Vanguard Landing, a choice or same pattern of segregation in Virginia?

I spoke a city council meeting 10.8.13

As a person with a disability and was once employed Moms in Motion, a waiver facilitator that assist many Virginians with disabilities live in their community, I'm confused and angry over the the expense and the intent the City has shown for Vanguard Landing.

While I realize people deserve home care options, I believe seclusion and segregation is never the answer. Those two factors are dangerous. If you were to look at the history of people with disabilities, you will find, again and again, a pattern of segregation and abuse. I'm not only referring to physical abuse but corruption of the internal care system that will surely happen in the future.

Why are we continuing to make the same mistakes of the past? Why do the founders of Vanguard Landing think this is best option, when the US Department of Justice came into Virginia and said the (secluded) Training Centers had to be closed immediately? Isn't that a heads up that these type of places are dangerous?

The answer to caring for people with disabilities can be found by studying Disability History.

I invite everybody listening right now to my Disability History presentation on October 21st at 6:30 in Norfolk at Hope House hosted by The Arc of South Hampton Roads. If you study Disability History you will see segregation leads to abuse. Stop profiteering from caring of people with disabilities. There are current practices being used now to care for people with disabilities in their homes. It cost less to serve an individual in their home. Viruses such as COVID-19 kills at an increased rate in segregated settings such as Vanguard Landing.

I believe in small group homes sprinkled throughout our community.

I believe in strengthening home care support so anybody with a disability can live at home.

I believe everybody should live in their community, near or with their loved ones.

Segregation is not the answer. It never was and never will be.

 

Segregation is not the answer. It never was and never will be. Do not fund Vanguard Landing.

Please look at the Facebook page that I and another advocate made:
https://www.facebook.com/advocatesagainstvanguard


A conversation on my Facebook

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Released March 9, 2014
New York Times Documentary: The Men of Atalissa

Produced by Kassie Bracken, John Woo and Dan Barry, "The Men of Atalissa" is the evocative, haunting story of a few dozen men with intellectual disability who lived in an old schoolhouse on top of a hill. For more than three decades, they were an integral part of an Iowa farming community, worshipping at the local churches, dancing at the local bars, working at a nearby turkey-processing plant; they were affectionately known as "the boys." But none of their neighbors knew of the day-to-day abuse the men endured in that schoolhouse on the hill.

The Iowa community had no idea of the abuse going on inside the bunkhouse.
“I’ve been in the building back when it was nice.”
“Never heard them complain.”

Video  |   Article   |    A conversation on my Facebook

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