THOMPSON AWARDS

City Comptroller Recognizes Disability Leaders

Photo Caption: Attending the Disability Awareness Month celebration, are left to right, honoree Thomas Samuels; honoree William Richards; the Rev. Maria Isabel Santiviago, Vicar of St. Ann’s Church of the Deaf at Calvary at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Manhattan; Gerri Zatlow, executive director of Special Citizen Futures Unlimited Inc.; Alberta Orr, executive director of Disabilities Network of New York City; New York City Comptroller William Thompson Jr.; Stephen Freeman, associate executive director of YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities Network; honoree Elisa Fruscianti; honoree Nellie Velez; and Hank Carter, chairman of honored organization Wheelchair Charities Inc. Honoree Terence Moakley is seated in front.

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New York City Comptroller William Thompson Jr., honored six city leaders at a recent celebration of National Disability Awareness Month.

The event was co-sponsored by the Disabilities Network of New York City, YAI / National Institute for People with Disabilities Network and Special Citizens Futures Unlimited. When addressing the attendees, Thompson spoke about existing challenges, including the need for wheelchair-accessible taxis, proper monitoring of the Access-A-Ride program and the enforcement of laws prohibiting employers from denying jobs to people with disabilities.

"We gather tonight to celebrate National Disability Awareness Month, which is a time to honor leaders in the community, address ongoing concerns and recognize achievements in the struggle for equal rights for people with disabilities," said Thompson. "In this ongoing struggle, there is much work to be done. But when I look across this great city, and I see elevators and escalators in subway stations, closed captioning on television and children without disabilities learning in the same classroom as children with disabilities, it never ceases to amaze me that it wasn't until the 1970s that the disabilities rights movement really even got going. It's remarkable how far this community and our city have come in 35 years."

Thompson presented the first award to Elisa Fruscianti, who won gold medals in both the 100 meter walk and the softball throw at the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in China. She currently works at Lifestyles for the Disabled, a nonprofit organization on Staten Island.

Terence Moakley was recognized as one of three plaintiffs in 1979 who successfully sued the Metropolitan Transportation Authority/New York City Transit to purchase accessible buses and make subway stations accessible. Moakley is a former long-time associate executive director of the United Spinal Association.

Honoree Thomas Samuels is a nationally recognized advocate for the rights of people who are deaf African Americans. He spent 14 years at LaGuardia Community College's program for deaf adults as assistant to the director and American Sign Language program coordinator. A scholarship in his name was established at LaGuardia, which is awarded annually to students who are deaf and hearing impaired.

Community leader William Richards, who lost his sight due to a detached retina, was honored. He has served on several advisory councils and committees, such as New York City Mayor David Dinkins' Advisory Council for the Disabled, the New York state Advisory Board for the Americans with Disabilities Act and the New York state Office of Vocational Educational Service for Individuals with Disabilities.

Nellie Velez, who works as a parent advocate at the City University of New York's John F. Kennedy Jr. Institute, was honored. One of the institute's primary goals is to support employment opportunities for people with disabilities. She is also the consumer vice president of the Bronx Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Council and a member of the Community Services Board of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

The final honoree was Wheelchair Charities Incorporated, an organization that raises funds to benefit people in wheelchairs.