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Presenter(s)
Myrna Orleck-Aiello
TCS Associates
11410-P Georgia Avenue
Weaton, MD, 20902
Phone: 301-942-9766
Fax: 301-9429-9110
Email: Myrna@TCSassociates.com
Good afternoon to each and every one of you. It is very inspiring to see so many of you here today. Thank you for your presence and I hope you enjoyed your lunch.
When I was asked to speak at this luncheon, it made me realize how grateful I am to stand before you as a beacon of hope for all of us who are living with a disability in this society. Life is not always easy for us. I had to fight long and hard to achieve my goals and being a deaf woman has not and will never stop me. I am so honored to share my experiences with you here this afternoon.
I would like to read to you a poem that I wrote as a teenager after encountering numerous frustrating experiences with lip reading and subsequent misunderstandings.
When they passed out noses, I thought they said roses, and I asked for a red one.
When they passed out ears, I thought they said spears, and I asked for a pointed one.
When they passed out eyes, I thought they said ties, and I asked for a plaid one.
Whey they passed out heads, I thought they said beds, so I asked for a soft one.
When they said smiles, I thought they said miles, and I asked for a crooked one.
When they passed out brains, I thought they said rain, and I didn't want any.
But, the one thing they passed out, which I eagerly grasped sounded like a rumor.
So, I asked for a lot, and found that I'd got, a rollicking good sense of humor.
It can be a daunting proposition to grow up as a child with a disability. All of us have had to adapt to our immediate universe, and mold it to ourselves. We have had to work extra to achieve what others may take for granted. Most of all, we have had to renew our spirit and soul everyday. Faith and optimism have been our mainstays.
Whenever I talk about people with disabilities and their goals, the words of esteemed author and educator, Diana Hunt come to my mind. She says, "goals are dreams with deadlines." I think that is a lovely way of describing how we should meet the challenges of everyday life. Deadlines, you see, give us a time limit in which to achieve success. They give us a reason for doing instead of just dreaming. Years ago, I had a dream of owning and running my own company. I never dreamt though that one day I would be invited to share with you how my dream came true.
It has always been one of my goals as a businesswoman to that I succeed in obtaining a Small Business Administration 8 (a) certification. This is a certification for special minority groups such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Pacific Americans. I fought for almost two years for that certification because women and persons with disabilities then - were not considered minority groups at that time. Without realizing it, I became the first Deaf woman in the Unites States to be awarded the 8 (a) certification.
We are often confronted with a broad spectrum of misconceptions and doubt when we use the word "disabled." I am here today to shatter prejudices. To me, ignorance and fear are unquestionably the greatest of disabilities. I strive to replace this lack of knowledge with insight. I aim to change fear into hope and promise.
Christopher Reeve said it best last year as he addressed the students of Middlebury College. "I have learned by being literally paralyzed" he said that to a large extent, "paralysis is a choice." Doubt, fear, and inactivity are indeed paralysis of the spirit. We can choose now NOT to be quote unquote paralyzed. A person with a disability seeking employment has undoubtedly already surmounted character-forming obstacles and comes armed with courage, determination and dedication.
When faced with a disability, options are clear. All of us learn very early how to go about our lives constantly finding or creating alternatives and taking those abilities we do have to a higher level. My father often reminded me of the wondrous compensating attribute which is the human mind.
We also learn very early that success comes only with patient and dedicated hard work. Nothing comes effortlessly as we try to overcome our specific disability. But success will come, and along with it a deep indelible sense of accomplishment, improved self-image, and most of all an embedded conviction that hard work without doubt brings the rewards we seek.
Such formative years make courage second nature, for without it we are lost. Courage is our companion every day of our lives, supporting attitudes, pushing us to dream, and helping us conquer space, time, doubt, and also our fears. And it's also the key to our aspirations. The men and women among you living with disabilities are the most daring dreamers, and I stand before you as a testament to the fact that our dreams and ambitions are LIMITLESS.
If deafness, which I believe is invisible, could be described in one word, that word would surely be frustration. After all, if a person is missing a leg and uses a wheelchair or an individual is blind and has a cane or "seeing-eye dog", other people can actually see the disability and possibly understand. However, when you are deaf, people are more likely to become irritated with you as though, somehow, you do not choose to hear what they are saying or, failing that, they are embarrassed and don't know what to say to you. I believe though, that deafness in and of itself is not a disability, but that it is the attitudes and reactions of others that make it so.
I became deaf when I was three years old, as the result of contracting German measles. My parents saw my illness as a hurdle to overcome and they insisted that I attend a regular public school rather than a school especially for children who are deaf, as they found it difficult to come to terms with believing their daughter was truly deaf. They thought that I would be better equipped if I grew up in a hearing world. I will confess here and now that I did not appreciate their foresight at the time. Being deaf made studying extremely difficult and I spent numerous extra hours working when I would have preferred to be playing with my friends. I had no special services and had to rely on lip-reading alone. When I was a child there were no resources or assistive technology available as is the case today. I had not learned sign language because my parents wanted me to succeed on equal terms with the other students. Over the years my parents continued to ensure that I joined all standard school activities, and, like Beethoven I played the piano for thirteen years. I hasten to add that I have not succeeded in writing one symphony never mind nine!
My parents set great store on family life, on education, and on achieving one's potential. My father was a typical example of the American dream as he was a successful businessman for over forty years. I had my business apprenticeship with him and he was always supportive, but pointed out the difficulties that I would face when setting up my own enterprise. Realistically, being an entrepreneur IS difficult. Despite equality legislation, being a female entrepreneur is twice as difficult; That, coupled with my deafness will help you understand I needed every ounce of strength and encouragement I could get.
I attended Gallaudet University where I learned and mastered American sign language, its structure, culture, and community. Later, I took this skill and taught ASL at Gallaudet University as well as undergraduate business courses, applying my industry experiences. I also went to University of Maryland for graduate school and later I attended Union Institute to begin studying for my PhD. I have found that being deaf and involved in the world of industry has given me the ability to help others who want to develop their business skills.
Thanks to my father's motivation and business values, I started my computer company, TCS Associates over 22 years ago. I selected that field because my husband was a computer expert and we knew that we were starting up at the dawn of a revolution in technical communication. Our company covers every aspect of information technology from technical consulting to systems development and integration. For the past 13 years, we have become specialized in providing assistive technology to employees with disabilities in the federal government as well as in the private sector. We then became a total accessibility solutions provider. Additionally, we employ both workers with and without disabilities, because to us, every worker is just an individual with unique attributes. I feel strongly that all my employees, those with and without disabilities, bring a special diversity to our workplace. That distinctive diversity is encouraged in my company and I hope that this sentiment spreads through the public and private sectors.
Since I first started my business, many giant corporations in the computer field have established shops and crumbled, but we grew with strength from year to year. This is because we have adapted as it became necessary to the changing field. Our "one-stop shop" for assistive technology aligns with section 508 and ADA's needs for workplace accessibility for all disabled people.
Each one of us is born with different talents, different skills. Most people are born with five senses. They say that when you lose one sense the others compensate for it. In my case, I think the compensation I got for my deafness was common sense. Certainly I think that families and friends of disabled people underestimate that extra sense. They undervalue what persons with disabilities can do and they certainly do not always believe that they have as much to offer society as everyone else. Persons with different and alternate abilities can be worthwhile productive members of the economy and job market.
That is why I and others in industry must continue to work with the Federal Government for more disabled people to be employed and provided accessible work environments. More importantly they should be employed and promoted to management and decision-making levels. If I can run a successful business, so can others whose diversity is not yet recognized or appreciated. Obviously, those with disabilities may have special needs and requirements. Today's computerization has done so much to help those with such needs. One common example is accessible websites for people who are blind. For deaf people, we have a network-based TTY used on one's computer to replace the antiquated TTY device. Car manufacturers adapt car seats for the comfort of customers of different heights. The needs of the disabled should be treated simply as a way of making them comfortable in the workplace. I am sure that those in industry are not biased against the disabled; I believe that they are simply afraid of the unknown.
The Government is leading the way with its legislation and its employment of the disabled, but industry needs to follow that lead. It needs to see beyond the disability and focus on what can be offered. Manufacturers must reassess their products to make them more disability friendly. For instance, training films should have captions for people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing, companies should have brochures available in Braille, CD-ROM, and alternate formats, AND workplace environments should have ergonomic support when necessary. It would be terrific if there were significant funds set aside for researching ways to improve work opportunities for those with a disability. They in turn would be productive and pay taxes to help further stimulate research which seems to make economic sense. And, through this entire process, I strongly believe that the persons with disabilities are in a better position to help themselves and must do so.
I would like to emphasize that I do have a world outside of business and my involvement with the deaf community. You probably all know the saying that "God couldn't be everywhere, so he invented mothers". My two young daughters understand that although I am frequently away I am still always mum and always there for them. Above all I have a husband who believes in my ideas and who has supported me every step of the way.
Persons with disabilities need support from YOU AND SOCIETY. They need your help to achieve their potential for their own sakes and that of the community. That support can come in many ways but above all it is about listening to their problems and trying to find solutions to those issues together. Four years ago, I remember chatting with my friend, Steve, who uses a wheelchair and had been given a wonderful new home with all the modern conveniences so that he could lead an independent life. Unfortunately, however, all the electrical sockets were at the wrong level for his wheelchair. "If only" he said, "Someone had asked me what I needed."
I am happy to say there have been many improvements. We have come a long way from the time individuals with disabilities were cast aside completely. Much progress has been made in both the medical and technological fields. It is up to us, the people to follow their lead. In both the government and the private business world, we must pave the way to insure that myths are shattered, that opportunities are provided, and that training become widely available.
Another example, is my friend Debra who has worked for many years at a federal agency and has a double disability. She is Deaf and also has Usher's syndrome which means she has low vision. She was never able to effectively communicate with her colleagues. Debra always felt out of the loop and excluded from workplace activities. We helped her out by setting up a communication system that enables her to make regular phone calls both internally and externally. It also enables her colleagues and supervisors to communicate with her at all times. Now that she uses this system she can always be included in last minute meetings, conference calls, or just regular conversations with coworkers. This assistive technology has changed her life so drastically, that she called me up to say how wonderful it felt to be included and given new projects to complete. Debra always lets me know how grateful she is for the technology and how thrilled she is to finally feel like part of a team and adequately display her skills and capabilities.
Workers with disabilities like Debra are available, eager, and very capable of accomplishing whatever is asked of them. Employers must be encouraged to include people with disabilities and trust them to begin, carry through, and complete the task for which they have been given responsibility. They will succeed with flying colors.
Changing attitudes begins with providing opportunities. Words alone are too often relegated to the filing cabinet. ACTION is needed now. We not only need workers with disabilities, but we need people with disabilities to occupy leadership roles and policy-making positions. Only then will the interests of these minorities be for and by the minorities.
In the private sector, opportunities will come through education and training. Corporations must be made aware that there are tools available right now, that allow disabled workers to perform at the same level as their peers. There is also training available to both employers and employees alike. Employers must understand that in a world concerned mainly with the bottom line, hiring a disabled person can very well be hiring a dynamo and promoting him or her to greater responsibilities may very well energize an entire work force.
Education and training must be made more widely available to encourage people with disabilities to be entrepreneurs and leaders. There is nothing they cannot accomplish given the confidence, the mentoring, and the tools.
Being involved in an industry that offers consulting and training in accessible solutions for people with disabilities, I know first hand how rapidly the future rushes into this arena. I have made it my ardent commitment to stay at the cutting edge of these new technologies, to evaluate and promote their development, and to spread their availability. I am determined to see that assistive technologies penetrate the tiniest recesses of the business community.
I have also made it my objective to bridge the gap between the academic and economic worlds. Both must work in tandem if we are to not only employ persons with disabilities, but also empower them and place them in prominent positions where they can fulfill their potential and serve as an inspiration to countless youngsters with disabilities seeking direction and hope.
In closing, I want to express to you my sincere thanks for your warm attention. I hope I have been able to stimulate every one of you to go out after this conference and, within your respective work environments, think about what you can do for someone with a disability and find creative ways to make it happen. If you are a person with a disability, I hope with all my heart that you are inspired in some way to boldly pursue your dreams and achieve your goals. Challenges stimulate us. They give us a sense of purpose, inspire passion, and provide gratification. The challenges we accept to tackle are the substance of our lives; they mold and define us. We must distinguish ourselves in the eyes of the world as a more inclusive society. I think Benjamin Disraeli, the British politician, summed it up beautifully when he said, "The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own."
Indeed, it is up to all of us to make this a more all encompassing and accessible world. I hope you will join me with unshakable motivation in achieving this goal.
The miracles of the universe will bloom for those who dare to dream. In the words of Helen Keller, "I am not afraid of storms for I am learning to sail my ship." I am a woman, I am disabled, and given the right tools, Not only will I see, but also seek. Not only will I hear, but also listen. Not only will I speak, but my words will carry wisdom. Not only will I go the distance, but also go the extra mile."
Thank You.
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