Remembering the Struggles of the Past

This past Sunday marked the 48th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr's epic March on Washington. To commemorate this and all Doctor King’s contributions to obtaining Dignity & Respect for all, a Martin Luther King memorial was unveiled this week. This thirty-foot tall memorial is the only memorial on the Mall not dedicated to a war, politician or white man.

Let us do our part to remember King’s legacy this week. To help us all out, let us remember his words:

I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

Find the entirety of his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech here: http://www.mlkonline.net/dream.html

Remembering Past Dignity and Respect Champions: Pastor Cheryl Ruffin

 

As we continue to take time to remember past Dignity & Respect champions, let us honor Cheryl Ruffin, last November’s winner nominated for her work as the pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Pittsburgh in counseling, mentoring, and listening to others in times in need.

Cheryl Ruffin finds that listening to others is the best way to demonstrate respect to her peers, colleagues, family, friends, and the people around her.

“When people walk into my office, they need to be heard. When individuals enter into the sanctuary, they need to be acknowledged. I think that is probably the basis of who I am. Just making sure that people can be heard and their presence is acknowledged,” Ruffin said.

Cheryl is also a mentor through Amachi Pittsburgh, where she guides children who have an incarcerated parent. She finds that just listening and sharing another’s emotions can go a long way. She believes that working together is the key to making the community and world a better place, all starting with dignity and respect.

If you would like to nominate a Dignity & Respect Champion, visit us here. Let us continue to recognize everyone who works tirelessly for inclusion!

Join Us at the University of Pittsburgh New Student Orientation

 

It’s Back-to-School time for many schools, colleges and universities. What are you doing to promote Dignity & Respect this school year?

If you are in the Pittsburgh area, why not join the Dignity & Respect Campaign at the University of Pittsburgh New Student Orientation. We will be manning an awareness table and will be collecting pledges! Stop by and visit us! We will be spreading our message of inclusion to incoming freshmen at the Student Union (5^th Avenue side) on:

·         Wednesday, August 24, 2011 from 9am to 1pm

·         Thursday, August 25, 2011 from Noon (after the Pathway program) to 4pm

·         Friday, August 26, 2011 from 1pm to 5pm 

We are also very fortunate to have 4,500 awareness bracelets donated to us. These will be placed in all new student care bags upon arrival to orientation. 

So start the semester off right and do your part to promote Dignity & Respect on your campus too!

Honoring Past Dignity & Respect Champions: Jessica Mock

 

As we continue to take time to remember past Dignity & Respect champions, let us honor Jessica Mock, last October’s winner for her work at the Center for Hearing and Deaf Services (CHDS) in helping the deaf community.

Jessica Mock is giving a voice to people who are sometimes left in a world of silence. A 27 year old Johnstown native, Jessica works as an administrative assistant and assistant staff interpreter at CHDS. She first learned sign language in high school so she could communicate with a deaf friend, and her commitment continued during her college years. She attended Bloomsburg University in eastern Pennsylvania where she earned a bachelor's degree in interpreting.

Jessica moved to Pittsburgh after graduation and started working at CHDS, where she interprets at least once weekly, accompanying clients to doctor appointments, physical therapy, counseling, and other medical occasions that require both discretion and confidentiality.

Jessica said she was surprised and honored that she is being recognized for treating others with dignity and respect, and said that it’s important for everyone to incorporate the values into daily life!

If you would like to nominate a Dignity & Respect Champion, visit us here. Let us continue to recognize everyone who works tirelessly for inclusion!

Become a Mentor You Can Help Others Realize Their Potential

 

October is Dignity and Respect Month! Why not to celebrate by participating in the 12^th Annual National Disability Mentoring Day? Get motivated by checking out this energizing story:

UPMC has committed to making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities and on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011 will be participating National Disability Mentoring Day.  National Disability Mentoring Day brings students and other job seekers with disabilities into the work place, affording them the opportunity to learn firsthand about career opportunities.  Last year, over 50 students from Pittsburgh visited various UPMC locations and shadowed employees, while finding out more information on careers in healthcare. 

If you are part of the UPMC community, please consider hosting a group of students for 2011 National Disability Mentoring Day.  By hosting a group of students, you will have the opportunity to educate individuals about future careers available in the healthcare field.    In addition, you will be mentoring students, and helping them realize their potential.

You will be provided with all the tools you need to have a fun and insightful day with the students including a sample agenda and activity ideas.    This year, all mentors will be receiving information on the students including their career areas of interest and hobbies.    Therefore, all you will need to do is make the commitment to host students.

Contact K.C. Hoffert, Project Coordinator, at hoffertkc@upmc.edu or 412-864-4167 by Monday, September 12, 2011 if you are interested in hosting students for National Disability Mentoring Day on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011.   When contacting K.C., please indicate the number of students you would like to invite to you site.   More information on the names of the students assigned to your location will be provided in early October.

Learn more about the program and how you can mentor a student at your business here. How will you be participating and making a difference in a student’s life?   

Enter Our “Picture a Better World” Photo Contest!

 

Do your pictures always capture the right moment? Now is the time to put your photography skills to the test!

Attention all amateur photographers and artists: The Dignity & Respect Campaign would like to announce our “Picture A Better World” photo contest! Participation is easy:

Each week from now through October, we will ask you to submit a photograph that you believe best represents one of the Dignity & Respect Tips on our Facebook page.

This week, submit a picture that best represents Tip #21: Get Someone else’s point of view!

How to enter:

Step 1: Become one of our Facebook fans by clicking "Like" at the top of the Dignity &Respect Campaign’s Facebook Page. Once you are a fan,share your best photo on our Facebook wall. Be sure to include your name and a short caption as part of your Facebook post explaining why you think your photo best represents the Tip!

Step 2: Once your picture is posted, our Facebook fans will be invited to vote for their favorite photo by “Liking” the photo that positively represents the Tip. The one photo with the most likes will be our winner, so don’t be afraid to generate support for your entry: Ask your Facebook friends to vote for you!

The Prize: The winner will receive at $50 Visa gift card generously donated to us by one of our sponsors!

This prize may be redeemed anytime and all photo entries may be used by the Dignity & Respect Campaign for future awareness campaigns. Photos that are not appropriate for all audiences will be deleted and not entered in the contest. Contest dates and conditions may change, so follow us on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on all our announcements!

So get started practicing the Tips today and start snapping! 

Remembering Past Dignity and Respect Champions: Barbara Murock

 

 

As we continue to take time to remember past Dignity & Respect champions, let us honor Barbara Murock, last September’s winner and Health Policy Specialist with the Office of Behavioral Health for the Allegheny County Department of Human Services.

Barbara works in health care policy related to different vulnerable groups of people that the Department of Human Services serves, including the aging, mental health and drug and alcohol, children, youth and families, those with intellectual disabilities, and community services. She also manages an initiative for immigrants and international citizens. She believes and lives each day under the philosophy that everyone wants to be included – and there is a place for everyone. Treating others with dignity and respect is simple – and is the vital life and fabric of the community. With an advisory council of people from around the world, Barbara is helping to develop a language bank for the community where different organizations can go for translators, and also works with an employment mentoring program for immigrants, and also works with a program aiming to make foster care more culturally competent.

If you would like to nominate a Dignity & Respect Champion, visit us here. Let us continue to recognize everyone who works tirelessly for inclusion!

Honk if you love equality!

 

 

The Human Rights Campaign’s “On the Road to Equality” bus tour begins this week! The HRC will be traveling nationwide to bring a message of dignity and respect for the LGBT community. The twelve week tour will travel to 17 cities in 11 states and D.C to raise awareness in areas where living openly and honestly can be difficult.

The tour will be visiting:

· Aug 12-14 Salt Lake City, UT

· Aug 18-21 Omaha & Lincoln, NE

· Aug 24-27 Lawrence, KS & Kansas City, MO

· Sept 1-5 New Orleans, LA

· Sept 8-10 Austin & College Station, TX

· Sept 15-18 Little Rock, AR

· Sept 22-25 Louisville & Lexington, KY

· Sept 30-Oct 3 Washington, DC

· Oct 6-9 Atlanta, GA

· Oct 14-16 Birmingham & Tuscaloosa, AL

· Oct 20-23 Jacksonville, FL

· Oct 27-30 Orlando, FL

… so be sure to come out and show your support! And if you don’t live along the tour route, you can still show your support by downloading the HRC equality car signs here.

Honk if you love equality!

Honoring Past Champions: August 2010 Dignity & Respect Champion Michael Smith

Through the upcoming weeks we will be recognizing past winners of our Dignity & Respect Champion Award. This week we honor Michael Smith, our August 2010 Champion.

Helping people find work who have not been given a chance before is exactly why Michael Smith loves his job. By helping those with mental challenges and financial struggles to lead more independent lives, Smith sees everyday how transforming opportunities restore dignity and respect in both individuals and communities. Nominated by Arlene Robinson and Kim Simpson, his colleagues at Goodwill, Smith is the recipient of last August’s Dignity & Respect Champion Award for his work as CEO, along with his dedication to the organization for the last 20 years.

There is still time to nominate your favorite champion of dignity and respect for our August 2011 honor. Do you know a person who works tirelessly to promote inclusion in your community? Let us know and let them be recognized!

Winner Announcement: July’s Champion of Dignity and Respect!

 

The Dignity & Respect Campaign would like to congratulate this month’s D&R Champion, Hilda Pang Fu!

Hilda Pang Fu, president and founder of Luminari. Nominated by Candi Castleberry Singleton, Hilda was selected for her work to broaden minds, inspire innovations, and promote a cultured community.  "With the I Want To Be An Ambassador! camp, Hilda has found an inspiring way to expose students to the art of diplomacy, and to challenge them to become better negotiators by letting them see for themselves that differences are barriers to progress only if we allow them to be,"  Candi says. Hilda exhibits dignity and respect in her daily life without giving it a thought, as she says it comes naturally to her.

Nominate your favorite dignity and respect champion and learn more about past champions here!

Multicultural Food Fest this Wednesday!