The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC) is happy to announce that two new Youth Organizers have joined the CFILC team. The Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud program now includes Vanessa Cuellar and Raelyn Keys.



The two Youth Organizers will ensure that the YO! program continues to connect, organize and  educate Californians with disabilities (ages 16-28).
Learn more about them in the CFILC Staff Page.

FREED Center for Independent Living in Nevada City, California, is creating a video project focused on the stories and experiences of youth with disabilities.
Specifically seeking youth:

• Ages 14-24 who identify as having any disability


• Who live in the following counties:
  
  
  
  • Colusa
  
  
  • Nevada
  
  
  • Sierra
  
  
  • Sutter
  
  
  • Yuba
  
  
  
  

If you or someone that you know may be interested in being interviewed for this project, please contact FREED's Media Coordinator, Liam Lambert: liam@freed.org

Ability Tools is celebrating Grandparents' Appreciation by sharing photos and stories between now and September 9th.
Share a fond memory and/or photos showing off grandparents and grandkids using assistive technology (AT) via:

1. Email: socialmedia@cfilc.org


2. Directly onto the Ability Tools Facebook post.)


3. Share on your favorite social media platform (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn). Be sure to use #appreciATegrands 

 
Enjoy a night “out” at the movies at our first-ever outdoor Superfest Showcase!
Bring candy, food, drinks, blankets, & friends! There will be limited chairs and tables, so feel free to bring your own seating arrangements.

When: Wednesday, August 29, 2018, 8:00pm-9:30pm
Where: Redwood City Courthouse Square, 2200 Broadway, Redwood City

All entertainment will have open captions and audio description. 
If you have any additional access requests, please email superfestshowcase@gmail.com by August 19, 2018. For all other questions, email superfestshowcase@gmail.com.

Through the AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Awards, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) recognizes outstanding emerging leaders with disabilities who exemplify leadership, advocacy, and dedication to the broader cross-disability community.

Two (2) individuals will each receive $2,500 in recognition of their outstanding contributions and $7,500 to further a new or existing project or initiative that increases the political and economic power of people with disabilities.

The recipients of the 2019 AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Awards will be honored among national disability leaders at the AAPD Leadership Awards Gala, held in Washington, DC on March 12, 2019. 
 

 


Rooted in Rights is proud to announce the start of the inaugural Rooted in Writing Fellowship. With over 90 submissions, selecting our finalists was a truly competitive process.

Please join us in congratulating our two Fellows, Christian McMahon and Angela Lemus-Mogrovejo! Christian and Angela will be working with Rooted in Rights to share their powerful, unique writing on disability rights issues.

Meet the Rooted in Writing Fellows:
Christian McMahon is a disabled trans writer living in Sacramento, California as well as the communications specialist for The Arc of California. His work has appeared in publications including the Toast, Catapult, and BuzzFeed, among others.




Angela Lemus-Mogrovejo is a twenty-five year old disabled, transgender femme/woman of color working and writing to make a stable life for herself in the Inland Empire area. As an artist, she writes poetry and essays in the hopes of uplifting the ongoing efforts of disabled QTPOC artists and communities in imagining/creating a better world for us all. A better world is possible and she hopes to play her part in making it be realized.

 

Rolling Start is excited to announce that it has now opened up its registration list for the Youth Leadership Summit at Teresita Pines in the mountains near Wrightwood. It's open to all youth with a disability between the ages of 14 and 22.
It's a weekend of learning new skills and having some summer fun like, swimming, archery, a climbing wall and more. The camp is fully accessible and there's no cost to you. 

Contact Rolling Start now to reserve a spot to join us in all of the camping fun. Spaces are filling up fast!

Contact: Antonio Alcantar
Phone: (909) 890-9516
Email: Aalcandar@Rollingstart.com

This Thursday, June 22, 2018, is the 19th Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision cementing the ADA’s integration mandate. To commemorate the day, NCIL is joining other national disability organizations in hosting a National Call-In Day for the EMPOWER Care Act (S. 2227 and H.R. 5306). 
Since Money Follows the Person (MFP) began in 2005, over 75,000 disabled people have been liberated from institutions, and CILs have played a critical role in that. But MFP expired on September 30, 2016, and states are starting to scale back and end their programs. In fact, last year was the first time the number of people transitioned into the community declined. We need your advocacy to get the House and Senate to pass the EMPOWER Care Act to re-authorize and fund MFP!  

Take Action! 
Congress must save and fund MFP, and they need to hear from us! Please urge your Senators and Representative to continue the Money Follows the Person program by co-sponsoring the EMPOWER Care Act! 

• Participate in Thursday’s National Call-In Day! Call your Senators and Representative and urge them to co-sponsor the EMPOWER Care Act! All members of Congress can be reached by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (202) 224-3091 (TTY). Find more information, including talking points, at the Facebook event. RSVP and share widely!


• Use Social Media! Post on Facebook and Tweet at your members of Congress. Find your Members’ Twitter handles and other contact information on Contacting Congress. Make sure to use the hashtag #FundMFP in your posts. You can find more information, including sample Tweets, at the Facebook event. For more tips, please visit: https://medicaid.publicrep.org/events/social-media-day-for-community-living/


• Email your members of Congress! Customize a message to your Members of Congress online.


• Continue sharing your stories with NCIL! See the previous alert for more details about the stories we’re looking for. The original deadline passed, but NCIL is still looking for your stories about the importance of community living! Email: ncil@ncil.org

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) is hosting this event to share and discuss resources produced by the National Youth Action Council on Transition (YouthACT). Each day we’ll feature one resource relevant to transition to adulthood (employment, postsecondary education, health) and post questions and activities for participants. Youth are especially encouraged to participate in both the campaign and the Twitter chat.
For more information, please visit: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/news_post/join-raisingyouthvoice-twitter-chat/ 

The Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) strongly believes in the talent and potential of students with disabilities. With DOR’s redefined focus to serve more youth, we would like to connect with more students, parents, teachers, service providers and other interested community members. Back in February, we collaborated with all of DOR’s team managers to come up with some statements that could help inform our position and messaging regarding Student Services. After narrowing these statements down, we’d like to ask all of you to take our short survey and provide feedback. Your feedback is valuable in this process since these statements will help inform future messaging and outreach materials.

Please respond to this survey by Friday, May 11.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9VGRSX6

The planning committee for the Raising Abuse Awareness Event on June 7, 2018 is looking for speakers to provide “TED”-style presentations, approximately 5 minutes in length.  This event will be held at the Tsakapoulos Library Galleria in downtown Sacramento, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.        
 
We are searching for individuals with disabilities or staff working in disability programs willing to share information about an abuse topic that includes solutions.  Examples might include: anti-bullying, a prevention-type program or service.  We do have 1 speaker already confirmed from the Institute on Aging in San Francisco, who will talk about Veterans Aid and Attendant Scam prevention.   
 
For more information, please contact Cheryl Kasai, State Independent Living Council at (916) 445-3005 or email to Cheryl@calsilc.ca.gov. 

Are you a young person who has recently received a workplace accommodation? Or are you currently thinking about disclosing your disability and making a request for accommodation?

If so, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is interested in hearing about your experience. JAN CoDirectors, Lou Orslene and Anne Hirsh, invite you to one of two small discussion groups being held April 13th from 12-1PM PT/3-4 PM ET and April 19th from 3:30 - 4:30 PM PT/6:30 - 7:30 PM ET.

We are continually reviewing our service offerings and assessing their effectiveness. In an effort to evaluate and improve JAN, these discussions are designed to expose current service gaps for the next generation.

If you would like to have a private discussion of your experience, feel free to call JAN and ask for Lou or Anne.
We would be happy to schedule a call to hear of your experiences. All information shared will be confidential.

If you want to share your experience and like to hear what others are experiencing, please consider participating in one of these conference calls.

To participate, please email Orslene@jan.wvu.edu and let us know whether you plan to attend the April 13th or April 19th discussion group.

Sincerely,
Lou Orslene and Anne Hirsh, Job Accommodation Network (JAN) CoDirectors 

• Build your leadership skills


• Network with other youth


• Meet with role models from the disability community

Youth Institute 
This event is limited to 50 participants. Youth, ages 14-24, will spend the day attending an institute during the conference geared especially for them. The Braille Institute and Wayfinder Family Service (formerly Junior Blind) are co-sponsoring this event with California Transcribers and Educators for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. (CTEBVI).
Sessions will include advocacy, living skills, transition planning, assistive technology, and networking during interactive workshops. Each table will include a facilitator or two of young adults and/or youth staff successfully transitioning to college and/or careers. Part of the day will be in the Exhibit Hall learning about new technologies and other blindness supports.
Following the institute the youth will continue to receive information pertinent to them and hopefully stay connected to the youth and leaders they networked with during their event. The cost is $50 each (which includes lunch and snacks).  There are some scholarships available:  SF Lighthouse, CTEBVI, Workability, the California Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (CAPVI).  They do not include travel, parking, lodging.  Just the Institute.
For registration, please visit:  http://www.ctebvi.org/youth.html

Parent Institute
This event is limited to 40 participants. We all know how important the parent is in the success of the child in becoming an independent youth and then a working adult. California Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments (CAPVI) is co-sponsoring this first-ever event. This Parent Institute is a full day of sessions geared to provide support, information, and networking for parents of youth in transition.
Learning from each other’s successes and challenges, parents will be led through interactive sessions to build skills their children will need, as well as how to let go when the children are ready to be independent. The hope is that at the end of the institute the parents will continue to network throughout the year. 
The cost is  $50, which includes lunch, snacks. You will notice that when you get to the payment part, there are 4 possible sources of scholarships:  Braille Institute, Wayfinder (formerly known as Junior Blind), CTEBVI, and CAPVI.  Scholarships do not include travel, parking, or lodging. Just the Institute.  CAPVI will offer 5 parent institute scholarships. To apply, email us at capvinews@gmail.com.
Parent Institute registration: http://www.ctebvi.org/parent.html

The 2018 Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) has several onsite staff positions available, with the priority given to YLF alumni. If you are interested in applying to serve as a volunteer, or paid onsite staff during YLF week, we are accepting 2018 YLF Staff Applications until February 28, 2018.

To apply, please review the position descriptions and complete the application located at the below link:
 
http://www.dor.ca.gov/YLF/YLF-Staff-Info.html
 
Applications can be emailed to Zak Ford at Zachariah.Ford@dor.ca.gov. They can also be mailed to:
 
YLF/Staff Application
Attn: CCEPD, Zak Ford
721 Capitol Mall, 6th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 855-894-3436
 
Please keep a copy of the application for your records.
 
If you have questions or need additional information about the application process, please call 855-894-3436 or email mail ylf@dor.ca.gov.

Date:               January 24, 2018
Subject:          Official Message from the State Director of Special Education
 
The California Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE) is now accepting applications for the 2017–18 Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning (GOAL) award. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m., February 15, 2018.
 
To highlight best practices and “what is working” in California for students with disabilities, the ACSE is seeking to recognize exemplary local educational agencies, schools, school-systems, initiatives, programs, and practices (hereby referred to as “Programs”) that result in positive outcomes for students with disabilities in the State of California. Established by the ACSE with financial support from Hollywood producer Brian Grazer and his family, the GOAL award recognizes these innovative and replicable Programs with a monetary award, and encourages implementation of these Programs throughout California. Additional information may be found on the Grazer Outstanding Achievement in Learning Web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/as/acsegoalaward.asp.
 
If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact Matt Traverso, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, Special Education Division, by phone at 916-323-3308, or by e-mail at mtraverso@cde.ca.gov.

PRESS RELEASE

 


 
(SACRAMENTO, CALIF.) - The California Foundation for Independent Living (CFILC)’s Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud program today announced that seven Youth Advisory Council (YAC) members have been selected to serve as advisors of California’s youth transition program thanks to the generous support of funding made available through AT&T.
The Youth Advisory Council is a group of youth with disabilities that ensures that YO! Disabled and Proud is guided by the leadership insight of young advocates who each serve for two years. The duty of each YAC member is to provide valuable input on policy issues, community organizing campaigns and transition priorities.
The seven youth that have been chosen for the YAC are accomplished and passionate young activists respectfully engaged in the field of disability advocacy. Although YAC council members have different disabilities, backgrounds and perspectives, they are profoundly connected through their shared goal of making the world a better place for disabled youth.

The Youth Advisory Council includes:

• Armand B. of San Dimas, 25, is a disability advocate and Senior at Cal Poly Pomona.


• Ian D., 19, is a disability advocate from Castro Valley.


• Alexa M., 27, is a disability advocate and After-school Team Leader at Luther Burbank High in Sacramento.


• Sara M., 26, is a disability advocate from Palo Alto.


• Alise S., 24, is an artist and disability advocate from San Pablo.


• Tiffany T., 28, is a performer and disability advocate from San Pablo.


• Priscilla W., 26, is a disability advocate and Candidate for a Masters in Social Work from Sacramento.

To learn more about each individual YAC member, please visit the YO! YAC page: http://yodisabledproud.org/volunteer/volunteer-membership.php?membership=Youth%20Advisory%20Council


 
About Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud
Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud is a program of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC) that connects, organizes and educates youth with disabilities. YO! gives youth leadership opportunities, social networks, resources and more. YO! is for youth with disabilities to be proud of who we are and what we can achieve and endeavors to stay true to the motto, “Nothing about us, without us.”
To learn more, please visit: yodisabledproud.org
 
About the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC)
The California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC) registered 501(c)(3) non-profit Corporation that increases access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities by building the capacity of Independent Living Centers throughout California. To learn more, please visit: cfilc.org

Feb 26, 2018 / 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. / FREE
Holiday Inn / 300 J Street / Sacramento

Would you like a dedicated, parent-free space to learn about, discuss, and expand your knowledge of disability-specific health care issues? Family Voices of California, in partnership with YO! Disabled & Proud, is hosting an all-day session for youth and young adults with disabilities.
As part of the larger Health Summit & Legislative day, the youth track will teach attendees how to advocate for their own health care, prepare for and navigate transition, and much more.
We encourage you to join us for this event to hear from a variety of experts and network with your peers!

Register: www.bit.ly/2xw3GSL (select the 'Youth Track' option)

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Youth Caucus needs YOUR participation for a Sex-Ability Survey. ALL AGES NEEDED.
Please know that all survey entries are anonymous and the results are kept confidential.

Provide your feedback regarding sex and disability -- Sex-Ability Survey
***Survey closes Friday, August 25, 2017***

About the NCIL Youth Caucus

The National Council on Independent Living is committed to embracing and enhancing the value of diverse populations of people with disabilities. The NCIL Youth Caucus, a part of the NCIL Diversity Committee, is open to all NCIL youth members, ages 26 and under, who want to connect and advocate for change with other youth with disabilities.

The Youth Caucus is committed to cultivating a safe and empowering space for youth with disabilities to engage in the Independent Living (IL) and disability rights movement by enhancing youth participation and leadership at NCIL.

The newly re-launched NCIL Youth Caucus could be a great fit for you. It is a place where each member has the opportunity to voice their ideas about national policies that affect people with disabilities and facilitate change. We have monthly calls on various days of each month. Please contact Jessica Jimenez for more information at jessica@scil-ilc.org.

Seeking Independent Contractor:
Help Superfest International Disability Film Festival Reach New Audiences through Superfest Showcase Initiative

For 30 years, Superfest International Disability Film Festival, the longest running disability film festival in the world, has showcased disability as a creative force in cinema and culture. We have recently launched an initiative to bring Superfest to new constituents via “Superfest Showcases.” These are free public screenings of the previous years’ selected films for middle/high schools, colleges, libraries, and community centers. Each screening is accompanied by an open, facilitated conversation about the lessons these films teach us all.

We are seeking to work with an independent contractor who will expand the festival’s reach in the greater Bay Area, Sacramento, and Los Angeles and provide outreach and logistics coordination to make 10 new Showcases possible. The Showcase coordinator will work with both the LightHouse for the Blind and the Longmore Institute on Disability but the position will be directly supervised by the Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University.

Compensation: ~ $22/hr, 550 hours spread out over 10-month span, commensurate with experience.

Qualifications:

• Experience organizing accessible events.


• Confidence with public speaking.


• Basic understanding of disability representations in media.


• Strong writing and editing skills to develop promotional materials.


• Organized, detail-oriented, and self-driven.


• Hours are flexible but must provide some availability 9 to 5 M-F for planning calls.


• Availability to travel to possible Showcase sites (travel outside the Bay Area will be reimbursed).


• Located in Greater Bay Area.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Personal experience with disability.


• Background in disability studies and/or film studies.


• Graphic design skills.

To learn more about the festival, visit: superfestfilm.com
To learn more about the Longmore Institute on Disability, visit: longmoreinstitute.sfsu.edu

The Longmore Institute values people from diverse backgrounds and welcomes the opportunity to think through any accommodations that would be necessary for a person with a disability to fill this contract.

To apply: Please send cover letter and resume or CV to Emily Beitiks, beitiks@sfsu.edu.

Applications will be received until the contract is filled with a goal to start on this project as soon as possible. This project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Neda Nobari Foundation.

The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) is a national grassroots, consumer controlled, nonprofit membership organization, and for more than two decades this organization holds a conference to address the issues that people with disabilities that live in rural areas experience.
 
This year, October 20th-23rd, 2017 the 23rd Annual APRIL Conference and Youth Conference will take place in Spokane, Washington at the Davenport Grand. The main conference theme will be "Indivisible with Liberty and Justice for All ". And on October 21st-23rd the Youth Conference which has embraced the same "Team Work Makes the Dream Work". For those interested in attending the youth conference a scholarship is available for people under the age of 30.
 
You can also enter a T-shirt design contest. The winning designer will receive a full scholarship (including lodging and conference registration with a free shirt) to the 2017 APRIL Youth Conference and APRIL Conference in Spokane, WA on October 20 – 22!
 
 
For more information about the conferences, scholarships and the T-shirt design contest go to the APRIL website: 
https://www.aprilrural.org/index.php/new-annual-conference

 
The HSC Foundation, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), is now accepting applications for a paid fellowship position with the organizations’ disability youth transition and collaboration work. This fellowship is ideal for a person with a disability who has an interest in youth career transitions and employment solutions. The fellowship starts in June 2017, and continues for 12 months. Under the supervision of NCIL’s Operations Director, the Youth Transitions Fellow (YTF) will gain exposure to youth programs serving people with disabilities and will have the opportunity to facilitate collaboration among internship, fellowship, and apprenticeship programs based in the Greater Washington, DC area.
 

 

• Ability to facilitate collaboration among large groups


• Ability to work with people in all levels of an organization, including young people with a variety of disabilities


• Strong communication skills and strong organizational skills


• Creative and innovative personality


• Familiarity with technology and social networking tools


• Strong interest in youth transition for people with disabilities and organizing. 

Eligibility:
College graduate 26-or-younger who self-identifies as an individual with any type of disability is invited to apply. You will not be required to disclose your specific disability; however, your application for this program will signify that you consider yourself a person with a disability. Please Note: This fellowship is specifically for people with disabilities.
 
Please Provide the Following to apply:

• Please attach your resume in Microsoft Word format.


• Please provide the contact information for four (4) references who are familiar with your qualifications relevant to this fellowship and your personal character.


• Please attach in Microsoft Word format two (2) letters of recommendation from two (2) of the above-mentioned references. 

What Happens Next:
Completed applications received by NCIL before 11:59 PM EDT, Monday, May 29, 2017 will be collected and reviewed by our team.
Semi-Finalists will be contacted for short, preliminary telephone interviews.
Finalists will be contacted for formal telephone interviews. 
 
The HSC Foundation’s National Youth Transitions Center
The HSC Foundation’s National Youth Transitions Center is a collaborative learning community to benefit youth with disabilities and returning wounded veterans. The National Youth Transitions Center, developed by The HSC Foundation, will bring together the resources of multiple organizations to provide much needed transitions related services, research, public policy, best practices, pilot projects, and evaluation so that youth with disabilities can achieve their greatest level of independence. The Center will create a forum to enhance the ability of young people and veterans with disabilities to enter and reenter the workforce, participate in and contribute to community life, and become productive members of society.
 
The National Council on Independent Living
The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: individuals with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States.
 
An outcome of the national Disability Rights and Independent Living Movements, NCIL was founded to embody the values of disability culture and Independent Living philosophy, which creates a new social paradigm and emphasizes that people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs, that they have crucial and valuable perspective to contribute to society, and are deserving of equal opportunity to decide how to live, work, and take part in their communities.
 

Paid Fellowship Opportunity!
Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered is pleased to announce the Self Advocacy Resource and Training Center (SARTAC) Policy Fellowship Program. It is an amazing paid opportunity for self-advocates. A self-advocate can earn up to $5000. SARTAC is recruiting self-advocate leaders and host organizations for the first year of the program. Please click here for the SARTAC Policy Leadership Fellowship Application and Flyer.

When is the deadline to apply? 
The host organization and fellow will complete the application together by 5:00pm EST on April 12th, 2017. 

When does the fellowship begin and end? 
The fellowships will begin on June 1st and end on May 31st. There will be 6 fellows chosen each year for a total of 24 over the next 4 years. 

Webinar for more info:
There will also be a webinar to review requirements for the Fellowship and answer questions regarding our Self Advocacy Leadership Fellowship Program scheduled for Thursday, March 30th. Noon Pacific/ 1:00 Mountain/ 2:00 Central/ 3:00 Eastern 

Join WebEx meeting:
Meeting number (access code): 922 480 544
Join by phone 
+1-855-282-6330 US TOLL FREE 
+1-415-655-0003 US TOLL 
Global call-in numbers  |  Toll-free calling restrictions  

Can't join the meeting?  
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that this WebEx service allows audio and other information sent during the session to be recorded, which may be discoverable in a legal matter. By joining this session, you automatically consent to such recordings. If you do not consent to being recorded, discuss your concerns with the host or do not join the session.
 
Teresa Moore
SARTAC Director
Mooreadvoacy@hotmail.com        

Please join the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) on March 23, 2017, for a public forum.  The DOR is committed to empowering individuals with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, to make informed choices about their careers to achieve employment outcomes in competitive integrated employment. The DOR is actively collaborating with our partners, the California Department of Education (CDE) and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), to help youth with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities prepare for and achieve competitive integrated employment. Representatives from CDE and DDS will be available during the forum to answer questions.
 
The public forum will focus on mandatory services and documentation for youth seeking subminimum wage employment.  During the forum DOR will also cover:

• Overview of placing youth (age 24 and under) into subminimum wage employment.


• Collaboration with the California Department of Education to obtain documentation from the schools.


• Mandatory services and documentation for youth seeking subminimum wage employment. 

We will open the line for questions as time permits.
 
Call details:
Youth and Subminimum Wage Employment
March 23, 2017 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Call in number:  800-779-9065
Participant passcode:  6893354
 
Please plan to log on to the call 15 minutes early.
 
We look forward to your participation and encourage you to forward this notice to other interested stakeholders.
 
Thank you,
Joe Xavier
Director
Department of Rehabilitation

Please circulate to interested disabled students, groups, schools--

The Center for Human Rights invites high school and college students with disabilities to apply for funding for a 10-week Summer 2017 internship at a non-profit organization selected by the student. The Alexis Bird Schey Summer Internship Fund will select one student to receive $3,000 towards the student’s internship salary. To apply, please visit: https://www.deltacollege.edu/dept/dsps/documents/Summer2017AlexisScheyInternshipApplication.pdf

All applications must be received no later than March 30, 2017. A decision will be made by April 15, 2017.

Message from the California Department of Finance
 
As the Governor’s Budget summary indicates, the Administration will engage with general and special education stakeholders to discuss how to improve the way in which California provides funding and services for students with exceptional needs.  Central to these discussions are two recent evaluations of the state’s special education system—the 2015 report by the Special Education Task Force and the 2016 report by the Public Policy Institute of California.  While differing in scope and specific recommendations, these reports both call for more seamless integration of general and special education. 
 
In response to these reports, we invite you to participate in any one of four upcoming forum discussions that will be held throughout the state, at which we hope you will be willing to share your feedback on the structure of special education and the recommendations included in these recent evaluations.
 
Each discussion will proceed as follows:
 
Welcome and opening comments from Department of Finance. 
A summary of the Public Policy Institute of California report, with time for questions and answers. 
Input by attendees. 
Please RSVP for one of the four discussions below by sending an email tosped@dof.ca.gov.  Further, you may also send your feedback and specific recommendations to this email address.  If you have any additional questions about the process, please contact Ian Johnson in our office.
 
March 3, 2017
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, CA 95814
 
March 10, 2017
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Los Angeles County Office of Education
9300 Imperial Hwy, Room 281
Downey, CA 90242
 
March 17, 2017
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
San Mateo County Office of Education
101 Twin Dolphin Drive, California Suite Board Room
Redwood City, CA 94065
 
March 24, 2017
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Fresno County Office of Education
1111 Van Ness Ave, Room 101T
Fresno, CA 93721
 
Thank you in advance for your contributions to this process.

Just a friendly reminder that applications are still being accepted through Feb. 1 for Edison International’s $1.2 million Edison Scholars Program. We will award $40,000 scholarships paid over four years to 30 high school seniors planning to major in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields at accredited four-year colleges and universities.
 
The 2017 Edison Scholars Program eligibility requirements include:
        High school senior must live or attend a high school in Southern California Edison (SCE)’s service area or attend an eligible high school surrounding SCE’s San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
        Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
        Plan to be a full-time undergraduate student majoring in Mathematics, Engineering, Computer and Information Services, Management Information Systems, Natural Resources and Conservation or Physical Sciences
        Demonstrate financial need 
Please visit www.scholarsapply.org/edisonscholars to learn more.
 
We appreciate you sharing this information with your community and stakeholders.
        Edison Scholars spotlight page: Applications Now Open for $1.2 Million Edison Scholars Program
        Download a printable flyer here 

We are excited to introduce you to our new Youth Organizer, Yolanda Vargas
 
After months of searching and interviewing many qualified youth candidates for the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud Youth Organizer we are excited to introduce and welcome Yolanda Vargas.
 
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Yolanda has spent much of her youth devoted to educating people on human rights and issues faced by the LGBTQQAAIAP community, of which is she is a proud member. In 2012, Yolanda relocated to Sacramento to focus on her education and make her mark in the non-profit world. Despite being disabled since birth, Yolanda, like many did not know that the disability community existed and only became active through her work as a YO! Volunteer Corps member. She has since embraced her disabilities with much pride and has become an active youth leader both statewide and nationally. Earlier this year, Yolanda was awarded a youth scholarship to participate in the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Conference. That opportunity led her to becoming a member of both the NCIL Youth and Queer & Women’s Caucuses. In addition, Yolanda was also selected to attend and be trained at the ADAPT Youth Community Organizing Summit.
 
Yolanda is a passionate young woman of color, who looks forward to engaging other youth with disabilities across California to find their disability pride while also building her own leadership skills and increasing her involvement in the intersectional and complex issues that the disability community faces.