Chet Cooper

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Chet Cooper
Occupation(s)Advocate, publisher, journalist, public speaker
Known forFounder of ABILITY Magazine

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 spoken about the power social media has in 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 and Dyslexia. Other members of his family also have disabilities. [15] Cooper 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.

The digital divide is the unequal access to digital technology, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and the internet. The digital divide worsens inequality around access to information and resources. In the Information Age, people without access to the Internet and other technology are at a disadvantage, for they are unable or less able to connect with others, find and apply for jobs, shop, and learn.

<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 developments ensures both "direct access" and "indirect access" meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology.

Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is an unemployment benefit paid by the Government of the United Kingdom to people who are unemployed and actively seeking work. It is part of the social security benefits system and is intended to cover living expenses while the claimant is out of work.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Trust</span> United Kingdom-based charity

The King's Trust is a United Kingdom-based charity founded in 1976 by King Charles III to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track. It supports 11-to-30-year-olds who are unemployed or struggling at school and at risk of exclusion. Many of the young people helped by the trust face issues such as homelessness, disability, mental health problems, or trouble with the law.

Volunteers of America (VOA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1896 that provides affordable housing and other assistance services primarily to low-income people throughout the United States. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, the organization includes 32 affiliates and serves approximately 1.5 million people each year in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

<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.

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.

Social security, in Australia, refers to a system of social welfare payments provided by Australian Government to eligible Australian citizens, permanent residents, and limited international visitors. These payments are almost always administered by Centrelink, a program of Services Australia. In Australia, most payments are means tested.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities</span> Treaty of the United Nations

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an international human rights treaty of the United Nations intended to protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities. Parties to the convention are required to promote, protect, and ensure the full enjoyment of human rights by persons with disabilities and ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy full equality under the law. The Convention serves as a major catalyst in the global disability rights movement enabling a shift from viewing persons with disabilities as objects of charity, medical treatment and social protection towards viewing them as full and equal members of society, with human rights. The convention was the first U.N. human rights treaty of the twenty-first century.

<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, old age., and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability, and old age. An emerging approach within social protection frameworks is Adaptive Social Protection, which integrates disaster risk management and climate change adaptation to strengthen resilience against shocks.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.

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">Youth unemployment</span> Situation of young people who are willing to work but unable to find a job

Youth unemployment is a special case of unemployment; youth, here, meaning those between the ages of 15 and 24.

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.

In Japan, a person with a disability is defined as: "a person whose daily life or life in society is substantially limited over the long term due to a physical disability or mental disability". Japan ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on 20 January 2014.

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

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Biography for Chet Cooper". ABILITY Magazine.
  2. ↑ "Accessing Social Media Speaker Bios" (PDF). Transition FCC.
  3. ↑ "Ability Magazine - launched as the first newsstand magazine focused on issues of health and disability". Archived from the original on November 29, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2012., Ketupa.net, A Media Industry Resource
  4. ↑ "Archives". Archived from the original on October 17, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Ability House Meets Habitat For Humanity." MidWeek Windward Pa'ina May 03, 2006.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ↑ "Govtjobs247.com". Archived from the original on January 23, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Employment for People with Disabilities « Liveshots". Archived from the original on October 4, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2012., Colby, Jamie. "Employment for People With Disabilities." Fox News December 23, 2009.
  9. ↑ Morrison, Patt (December 23, 2002). "Did They Think Pete Wilson Was a Democrat?". Los Angeles Times . p. 2. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Home". presidentialserviceawards.gov. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Chet Cooper". chetcooper.com/. Retrieved June 4, 2019.
  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 October 25, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2012.,"UN Enable."
  14. ↑ "United States International Council on Disabilities - Social Media and Disability". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2012., "Social Media and Disability". United States International Council on Disabilities.
  15. ↑ , Gee, Elise. "Rebuilding their abilities." Daily Pilot October 30, 1999.
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