Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Dignity & Respect Champion is... Claire Walker!

Women's History Month recognizes and pays tribute to the commitment of women who worked hard to make change for the better. Dr. Claire Walker, recently retired executive director at the Pittsburgh Child Guidance Foundation (PCGF), continues this tradition of commitment and is being recognized as a Dignity & Respect Champion for it.
Her history as an advocate started with her early work as a social planner for the Reading Model Cities Agency. There Claire learned of a problem where people went to jail simply because they couldn't afford bail. After organizing a mock trial and helping residents to learn the facts, a new program to assist those in need grew from her efforts.
During her tenure as the research director at Health and Welfare Planning Association in Pittsburgh, she developed the first day care voucher program for children with parents on welfare that allowed them to integrate with those not in the program. Helping children in situations like these to become less invisible sparked a calling for Claire Walker. "My passion comes from the recognition that we all start as children and everything important happens there," Claire said. "What happens to children affects their adult lives and all too often their voices are quiet and unheard."
As policy director for the state Department of Public Welfare Office of Children, Youth and Families, she led the initiative to national compliance with welfare regulations. Due to changes, Pennsylvania children were on the verge of losing money unless the Commonwealth created new standards. Claire worked to rewrite these rules to complement the new regulations and safeguard that the department upheld the very best way they knew how to treat the children. She then created the services to do that. To ensure that these rules became reality, Claire became the executive director of Family Resources.
This position led to her time at the Child Guidance Foundation as executive director. Her task involved discovering the issues that no one discussed about the children of incarcerated parents in Allegheny County and being the children's voice in these issues. Between 12 and 15 percent of Allegheny County children will grow up with a parent in jail during their young lives. Approximately 8,500 of these children currently live separated from one or both of their parents due to incarceration.
"At a time when people were not talking about how hard it is to grow up when your parent is in jail and you are alone, Claire found a calling to rally the world around. For the past ten years, she worked tirelessly to identify potential solutions that would ultimately change lives in Allegheny County," said Charlotte Brown PhD., President of Board of Trustees of PCGF, who nominated Claire as a Dignity & Respect Champion. "Claire has dedicated her professional life to advocating for children." 
As their advocate, Claire worked hard to change the system by examining how the losses affected them and then gave the research to those most poised to assist. "The greatest joy I have is seeing those in the legal system honor their words and respond by working to help the children," Claire said.
Charlotte Brown comments,"Claire is a special person. She is a listener, a learner, a wise person who makes a difference by taking action and making things happen. Thanks to her dedication and vision, thousands of children in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and ultimately the nation have the promise of a brighter future."
Reflecting on her prestigious career as a voice for the displaced and invisible children of incarcerated parents Claire states her belief that, "We're fellow pilgrims on this planet. Everything I've done, even that which was most serendipitous, is an accomplishment. At each point I've said that I'm so priveleged to be able to do this." 
Do you know an individual who makes a positive impact andpromotes an environment of inclusion? If so, nominate the person in your life you feel has made a difference for the Dignity & Respect Champion Award! This prestigious award recognizes people who are engaged in their communities, live by the principles of dignity and respect, and promote an environment of inclusion. 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Recognizing Dignity & Respect Champion: Lisa Strother Upsher


Lisa Strother Upsher, the Minority Organ Tissue   Transplant Education Program Director at the Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE), is faced with resistance everyday. It's her job to inform and persuade, and sway opinions when possible.
Paula K. Davis, D&R Champion previously recognized for her work with diversity recruitment at the University of Pittsburgh, says this about Lisa Strother Upsher, "Lisa must navigate people's faith, tradition, beliefs about their very being, and their perceptions of death and dying in outlining why they should consider registering as donors."
"People sometimes can't see past the misperceptions of being an organ donor," Lisa states. She quells these concerns and raises awareness by conducting ongoing community-based education presentations.  Some people need to be approached six or seven times through presentations at work, school, community, and even church before they understand the value of being anorgan donor.  Lisa has the persistence to do this, and she developed it early on.
She was born in West Virginia, the baby of 13 children. With seven other girls and five boys, Lisa had to be persistent just to be heard. A self proclaimed "minister's kid," she grew up in a small but diverse area of Italian, Polish, and African-American ancestry.  Lisa feels that growing up in a small community where "everyone knows everyone," provided her with a safety zone to develop into who she is. She has always worked in jobs related to health disparity in the multi-cultural community. She spent 15 years as a field manager for Healthy Start, Inc., another non-profit, where she developed and trained community outreach workers. Lisa has been working at CORE for five years, where she finds her work not only rewarding, but challenging in her everyday interactions with people.
"When you treat others the way they want to be treated, then you make people feel valued and respected and you can change everything for the greater good", Lisa states. She continues, "A greater diversity of donors can increase access to transplantation for everyone."   Although people of different races frequently match one another, compatible blood types and tissue markers that are critical qualities for matching, are more likely to be found among members of the same ethnicity.
Paula K. Davis, who nominated Upsher as a Dignity & Respect Champion says, "Under-represented individuals suffer disproportionately from illness that may result in the need for transplantation. Discussions of what may happen to our bodies after dying is very uncomfortable. Lisa must discuss the benefit to the living while respecting the individual."
Lisa does this as she communicates to people the importance of being an organ donor and as she educates people against the myths and misperceptions of organ donation.  "The number one negative myth is that if you put 'Organ Donor' on your license, people are going to let you die." Lisa states.  "The public needs to be made aware that this is irrational. Sometimes they need to hear it numerous times from institutions they respect, and places they trust, before they realize this, "she adds. Lisa's job is to educate people how untrue this myth is. And she will do just that, no matter how many times it takes.
Do you know an individual who makes a positive impact and promotes an environment of inclusion? If so, nominate the person in your life you feel has made a difference for the Dignity & Respect Champion Award! This prestigious award recognizes people who are engaged in their communities, live by the principles of dignity and respect, and promote an environment of inclusion.