Region IV Advocacy Award Nomination for Deborah Cunningham

Ms. Cunningham has been instrumental in the advocacy efforts Nationally and in the Memphis Area. 

1. Educating and organizing others around disability Issues:

Deborah Cunningham is a leader in the local ADAPT Chapter.  She recognizes that direct action is one of the tools to achieve access throughout the community.

Deborah Cunningham carrying a sign with a drawing of Dr. Martin Luther King that says: My Dream is Blocked by Blockbuster. - Photo by Michael Heinrich

(From the MCIL Journal Jan. 15, 2001"ADAPT UN-BLOCKS BLOCKBUSTER") 

ADAPT of Tennessee remembered Freedom Day in Memphis with some non-violent civil disobedience emphasizing the point that access is a civil right. Twelve ADAPT members, determined to see equal access at a local BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO (1556 Union) blocked the door to until executives agreed to design an unblocked ramp.

"You just can't get in," said Suzanne Colsey who filed a complaint in federal court the week before. Although there is a ramp, it is in front of the parking spaces and continually blocked by cars.

"Blockbuster is closed today," read the sign held over the front doors. The Blockbuster executive office was informed of the demands, but they were unwilling to provide access to their customers.

Memphis Police responded with ten officers, but with the doors blocked from inside and out, negotiations resumed. This time, Blockbuster Vice President Tom Barzizza, agreed to personally bring a written commitment to the ADAPT demonstrators.

Suzanne Colsey directed some changes to the letter that Mr. Barzizza had prepared, most notably, to add a time for the changes to take effect. With the changes, ADAPT declared the video store "open for business - temporarily."

Blockbuster executives had tried every excuse they could think of when customers had attempted to help or complained about the ramp. Tennessee ADAPT made access at the Union Store "a top priority," in the words Tom Barzizza.

Deborah Cunningham  interviewed by local TV

Because of Deborah's experience her opinions are sought by the media on a local and a national level. 

(From the Commercial Appeal - James W. Brosnan The Commercial Appeal Washington Bureau "Voters with disabilities speaking out And candidates are listening; Bush, Gore tout plans" Sunday July 23, 2000)  

WASHINGTON - Ten years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, disability rights groups are trying to make their voices heard in this year's presidential election with a large turnout Nov. 7.

And Vice President Gore and Texas Gov. George W. Bush are arguing over who will do more, trying to appeal to disabled voters with promises of new government aid for job training, adaptive technology and health care.
. . .

"People with disabilities are no different than the average citizen," said Deborah Cunningham, executive director of the Memphis Center for Independent Living. "Sometimes there is a lot of apathy about voting. I think we're so under-represented in most phases of our culture that we have to take it more seriously."

Once a disabled person is registered, there can be obstacles to voting. The blind especially complain that they do not get to vote in secret.

In Tennessee, like most states, a blind person must either bring a companion or go into the voting booth with Democratic and Republican poll watchers. Rhode Island this year became the first state to mandate that all polls be equipped with audio cassettes with taped instructions or Braille manuals directing the blind to the machine levers.
. . .

Cunningham said she believes the polling places have improved, "but occasionally we still get calls from folks."

Even though the disabled have more obstacles that might discourage them from voting, the Gore and Bush campaigns see the group as an important one to go after.
. . .

Tennessee is one of the worst states for community-based services because of the strong nursing home lobby in the state, Cunningham said.

Disabled voters are not monolithic, but have leaned Democratic, perhaps because they are bigger consumers of government-financed health care and other services. A Harris Poll for the National Organization on Disability in April said Gore held a 17-point advantage among voters with disabilities.

But Bush can take some heart in the fact that in 1988 his father trailed Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis by 21 percentage points in a Harris Poll, but closed the gap to 10 points by election day.

Bush is trying to close the 2000 gap with a $1.1 billion "New Freedom Initiative" that targets funding for helping the disabled work from home or at an office, get around town easier and buy a home.

One of Bush's advisers is Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), considered a stalwart in the disabled community because of his successful rewrite, with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Frist said the Bush plan emphasizes getting the disabled access to technology to "increase their opportunity to function in communities" and "integrating disabled Americans into the workforce." Bush aides add that he will not cut existing services to the disabled and will vigorously enforce the ADA.
. . .
To reach reporter James W. Brosnan, call (202) 408-2701 or send E-mail to brosnanJ@shns.com
Copyright 2000 The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN

2. Addressing disability issues at the community, regional or national level:

Deborah Cunningham speaking at the Rolling Freedom Express in Nashville

Deborah continues to address disability issues on all levels.

(From the MCIL Journal September 24, 2000 "The Rolling Freedom Express Splashes through Nashville") 

In a constant rain, ADAPT supporters collected at the Bicentennial Mall to shout approval as the Rolling Freedom Express passed through Nashville on its way to the next stop in Louisville Kentucky. The Rolling Freedom Express is on a nine-city tour on its way to the U.S. Supreme Court to highlight Americans support for the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

On October 11, the highest court in the land will hear a case testing the Constitutionality of the ADA. Alabama v. Garrett will question the power of the federal government versus the power of the states. Yet states have a poor record in protecting individual human rights, particularly in Tennessee, where compulsory institutionalization and ongoing segregation of persons with disabilities is common because of the control of the nursing home industry.

"I am not a lawyer, but I've been told that losing this case will be the domino that could topple the whole ADA," said Deborah Cunningham, an organizer for Tennessee ADAPT. "The analogy in racial discrimination would be to question the constitutionality of the Civil Rights Act Of 1964. Losing Garrett could mean going back to an era when state sanctioned discrimination was allowable."

"I was at the Rose Garden the day the President signed the ADA," said Barbara Bounds of Memphis ADAPT. "I don't want to see those rights taken away."

One of the most poignant speakers did not attend the rally. Tony Perone with the Rolling Freedom Express from Georgia noticed a letter to the editor in the local Nashville paper. The letter was read to the crowd telling about the inaccessible local schools.

Carol Westlake of the Tennessee Disabilities Coalition gave a rousing and informative speech on issues relevant in Tennessee and throughout the U.S.

Paul Ford of Tennessee ADAPT gave the Rolling Freedom Express its send-off. He asked the crowd to take a moment of silence to remember those who are no longer alive to join us in this new struggle. "The ADA is under attack and could be weakened or lost!" said Paul, "it sent us the message that our advocacy must continue and it must be powerful."

Deborah Cunningham facilitates a meeting with Senator Bill Frist

(From the MCIL Journal April 20, 2000 "Senator Frist talks with Memphis ADAPT about MiCASSA") 

Although Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee did not say he would co-sponsor MiCASSA, he said: "I look forward to learning more about this bill from you."

That lesson is what ADAPT members and advocates provided at the Memphis Center for Independent Living today. Long-time ADAPT advocate Deborah Cunningham directed the discussion asking several Tennesseans to tell Senator Frist how critical MiCASSA is to them.
. . .

Deborah told the senator of other Tennesseans that have abandoned Tennessee because of the failure of the current system. "Do you have many people leave the state?" the senator asked.

A resounding, "yes" came from the crowd followed by names of people that have recently moved.
. . . 

Deborah gave Senator Frist a copy of S. 1935 and on behalf of Memphis ADAPT, Willie Robinson presented the senator with Memphis ADAPT's highest honor: an ADAPT of Memphis hat.

"I will read the material and wear this proudly," said Mr. Frist. "I pledge to work with you looking at various pieces of legislation that are out there."

3. Supporting individuals in realizing their personal goals and dreams of independence:

Sketch of Deborah Cunningham by Sher Stewart

As the Executive Director of the Memphis Center for Independent Living, Deborah works closely with many individuals. Recently, the Center has been working to ensure that rental units are built to comply with federal accessibility guidelines so that persons with disabilities can find homes.

(From a MCIL News Release January 29, 2001) 

(MEMPHIS, January 29) The Memphis Center for Independent Living, in cooperation with the Memphis Fair Housing Center, has completed a survey of newly constructed rental housing compliance with the Fair Housing Act. The federal law to prevent discrimination in housing was amended in 1988 to include physical accessibility features

The survey focused on the first two requirements of the fair housing amendments that instruct ground-floor rental units to have an accessible entrance and the apartment complex to have accessible common use amenities.

On Thursday, January 25, Memphis Area Legal Services - Fair Housing Center filed a complaint in federal court contending that local apartments do not provide necessary access to persons with disabilities. The action challenges the design and construction of three Champion Hill properties and the Wyndham Apartments stating that the physical barriers at the locations are discrimination. The complaint alleges that 147 of the ground-floor units of the Wyndham Apartments and 60% of the ground-floor units at the Champion Hill sites have no wheelchair access.

"People with disabilities face discrimination in housing each day in our community," said Deborah Cunningham , the Executive Director of the Memphis Center for Independent Living. "Our choices are limited by architectural design and construction. Today is a first step in calling for an end to the blatant disregard of the civil rights of all individuals with disabilities."

4. Serving as a role model and mentor to others:

Deborah Cunningham in her office

In 1997 Deborah was honored by the Women of Achievement with a Vision Award. She continues to be a role model and mentor to others.  Last year she risked her own transportation service to change an unjust and dangerous policy of the public transit system.

(From the MCIL Journal March 14, 2000 "MATA Backs Down")

Mysteriously between October and March MATA operators were forcing MATAplus riders to exit the bus backwards. No information was given to riders except that it was MATA's "safety policy."

Deborah Cunningham, the Executive Director of The Memphis Center for Independent Living, was suspended from using MATAplus because she refused to exit the bus facing backward. Actually, Federal Law requires that the bus be safe to exit both forward and backward, and it is much safer for some individuals to face forward getting off the bus.

When questioned about this so-called "safety policy," MATA executive management admitted that no safety investigation was made. In fact, the only examples of accidents MATA executives could recall were from riders exiting backward. MATA furthermore confessed that no professional was consulted and they had made no attempt to find out what effect the "backwards policy" would have.

Ms. Cunningham's MATAplus service was quickly restored. But MCIL got a chance to take a closer look at the situation and found that "safety" was of no concern to MATA.
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