NTAC-APPI Activities

2003

National Summit focused upon Increasing Employment Opportunities for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities: September 16, 2003

Strategic Planning: 2003 and Beyond
Main Conference Room, 1st Floor NW, American Association of Homes & Services for the Aging, 2519 Connecticut Avenue, Washington D.C.

Opening Remarks by: Dr. Robert A. Stodden, Principal Investigator, National Technical Assistance Center for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities.

Keynote Speakers: Dr. Roy Grizzard (ODEP/DOL), Commissioner Joanne Wilson (RSA/DOE), Dr. Robert Pasternack (OSERS/DOE), Eric Wang (The White House Initiative on AAPI), and John Yeh (Viable Technologies).

The purpose of this national summit was to gain input from key national representatives for strategic planning for increasing employment opportunities of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities for the next year and beyond. The group also participated in a discussion on the purpose and current work-scope of the NTAC. The participants contributed to forward thinking goal areas and innovative ways to reach those goals.

Learn More about the 2003 Summit

Teleconference: Issues of Transition for Youth with Disabilities from Cultural and Linguistic Diverse Backgrounds: August 13, 2003

Wednesday, August 13, 2003
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Central Time
(9 a.m. Hawaii, Noon Pacific, 1 p.m. Mountain, 3 p.m. Eastern)

Persons with disabilities usually must overcome a variety of challenges not faced by their peers without disabilities in order to gain entry to and succeed in postsecondary education. These challenges are likely to be especially difficult for persons with disabilities of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) heritage. Compared to non-CLD students with disabilities, CLD students with disabilities are more likely to face language and social barriers, the negative effects of having grown up in poverty, and difficulty processing “standard English” oral and written information, all of which may contribute to their risk of school failure. It has also been argued that persons with disabilities comprise a minority group whose members, like members of other minorities, are often stereotyped and subjected to negative perceptions and low expectations. From this perspective, many CLD persons with disabilities face a double burden of discrimination due to their simultaneous membership in two minority groups.

This teleconference will focus on these issues in relation to transition success. Specific considerations that will be discussed include perceptions about self-determination, and expectations about the environments that CLD youth with disabilities are expected to transition to once they leave secondary school.

Presenters:

Dr. David Leake, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Transition Success Research Project, Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Dr. Soon Kim-Rupnow, National Technical Assistance Project on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Dr. Paul Leung, Rehabilitation Counseling Program, University of North Texas

NTAC Institute: “Technologies to promote self-determination skills for students with special needs”

The National Technical Assistance Center for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities (NTAC-AAPI) at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Center on Disability Studies, is sponsoring the Institute for Career in Special Education called “Technologies to promote self-determination skills for students with special needs”. The institute is a four-week program beginning July 21 and commencing August 15, 2003. This institute has been sponsored by KISE (Korean Institute for Special Education) for 23 professional teachers of special education in Korea to study and learn about special education teaching in the United States. In addition, cultural exchanges among approximately 100 participants through different activities are designed to enhance the cross-cultural competency of service providers in Hawaii.

The Institute consists of 86 hours of lectures and workshops, 24 hours of site visits, and 10 hours of forums, introductory sessions, presentations, and evaluations organized by the faculty within the College of Education at University of Hawaii at Manoa as well as guest lecturers. The lectures and workshops are located on Manoa campus at the Business Administration building, Rm. D103, and the College of Education Building, Wist Hall, Rm. 131 (see schedule). The site visits include schools and other related institutions to observe and discuss the philosophy, policies, strategies, and outcomes of Special Education in Hawaii.

“Self-Employment Can be Fun and Profitable. I Guarantee It!”: July 17, 2003

By Urban Miyares—President of Disabled Businessperson Association, Wist Annex 123A & B COE, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu

Sailing across the Pacific ocean in this year’s 42nd Transpac ocean race, the Challenged America Transpac, which includes sailors with disabilities, will personally challenge the demanding 2,224 nautical mile journey from Los Angeles to Honolulu finishing under picturesque Diamond Head.

Urban Miyares, one of the Transpac crew members, is a nationally recognized blinded Vietnam veteran with diabetes, entrepreneur, lecturer and educator, author/writer, inventor and patent holder, television/film personality, winner of numerous prestigious awards, world-class athlete, and president of Disabled Businessperson Association.

Sponsored by the National Technical Assistance Center for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities, University of Hawaii at Manoa

For more information about the 42nd Transpac, visit www.transpacificyc.org . Awarding winning film producer John Lutz will document this team's trip. For information on Challenged America call (619) 523-9318, email sailor@ChallengedAmerica.org , or visit www.ChallengedAmerica.org .

Co-sponsor of Summer 2003 Institute: Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment for Artists with Disabilities, June 16-20, 2003

A 5-day intensive program led by Dave Hammis, nationally renowned business and enterprise expert specializing in self-employment for people with disabilities, with a focus on safeguarding social security and other health and welfare benefits. The program also featured guest speakers from local small business development agencies and rehabilitation experts.

June 23 - September 3, 2003—The Institute continues for artists with disabilities and their circle of support in a 12-week format that will include lectures, group exercises, case studies, and community fieldwork to develop a business plan and begin self-employment. Weekly sessions will cover business and marketing planning and development, facilitated by UH-Manoa Pacific Business Center faculty and other Honolulu community enterprise and small business and marketiing development experts. Also co-sponsored by VSA arts of Hawaii-Pacific.

Summer 2003 Institute: Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment for Artists with Disabilities [ doc][ pdf ]

FAPAC Conference: May 12-16, 2003

Soon Kim-Rupnow, NTAC-APPI Project Director, accomplishments on her trip to the FAPAC Conference, Washington DC., May 12-16, 2003

Hosted an NTAC poster and product exhibit booth at FAPAC/DOL co-sponsored 2nd annual Asian Pacific American Federal Career Advancement Summit (May 13). More than 600 federal employees from all agencies across the country participated.

Delivered a presentation regarding NTAC and job-site mentoring initiatives in an effort to increase employment opportunities for AAPIs with disabilities at the National Coalition for Equity in Public Service (NCEPS) forum held during the 18th Annual Congressional Seminar National Leadership Training Conference (May 12-16).
Combined efforts of the exhibit and presentation resulted in approximately 50 federal employers committing to participate in NTAC’s mentoring program. In addition, my presentation generated a TV news interview and a newsletter article to be distributed in Alaska.

2nd Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) with Disabilities: February 6 - 7, 2003

University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Campus Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

An in-depth, scholarly focus on issues in the field of Disability Studies with an emphasis on implications across race, culture, and ethnicity. During the past 20 years, Disability Studies focused on examining the day-to-day lives and individual needs of people with disabilities for the purpose of developing practical supports and policies based on empirical research. Invited speakers/scholars presented papers on topics that included:

Disability Culture and Linguistic Diversity
Employment
Leadership
Arts

The Youth Leadership Institute focused on current research and expert perspectives to provide invaluable insights and knowledge for graduate students and professionals from different disciplines. Participants had opportunities to:

Increase their understanding of issues surrounding the provision of supports to AAPI individuals with disabilities as they seek employment;
Interact before, during and after the Institute with national leaders in the field of disability and employment;
Directly contribute to the development of policy recommendations regarding increased employment opportunities for AAPIs;
Participate in pre-post institute on-line discussions and Q&A sessions with invited speakers/scholars.