Chet Cooper

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Chet Cooper
Occupation(s)Advocate, Publisher, Journalist, Public Speaker

Chet Cooper, is best known as a leading advocate for people with disabilities, most notably in the areas of education, equal employment, and housing. [1] Cooper is the founder/creator of ABILITY Magazine , ABILITY Awareness, and JobAccess.org. [2]

Contents

ABILITY Magazine

In 1991 Cooper launched ABILITY Magazine, the first newsstand magazine focusing on issues of health and disability. [3] Distributed by Time Warner, ABILITY Magazine is a bimonthly (6 issues annually) publication.

ABILITY Awareness

In 1995 Cooper founded ABILITY Awareness, a non-profit foundation dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities through housing, employment, education, media and volunteer opportunities. In response to the growing population of low-income people with disabilities, Cooper created ABILITY House, a program of ABILITY Awareness. [4] Partnering with Habitat for Humanity, ABILITY House creates accessible homes for low income persons all over the United States, including Oahu, Hawaii. [5] ABILITY Awareness created the ABILITY Magazine Award (via Think Quest Internet Challenge), which provides scholarships to winning teams of students where one or more members have a disability. [6]

ABILITY Jobs - abilityjobs.com

Ability Jobs - Online job board

Cooper also developed abilityjobs.com (formerly JobAccess.org), an internet employment site for people with disabilities. [7] Abilityjobs.com helps those with disabilities find jobs within companies, government and non-profit organizations. According to Cooper, eighty percent of workers with disabilities are unemployed looking at the Percent of Population in Labor Force numbers the government provides. However, many have given up searching for work after countless unsuccessful attempts. As a result, they no longer are classified as unemployed and consequently government estimates of disabled people without work is substantially less than the real number. [8]

Ability Job Fair - Online career fair

Continuing his work to improve employment for people with disabilities, he started ABILITYJobFair.org, an online, face-to-face career fair experience for job seekers with disabilities and recruiters.

Awards and Recognitions

He has been honored by President George W. Bush at a private White House ceremony where he was presented with the President's Community Volunteer Award, [9] the highest national honor bestowed upon a volunteer. [10] Chet Cooper has further been recognized by the California Governor's Committee for "exemplary leadership in the community" and has received a special Congressional recognition for outstanding community service and the Easter Seals Awareness Award, to name a few. [1]

Public Speaking

He is a member of the California Governor's Media Access board, Rosalynn Carter's Mental Health Partnership Steering Council and serves on committees for COSD (Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities), Actors with Disabilities Showcase and LAP (Local Access Place). Cooper is a speaker and has addressed audiences on both national and local levels including serving as the keynote speaker at the President's Committee on the Employment of People with Disabilities national conference and two-time speaker at the National Community Service Conference, which was held in conjunction with the Points of Light Foundation. [1] He has spoken in Switzerland, China (Beijing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Hong Kong), Israel, England, Abu Dhabi, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Armenia, Qatar, and Scotland. [11]

Chet Cooper has also been pontificating about the power social media has on promoting awareness for disability issues. From speaking to the UN on September 7, 2011, [12] to organizing and moderating the first panel at the UN on disability and social media on September 13, 2012, [13] Cooper continues to present the tremendous influence such social media channels as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube have. He discusses social media tools, their measurable performance, Web influencers, value of unique information and content generation. [14]

Personal life

Cooper has personally been diagnosed with ADHD, Dyslexia, and shares family members also with disabilities, [15] Cooper has completed an undergraduate degree in biology at California Poly Tech and attended law school at Western State University. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disability</span> Impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions

Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. Disabilities can be present from birth or can be acquired during a person's lifetime. Historically, disabilities have only been recognized based on a narrow set of criteria—however, disabilities are not binary and can be present in unique characteristics depending on the individual. A disability may be readily visible, or invisible in nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accessibility</span> Modes of usability for people with disabilities

Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" and "indirect access" meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discouraged worker</span> Person of legal employment age who is not actively seeking employment

In economics, a discouraged worker is a person of legal employment age who is not actively seeking employment or who has not found employment after long-term unemployment, but who would prefer to be working. This is usually because an individual has given up looking, hence the term "discouraged".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social model of disability</span> Societal failure to adapt to disabilities

The social model of disability identifies systemic barriers, derogatory attitudes, and social exclusion, which make it difficult or impossible for disabled people to attain their valued functionings. The social model of disability diverges from the dominant medical model of disability, which is a functional analysis of the body as a machine to be fixed in order to conform with normative values. As the medical model of disability carries with it a negative connotation, with negative labels associated with disabled people. The social model of disability seeks to challenge power imbalances within society between differently-abled people and seeks to redefine what disability means as a diverse expression of human life. While physical, sensory, intellectual, or psychological variations may result in individual functional differences, these do not necessarily have to lead to disability unless society fails to take account of and include people intentionally with respect to their individual needs. The origin of the approach can be traced to the 1960s, and the specific term emerged from the United Kingdom in the 1980s.

Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, especially in "language, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living". Developmental disabilities can be detected early on and persist throughout an individual's lifespan. Developmental disability that affects all areas of a child's development is sometimes referred to as global developmental delay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debra Ruh</span> American businesswoman (born 1958)

Debra Ruh is an American business woman and advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities. She founded TecAccess, which provides software and services for information technology accessibility for people with disabilities and for Section 508 compliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities</span> World day

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992. It has been observed with varying degrees of success around the planet. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. It was originally called "International Day of Disabled Persons" until 2007. Each year the day focuses on a different issue.

The term sheltered workshop refers to an organization or environment that employs people with disabilities separately from others, usually with exemptions from labor standards, including but not limited to the absence of minimum wage requirements.

Ability is an American bimonthly magazine founded by Chet Cooper in 1990, and launched as the first newsstand magazine focused on issues of health and disability. Ability is ranked in the Top 50 Magazines in the World. It is distributed by Time Warner and has offices in Santa Ana and Costa Mesa, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Best Buddies International</span> American nonprofit organization

Best Buddies International is an American nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. It consists of volunteers that create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The program's main purpose is to allow volunteers to be paired up with a buddy with an intellectual and developmental disability and provide them with a friend or a mentor. Best Buddies is the world's largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with IDD. It is an international movement that has spread to over 54 countries worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social protection</span> Anti-poverty policies and programs

Social protection, as defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, is concerned with preventing, managing, and overcoming situations that adversely affect people's well-being. Social protection consists of policies and programs designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, diminishing people's exposure to risks, and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability, and old age. It is one of the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 aimed at promoting greater equality.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month was declared in 1988 by the United States Congress for the month of October to raise awareness of the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. The month is an extension of "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week" originally observed during the first week of October beginning in 1945. In 1962 the word "physically" was removed from that week to acknowledge the employment needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. Americans observe National Disability Employment Awareness Month by paying tribute to the accomplishments of the people with disabilities whose work helps keep the nation's economy strong and by reaffirming their commitment to ensure equal opportunity for all citizens.

Ableism is discrimination and social prejudice against people with physical or mental disabilities. Ableism characterizes people as they are defined by their disabilities and it also classifies disabled people as people who are inferior to non-disabled people. On this basis, people are assigned or denied certain perceived abilities, skills, or character orientations.

The world's poor are significantly more likely to have or incur a disability within their lifetime compared to more financially privileged populations. The rate of disability within impoverished nations is notably higher than that found in more developed countries. Since the early 2010s there has been growing research in support of an association between disability and poverty and of a cycle by which poverty and disability are mutually reinforcing. Physical, cognitive, mental, emotional, sensory, or developmental impairments independently or in tandem with one another may increase one's likelihood of becoming impoverished, while living in poverty may increase one's potential of having or acquiring disability in some capacity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi</span>

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi is an American disability rights activist and an advocate for Israel. She was the founder of the disability advocacy non-profit RespectAbility. She is also the co-founder and director of the Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund.

Disability in the United Kingdom covers a wide range of conditions and experiences, deeply impacting the lives of millions of people. Defined by the Equality Act 2010 as a physical or mental impairment with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, it encompasses various aspects of life, including demographics, legislation, healthcare, employment, and culture. Despite numerous advancements in policy and social attitudes, individuals with disabilities often encounter unique challenges and disparities.

Peruvians with disabilities constitute 5.2% of the population. 52.1% of disabled people are women. 40.5% of disabled Peruvians have a primary or better education. 76.8% are not economically active they have an unemployment rate of 12.1%. Of those Peruvians with disabilities who do work, 58.3% are self-employed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disability in Singapore</span>

Singapore does not have a formal definition of disability. Singapore signed on to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2013 and coordinates the Enabling Masterplan with both government and non governmental organisations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disability in France</span>

Approximately 12 million French citizens are affected by disability. The history of disability activism in France dates back to the French Revolution when the national obligation to help disabled citizens was recognized, but it was "unclear whether or not such assistance should be public or private." Disabled civilians began to form the first associations to demand equal rights and integration in the workforce after the First World War. Between 1940 and 1945, 45,000 people with intellectual disabilities died from neglect in French psychiatric asylums. After the Second World War, parents of disabled children and charities created specialized institutions for disabled children for whom school was not accessible. In 2018, the French Government began to roll out a disability policy which aimed to increase the allowance for disabled adults to €900 per month, improve the digital accessibility of public services, and develop easy-to-read and understand language among other goals.

Under Italian Law 104/1992, "disability" is defined as a loss of the ability of the person to perform basic daily activities unaided."

References

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  2. "Accessing Social Media Speaker Bios" (PDF). Transition FCC.
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  9. "Did They Think Pete Wilson Was a Democrat? - Page 2 - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 2014-10-06. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  10. "Home". presidentialserviceawards.gov. Archived from the original on 2020-09-29. Retrieved 2014-10-06.
  11. "Chet Cooper". chetcooper.com/. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  12. ,"How to Engage Media to Promote Awareness." Inclusive September 7, 2011.
  13. "UN Enable - Side-events to the fifth session of the Conference of States Parties,12-14 September 2012". Archived from the original on 2012-10-25. Retrieved 2012-12-09.,"UN Enable."
  14. "United States International Council on Disabilities - Social Media and Disability". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2012-12-09.,"Social Media and Disability." United States International Council on Disabilities.
  15. , Gee, Elise. "Rebuilding their abilities." Daily Pilot October 30, 1999.