little skit/movie/clip/video, or whatever you choose to call it! If you want to see some funny clips on the making of the movie, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/adaptanita They are right on the front of the page. Enjoy!

WooHoo!!!! A few days after our meeting, Louise made good on her promise to sign on to the Community Choice Act. See?

Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28] - 4/1/2008

That brings the total to 11 NY representatives who have signed on!