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by Rachel Simon

Rachna Sizemore Heizer – Ability Focused Inclusion

(Aug. 20, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with inclusion advocate Rachna Sizemore Heizer, about her experience and desire to change the conversation around disabilities to focus on “ability-based inclusion”.   Rachna is an attorney by trade, but after her son Jake’s autism diagnosis she became an advocate for inclusion in the education system. She did this not only for her son, but also for the thousands of other students who share their struggle. As Jake has grown up, and Rachna has gotten more involved in this movement, she now strives to broaden her message and make disability a part of the conversation about diversity in the United States.

Rachna’s main observation when she began this journey with Jake is that there was quite a bit of talk about inclusion, but not much action. She had to fight on a daily basis to have her son looked at as someone with potential. Her main criticism is that the educators he worked with, although well intentioned, worked to make him fit into a mold that he was never going to squeeze into. His limited verbal skills caused his abilities to be overlooked.  Jake is incredibly talented in the musical arena, so much so that he could pick up a guitar and play any song by ear. He also has a sharp memory and can catalogue information easily in his mind.

A more productive approach would be to allow teachers to have the flexibility to nurture these talents, interests and skills in order to help children grow and learn in their own ways. Rachna’s ultimate goal is to have educators focus on creating productive citizens in our society, as opposed to having children with special needs trying to fit in the box that we have created for neurotypical students. Today, one in six Americans are disabled. By looking for opportunities to engage everyone, and play to their strengths, society as a whole will benefit.

Rachna Sizemore HeizerAfter years of working in the advocacy arena training employers,consulting with educators, and speaking at conferences, Rachna feels that the blind spot in our society is that we do not view individuals with disabilities as a part of the whole. Collectively, we still view a disability as a physical limitation, while completely ignoring those with intellectual, social and emotional challenges. Instead of tying to better understand these conditions, society simply labels the behaviors as “weird” or “odd”. Heizer points out that is one of the main reasons why there is such a high unemployment, and underemployment rate amongst those with disabilities. She strongly believes that if we are able to break down barriers and increase understanding of one another, then we can open up more opportunities where everyone can thrive.

As for underemployment, Rachna has much to say.  She points to the example of the job of grocery bagging, which is a common job appropriated to disabled individuals.  She points out that there is nothing wrong with having people bag groceries, but often times this is the only opportunity afforded to them.  Employers need to understand that many of these individuals are capable of doing much more complex work, and can be real assets to an organization if given the opportunity.

Jake Sizemore at the FillmoreThroughout the interview, Rachna provides poignant examples of instances where she has encountered challenges and obstacles. As Jake matures, she has her eyes on the future and speaks passionately about the work opportunities that may or may not be available to him. She explains that employers focus a great deal on an individual’s personality and social skills when hiring, as opposed to focusing on weather or not the person can actually perform the necessary tasks of the job at hand. Some employers still have employees fill out personality tests, which greatly discriminate against people who struggle with interpersonal skills. They may, however, be the best person for the actual job that needs to get done.

Heizer is working hard to change the mindset of employers through training and advocacy. She encourages employers to understand how their organizations can benefit from diversifying their workforce, and how they can lead the way in making important changes that can take seed throughout our entire society. Her goal is to reach into the business community and open their minds to what a diverse workforce means. Her trainings include encouraging employers to find ways to be more inclusive, to value workers for what they can bring to the table and to adapt the workforce culture to be more welcoming and understanding.

Rachna closes by speaking about Stephen Hawking. She wonders if Hawking would have achieved all that he did if he was born with a disability? Would people have listened to and valued his genius if he always needed so much assistance, or would he have been relegated to lesser things?  Rachna strongly believes we need to value each person for what they CAN do, and is working hard every day to make this a reality.  She serves on the boards of the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board and the Fairfax County Special Education PTA, as well as belonging to the ARC of Northern Virginia, the Autism Society of Northern Virginia, and being an appointed member to the FCPS School Board’s Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities.  She has also founded the organization Abilities not Disabilities.  Rachna can be found on Twitter @RachnaHeizer.

Filed Under: Education, Inside Scoop, TV Shows Tagged With: Abiilties not Disabilities, ARC of Northern Virginia, disability advocacy, disablity, Diversity, Rachna Heizer, Rachna Sizemore Heizer, special needs children

by Catherine Read

So Lim – Challenges of May Municipal Elections in Virginia

(April 18, 2018) Catherine Read, a former candidate for Fairfax City Council in 2012, talks with first time candidate So Lim about some of the challenges of running in a May election for local office. The walk list candidates use to determine whose door to knock on is based on who has voted in that election previously. Local elections – also called municipal elections – have notoriously low voter turnouts. Many towns and cities have moved their elections from May to November to capitalize on the higher voter turnout for major statewide and federal elections. Fairfax City is not one of them.

Two current Fairfax City Council Members, Jeff Greenfield and Ellie Schmidt, announced that they would not be seeking re-election this year. This has left two open seats on the six person City Council. There are now eight candidates on the ballot for those six seats and the six candidates receiving the most votes on May 1st will make up the 2018-2020 Council in Fairfax City. For the first time in the city’s history, there are two Asian Americans on the ballot: So Lim and Sang Yi. There is a substantial community of Asian Americans in Fairfax City, most are Korean Americans. Since incorporating as a city in 1961, there has been almost no diversity on the council. Mayor David Meyer, a former Council Member who is running unopposed, holds a Mayoral position that has been exclusively held by white men since the city was founded.

So Lim Candidate Fairfax CitySo Lim has found that people care about very local issues: traffic, housing density, redevelopment projects and the downtown economy in Fairfax City. She has branched out beyond those who have previously voted in a May election for City Council and has started to talk with others in the city who aren’t aware there is a May election. Fairfax City has a high median income and a high level of education among the residents who live there. It’s perplexing as to why this population of people is not civically engaged in determining who will set their tax rate, fund their schools and pave their roads. So further discovered that there are over 300 registered Asian American voters in the City and only 20 have ever voted in the City Council election previously.

They discuss the City’s relationship with George Mason University, where Catherine is a 1984 alumna, and consider ways to better engage the thousands of students who live just outside the Fairfax City border. These ideas include bike sharing, better sidewalks, and businesses that appeal to college students. Catherine points out that many city voters were here long before Mason became the largest university in Virginia (by enrollment) and that having a “commuter school” in the 1970s and 1980s is vastly different than suddenly finding you are a “college town” within a matter of 20 years.

So Lim Fairfax City CouncilCatherine and So discuss affordable housing in the context of providing a variety of housing stock that allows everyone who is currently here to remain here – like senior citizens who want to age in place in homes more appropriate to their space requirements, income, and mobility. Students who want to remain in the area after graduating from Mason find it difficult to find housing they can afford. Families with children are drawn to our residential neighborhoods – many of which have parks nearby – but have trouble affording them. There are numerous redevelopment projects in various stages of completion in the city that will provide more townhouses, condos and apartments but affordability is still an issue and traffic concerns make many of these projects unwelcome by city residents.

In discussing ways in which to tap into the rich diversity of Fairfax City’s residents, So Lim proposes an international festival in the city that will bring people together. Catherine shares information about the annual International Showcase organized by the Centreville Immigration Forum that does exactly that. Now in it’s 8th year, the International Showcase is a celebration of the culture, music and food of the many ethnic communities represented in the Centreville area. Creating opportunities for a richer community connection and fostering cross cultural appreciation is something former Mayor Scott Silverthorne attempted to do when he brought Walter Tejada, Chair of the Arlington Board, to the city for a forum on diversity in 2013. While the forum was well attended, there was no advancement of the ideas brought by Walter Tejada.

So Lim is a local business owner. She started her insurance business nearly 20 years ago when her youngest child was only 4 months old. Fairfax City has been a good place to grow her business to quadruple its original size. She’s lived with her husband Mark Hardy in Farrcroft since 2001, her sons attended Fairfax City schools, and she is the former President of the Korean American Association of Greater Washington. While successful in these ventures, she’s not been involved politically in the City. As a political neophyte, she’s navigating her way through this process. So enjoys talking to people at their doors and she’s interested in what they have to say about what they love – and don’t love – about Fairfax City. She’s hoping that voters will give her an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to council decision making, the future visioning of the city and some experience in building healthy businesses.

More information can be found about So Lim at www.SoLimForCityCouncil.com Election day is May 1st.

Filed Under: Blogging, Political, TV Shows, Virginia, Women, Your Need to Know Tagged With: City Council, Diversity, Fairfax City, Fairfax City Council, George Mason University, Local Virginia Elections, May 1st Elections, Municipal Elections, So Lim

Catherine S. Read
I believe in the power of community and the ability of one person to make a difference.

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