The National Council on Disability's Cultural Diversity Advisory Committee:
Record of Public Meeting, April 18, 2003 -Teleconference, Washington, DC

– CDAC Members: Jean Lin; Darrell Simmons; and Paul Leung. NCD’s Council Liaison: Milton Aponte. NCD Staff and contractors: Gerrie Hawkins (Designated Federal Official), Theda Zawaiza, (Independent Contractor), and Claudia Gordon, Esq. (Independent Contractor). Other participants: Ms. Josefina Duran and Ms. Cappie Morgan, Counterparts, Inc., and Ms. Martha McPartlin, Reporter – Disability Funding News. Members Excused: Milton Little, Deb Smith, and LaDonna Fowler.

I. Call to order: Dr. Hawkins, the Designated Federal Official (DFO), called the meeting to order at 1:05 PM Eastern Standard Time. In lieu of Ms. Fowler (Vice-Chair) during an emergency situation, Dr. Hawkins welcomed all participants.

II. CDAC Procedural Operations. The CDAC Procedural Operations have been revised. They were submitted for comments prior to this meeting to NCD’s General Counsel and NCD’s Council Liaison to CDAC. It was reported by the DFO that the General Counsel’s comments were favorable. Council Liaison, Mr. Aponte was provided an opportunity to give input regarding his own review and he indicated during the meeting that he had no comments in opposition to the document. CDAC members’ recommendation was for acceptance of the CDAC Procedural Operations and that the committee would put them into practice.

III. NCD CDI Forum Planning. A lively discussion was held about the “when, who, what, and where” of the CDI July Forum, led by the President of Counterparts, Inc. (the organization handling the logistics for the Forum), Ms. Cappie Morgan. She and Ms. Josefina Duran (head of Counterparts Inc.’s Southwest Office), facilitated a discussion among CDAC members about matters related to the design of the Forum. It was agreed all input would be sent to Mr. Simmons, CDAC’s lead for the Communications and Outreach Workgroup, who would compile and forward comments to Ms. Morgan by the end of the April. Input was particularly sought regarding the forum goals/outcomes and categories of participants. NCD will facilitate the forum sessions and provide opportunity for participants to focus on preliminary goals that include in draft:

1. To develop a roadmap for multi-agency coordination and collaboration; to share a common core of resources across agencies; to engage in continuing dialogue; to use consumers as information trees and branches into the community during outreach and training as a demonstration of greater consumer inclusion and direction.

2. To develop and disseminate a model toolkit based on federal agency lessons learned and promising practices for consideration in reaching people with disabilities from diverse cultures; to provide them information about government programs and services in culturally sensitive, competent, and accessible formats.

3. To determine in a collaborative way a select number of measurable outcomes that can serve as indicators of federal agency outreach efficacy and mechanisms for evaluating success over time.

People who need to be identified as forum participants could include individuals selected from categories such as: (1) Representatives of grassroots consumer organizations--national, regional, and tribal. (2) Promising practice service providers; (3) Outreach and human rights experts; (4) People with disabilities –youth, seniors, rural, urban, tribal (5) Washington DC-Beltway Representatives: Domestic Policy Council/White House Officials; Congressional Members; Federal Officials; Non-Governmental Organization Representatives; Business and Finance Community Representatives.

CDAC members suggested adding One-Stop Centers and community-based and civil rights organizations. In addition, the NCD-CDI forum participants could be provided information on promising outreach practices and materials for use before, during and after the forum. Contractors requested CDAC members to send additional input via e-mail along this line as well as any leads on sources with successful track record of developing culturally competent outreach toolkits.

A tentative date for the NCD-CDI forum conflicted with the July dates of the National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns’ (NAMRC) annual conference in New Orleans, LA. Contractors would seek an alternate date. [After this CDAC meeting, a date was confirmed for the NCD-CDI Forum to be held: Monday, July 28, 2003.

IV. Reports and Updates.

• CDI Workgroup.

  Dr. Paul Leung stated that the CDI workgroup was prepared to suggest ideas for the Forum agenda. He also shared that the CDI review of literature—reviewed by his workgroup--established a good foundation for why comprehensive outreach by federal agencies to people with disabilities from diverse cultures is needed.

• Reauthorization Workgroup.

  Dr. Zawaiza, for Dr. Deb Smith, reported the Reauthorization Workgroup was monitoring the reauthorization of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Workforce Investment Act. Copies of the NCD letters to Congress on H.R. 1350 http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/correspondence/chair_04-18-03.htm and H.R. 1261 http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/correspondence/chair_04-16-03.htm and concurred with the NCD recommendations therein.

• Communications and Outreach Workgroup.

  Mr. Darrell Simmons, Esq., indicated that work on the CDAC Fact Sheet has been completed and the comments timeline for members expired. Mr. Aponte commented that the document was a fine introduction to the Committee and encouraged members to go forward and use it. The members accepted the fact sheet. It is anticipated that initial dissemination will occur in connection with the NCD CDI forum and the NAMRC conferences in July.

Mr. Aponte commended the group for work thus far and encouraged members to continue to move forward. He stated that during the last Council meeting the subject of diversity and related issues came up several times and was high on the list of priorities. The number one priority is employment for all. NCD looks forward to CDAC’s contributions to NCD’s work, expecting the committee to crescendo in exemplary activities. Mr. Aponte also shared that he has advocated for advisory committee funding to be added to the Council budget.

VI. Announcements and Information Sharing.

• Mr. Simmons announced the Howard University Research and Training Center Leadership Training Program, August 20-24 seeks participants for this year’s class. Sessions include topics of disability legislation, culture, and etiquette, to name a few areas.


• Dr. Hawkins stated the National Youth Leadership Network was seeking DC-based people from diverse cultures to serve along with other people with and without disabilities as mentors to youth with disabilities. CDAC members who have suggestions need to contact Dr. Hawkins immediately because a teleconference with the small pool of mentors will be conducted during May 2003.


• It was agreed that the next public meeting dates would be provided to members via e-mail for meetings in June and August 2003. Public notice will appear in the Federal Register.

The DFO thanked all participants for their work efforts, accomplishments, and time and declared the meeting adjourned at 2:15 PM, Eastern Standard Time.