One problem we still find is that those who create emergency preparedness plans need to realize that the disability community is not homogeneous. Claudia L. Gordon she/her Inclusion and equity champion. This is long overdue. Like (316) 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. OFCCP recently published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking input from the public on ways to strengthen regulations for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires Federal contractors to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities. 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. To get to know aboutClaudia, her career, and her inspirations read the following Q and A with her. 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. In 2022, Braddy was selected by Senator Robert Casey, Jr., as one of four Black leaders in Pennsylvania who has demonstrated power and persistency in overcoming challenges and creating meaningful change in the State, and his contribution was acknowledged on the Senate Floor at a Congressional Hearing. Member of National Black Deaf Advocates. [emailprotected]. While in her eldest sisters care, Claudia suddenly developed severe pain in her middle ears and was taken to a small clinic. If you have questions regarding how this information may affect you or your organization legally, please seek the advice of professional legal counsel. When she graduated from the school in 2000, she became the first known deaf black American woman to earn a Juris Doctor. Secretary Hilda Solis has laid out a pretty straightforward mission for our department: Good Jobs for Everyone. Senior Accessibility Strategist at T-Mobile . Being around other deaf children, and being embraced by a community taught Gordon that her disability was not the end of the road. WeCo Accessibility Services Reach us at: 855-849-5050 accessinfo@theweco.com, 2730 West Lake Street Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55416. This allowed Gordon to provide Direct representation and advocacy for poor deaf persons with a particular emphasis on outreach to those who are members of minority groups. Claudia Gordon became a consultant to the National Council on Disability, then joined the Department of Homeland Security. She was the national vice president of the National Black Deaf Advocates from 2002 to 2005. None of the doctors did anything to really help or make clear what was going on. In 2002, Gordon received the Paul G. Hearne/AAPD Leadership Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities. This discrimination is what inspired her to become a lawyer. Maude Baggetto is in the Office of Public Engagement focusing on Women and Girls. Pronunciation of Claudia L. Gordon with 1 audio pronunciation and more for Claudia L. Gordon. It would also be helpful to create a network of support in your community. None of the doctors did anything to really help or make clear what. Which is exactly the type of work Gordon was driven to do: I am motivated by knowing that although progress is being made towards inclusion and access, there is still a great deal more work to be done. After leaving the OFCCP U.S. Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. After two years of no education, Claudia and her mother immigrated to New York. Also, mentoring youth and young adults with disabilities keeps me motivated. They were always in the background pitching in whenever my Mom was in need. Many shrugged off my grand intention as wishful thinking. Happy Black History Month! She was deaf at the age of eight. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/30/president-biden-announces-key-appointments-to-boards-and-commissions-9/?utm_source=link, Office of the United States Trade Representative. Get to know her by reading this post. [3][8], It was in high school when Gordon knew she wanted to be a lawyer, with the discrimination she experienced in Jamaica as her inspiration. Deseo toda la felicidad del mundo para ti , alegrias , risas y mucha" Claudia L. Gordon is Director of Government and Compliance with T-Mobile Accessibility a Business Unit within T-Mobile that offers communication products and services to reduce or eliminate communication barriers for customers with disabilities. Teaming up with others who have similar disabilities and being vocal about your needs are necessary in order to be properly prepared., American Bar Association See Claudia L. Gordon full list of movies and tv shows from their career. Throughout Claudia Gordons life, she has been given many awards and honors. She took her to a clinic and healers, to no avail. On a personal level, Ive had so many wonderful moments at the Department that its difficult to pick just one. [9], By my junior year in high school, I made it known to all that I would go to law school and become an attorney. 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. Claudia L. Gordon, Member, National Council on Disability Claudia Gordon is a dedicated advocate for people with disabilities with nearly 30 years of versatile professional expertise, with a . Claudia Gordon is the third featured guest in the Council on Women and Girls: Meet the Women of the Administration series. As she became deaf during the summer, the school and her parents decided that Claudia couldn't go back to school in the fall. She is also the first deaf person to work at the White House in an detailee capacity. 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. By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. Thank you for this feature! The Registered Agent on file for this company is Claudia L Gordon and is located at 108 W James Street, Blue Ridge, TX 75424. [10] While at WCL, she bagged the Myers Law Scholarship twice as well as the J. Franklin Bourne Scholarship. 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. In an interview she makes a point that there was a deaf intern working in the White House before her, and that there are currently other deaf people working in less prestigious positions in the White House, Claudia Gordon has been active in both the black deaf community and the broader disability community. Its hard to pick a single moment that stands out in the eight months Ive been here.Every day I get to be a part of a team of nearly 750 dedicated public servants working in every part of the country who are responsible for holding those who do business with the Federal government contractors and subcontractors to the very reasonable standard that they cannot discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. A domestic servant with only an eighth grade education, she literally scrubbed her way to America one garment at a time. Prior to joining the Law Center, Benally was the CEO of a Residential Treatment Center for Native American Youth that successfully integrated Navajo culture into western-based mental health treatment.Benally is the current President of the Navajo Nation Advisory Council on Disabilities, a former Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, and a former Member of the New Mexico Developmental Disability Planning Council. I thought I was the only deaf person in the world. My interest in working for the Federal government was sparked while working as a Skadden Fellow and staff attorney at the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Law and Advocacy Center from 2000-2002. Philanthropic organization are vital to the work of advancing disability inclusion and access. Previously city included Lacombe LA. In 2004, she was named secretary of the Board for the Lexington Board of Directors. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW 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). 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. Get to know her by reading this post. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Brigham Young University,Theo W. Braddy, Member, National Council on DisabilityTheo W. Braddy has advocated on behalf of people with disabilities for over 40 years. No one gets here by him or herself so I am grateful to a lot of people. Claudia was a member of the Obama Administration from December 2009 to January 2017 initially . Pat spent 26 years as a public interest attorney fighting on behalf of the victims of employment discrimination. Claudia L Gordon is Trustee at Gallaudet University. February 29, 2016 by Sue Ann Rodriquez 1 Comment. Claudia Gordon is the third featured guest in the Council on Women and Girls: Meet the Women of the Administration series. Its always a joy when I get to work closely with my boss, OFCCP Director Patricia A. Shiu. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission", "InfoGuides: SOCI 240 Deaf Culture: Popular Magazines", "Google Paints Stunning Portraits of Disability Rights Heroes on Washington, D.C. Steps", "National Disability Mentoring Coalition (NDMC)", "Claudia Gordon's Appointment as Public Engagement Advisor at the White House | News", "AAPD Applauds Appointment of Claudia Gordon as Public Engagement Advisor at the White House", "Claudia L. Gordon, Esq. Former staff attorney of nonprofit National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center. In pursuing that mission, OFCCP is leading the way to ensure that the reach for good jobs is truly within the grasp of everyone. August 30, 2010. http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/08/30/meet-women-administration-claudia-gordon, Copyright 1995-2023 Jolanta Lapiak. Not being around or in a community that supported deafness became a problem: I thought I was the only deaf person in the world. In Jamaica, deaf and disabled persons are stigmatized and Gordon remembered that a deaf woman who lived in the area was called dummy, by local children who threw rocks at her. 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. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame, a Masters of Education from the University of Notre Dame, and a Masters of Public Policy in Education from Vanderbilt University. I want to take the opportunity to remind you all; just in case some" She is also the first deaf student to graduate in 2000, from the American University (AU) Washington College of Law, in Washington, DC. She went from being the brightest and most outgoing kid in my class, to being pulled out of school, isolated from her friends, and became an object of ridicule. Many shrugged off my grand intention as wishful thinking. [6][7][5][8], When she was eleven, Gordon attended a public school before enrolling at the Lexington School and Center for the Deaf in New York. 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. By the time she reached her junior year in high school, Gordon knew that she wanted to become a lawyer. Claudia and her younger siblings were left in the care of her eldest sister, Mildred Taylor, a schoolteacher. I did not realize until years later that a woman who everyone in my town knew as dummy, and who children my age would incessantly harass with stone throwing, was deaf. Use WeCos Library. Claudia Gordon a trailblazer who reminds us that immigrants, they get the job done.