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Exploring the Intersectionality of Ability, Race, & Religion

Dr. Nicholas Wright and Maria Kemplin, staff at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute, received a University of Kentucky Office for Institutional Diversity Award to support programs that are student-centric and foster collaboration through partnerships that address the important of diverse views and cultures. In partnership with the Martin Luther King Center and the Disability Resource Center, staff will explore the intersectionality of ability, and race.

Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how various social categories interact to create unique experiences of discrimination and privilege. Most people understand race is a concept of diversity, but ability has been historically omitted from this conversation and religion is another concept that is absent from conversations surrounding DEI.

This award will be used to host an educational event for all students, staff, and faculty members to gain a better understanding of this multifaceted experience in diversity. By gaining exposure and learning about intersectionality, we can address and dismantle systems of oppression to better support all students holistically.

Watch for more information about this exciting event at hdi.uky.edu.

Maurice Dawson staff photo

2023 Jacki Shouse Service Award Dedicated to the Memory of Maurice Dawson, Jr

Jacki Shouse began working at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute in March of 1990. She accepted her first position with the Human Development Institute in February of 1998, where she spent the next 19 years until her retirement. Although we miss her greatly, giving the annual Shouse Service Award gives us an opportunity to reflect on what she meant to HDI.

This award is given to an HDI staff member who demonstrates excellent job performance through their contributions to increase efficiency, provision of high-quality customer service, increased cost savings, or enhanced daily operations. The candidate must be responsive, respectful, and work collaboratively with others.

This year’s award is dedicated to the memory of Maurice Dawson, Jr., Computer Support Specialist. Nominations were received from multiple staff members who shared special memories of Maurice and his impact on HDI.

“Maurice took time to get to know each colleague in such a unique and personal way. He brightened everyone’s day with his dry sense of humor, incredible wit, and silly memes at what always seemed to be sent at the perfect time.”

“He juggled so many tasks at Coldstream and made it look effortless”.

“Maurice always made folks feel like they were his top priority, even though there were hundreds of us.”

We are grateful for another opportunity to remember our colleague and friend.

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Johnny Collett joins a special episode of the State of HDI Podcast

The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) is pleased to announce a special episode of the State of HDI podcast series. Listeners have the opportunity to join Johnny Collett, Deputy Director at HDI, for Advancing Ideas for Improvement or Innovation in a System Where You are Not the Boss. Learn about five principles that apply in any setting that can be used regardless of where you are organizationally situated, that could increase your ability to lead.

Listen to this episode and download a summary document of the State of HDI podcast here.

Before joining HDI, Collett served as Assistant United States Education Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Prior to that, Collett served as program director for special education outcomes at the Council of Chief State School Officers. He has also served in senior leadership roles at the Kentucky Department of Education, and as a high school special education teacher.

From his role as a classroom teacher, to state special education director, to the United States’ highest-ranking official for special education and rehabilitative services, Collett has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to raising expectations and improving outcomes for people with disabilities. Added to that is his career-long commitment to meaningful and effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders – whether students, parents, educators, business leaders, disability advocates, governors, state legislators, or members of Congress.

Collett’s extensive portfolio of leadership experience, including implementation of state and Federal laws and policies and numerous systems change efforts, provide him with a unique perspective on matters related to improving educational, employment, and other life outcomes of people with disabilities.

Follow Johnny on Twitter @JohnnyWCollett or contact him at Johnny.Collett@uky.edu.

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Fund for Excellence Projects Awarded

The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute Fund for Excellence was created to support the development of innovative programs, services, or products to address the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families, for which funding is not currently available. Below is a list of the most recent awards.

Expanding the Social Networks of Adults with Autism

Project Lead: Patti Logsdon

This project supports autistic adults in expanding their friendships, social networks, and community participation in valued community roles and activities. This will be achieved through a blended approach that builds upon person-centered planning, circle of friends/support, peer networks and valued social roles. This project will support HDI’s mission of building inclusive communities by developing social networks.

Mind in the Making: Seven Essential Executive Skills for Families

Project Leads: Dr. Joanne Rojas and Sally Dannenberg 

Mind in the Making (MITM) is a research framework that summarizes decades of developmental research into the seven essential life skills. The MITM training consists of eight modules geared to early childhood professionals and family educators to engage them in an experiential and reflective process of self-discovery of their own competence in these life skills, connect their experience to the research, and learn to promote these capacities in themselves as well as in the children in their care. The goal of this project is to provide this training to communities throughout the state that serve families that are at risk because of a variety of circumstances. This project supports HDI’s mission of addressing the inequity of access to resources and support networks. 

Working Alternatives to Guardianship (WAG)

Project Lead: Laura Butler 

The goal of this project is to form a workgroup of stakeholders that will work together to inform workable decisional support options for people who have not traditionally had viable options beyond legal guardianship. The initial objective of the group will be to create a Continuing Legal Education course that will focus on providing people with legal documents that will be accepted by a wide variety of other professionals. This project will further HDI’s mission of building inclusive communities by helping identify ways for more people to experience full personal and civil rights. 

six HDI staff and students standing in front of the AUCD conference banner

HDI Staff and Students Attend AUCD Annual Conference

University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) staff and students attend the 2023 Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) conference. The theme of this year’s conference was Emerging Leaders: Shaping the Future.

The UK HDI is Kentucky’s Center on Disability and is a University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). As a UCEDD and a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program, we are a member of the AUCD organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs in every U.S. state and territory to achieve meaningful change.  Visit www.aucd.org for more information about the AUCD Network and Conference.  If you are interested in learning more about HDI programs or the presentations being made, contact Beth.Potter@uky.edu.

Staff and students representing HDI included Laura Butler, Kristen Dahl, Jon Drummond, Christina Espinosa, Brittany Granville, Kristopher Gruber, Bev Harp, Bailey Hull, Dr. Kathy Sheppard-Jones, and Dr. Phillip Rumrill.

Presentations included the following:

Mental Health & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities: Landscape Analysis Results from Four States

Improving the Future of Disability & Belonging

Advocacy as Leadership: A Panel Discussion of People with Disabilities who Show Up as Leaders in a Variety of Roles

How to Become an Agent for Change in Air Travel Accessibility

The Therapeutic Value of Martial Arts for Youth with Autism: Into the Tae Kwon Do or Tang Soo Do Dojang

Emergent Vocational Rehabilitation Strategies for People with Diabetes Mellitus

Exploring the Intersection of Criminal Justice System Involvement and Disability: Considerations for Rehabilitation Services

Utilizing Propensity Score Matching Analysis to Examine the Effects of Postsecondary Education on Employment Outcomes of People with Mental Illness