[nfbmi-talk] adapt arkansas action release

Wed Sep 17 14:20:56 UTC 2014

One of NFB's partners in the fight to eliminate sub-minimum wages for all PWD....
They are taking it to the streets in Arkansas.

Joe
09/15/2014 MEDIA RELEASE:                              For Information:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                              Brenda Stinebuck
(501) 624-7710

       Jerry Costley               (801) 347-0370

ADAPT, a national grassroots group of activists with disabilities, challenges
the Arkansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity and Goodwill Industries of
Arkansas to meet face-to-face with disabled protesters.

On Tuesday, September 16, the Little Rock Police Department actively notified
specific organizations and locations that they might be subject to protest,
urged them to lock their doors.  The Police Department also sought approval of
building management/owners to permit the police to block disabled individuals
from accessing their facilities.

More disturbing was the decision by the Victory Building Management, at the
behest of the Little Rock Police, to prevent a handful of Arkansans with
disabilities from going into the office of Senator Boozman to ask his support
for two critical disability rights issues currently active in the US Senate.
I was appalled and embarrassed for my state, said Brenda Stinebuck.  We had
not broken the law and had cooperated with the police, but were blocked from
the Senators office anyway.

Recognizing that the Little Rock Police are actively trying to prevent direct
interaction with our group, ADAPT is publicly challenging the Arkansas Chapter
of Americans for Prosperity and Goodwill Industries of Arkansas to meet
directly with ADAPT rather than hide behind locked doors and police
barricades.

ADAPT is seeking to meet with the leadership of Arkansas Chapter of Americans
for Prosperity because the organization is distributing false information
about the Community First Choice Option.  Once they actually understand the
policy, we are hoping that they will stop advocating against Arkansas
implementing the Community First Choice Option so the state can benefit from
the new federal program created by ADAPT, said Mike Oxford of Kansas ADAPT.

ADAPT will also seek a meeting with the leadership of Goodwill Industries of
Arkansas because the organization is affiliated with two national
organizations that are fighting efforts to require that individuals with
disabilities be paid at least the federal minimum wage.  We are the only
group of people who can be legally paid less than minimum wage, said Dawn
Russell of Colorado ADAPT.  Goodwill International and SourceAmerica are
fighting our efforts to end that discriminatory law; that needs to stop!
ADAPT is hopeful about a productive meeting with Goodwill because the Arkansas
organization does not, itself, pay less than minimum wage to disabled
individuals.

ADAPT intends to march in the street to these locations.  Most people wont
understand this, but frankly its a safety issue, said Josue Rodriguez of
Tennessee ADAPT. The police insisted  under the threat of immediate arrest 
that we use the sidewalk, but the curb cuts and sidewalks are in such bad
shape, people nearly tipped over.  Jennifer McPhail of Texas ADAPT added,
The City of Little Rock should take the money the police department is
wasting by following us around in plain clothes, ticketing us and transporting
our group and use it to fix the streets.  Rodriguez and McPhail were arrested
on Tuesday when they were instructed to move their wheelchairs to the sidewalk
but couldnt because there wasnt an accessible route.

ADAPT has timed its marches to minimize the impact on local traffic.  The
group has posted its marching route on the organizations website:
www.adapt.org/lrpd<http://www.adapt.org/lrpd>

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NATIONAL ADAPT MAILING LIST - Adapt Community Choice Act List
http://www.adapt.org