Life Together

Angela Denise Davis

           The past week of my internship has carried the usual weight of great opportunities. In addition to my continuing work with IDAC (Interfaith Disability Advocacy Coalition), I attended two intern events and one event on Capitol Hill.

            Tuesday evening, the interns gathered for a workshop on careers in the federal government. The workshop was facilitated by Michael Murray, Diversity Manager in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. We discussed the significance and process of obtaining a Schedule A letter, and other aspects of job seeking within the federal government.
            On Friday, I attended a series of conversations on Capitol Hill sponsored by the Congressional Black Associates & LGBT Congressional Staff Association in conjunction with FIRE Initiative of the Center for American Progress. The event was entitled “Invisible Lives: Conversations on the experiences, struggles, and triumphs of Black Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Americans.” I was glad to be in the room, and felt compelled to remind the group that the LGBT African American community needs to remember their brothers and sisters with disabilities. A man came up to me after the event and thanked me for my comment. He said that he had never thought of disability as an issue.
            On Saturday, the interns gathered again for a tour of the Franklin D. Roosevelt memorial. Our tour guide was Jim Dickson, Vice President of Organizing and Civic Engagement at AAPD. The tour was excellent. I do not think there could ever be a better tour guide than Jim for this memorial. His extensive experience in community organizing and activism within the disability rights movement made this event spectacular.