Despite all the hardships, they created a positive environment in which all of us children could be properly nourished with a sense of responsibility, dignity and pride. In 2004, she became Senior Policy Advisor for the Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Given the fact that nearly one in four American workers is employed by a company that receives Federal funds for contracted work, stronger Section 503 regulations, backed by real enforcement, will ensure that more people with disabilities have equal employment opportunity in the labor force. Throughout Claudia Gordons life, she has been given many awards and honors. A. degree from Howard University . or. Many shrugged off my grand intention as wishful thinking. People believed I was unable to learn and succeed simply because I could not hear, she recalls, these experiences convinced me that I wanted to be a vehicle for change. Claudia decided on law school to help her pursue such change, attending American University, Washington College of Law to study disability rights law and policy. As the first deaf black female attorney in the United States, Claudia Gordon recounts her childhood in the West Indies, her search for identity while grappling with audism in a hearing college, and her ongoing quest to create spaces in society for seldom-heard voices. It comes about when Casey and Rosie get some alone time, a day on from Casey deciding not to . Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf Black female attorney in the United States and the first deaf graduate of American University's law school. She has worked as a staff attorney for the National Association for the Deaf, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as a Public Engagement Advisor and in the White House. Benally is also involved with the National Congress of American Indians, Disability Sub-Committee. In 1988, Braddy was hired as CEO of the Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania, where he served for over 30 years. Log In. [15], Gordon was part of the Presidential Delegation of Barack Obama sent to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Summer Paralympics. [26] She has served on multiple boards, including American Association of People with Disabilities[27] and Gallaudet University. A one-size-fits-all emergency preparedness and response approach for people with disabilities does not take into account that, for example, that those who are deaf have one set of needs when a catastrophe strikes, while those with mobility impairments have a whole other set of needs, Gordon stated, this misperception can be corrected by having planners understand that you cant indentify someone as simply having a disability. You need to go beyond their essence, look at the functional limitations their disability creates, and then make a plan to address those practical limitations., For those with disabilities, Claudia offers the following emergency preparedness advice: Make sure you and your family are prepared. The Council on Women and Girls is delighted to feature Claudia Gordon from the Department of Labor in our Meet the Women of the Administration series. Her career began as an AmeriCorps member and 2nd grade teacher in Pascagoula, Mississippi. A domestic servant with only an eighth grade education, she literally scrubbed her way to America one garment at a time. A resource blog for SLIP students by SLIP students. You have JavaScript disabled. During the Presidency of Barack Obama, she served as the Special Assistant and subsequently as the Chief of Staff to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director in the United States Department of Labor. [11], After law school, Gordon was awarded a two-year fellowship with Skadden Fellowship Foundation. And I know they are proud, patient and ready to welcome me home when this tour of duty, in service of our country, is done. Claudia received a B. [5] She suddenly lost her sense of hearing at the age of eight. She currently serves as the Senior Accessibility Strategist with T-Mobile US, Inc. My aunt Mildred was also a very important role model, along with my grandmother Viola Parsons. Prior to attending AU, Gordon graduated from Howard University in 1995 with a bachelor of arts in political science. In 2004, she was named secretary of the Board for the Lexington Board of Directors. The former Miss Deaf American and Delta Sigma Theta member, is a member of many organizations including the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center and Black Law Students Association. Many shrugged off my grand intention as wishful thinking. Born in Jamaica, Gordon became deaf at the 8 years old after having sharp pains in her ears. [12], Gordon's career in the public sector started with the National Council on Disability, where she was a consulting attorney. - Gallaudet University", "Centene Diversity & Inclusion | People With Disabilities", "CDT Project on Disability Rights & Algorithmic Fairness Advisory Committee", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Claudia_L._Gordon&oldid=1140822421, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, DeafKidz International, Global Ambassador, Centene National Disability Advisory Council, Center for Democracy and Technology Project on Disability Rights & Algorithmic Fairness, Advisory Committee, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 23:32. I think its an exciting way for government to function and is in keeping with the high standards of inclusion, openness and transparency that the President has set for all of us. This discrimination is what inspired her to become a lawyer. Claudia L. Gordon is the first deaf Black female attorney in the United States. sites@gsu - Blogs for Georgia State University. WeCo Accessibility Services Reach us at: 855-849-5050 accessinfo@theweco.com, 2730 West Lake Street Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55416. She was instrumental in drafting and implementing an executive order on Individuals with Disabilities in Emergency Preparedness. grew up in Jamaica, and when she went deaf at the age of eight, she was pulled from school because it was believed that her disability prevented her from learning. Claudia L. Gordon currently a political appointee with the Obama administration serving as Special Assistant to the Director of the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). Some cited my deafness as an obstacle rendering it impractical if not impossible to pursue a law degree. For each of the 28 days of February, we at The Mary Sue will have a post about a black woman you should know aboutsome you may have heard of, some a little bit more obscure, and some fictional who still deserve a lot of love. Former staff attorney of nonprofit National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. Member of National Black Deaf Advocates. Claudia remembers how she was treated in Jamaica after going deaf. The NAD operates on a shoe-string budget and the law center staff fluctuates from two to four full time attorneys working tirelessly to keep pace with incoming discrimination claims and requests for technical assistance from among the 36 million deaf and hard of hearing individuals in America. I want to contribute to a better society where there is more understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities and where the same opportunities are provided for all. The HandSpeak site is a sign language resource created with by the ASL instructor and native signer in North America. More awards and honors came at American University, where Gordon was an Equal Justice Foundation Fellow, had the Myers Law Scholarship, and the J. Franklin Bourne Scholarship. She is an intelligent and talented attorney who comes from the advocacy world. Her mother immigrated to the South Bronx so that she could earn Gordon has held senior leadership positions with Sprint Corporation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Council on Disability, and the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. After becoming deaf, Gordon experienced discrimination in Jamaica as deaf and disabled persons are stigmatized. Her mother immigrated to the South Bronx, in New York, so that she could earn a better living, and planned to reunite with her children as soon as she could. Despite various obstacles in America, individuals with disabilities comparatively have better opportunities here than in most other countries. Born in Jamaica, Claudia became deaf at age 8. Heres What We Know, INTERVIEW: Cary Elwes Understands the Assignment of Guy Ritchie Movies for Operation Fortune, Walgreens Caves to Republicans, Limits Sales of Another Reproductive Healthcare Item, Florida Man Fulfills His Destiny as a Netflix Crime Series, The 13 Best Ted Lasso Quotes to Read When the World Has Made You Feel Weary, Thank You to the FDA for Telling Elon Musk He Cant Put Chips in Our Brain. Claudia and her younger siblings were left in the care of her eldest sister, Mildred Taylor, a schoolteacher. NOT JUST COUNTRY FLORAL & GIFTS LLC is a Texas Domestic Limited-Liability Company (Llc) filed on September 28, 2012. Born in Jamaica, Claudia became deaf at age 8. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Progress has been made due to a combination of an increase of concern for safety in a post-9/11 world and the success of the disability rights movement; however, there are still some gaps that need to be filled. None of the doctors did anything to really help or make clear what was going on. Gordon received the Skadden Fellowship (for law graduates working with disabled people) that helped her pay to work at the National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. My life changed overnight, she said in an interview later in lifewith the White House. I want to contribute to a better society where there is more understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities and where the same opportunities are provided for all." Meet other fascinating administration women by checking out our post on Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs Rebecca Blank and our post on Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathleen Martinez. Gordon is a native of Jamaica, graduate of Howard University, and graduate of the American Universitys Washington College of Law.Risa Jaz Rifkind, Member, National Council on DisabilityRisa Jaz Rifkind is a justice advocate who seeks to make change by shifting access to power and influence. WASHINGTON Today, President Biden announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to serve as members on the National Council on Disability: National Council on DisabilityNational Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency charged with advising the President, Congress, and other federal agencies regarding policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. American University Washington College of Law, American University, Washington College of Law, United States Department of Homeland Security, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, American Association of People with Disabilities, United States Secretary of Homeland Security, List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States, "Employee Spotlight: Disability Awareness Starts with All of Us and Benefits All of Us TMobile Newsroom", "Meet the Women of the Administration: Claudia Gordon", "Claudia Gordon: America's First Deaf Black Woman Lawyer is Jamaican Born", "Claudia Gordon: 1st African American Female Deaf Lawyer", "NCD Applauds Appointment of Claudia Gordon as Public Engagement Advisor at the White House", "Skadden Fellows | Skadden Fellowship Foundation", "Disability Rights Campaigner, Claudia Gordon, joins DeafKidz International as Global Ambassador", "Trustee Appointed to White House Office of Public Engagement", "President Obama Announces Presidential Delegation to Attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Paralympic Summer Games", "Previous AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Award Recipients", "| U.S. At OFCCP Claudia works on ensuring that contractors doing business with the Federal government do not discriminate and take affirmative action. At the time, she was in the care of her elder sister Mildred Taylor, a teacher. Like (316) At the age of 15, he became a person with a disability due to a high school football accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Happy Black History Month! There she learned sign language, participated in sports, and rose to the top of her class. Additionally, he has taught at Temple University and Millersville University as an Adjunct Professor.Two different Governors have appointed Braddy as a Commissioner for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and to serve on the Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council. Now, she has come on the inside to create change from within government. By identifying and developing strategic partnerships, Rifkind positions Members to take on leadership roles that advance their careers, civic engagement, and equity for people with disabilities. The Registered Agent on file for this company is Claudia L Gordon and is located at 108 W James Street, Blue Ridge, TX 75424. What I do know is that the life of this woman ostracized as dummy almost became my own but for my mothers triumph in successfully bringing me to America by the time I was eleven years old. During the Obama-Biden Administration, Gordon served as the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Associate Director of Public Engagement for the White House Office of Public Engagement.Adding to Gordons professional expertise is her lived experience as an immigrant at the intersections of race, disability, and gender, which is the foundation for the strong emphasis on disabled individuals with multiple marginalized identities that she brings to her work.

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