Greta Thunberg
April is both Autism Awareness Month and the month when we celebrate Earth Day, so it seems like the perfect time to celebrate the activism of Greta Thunberg, the eighteen-year-old environmentalist who has challenged the world’s leaders to focus on climate change. No matter how you feel about that issue, there’s no denying that she has been incredibly successful at garnering international attention for this cause.
She was born in Stockholm, Sweden on January 3, 2003. Her mother is an opera singer and her father is an actor. When she was only fifteen, she protested against climate change in front of the Swedish Parliament with a sign that read “School Strike for Climate” and homemade flyers with climate change facts. She was inspired by the young gun control activists from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Soon, her classmates and teachers joined the protest.
The next month, Greta began to strike every Friday and invited students from around the world to join her Fridays for Future Campaign. Within a few months, more than 17,000 students in 24 countries were taking part. Then she was invited to speak at European events around the world, including the UN climate talks in Poland.
On March 14, 2019, Greta was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. The next day, one million people joined 2,200 strikes in 125 countries. In May, Greta was featured on the cover of Time Magazine and named one of the world’s most influential people.
Her newly found celebrity made her a target for powerful voices who were opposed to her views. In a speech in the French Parliament, she was called the “guru of the apocalypse” by Conservative and far-right MPs. She told them to “unite behind the science”. Australian News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt mocked her autism diagnosis in his paper. She responded by calling out the “hate and conspiracy campaigns” run by climate deniers and turned his words that she is “deeply disturbed” back on him.
In fact, she rarely mentions her Asperger’s Syndrome and OCD diagnoses, choosing to let her words and actions demonstrate her value. Friends have spoken of her fearless approach to responding to social media critics and say that she actually enjoys sparring with them. An interesting article in the online newspaper “The Hill” states that her Asperger’s and OCD might actually benefit her activism, helping her to intensely focus on her cause while keeping a veritable catalogue of climate change facts in mind. You can read the full article here: https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/468091-opinion-activist-greta-thunbergs-autism-doesnt-hold-her-back
In August 2019, she sailed from Britain to the US on a zero-emissions boat to attend the UN Climate Summit where she gave an impassioned speech to world leaders saying “You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. How dare you?”.
In 2020, Greta worked to protect vulnerable populations from the coronavirus, donating $100,000 she received in an award from a Danish charity to UNICEF to buy PPE for children.
Today, world-wide climate strikers number 3.6 million and growing.
“But I’ve learnt that no one is too small to make a difference.” – Greta Thunberg
Build Back Better
Cynde and I (Carrie) would like to thank all of you for the hard work writing letters to both Adam Schiff and Brad Sherman in support of “Build Back Better” (BBB). Under BBB, Home and Community Based Services would receive a one time $400 Billion increase. Programs for persons with disabilities would be funded. We are now focusing on the Senate and our Senators Feinstein and Padilla. Please check your emails for directions to contact them. Our ask is that they do not negotiate down the $400 Billion. If you need another copy of the email just drop us a line in email.
Image: Left side profile of earth with people with disabilities on the outside edge. Text: Accessible Earth Day
Right side green box with white text: Meeting the needs of Today without depleting the resources of tomorrow.
PSAC
Metro has established a transit Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), which will work to review, comment and provide input on how the agency can re-imagine public safety on its system.
Purpose and Role
The PSAC will work with Metro’s System Security and Law Enforcement, Office of Civil Rights, Office for Equity and Race and the Executive Officer for Customer Experience in developing a community-based approach to public safety on the transit system. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Developing a mission and values statement for transit policing.
- Developing a transit ambassador program that provides staff presence at Metro facilities and on Metro vehicles.
- Identifying alternatives to armed law enforcement response to nonviolent crimes and code of conduct violations.
- Enhancing greater community stewardship of transit spaces.
- The Universal Blue Light program proposed in Metro’s June 2018 ridership initiatives.
- Education about and expansion of Metro fare discount programs.
- Outreach and services for unhoused individuals.
- Provide input on the new scope of services, budget and other provisions of the multiagency police contract renewal.
- Review Metro’s Customer Code of Conduct.
- A shift of resources from armed law enforcement to the above strategies.
I (Carrie) was appointed to this committee. I want to invite everyone to attend these meetings. Metro is going to change the way policing is done in their transportation network. Since people with disabilities are often the targets of crime, we need to make sure our voices are heard. The committee meets twice a month at 5pm. The meetings are on zoom.
This is the link for the PSAC: https://www.metro.net/riding/public-safety-advisory-committee/
ADRC
I know that most of us have been living life mainly from our homes. Most of our socializing and work is being done via Zoom. However, the “in” office staff at CALIF have been working hard at expanding our services. CALIF, in addition to being an Independent Living Center, is now an ADRC. See below:
The Emerging South Central Los Angeles Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) is one of 11 “Emerging” and six “Designated” ADRCs in the State of California.
We are two-thirds of the way to the close of our Infrastructure Grant for the purpose of implementing a No Wrong Door System! The partnership that we have garnered with our core partners, Los Angeles Area Agency on Aging and 2-1-1 has enabled us to complete the required tasks on our road to becoming a Designated ADRC.
Our mission for the program is to provide information to consumers and their families on available long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs and to assist older adults, caregivers, and persons with disabilities in accessing LTSS programs at the local level through ADRC programs operated jointly by area agencies on aging and independent living centers.
We are aware of the silos between the many programs and service delivery systems, and the burden has been placed on Californians to navigate the “maze” of systems to access choices of care. ADRCs are here to help bridge those silos through coordinated networks of partners forming multiple entryways (“NO Wrong Door”) for Californians to learn about and access available options for their LTSS needs.
We strive to provide consumers and their caregivers’ access to information and services, regardless of income, benefit level, or age. The program is committed to person-centered practices and empowering individuals to make informed decisions and exercise control over their long-term care needs. We provide the following minimum services functions:
Ø Enhanced Information and Referral
Ø Options Counseling
Ø Short-Term Service Coordination and
Ø Person and Family Centered Transition
Are new staff for the ADRC:
Cosette Case
Program Coordinator
Debi Howard
Program Advocate
Bridgette Wallman
ADRC Cares Outreach Worker
Allen Chamber
ADRC Data Coordinator/Bookkeeper
Image of a sea turtle swimming upwards meeting a smaller turtle swimming downwards.
Text: We envision a world where we work together to ensure everyone has access to what they need. #suckitableism
Next SWAT Team Meeting
Cynde Soto is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: SWAT Team Meeting
Time: Apr 28, 2021 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 844 7438 2834
Passcode: 492124
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